THE SOUND AFFECT
An immersive journey through the power of sound
CLIENT:
PARTNERS:
Sonos, IKEA
Mother, Les Enfant Terrible
EXPERIENCE DESIGN
RESEARCH TRANSLATION
TOOLKIT
CHALLENGE
Launch the new Ikea x Sonos speaker with a campaign to spotlight sound and feeling
To launch the new SYMFONISK speaker, Sonos wanted to create a sonic experience to capture the emotional power of music and highlight the feeling states across the brain and body through sound. We were asked to support with neuroscience to bring to life the emotional underpinnings in sound, translated into experience design.
CREATIVE CONCEPT
Use neuroscience to transform the power of sound into an immersive environment
We deconstructed the dynamics of sound to best outline how our perceptions and emotions shift within sonic dimensions. This neuroscience was used to feed into a walk-through theatre experience with give rotating soundscapes designed to elicit a particular emotion.
EXECUTION
An multi-room sound journey to transform emotions and perceptions of space
We developed a sonic toolkit to directly inform and guide creative decision making in each of the five rooms, which were designed to represent a specific part of the brain using a unique multisensory coupling of sonics, light and biological motion. Each shifted perceptions and enhance emotional states with the audience.
Sensory integrations plays a key role in the creation of meaning, emotion and memory formation. This allowed us to create sensory hierarchies to play on perception to help participants experience changes in their states of being and emotions across the different environments, and bring to life the brand’s key message “sound can fill your home with feeling”.
In collaboration with Olivier nominated theatre company Les Enfants Terribles across the spaces, the science was used in tandem with digital and physical design to achieve multisensory integration, embodied learning and elicit aesthetic emotions. This helped designers craft an experience that has a powerful emotional impact, forming memories that aren't easily forgotten.
We worked in tandem with researchers from UCL and Sussex to help play on the intricacies of psychological states of being and leading with sound, creating an emotional journey that allowed participants to understand their brains and experience sound in a completely novel way.
Multisensory coupling and integration forms the basis for impactful experiential learning.