You know that Netflix “ta-dum”?
Exactly.
That split second of sound that instantly triggers recognition, anticipation and a Pavlovian need to keep watching? That’s not accidental. That’s design.
At DK2026, we’re turning up the volume with Steve Keller, Sonic Strategy Director at Studio Resonate (SiriusXM Media) — and one of the leading voices in the science of sound branding.
Foto: Marko Lopac
Keller doesn’t just “like audio”. He studies how it shapes perception, influences behavior and embeds itself into memory. With a background in psychology and over 35 years in music and advertising, he blends art and science into something brands often underestimate: sonic strategy. Across Pandora, SiriusXM, SoundCloud and the SiriusXM Podcast Network, he helps brands understand that if they have a voice, they need to know how to use it.
And then he goes further.
From audio archetypes and the cost of music to AI voices, bias in aesthetic judgement and the uncomfortable realities of sonic racism, Keller examines the invisible forces that guide what we hear — and what we feel because of it. His work explores how sound influences taste, memory, trust and even identity. Yes, your ears are doing more than you think.
At DK2026, his session Sound Thinking — The Power of Audio. Amplified. reframes audio not as a background layer, but as a growth lever. This is a fast-paced, insight-heavy deep dive into how brands can design sound as a system — not a soundtrack. What a sonic logo is actually for. Why brand voice matters more than brand font. And how to build audio memory that sticks long after the visual fades.
You’ll leave listening differently.
And probably judging every brand you hear on the street.
In a good way. Probably.
