How Brands are Personalizing Sound UX in the Age of Voice Assistants
Have you ever used Alexa? Or received directions from a “talking map”? Have you dictated a search, message, or command to your phone? The popularity of Voice Assistants has been growing significantly, along with their presence in people’s lives. But how are brands and companies using this feature to stand out among different audiences?
“The voice is the mirror of the soul,” explains Zanna. And, without a doubt, it is also the instrument we use to express ourselves. That’s why the voice is used in various forms of communication. In Sound UX (User Sound Experience), it allows us to create connections, capture attention, and enhance brand recognition among diverse audiences in a unique, memorable, and humanized way.
As part of Sound UX, the Voice User Interface (or VUI) is created and developed to explore touchpoints with the audience using voice as the primary method of interaction. In this context, VUIs foster integration with the audience through the language used by voice assistants on various devices.
The Most Popular Voice Assistants
The most well-known voice assistant is probably Siri, created by Apple, and the first VUI tool to be distributed globally on smartphones from a major tech company. Launched with the iPhone 4 in 2011, it quickly gained public favor for how it recognized users’ voices and contextualized their commands and information.
To create a functioning Siri, Apple had to include basic information about its target audience, such as name, age, motivations, needs, and searches, while also considering other factors like external noise, microphone proximity, privacy, and everything else that would make the voice assistant not only functional but also useful and pleasant.
Despite all the functionalities and conveniences, which improved as the devices’ machine learning advanced, what really made Siri immediately popular was its persona. Suddenly, that woman inside your phone was cracking jokes, giving you weather updates, reminding you of calendar events, and recommending music.
Siri began to understand prosody, accents, regional pronunciations, and slang to sound increasingly natural and build its own personality. Today, you can find voice assistants that repeat instructions in the user’s voice, adopting their way of speaking and providing customized responses, turning the interaction into a more personal and humanized experience.
"However, there is something beyond a pleasant tone, a clear and witty script, and a well-trained algorithm. Yes, it’s the person behind the voice and their ability to emanate emotion. This is undoubtedly the most critical element to genuinely connect with the audience."
How to Personalize a Voice Assistant?
Created in 2013, Alexa was distributed by Amazon as part of Echo devices the following year. Two years later, Googlelaunched its own voice assistant, simply called Google Assistant. The difference in impact and identification between the two services, however, starts with their names.
Alexa feels closer to the public than Google Assistant, primarily because it is considered more “human,” even though everyone knows it is just a voice assistant. It’s no surprise that Amazon’s tool has more market share and has also become a platform for voice ads.
Recognizing the growing potential of this advertising market, Apple began monetizing Siri two years ago with the launch of the “Voice Plan.” In this plan, users who access Apple Music exclusively through Siri’s voice commands pay only half the price of a basic subscription.
Beyond the financial appeal, this strategy enabled Apple to increase the use of its assistant, personalize the experience with custom playlists and recommendations, and optimize services through voice commands. In a press release, Apple emphasized that this strategy would make its streaming service “accessible to even more people worldwide.”
Earlier this year, Mercedes Benz followed this trend by announcing the creation of the MBUX Virtual Assistant, an AI-powered voice assistant available in four “emotional profiles”: natural, predictable, personal, and empathetic. “This will enhance and complement our customers’ lives – within the cars and in other areas as well,” said Markus Schäfer, the company’s Chief Technology Officer.
A popular example of voice personalization is what Waze, one of the most used GPS navigation apps in Brazil, has done. In recent years, the company has offered the option to customize its voice assistant with stars ranging from Neymar to Pabllo Vittar. Offering a personalized experience for different audiences, using the voice, catchphrases, and speaking style of their idols, has resulted in organic brand engagement, generating a series of viral moments on social media.
As we’ve seen, voice assistants can serve different purposes, but they always offer a strong personal identity to the brand or company that created them. Even more, they can spark spontaneous engagement with the audience, who begin to associate them with memorable moments and experiences.
Curious to learn more about the power of voice in user experience and how to leverage it to your advantage? Send us a message!
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