posted 16 January 2014 23:38            

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Well worth a read
http://digg.com/originals/why-audio-never-goes-viral

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posted 17 January 2014 13:55            

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Maybe an ear worm is viral audio?

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posted 18 January 2014 18:36            

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I would say an ear worm is a symptom of viral audio

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posted 19 January 2014 04:33            

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I don't know if this is relevant, but the Smirnoff Hotel morphing radio ad got a D&AD award for best production. It was entered into the best sound design category but was disqualified as the sound design category was restricted to TV and film only (not radio).

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posted 19 January 2014 07:59            

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No D&AD award for radio ads might indicate an overall bias toward the visual in the society as a whole (as the article, too, seems to suggest). Ironic since, (imo) a film or an ad without sound or music loses most of its impact and "magic".

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posted 19 January 2014 11:00            

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Most of the directors I work with are far more concerned about the visual allthough they should know about the power of sound (exceptions prove the rule). I think this is because the visual is easier to describe and to understand. Also for non-audio people it's sometimes really hard to talk about sound and describe what they want. Sounddesigners in general (radio as well ) are sometimes treated below their value.

I close with one of the exceptions:
"Every time I hear sounds, I see pictures. Then, I start getting ideas. It just drives me crazy" (David Lynch)

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posted 19 January 2014 19:48            

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Pete,

Your Smirnoff ad is legendary!
http://bantusound.com/SoundMorphing/SoundMorphingPage.html

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posted 19 January 2014 20:10            

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This example may qualify as 'viral' but it's from a time before wide use of email or internet. It's transmission method was cassette tape duplication.

Known in the audio industry as 'the Rheem tape' it is an actual recording of a string of increasingly frustrated voicemail messages left on an answering machine that an Australian hot water service company called Rheem had installed on their "24-hour emergency service" phone number.

The tape found it's way into a cassette duplication factory apparently so it could be used as part of a customer service training package.

The math goes something like this:
"24 Hour emergency service" + "answering machine" IS NOT EQUAL TO customer service.

WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE NSFW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV-I0S28ogc

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posted 19 January 2014 20:16            

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I was thinking that some sounds, arguably not 'viral' are certainly archetypes.

The "wilhelm' scream used in sound effects and Roland's TR-909 open high hat are examples.

http://listverse.com/2009/09/25/top-10-movie-sound-effects-we-all-recognize/

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posted 19 January 2014 20:18            

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Hmmm there are a few links that are broken on that page I linked to above due to copyright infringement.

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posted 20 January 2014 11:58            

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Thanks Sean for you comment.

BTW SSC the odd thing was that radio was not band from the D&AD awards as the ad got an award in best production, but Radio was only band from the best sound design category. That's the stupid thing.

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posted 20 January 2014 14:06            

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what about the amen break? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SaFTm2bcac

[This message has been edited by gustl (edited 20 January 2014).]

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posted 21 January 2014 02:14            

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3ypr82

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posted 21 January 2014 12:25            

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Wonder why it is that most viral audio is abstract (music or rhythmic patterns) whereas most viral video is more concrete (people or animals or…) Come to think of it, a lot of viral videos are based on music too! (What does the fox say, Gagnam style, Harlem shake,…)

The Smirnoff radio ad is more narrative, almost a mini-movie. Do you know if it got passed around between friends, Pete? Maybe it's time to post some of those old Tape Gallery ads on SoundCloud where the technology could support them going viral

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