Short
Usually one to three seconds. Short enough for every channel, long enough for a character of its own.
Services
Sound logo design.
Two seconds that make a brand audible. A sound logo – also called audio logo or sonic logo – works in a TV spot just as well as in a social clip, an app or on hold.
Sound logos to listen to
A selection from more than two decades – from a pharma spot to the metro in Riyadh. Some clips play the sound logo with a short bit of context from the spot.
CanephronSound logo
bonprixSound logo
RamazzottiSound logo
ContinentaleSound logo
KoelnmesseSound logo
Lohmann & RauscherSound logo
Riyadh MetroSound logo
CEWESound logo evolutionBased on the original by Audio Consulting Group
What matters
What makes a good sound logo
Distinctive
Its own melody, its own rhythm, its own timbre. Interchangeable chimes don’t stick.
Fitting
It sounds like the brand – its values, its pace and its attitude, not the taste of the day.
Robust
It works on a smartphone speaker as well as in the cinema, loud or quiet, with or without voice.
Expandable
Variants, lengths and entire scores can be derived from the motif. That is how a sound logo grows into a brand sound.
Protectable
A distinct, clearly defined composition can be registered as a sound mark, for example with the DPMA or the EUIPO.
Recent example
A sound logo in practice
Process
From brief to finished sound logo
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Brief & analysis
Understanding the brand, goals, channels and competition. This results in clear criteria every draft has to meet.
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Drafts
Several sonic directions as demos – different enough to allow a real decision.
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Refinement
The chosen direction is developed further and tested together with picture, voice and music.
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Production & delivery
Final master, all lengths and variants, plus guidance for everyday use – ready for every channel.
Deliverables
What comes with a sound logo
On request, variants, languages and formats are produced faster with AI support. The core stays handmade.
- Masters for TV, online and social in the right formats and loudness levels
- Short and long versions
- Variants, for example for app, website, phone and events
- Stems for further processing
- Connection to spot music and voice-over
- Short guidance for everyday use
Costs
How much does a sound logo cost?
The price has two parts – which is why the same sound logo can cost €8,000 or €25,000.
Development & production
Drafts, feedback rounds, refinement, master and variants. The more directions, stakeholders and loops, the more effort.
Usage rights
Where, for how long, in which media and how exclusively the sound logo runs – from online and regional to a worldwide buyout.
Guide values
Website, social and events, a manageable circle of decision-makers.
Several drafts, variants and lengths. Rights by media, territory and term.
Many feedback rounds with several stakeholders. Production is often €10,000–15,000; the worldwide buyout of rights alone is in the mid five-figure range.
Sound logos are produced individually and transferred to the brand with the agreed rights.
All figures net, plus VAT. For comparison: market prices range from packages for a few hundred euros – usually without exclusivity – to six-figure sums for global brand sound systems. A first conversation is followed by a concrete quote with a schedule.
FAQ
Good to know
What is a sound logo?
A short, recognisable sonic motif – a brand’s logo for the ears. It is also called audio logo, sonic logo or audio mnemonic.
What is the difference between a sound logo, a jingle and sound branding?
The sound logo is the short signature. A jingle is longer, often with vocals and lyrics. Sound branding is the whole system of sound logo, brand music, voice and rules for use.
How much does sound logo design cost?
As a guide, from approx. €5,000 for small brands with few channels, approx. €8,000–25,000 for established brands on TV and online, and from approx. €50,000 for international brands with a worldwide buyout (net). Development effort and usage rights make the difference.
How long does development take?
Typically four to six weeks from brief to delivery. First demos are ready after about two weeks.
Can a sound logo be protected?
Yes. Sound logos can be registered as sound marks, for example with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) or the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
Does a sound logo work internationally?
Yes, if it works without words. A purely musical motif is understood everywhere – the sound logo for Canephron, for example, runs across Europe.
