The Bouba/Kiki effect is the idea that we make associations between certain speech, sound and visual shapes - more specifically, when we are presented with the word “bouba” we think of a round shape. But when we hear “kiki”, we think of a spiky shape. This discovery dates back to the 1920s when psychologists found that experimental participants connected nonsense words to shapes in consistent ways - however, the Bouba/Kiki effect still has relevance today, even in marketing. Let’s dive in! 

How the sounds of brand names affect our perception of them

When we look into examples of brand names, it becomes clear that the Bouba/Kiki effect rings true. For example, if we reflect on some popular DTC brand names, think about the name ‘Knix'. It’s one syllable and comes across as ‘spikey’. On the flip side, the word 'Oodie’ gives off a more round, floaty and bubbly vibe. 

More specifically, it could be argued that the vowels in the non-word are what have a big impact on the characteristics we attach to this word. Researchers for a more recent study, which explored the power of sound symbolism applied theoretically to branding, found that people expect front vowels to feature in nouns denoting small entities, and back vowels to be included in nouns denoting large entities. 

For front vowels, the highest point of your tongue is poised towards the front of your mouth when you pronounce them, like the a in “bad” and the “e” in “shed”. The opposite is true when pronouncing back vowels which include the “u” in "huge” and the “oo” in “book”. Similarly, the double O in “Oodie” gives us a feeling of openness and softness, feeling inviting in this context.

But who cares? Why does this matter?

Well, if you think about it, if we as humans naturally attribute certain characteristics and shapes to sounds, we can understand how brands can use this psychology to their advantage and choose a brand name that gives their target audience the impression they want them to have

Take the example of ‘Knix’ again - underwear designed to be empowering, unapologetic and trailblazing. But even if you didn’t know this, the name itself just has a very direct, striking, no-frills feel to it.

Who is their ideal customer avatar? Someone who feels decisive and empowered. Someone who wants more to their underwear than frills and fancy. Someone who is unafraid to ask for more than what most brands offer. So, the brand name is very fitting - and this isn’t a coincidence. 

On the other hand, ‘Oodie’ gives off a more floaty, round feel. Making the reader think of a soft, welcoming space - much like their comforting, warm and inviting products. This just goes to show how influential brand names can be, impacting your perception and expectation, whether they mean to or not. Crazy, right?

So what does this mean for brand owners when naming brands and products?

Well, it means that it’s essential to make sure your brand names, product names, etc, reflect the brand and products you’re selling. Your brand name is a customer’s introduction to your brand and marks the beginning of their journey with you (and first impressions are everything). 

Customers will have some sort of expectation of your brand as soon as they hear your name, so you need to make sure it effectively conveys how you want it to be portrayed. If your brand name includes a pre-existing word, the meaning needs to match the new context. If it uses a non-word, it needs to sound right for that brand, give the right impression and not sound out of place. 

Ultimately, the brand name, product names, copy, logo, packaging, website, emails, etc., all need to come together to accurately and effectively represent the brand’s identity and overall “vibe” to create a cohesive story that your target audience believes and buys into.

How does the Bouba/Kiki theory tie into brands' wider strategies - i.e., video advertisements?

In the same way that brands intentionally give us a certain impression of their brand just through their name, they continue giving us the exact same impression of them through other aspects of their marketing and advertising.

When we analyse some well-known brands, it becomes clear that the impression they give us through the sound of their name through the Bouba/Kiki effect coincides with the impression they give us through their video ads. 

Bouba in the wild‍

Take Coca-Cola for example - “Coca-Cola” is more closely aligned with “Bouba” and gives us the same floaty, spaced out, open feeling that the name “Google” gives us. When we analyse Coca-Cola’s TikTok videos, it seems that they give off the exact same feeling. Rather than hard-selling the products, featuring loud/aggressive music or having a lot going on, their videos feature pretty animation of a Coca-Cola “dreamworld”, sounds of birds chirping and bubbles or other calm sounds and music, or people just talking calmly about Coca-Cola.

Have a look at this example:

Coca-Cola wants you to think that their drinks are relaxing and will make you feel like you’re in a dream world while drinking them, so their choices with both their brand name and video advertisements are very intentional and they all link together. 

Kiki in the wild

On the flip side, the infamous electric car brand ‘Tesla’ is more aligned with ‘Kiki’ on the sound symbolism spectrum due to its sharp and distinct ‘T’, ‘S’ and ‘La’ sounds, which give it a more energetic and angular quality. The name reflects a modern and innovative image, which is very fitting for them. Similarly, their video advertisements are short, fast-paced, and feature loud and fast instrumental music and cars driving fast to portray how speedy they are.

Take a look at this:

This shows how the Bouba/Kiki theory can be a starting point for a brand’s identity - we’re introduced to a brand through its brand name, which gives us an initial impression and expectation of the brand. Brands then continue to give us this same, fitting perception of them through all other aspects of their branding, marketing and advertising. 

By staying consistent in how they portray their brand from the name, to the website, to the packaging, to the copy, all the way to the video advertisements, brands are able to give their target audience a consistent and coherent perception of them so that they understand exactly what the brand and their message is. ‍

All in all…

It’s clear that as humans, we certainly do attribute shapes and characteristics to certain sounds. It’s also evident that this rings true in a marketing and branding context as we can see just how much the name of a brand alone can do in terms of giving us a perception and expectation of that brand.

However, brands need to ensure that the perception they give their target audience is consistent, coherent and effective in all aspects of their marketing and advertising. If brands make intentional and well-thought-out choices when it comes to their band name, video ads, website, copy, packaging, etc., they can give their target audience a consistent and effective perception of them, so that their target audience understands and buys into their band.

To understand more about consumer psychology check out our blog 'How is Consumer Psychology Used by Marketers'

Written by Fiona Western - Account Manager and Copywriter.

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