AGENCY
The new era of voice assistants and streaming services has many brands beginning to consider
not just how they’re seen, but also how they’re heard. That’s why companies like Skype, Audi
and Jim Beam have all turned to Listen, a New York-based digital agency that helps brands
think more strategically about sound. Founded in 2012, Listen is rooted in the music business,
according to founding partners Steve Milton and Brett Volker. (Milton was a musician and
composer, and Volker worked at a record label.) The team has worked with Microsoft to develop
a music and technology program, collaborating with artists including Childish Gambino on both
live and VR experiences, and is currently consulting with Virgin on how to engage with the music
industry. On the app front, Listen is helping Tinder to craft custom sounds for a user’s timeline
and notifications. “We believe in this idea of acoustic ecology,” said Milton. “We don’t want to
pollute the world with more sound. We want to design sound to be thoughtful and beautiful.”
Listen
THIS MUSIC-DRIVEN AGENCY HELPS BRANDS LIKE
MICROSOFT AND TINDER STAY IN TUNE. BY MARTY SWANT
Specs
Who
Founding partners
Brett Volker (l.)
and Steve Milton
What
Marketing agency
Where
New York
PHOTO: DREW REYNOLDS
ADWEEK | OCTOBER 9, 2017 33
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