Notes on brand sound
Thoughts on how brands sound, written by the people doing the work. Grouped by what you are trying to work out.
The basics, explained
Start here if you are working out what an audio identity actually is and which parts your brand needs.
Sonic branding on public money
Four budget lines, what to ask the studio, and how to explain it to a board.
Audio identity for an exhibition
Why gallery sound follows different rules from campaign sound, and why the invigilator is your most important test audience.
How to run a sonic brand audit yourself
Five steps, about three hours, and the two technical checks anyone can hear on a laptop speaker.
Sonic branding: the complete guide
What sonic branding is, the parts of an audio identity, what it costs and where to start. The pillar page this article was merged into.
UX sound design: the brand asset most companies forget
Notification tones, success chimes, loading states, UX sound is one of the fastest growing parts of sonic branding.
Budget, rights and picking a supplier
The commercial side: what things cost, who owns what, and how to tell studios apart.
Audio logo, jingle or brand anthem: what your brand actually needs
Twelve demos in three categories, why nine out of ten clients say Netflix, and how an anthem becomes a six second cutdown.
Who owns your sonic identity?
Master versus composition, how licences and buyouts differ, and what happens to your rights when you change agency.
How much does sonic branding cost? A 2026 pricing guide
What actually sets the price of a sonic identity: why usage rights weigh heavier than studio hours, and the five things a quote should always contain.
How to choose a sonic branding agency
The eight questions worth asking, the five types of supplier, and the red flags worth walking away from.
Audio licensing 101: why rerecording can save your campaign
Loved a track but can't clear the rights? Here's how rerecording gives you the same energy without the legal risk.
Inside the work
How a project actually runs, from brief to broadcast.
