WETA Arts, the award-winning, magazine-style arts and culture series returns for its 10th season on the PBS flagship station with an elegant new sound. The latest collaboration between WETA, PBS’s Washington DC-based flagship station, and Stephen Arnold Music (SAM), the new music package reflects the show’s insightful take on DC’s diverse art scene in an understated and memorable way.
“It’s a unique sound,” says WETA creative director Dylan Wilbur. “There’s a lovely calmness to it that perfectly complements the show’s new art deco visual look. I first listened to SAM’s demo while driving in my car. I hit play and instantly fell in love. I thought, wow, that’s beautiful.”
WETA Arts is also the first show to leverage WETA’s first ever sonic branding. Created by SAM, the world leader in sonic branding, last year, the classically inspired signature sound is designed to give WETA a unified, instantly recognizable audio identity across each of its sub-brands and all touch points, broadcast and digital. It can be heard in different stylistic and mood treatments in promos, IDs, teasers and other marketing media for WETA PBS, WETA UK, WETA PBS Kids, WETA World, WETA Metro, and WETA Classical.
“The sonic branding evokes our values: trust, intelligence, quality and enrichment,” observes Wilbur. “WETA is different from commercial broadcasters in that many of our viewers are also supporters. We wanted to convey the pride of ownership they feel for the station.”
WETA’s sonic branding is also integrated into Signal in the Static, a longform spot celebrating the station’s historic leadership in news, documentary and educational programming. Airing in prime time through the fall political season, the spot features clips from classic WETA programs over three decades, including PBS Newshour, Ken Burns documentaries and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
“We’ve wanted to produce that spot for at least four years,” states Wilbur. “WETA has a unique story to tell, a 60 year legacy of fantastic local and national programs. The spot tells that story in an emotionally powerful way. And people respond to it. It’s a great tool not only for reaching viewers on air, but also in our fundraising efforts.”
The spot’s underscore, led by strings and French horns, accompanies voiceover copy delivered by WETA’s longtime spokesperson Paul Anthony. “What I love about the spot is how cohesive it is,” says SAM president and creative director Chad Cook. “The visuals, the voiceover and the music work together like a symphony in telling the WETA story. At the end, when Paul delivers the tagline, ‘We are W-E-T-A,” the six-note sonic signature suddenly appears as a light twinkle. It comes together perfectly. That’s something we’re very proud of.”
WETA’s sonic branding differs from mnemonics for consumer brands, which often consist of a simple musical phrase or sound effect. It’s complex and lyrical, allowing it to be adapted to the station’s diverse outlets and programming. “It’s very musical,” explains Cook. “It has depth and a multiple chord structure, a sequence of notes that can be used to create different harmonies. The original version is delivered by French horns and acoustic guitar. The WETA UK version is played on harpsicord. We’ve also done one featuring oboe, English horn, French horn and flute. Like a film score, the sonic branding is based on a motif that can be woven into pieces expressing vastly different moods and styles.”
The sonic branding is also proving to resonate with the public. According to The SoundOut Index, a leader in sonic brand testing, WETA ranks near the top among new sonic brands for recognition and attribution, scoring higher than such well-known brands as Singapore Airlines, State Farm and Kraft Mac & Cheese. It scored especially high among coveted Gen Z listeners.
“We’ve created a toolkit that can be renewed, adapted and updated for different purposes long into the future,” says Cook. “It can fill lots of niches to promote all the things that WETA does and will do. That’s the function of sonic branding. It provides a foundation to build on. And, the great ones live forever.”
About Stephen Arnold Music:
Often referred to as the most-heard, least-known composers in the world, Stephen Arnold Music’s creativity is experienced every day in more than 500 million homes worldwide. Based in Dallas, Texas, The World Leader In Sonic Branding® has 30 years of success delivering impactful, brand-defining music that makes a difference for today’s top content creators, networks, cable channels, television stations, digital media outlets, experiential, film, production companies, corporations and advertising agencies. With multiple Emmys, Promax Gold, ADDY and MUSE awards to their credit, Stephen Arnold Music’s specialized approach and commitment to the power of sonic branding, research, state-of-the-art production and unparalleled customer service is at the core of its promise. Stephen Arnold Music continues to set the creative bar in a highly competitive content landscape. For more information, please visit http://www.stephenarnoldmusic.com
