Is it a historic moment in marketing time? At least in the field of Sound Branding. AUDI, the premium german car manufacturer, just launched its new Sound Branding Identity. After one and a half-year of development a virtual “AUDI Sound Studio” is in place which is the basis for all creatives, composer and sound designer to create the AUDI sound.
Now the Sound Branding concept is implemented in the music of the new Audi A1 TV-Spot “The next big thing”:
and even the AUDI Sound Logo – as you can hear at the end of the commercial – has been face lifted.
“Our aim is to set us – even more – apart from our competitors”, says Lothar Korn, Head of Marketing Communication… in an article published (10/05/06) by Horizont, a german marketing magazine. So far the brand AUDI is very consistent in executing its visual identity, however; not in the acoustic world, as Sven Schuwirth, Head of Brand and Sales Development, underlines, “The brand AUDI is communicated in the visual world very consistent but in the acoustic and sound world that hasn’t been real the case until now”.
AUDI has developed a Sound Branding Toolkit including certain instruments, sound themes, rhythm and car sounds which all are supposed to reflect the AUDI sound character. They even created an individual AUDI sound which is mixed of the sounds of: an A5 window opener, a turn signal and a door opener. “All sound elements are derived from the AUDI brand values” explains Sven Schuwirth.
Will this case heat up Sound Branding? We keep you posted.
Sound Branding Blog 
It has become very polular in the automotive industry since about 15 years to design “sound”, also the “sound” of closig the door is developed. Cheers Georg
Hi Georg,
thanks for your comment. Yes, in a certain way sound has been designed in the automotive industry, however: having worked on projects in this field I know that it has – so far – never really developed from the core brand values, more from a product line view, i.e. a S-Class Mercedes-Benz or a 7er BMW need to have a solid, very safety and high quality sound when closing the door. If you know a case where car sounds have been developed – from beginning – out of the brand values, please let us know.
Karlheinz
This is SUPER news !
You have done it once again. Superb read.
Yeah, it’s good, very useful, thanks :)
I remake the music ans sound design of thi add for Audi talents Awards France
watch & listen here http://vimeo.com/definison
Thanks Défini! A good example how the Audi Sound Branding (Sound Studio) can be applied on an international level.
Karlheinz
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