99% Invisible: 148- The Sizzle

January 13, 2015 9:39 PM

Right now there are fewer than 200 active trademarks for sounds. A surprisingly small number, considering that sound has the power to make - or break - a brand.
posted by radioamy (3 comments total)

Short episode, but I enjoyed it. Trademarking sounds seems a hard thing to do, but now that we have a way to digitally sample, store, and analyze wave-forms, it would seem to be easier to describe the sound for trademark purposes.
posted by jazon at 7:49 AM on January 14, 2015

Hmm jazon that's an interesting point.

I worked at a Chevy's one summer and it was no secret that the sizzle was just for show. Also the fajitas were plated on that high sizzle platter with separate plates for rice/beans and guac/pico/sour cream which made them look a lot bigger than they actually were.

Also man, that original Mac sound. Painful!
posted by radioamy at 7:53 AM on January 14, 2015

I enjoyed discovering that the iconic Mac startup sound was snuck into the computer. The best things always seem to come in through the back door.

Rereading my last sentence, I think I'm either referencing a blues song or a very naughty pulp novel.
posted by maxsparber at 10:13 AM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]