What an audio logo is
An audio logo (also called a sonic logo or sound logo) is a short, distinctive piece of sound, usually a few notes or a designed sound lasting a couple of seconds, that identifies a brand the way a visual logo does. It plays at the end of an ad, when a device starts up, before a show, or when a payment goes through.
A good one is recognizable with your eyes closed. That's the whole job: when people hear it on a radio spot, a podcast, a smart speaker or a TV in the next room, they know the brand without seeing anything.
An audio logo is the smallest piece of a larger system. The full sonic branding toolkit also includes a brand theme, product sounds, voice and rules for music. But the logo is usually where brands start, because it's the piece that gets repeated most.
Audio logo examples worth knowing
These are some of the best documented sonic logo examples, with the facts we could confirm.
NBC chimes
The three notes, G-E-C, are usually dated to an NBC radio broadcast on November 29, 1929, after the network trimmed a longer seven-note sequence that announcers found hard to play consistently. In 1950 NBC registered the chimes as a service mark, and they're widely described as the first purely audible trademark in the US. NBC still uses them in its branding today.
The lesson: three notes are enough if you keep them for decades.
THX "Deep Note"
Created by James A. Moorer at Lucasfilm's computer division in late 1982, the Deep Note debuted at the premiere of Return of the Jedi in 1983. It isn't a melody at all: it's a swarm of synthesized voices that drift and then converge on a huge chord. THX registered it as a trademark and published the original score for its 35th anniversary in 2018.
The lesson: an audio logo can demonstrate the product. THX sells sound quality, so its logo is a test of your speakers.
Intel "bong"
Intel added sound to its Intel Inside campaign when it moved into TV in 1994. Composer Walter Werzowa built the five-note logo, and accounts of its making say the notes echo the rhythm of the "Intel Inside" tagline. Intel has updated the sound over the years while keeping the five-note shape.
The lesson: a sonic logo can be built from the brand line itself, which ties the sound to the name even when no words are sung.
Windows 95 startup sound
Microsoft's team asked Brian Eno for a startup sound with a very tight brief: inspiring, optimistic, emotional, and about three and a quarter seconds long. Eno has said he wrote it on a Mac. The finished sound runs about six seconds, close to double the length requested.
The lesson: a product sound is heard every day by the same person, so it has to be pleasant on the thousandth listen, not just the first.
Mac startup chime
Apple sound designer Jim Reekes created the chime used on Macs from the early 1990s, a wide C major chord, because the earlier startup beep reminded him of crashes. The chime changed several times over the years.
The lesson: a functional sound sets an emotional tone. A calm chord says "everything is fine" before the screen lights up.
McDonald's "ba da ba ba ba"
The five-note mnemonic comes from the "i'm lovin' it" campaign, which started with Munich agency Heye & Partner in 2003 and launched with a Justin Timberlake single produced by The Neptunes. The campaign rolled out worldwide, and the five notes outlived the song. More on that history in our list of the most memorable commercial jingles.
The lesson: a sonic logo can be the last phrase of a longer piece of music. If the song fades from memory, the logo keeps going.
Netflix "ta-dum"
Netflix's product team asked Oscar-winning sound editor Lon Bender for the sound. According to the account Netflix's Todd Yellin gave on the Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast, Bender built it from his wedding ring striking a cabinet, layered with other sounds, plus a guitar "blossom" added with composer Charlie Campagna. In 2020 Hans Zimmer scored a 16-second extended version for films shown in theaters.
The lesson: a sonic logo can be pure sound design, and it can have a long-form version for bigger moments while the short version stays untouched.
Mastercard sonic brand
Mastercard launched its sonic brand in February 2019, shortly after dropping its name from its visual logo. It's built on a core melody that's arranged in many styles and regional variations, a short sonic logo, and an acceptance sound that plays when a payment goes through. Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park was among the musicians who worked on it.
The lesson: a modern audio logo is designed as part of a system, with a longer melody for ads and short versions for products and checkout.
What makes an audio logo work
- Brevity. Most famous sonic logos last a few seconds. Any longer and it stops being a logo and starts being a jingle.
- A simple, singable shape. Three to five notes, a small range, a clear rhythm. If people can hum it, they can remember it.
- Distinctiveness in its category. It should not sound like a competitor's, and it should not sound like a generic "tech whoosh" anyone could own.
- Fit with the brand. Instrument choice, tempo and harmony carry personality. A bank and an energy drink shouldn't land on the same chord.
- Flexibility. It has to work in a sad ad and a happy one, on a phone speaker and in a theater, at the end of a 6-second bumper and inside a 60-second spot.
- Consistency over years. Every example above has been used for a long time. Recognition is earned by repetition.
Types of sonic logos
- Melodic mnemonics: a short tune, like NBC, Intel or McDonald's. Easy to rearrange in any style.
- Designed sounds: a non-musical sound, like Netflix's ta-dum or THX's Deep Note. Hard to imitate, harder to adapt to genres.
- Sung or spoken tags: the brand name sung at the end of a spot, the descendant of the classic jingle.
- Hybrids: a melody played with a signature sound, or a designed sound that resolves to a few notes. Many modern logos work this way.
How an audio logo is made
The short version: write down what the brand should sound like, translate those attributes into musical choices (warm or precise, acoustic or electronic, major or ambiguous), have composers write several genuinely different candidates, test them without picture on people outside the team, then produce the winner in every length and mix it needs, from a phone-speaker version to stems.
Two things trip brands up most often. They pick a logo before agreeing on what the brand should sound like, and they leave the rights for later. Settle ownership before launch: the brand should own the composition and the recording, or hold long-term rights for every media and territory it will use them in.
Our audio branding guide walks through each step in detail, along with rollout, measurement and the common mistakes.
Trademarking an audio logo
Sound marks are registrable in the US and many other countries, and NBC's chimes, the MGM lion's roar and THX's Deep Note are among the well-known registered examples. A sound has to be distinctive enough that people link it to a single source. Your trademark lawyer will handle the filing; the music side's job is to make sure the brand owns the composition and the recording, or holds rights broad enough to support the filing.
Making an audio logo with ITGM
Our composers and producers write sonic logos and sonic branding for brands and agencies, from the first sonic direction through the final mixes and stems. Sound strategy is part of several of our campaign projects: our work with BMW / MINI and with NWSL and CBS Sports combined composition with sound strategy.
If you need a longer sung piece rather than a short logo, see our jingles page. If you're starting from scratch, tell us what your brand should feel like and where people will hear it.
Frequently asked questions
What is an audio logo?
An audio logo is a short sound or melody, usually a few seconds long, that identifies a brand the way a visual logo does. Well-known examples include the NBC chimes, the Intel five-note "bong," Netflix's "ta-dum" and McDonald's "ba da ba ba ba." It's also called a sonic logo or sound logo.
How long should a sonic logo be?
Usually a few seconds. It has to fit at the end of a short ad, a startup screen or a payment confirmation. Many brands also keep a longer theme built from the same melody for bigger moments, like Netflix's 16-second theatrical version of its sound.
What is the difference between an audio logo and a jingle?
A jingle is a short song, often with lyrics, that advertises a brand. An audio logo is a few seconds of sound that signs off the brand, often with no words. Many audio logos grew out of the last phrase of an older jingle.
What was the first audio trademark?
The NBC chimes are widely described as the first purely audible trademark registered in the US, in 1950. The three notes, G-E-C, had been used on NBC radio since 1929.
How much does an audio logo cost?
It depends on scope: a single logo costs far less than a full sonic identity with a brand theme, product sounds, guidelines and testing. Rights matter too, since a logo used for years should be owned by the brand or covered by long-term rights. We quote each project to its scope.