The ultimate lullaby: when sound design puts babies to sleep

Aldi brand creates the perfect sound to soothe babies

Science sometimes has soporific virtues it could do without. But for the British Academy of Sound Therapy, putting its audience to sleep is an accepted objective.

In collaboration with German hard-discount supermarket chain Aldi (and its Mamia baby brand), this British academy has developed "the ultimate lullaby". Entitled Drift, the sound has been designed to take your little angel from "night concert" mode to "peaceful sleep" in the blink of an eye.

This piece is the fruit of a thorough and very serious acoustic study, where every sound is carefully selected to soothe very young minds in search of serenity. The tempo is as regular as the beating of a loving heart, and the harmonies are softer than the softest cuddly toy.

Scientific research has shown that the ideal formula for lulling toddlers to sleep is an instrumental piece lasting at least five minutes at around 50 beats per minute. It should also be composed of white noise and uterine sounds, be of low frequency and include floating, repeating chords.

Fun fact: this "lullaby" has no lyrics. In fact, according to Lyz Cooper, founder of the British Academy of Sound Therapy: "Research has shown that lyrics can distract and overload the brain." So it's pure soundscape and, between you and me, it still sounds a bit like background music in a Thai massage parlour. 😬

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Sound signature or sound cuddle: Imogen Heap makes babies chirp

In a similar vein, British artist and musical innovator Imogen Heap has created "The Happy Song", a track designed specifically to make babies happy. With the help of researchers at Goldsmiths University in London, Imogen Heap has orchestrated a track in which every sound has been meticulously studied to produce euphoric effects in babies.

The song was tested on 26 babies, and the results were clear: the babies laughed, marveled and, above all, felt good. With a sound experience like this, we wouldn't be surprised to see this song become a musical identity for a brand...

In this project, once again, acoustics supports sound marketing, with an original application: the well-being of toddlers. It's a way of redefining the concepts of sound branding and sound signature, by placing themselves at the service of babies' emotions and cognitive development.

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The future of sound design: towards personalized, lifelong support?

What if these initiatives were just the beginning? Imagine a future where brands offer each individual, from birth, a personalized sound identity, optimized for well-being at every stage of life. Acoustic design firms could become the creators of these customized sound worlds, analyzing the physiological and emotional responses of each individual to compose tailored musical identities.

Sound marketing is no longer limited to promoting brands. It now plays a crucial role in improving quality of life, using the science of sound to create positive, caring experiences. Sound identity agencies are at the forefront of this revolution, paving the way for a new era in which sound becomes central to human well-being, from the earliest moments of life - whether to soothe babies, reduce adult stress or improve schoolchildren's concentration.

An era where every sound is designed to accompany our emotions, our needs and, why not, our dreams.

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