Echoic Retention

Echoic retention is a characteristic of the human mind that enables people to remember things they never consciously committed to memory. As the word "echoic" suggests, this is primarily a function of hearing and sound. Because the ears are "always on"--even when we sleep--and their connection to the cerebral cortex enables us to process sound very efficiently, we are consistently in a mode of "short term audio memory."

Echoic retention can be demonstrated simply. Remember the last time someone was talking and your mind wandered. They may have said, "Are you listening to me?" Even though you were not consciously listening, you are usually able to repeat the last sentence they uttered.

Conscious use of this characteristic in advertising and media fields is usually associated with certain tones, jingles or phrases. Consider these examples that you likely have unconsciously committed to memory:

• The "Intel inside" tones.
• The McDonald's "Big Mac" formula.
• The NBC television tones.

These examples point to how echoic retention is a popular tool used in advertising. I first became aware of the concept of echoic retention In the book "The Wizard of Ads" by Roy H. Williams.