For CMOs, brand managers and agencies deciding whether their brand needs a sound, and how to build one.
Sonic branding is the creation and consistent use of a brand's identity in sound. It covers the sonic logo, the brand's music, its voice and the functional sounds of its products and services. Done well, it gives a brand an emotional signature people recognise without seeing a single image.
I founded Sonicbrand, the UK's first sonic branding agency, in 1999. In our first study that year, fewer than 10% of brands considered music part of their branding. In 2022, three quarters of the top 25 brands in amp's Best Audio Brands index used a sonic logo. Far fewer use sound well.
Why sound matters to a brand
Pictures carry information. Sound carries emotion. Roger Ebert called cinema a machine that generates empathy; music and sound are machines that generate emotion.
Three practical reasons follow:
- You can close your eyes, but not your ears. Sound reaches people when they are not looking: driving, cooking, walking, listening to a podcast.
- Melody sticks. A short tune is remembered long after a line of copy is forgotten.
- Screens and speakers are multiplying. Ads, apps, social video, streaming, podcasts, cars, smart speakers, voice assistants and AI agents all carry sound. Keeping a brand in harmony across all of them is impossible without a strategic framework and owned sonic branding assets.
The three elements of brand sound
Every sonic identity is built from three kinds of sound:
- Music: the brand theme, sonic logo and its arrangements.
- Voice: who speaks for the brand and how they sound.
- Sound effects and ambience: product sounds, interface sounds, the sound of a place.
What a sonic identity includes
- Sonic logo: a short melodic signature, usually a few notes, used at the end of ads, in apps and at moments of transaction.
- Brand theme: the full musical expression the sonic logo comes from, arranged for every format.
- Functional sounds: the sounds of the product itself, such as start-up, notifications and payment confirmation.
- Brand voice: a defined vocal personality for voiceover, IVR and voice assistants.
- Guidelines: rules for melody, key, instrumentation, voice and playback, so the identity stays consistent across agencies and markets.
Writing a piece of music for a brand is not, on its own, sonic branding. Sonic branding is the identity plus its consistent, strategic use across every touchpoint.
Why melody is the most valuable brand asset
A melody is distinct, ownable and endlessly flexible. It can be rearranged for any culture, format or moment and still be recognised. (More in Why melody beats every other brand asset.)
- Intel: when it rebranded in 2020, it modernised its sonic signature but kept the five notes. In SoundOut's UK ranking of sonic logos, the classic Intel logo came second; the updated versions ranked far lower. The melody is the asset.
- Mastercard: launched its sonic brand in 2019 as one melody with adaptations across genres and cultures, used in ads, at the point of sale, online and on voice assistants. By 2022 it featured in nearly 95% of Mastercard's audio-visual content, and the transaction sound had expanded to over 200 million retail points.
- Netflix: its "ta-dum" has opened the service since 2015. In 2020 it commissioned Hans Zimmer to extend it to 16 seconds for cinemas, keeping the original at the end.
The evidence backs this up. An Ipsos meta-analysis of more than 2,000 video ads found that brand-owned assets such as sonic brand cues drive branded attention more than assets borrowed from culture, such as celebrities and licensed music.
Melody also creates long-term value. A theme the brand owns can be arranged, adapted and licensed for years.
How to create a sonic identity in seven steps
- Brief: define the brand's big idea and values. (See How to brief a sonic branding agency.)
- Audit: review the brand's historic sounds, its competitors and the contexts where it will be heard.
- Describe it in words, then leave words behind: agree a short list of descriptive words to remove subjectivity, then move straight to sound.
- Audio moodboards: build several boards of existing music and sound, never just one, to avoid fixating on a single track.
- Compose iteratively: write, listen together, refine. Time in the studio with the client changes everything.
- Test: functional tests (do people recognise it, and link it to the brand?) and emotional tests (do they like it, and what does it make them feel?).
- Guidelines and ongoing management: a sonic identity is managed across time, territory and touchpoint, not delivered once.
A good sonic logo passes three filters: accessible, adaptable, timeless.
Sonic branding vs music licensing
They are different jobs and brands need both. (More in Sonic branding and music supervision are the same job.)
| Sonic branding | Music licensing (supervision) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Music and sound the brand owns | Existing tracks the brand rents |
| Purpose | Identity and recognition | Campaign impact and cultural relevance |
| Time frame | Years | Usually a campaign |
| Risk | Low; the brand controls it | The song can become the star, not the brand |
The strongest brands use an owned identity as the constant and licensed music for campaign moments.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a jingle and a sonic logo?
A jingle is a sung line built to be remembered, usually carrying the brand name or slogan. A sonic logo has no words; it is a melodic symbol that works across languages and cultures.
How long should a sonic logo be?
Short enough to sit at the end of an ad or a transaction. Netflix's "ta-dum" runs about three seconds; the longer cinema version exists only for the big screen.
Does a sonic logo need a famous composer or artist?
No. It needs a distinctive melody, consistent use and good management.
Can a brand use a famous song as its sonic identity?
It can, but it rarely owns it. Public-domain and licensed tracks can be used by competitors too. Commission and own your core identity.
How do you measure a sonic identity?
Test recognition (do people know the brand from the sound alone?) and emotional response, before launch and over time.
About the author
Daniel M. Jackson founded Sonicbrand in 1999 and wrote Sonic Branding: An Introduction (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003), the first book on the subject. He co-wrote Hit Brands: How Music Builds Value for the World's Smartest Brands (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013). He is CEO of Age of Audio, home of Sonicbrand, and has spoken at Cannes Lions, SXSW and Riyadh Music Week.