NEW YORK, USA — There is enough noise pollution in the world. For Connor Moore, a sound designer who has created audio programs for brands such as State Farm, Uber, Google, Tesla, and Peloton, that means taking a deliberate approach to his work. “We live in a very loud world and I believe that it’s important to be very thoughtful and intentional about what we make audible,” he says. “I’m constantly trying to find creative ways to design more considerate experiences that can integrate softly into our world.”
It’s a fundamental belief that is shared by both Connor and Listen. Recently appointed executive creative director of the Brooklyn-based sound agency, Moore is partnering with Listen’s team of creatives, strategists, musicologists, composers, sound designers, and technologists to deliver on the company’s mission—to make the world a better sounding place. “This philosophy is all about making sure we’re thinking about sound in a very intentional, thoughtful way and considering silence as a core design element,” he says. “A big part of that is knowing when, how, and where things should be audible.”
Applying strategic rigor to sonic branding assignments is key, he believes, and Listen’s approach to design, rooted in a partnership between strategy and creative, appealed to him. “It’s more similar to that of the more established visual brand world where strategy and creative blend together,” Moore says, a world he was introduced to by his two brothers, who work in visual branding. “I was able to see what they were doing with strategy and visual design for brands and noticed a real opportunity 15 years ago with this same application to music and sound. At that time, most brands were thinking about music for one-off ad campaigns rather than longer-lasting brand applications. I saw a huge opportunity to think more holistically about the application of music and sound for brands that can span across the entire brand architecture in a cohesive way.”
After studying cultural anthropology and ethnomusicology at the University of Kansas and audio production and sound design at Pyramind in San Francisco, Moore launched his own sound design studio CMoore Sound. He’s designed everything from EV engine tones for numerous brands to a family of alerts and notifications for Uber’s Driver’s app.
Through a long-standing relationship with Google, he has aided in developing Google’s audio design language for Google Glass, Google Firefly (now Waymo), Google Pay and also worked on various immersive sound projects for Google IO and TED Conference. Most recently, he worked on a rebrand effort for State Farm, where he modernized the insurance company’s iconic audio logo and built the audio strategy and music for the entire brand.
“Connor brings a wealth of experience from his nearly 15-years of experience in the space,” says Steve Milton, co-founder of Listen. “Not only has he worked with some of the biggest and most exciting brands out there, he always delivers exceptional work that stands out from the crowd and genuinely enhances the consumer experience.”
While Moore has designed audio experiences for a variety of brands and industries, he says he’s particularly proud of the work he’s done with the State Farm rebrand effort. “With the rebranding of State Farm, we had the opportunity to take something truly iconic that has been used for fifty years and adapt it to fit more modern times that makes it relevant for the brand today and for the future. We were able to leverage the iconic melody while creating an adaptive framework that allows it to scale to the brand messaging in different contexts which is very powerful for any brand.”
At Listen, Moore will be spearheading the creative output, working across a large range of clients, from automotive to tech to healthcare. “I’m a big believer in collaboration and the power of getting many heads into a room where different skill sets can come together to think of new innovative ideas,” he says. “Listen has an amazing dedicated team and larger artist network that we can tap into that is super valuable to brands. I want to be a part of this larger collective approach bringing the most innovative partnerships, design, and branding into the audio space.”
“We’re always exploring new ways to innovate in the sound and audio space,” adds Milton. “While we will continue to deliver world-class sonic branding and audio UX, we are excited about recent work that involves voice, VR, AI, podcasting, and other sound/music-led initiatives.”
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