What Is Brand Audio Logo and How To Create It

Any entrepreneur, PR specialist and business promoter knows about the importance of brand visualization and its presentation to the leads (via website, social media, billboard posters, TV advertisements, etc.). However, not everyone considers the audio component.

The psychology of different people works in different ways, and if some perceive information and make decisions focusing on visual elements, others make it based on audio. This can be compared to the information perception during training and learning: for someone it is enough to see a text or a diagram just once to remember, while someone needs to listen the material through records or live.
Another example: when you turn to someone with a request, sometimes one gesture of crossed arms at the chest is not enough, you need to choose words that “catch” your interlocutor.

Hence, brands cannot pass up the opportunity of branding through audio, in particular, an audio logo. Perhaps it will help you to win the souls of your leads and even turn them into loyal customers.

What is an audio logo?

Audio logo is an audio track in a few seconds that appears along with your logo on visual media (gadgets, TV, billboards) or independently on audio media (radio, voice acting). The audio logo, like the graphic logo, is unique to each brand and represents the manufacturer’s trademark. It can be just a music track without voice accompaniment, with voice accompaniment, speech without music, technical sound effect or a set of sounds of nature and human life.

With the advent of digital audio logos, creators and designers have a great opportunity to produce a lot of samples in a short time, and brand owners can reduce the budget for creating a key branding element.

Why creative audio logo is important part of branding

If you’re still asking, if sound logo is important for branding, stop hesitate, because the answer is absolutely, yes.

A well-chosen sound effect associated with your brand / product / service creates a strong emotional response from the user / listener / viewer. Neural circuits are capable of creating the effect of imposing a melody / speech (remember how you unconsciously sang a song that you hardly liked, but you could not get rid of).

The creative sound logo design works on the same principle. Later, we will provide examples of the most famous and successful audio logos that have become classics in the short sound effects industry.

Audio logo design can also help to create value for your brand for consumers with vision problems. It will be easier (sometimes the best) for them to perceive the sound of your brand rather than the graphics.

Where can brands use an audio logo

Digital sound logo are used for promotion in the marketing and advertising strategy of the brand on various platforms: advertising in social media, advertising on radio and TV, on billboards, in videos (that of influencers, subscribers, business promoters, brand ambassadors), as well as voice acting and / or background to films, cartoons and all kinds of creative works in which the product is used or which are a product themselves (more on this below as well).

Sound logo examples

Now we come to the highly anticipated part of our post that we linked to earlier. Here are some of the most famous and successful sound logo examples in the branding history. So, let’s start with no introductions.

McDonalds. Most likely, you know this pa-ra-pa-pa-paa. And this is what makes it favorite among children and adults who like fun and prefer a convenient family and/or friend pastime. Here when you can understand great work of simple sound piece.
Volkswagen. Das Auto. This is hardly for anyone to doubt that a real car should bear the VW badge after hearing the brutal, laconic statement of the brand’s voice.
Dior. Jadore… Dior. After the macho car, one cannot fail to mention the “femininity” of world haute couture, speaking in an alluring voice of Charlize Theron in a gold dress.
Netflix. A 4-second gong, similar to a preparatory signal in a cinema, immediately attracts the attention of the audience and seems to say: “Look at the screen, it will be interesting!”

The list goes on and on: Windows, Apple, Samsung, Old Spice, and all kind of brand “business cards” you can memorize by auditory are great audio logo examples.

The process of creating of audio logo

The process of creating an audio brand logo can be roughly divided into three stages:

Defining of the concept and style. To do this, you need to answer a few questions. What message do you want to convey to a potential client? How should he / she feel? What emotions should the sound evoke?
Alignment with other branding elements. Make sure that the sound effect you choose is in line with the philosophy, in tune with the voice of the brand (founder, influencer, ambassador), personifies the main product and harmonizes with the graphic logo when presented together.
Sound logo design creating and recording. Even if you are recording sound in a studio, the recording process must be accompanied by conversion to digital sound and testing on various devices. This will save you time and money on re-recording and re-searching for a musician if you are not satisfied with the result.

Avoid using harsh repulsive noisy sounds or destructive reminders such as crash sounds, screams, fear, depression, and any other negative sound, even if you are an accident insurance company or a criminal rescue service.

Sometimes you should know how to use the audio on logos. For example, if you want to add sound to your animation logo. Here you can use online services or software, which will help to combine two elements – animation/graphic design and audio – into one.

How much does it cost to create a sound logo for a business

It depends on whether you create an audio logo on your own or hire a sound logo maker.

If you’re a musician or DJ with basic sampling and composing skills, it will be cost-effective to create a logo on your own and test it with specialists (psychologist, marketer, designer). Creating on your own with no further testing may cost free of charge. Hiring a specialist for testing depends on complexity of testing and number of sessions.
If you’re not familiar with music basics, then it’s worth to hire a professional which is able to make a sound logo for your brand. Here you can choose, can you hire a beginner which will cost less, or do you need a more expensive niche expert.

Conclusion

Creating an audio brand logo is a must-to-do if you plan to go global and win more and more new customers, while maintaining the level of retention of the existing audience. The likelihood that your brand will be noticed if you are a startup and have a well-chosen sound logo that matches your brand style is much higher than if you do not use it.

The choice between studio record with further digital conversion and the audio engineer process logo depends on your budget and your desire to convey the “authentic” and “natural” quality of your brand to consumers.

If you’re still in doubt about how to create a music logo and not sure will you can to do it yourself, contact with our audio branding service for an expert advice and partnership.