Mastercard launches its new sonic logo

Mastercard is once again evolving its branding. Contrary to what you might think, the brand is not changing its logo, which it did not so long ago by removing its own name from it’s famous orange and red circles. Instead, the credit card company is pushing further into branding by creating a new and evolving audio identity. The sound will permeate the brands’ different facets and will feature whenever one transacts with the card. Mastercard developed the jingle in partnership with a group of artists which includes Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda.

What’s all the fuss about? 

Mastercard’s sonic rebranding comes at a time where audio has never been so prevalent. Companies like Google and Amazon are already empowering shoppers to buy using voice, so much so that the market is set to hit a staggering US$40 billion by 2020. Amazon broke holiday records recently, due in no small part by its Alexa voice assistant system. Brands are aware of these trends and are rapidly adopting new sounds that listeners recognize subconsciously and become part of daily life.  Beyond branding, audio plays an important role in purchasing behaviour. Economists and scientists have known this for a long time, but these trends will become even more apparent in the coming years due to sonic branding.

Audio branding: the next frontier

Whether its Mastercard or Visa, brands will continue to push their offering in new and exciting ways. Audio players across the world are paying attention, including Spotify which recently acquired Gimlet Media and Anchor to bolster its podcast offering. As global brands and players consolidate, we expect to see more Mastercard-like branding in partnership with large audio distributors. Perhaps Apple Music vs Spotify won’t be so much about artists; instead, platforms will compete on who can help brands best pitch their sounds to listeners. As an audio-focused platform ourselves, we look forward to seeing how brands and partners use audio and sound to push their missions further.