TikTok’s Trojan Horse Strategy

In this episode of Planet Money, co-hosts Kenny Malone and Dallas Taylor from the podcast 20,000 Hertz, delve into the story behind TikTok's highly successful sonic logo, also known as the "boom bling." They explore the challenges Massive Music faced in creating a sound that would appeal to a broad audience, evoke joy, and be easily recognizable. The hosts discuss the iterative process, the decision to include an E major 7 chord, and the accidental inclusion of a dog bark in the final version. Furthermore, they examine TikTok's unique marketing strategy of using "sonic stickers" and embedding the sonic logo in downloaded videos to extend its brand presence across the internet. The episode concludes with a comparison to Instagram's sonic logo and reflections on the blend of science and art in sonic branding.