Sonic logos are short audio jingles that are used by brands to identify themselves and are usually less than 7 seconds. It is essentially the harnessing of audio to represent and communicate the values and personality of a company. Associations and companies use sonic logos to grow public awareness of their brand and they use them in many medias including the web, radio, mobile technology, and television.



Before a note is played or any audio is recorded in the actual creation of the sonic logo by musicians and sound designers, there are other factors to consider. It is necessary to first research the history and character of the brand with which you are working. So that the finished sonic logo captures the brand's identity, designers must determine the personality of the brand. The process of creating sonic logo includes the following steps.

1. The first part of the process is to understand the core values of the brand with which you are working. For instance, is the brand part of a particular heritage, promoting conservative values, or technologically oriented?

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. Next, figure out what sound effects or ambience will be able to communicate the brand's ideals. For an environmental organization, for example, one might want to use sounds of water or birds to create a sort of nature montage.

4. Fourth, decide if voice is going to play a part in the sonic logo. Will there be a phrase such as "What's in your wallet?" or will the logo simply contain a melody amidst sonic texture?

5. Fifth, ensure that the sonic logo is unique and memorable since it is meant to identify one brand and one brand alone.

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.