Sound Branding - Create a Sonic Logo
August 9, 2008
Sonic logos are between 3 and 7 seconds long and are basically short jingles used for brand development. Basically these logos use sound to convey the values and personality of a particular brand. Corporations and businesses pay to create sonic logos in order to make the public aware of their brand and they apply these sound identities across many different touchpoints including television, mobile technology, radio, and the internet.
Other elements to consider when designing a sonic logo occur before any actual musicianship or sound recording. The history and character of the brand must first be evaluated. In order to successfully capture the brand’s identity, the personality of the brand music be understood. The following steps discuss certain such elements of the sonic logo creation process.
1. The first step in the creation of a sonic logo is to determine the core values of the brand that needs the logo. Is the brand conservative, environmentally concerned, or representative of a particular heritage or culture for example.
2. Secondly, research the sonic history of the company to how sound or music has been used in the past to reflect the identity of the brand. Past use of sound could prove as a springboard for inspiration or a direction not to take if the company is unhappy with past sonic elements.
3. Third, determine what audio ambience or sound effects might work to convey the values of the brand. An technology company, for example, may have computer or data sounds incorporated into some sort of futuristic melody.
4. Then, determine if this sonic logo will use a vocal line. Is the logo just going to have a musical melody or something such as “Um um good?”
5. Lastly, be sure that all of the sonic logos you create are memorable and original since its main function is to identify one specific brand.
These five steps provide a basic outline of the important elements of the process of creating sonic logos. No matter what you do, make sure that the finished product is different in some way from anything that’s come before and that your client is proud of their new sonic identity. If you’ve achieved those two things you’ve done your job.
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