Favourite Sonic branding case of Tom Brillouet: TeleMadrid

“I grew up as the son of a radio host. Audio has always played a central role in my life. It all started for me with Sesame Street and De Fabeltjeskrant: those tunes were my first contact with recognizable brand music. Long before the term sonic branding existed.

30 years later, I have my own audio production house. To work out the auditory identities of brands, I look for appropriate sounds, special tunes or catchy melodies daily. It is always a challenge to musically translate a 96-page brand book into a 2,5-second audio logo. One of my favourite sonic branding cases of the past few years is the case of TeleMadrid. This regional Spanish channel wanted to attract more viewers with a contemporary tone of voice. There was a need for an auditory refreshment that respected the channel's rich cultural past. Because the channel focuses on classical and modern culture, this turned out to be the perfect starting point for the sonic-ID. The makers looked for the typical sounds of the street. “El organillo Madrileno” is a street organ dating from the 19th century that still resonates through the streets of Madrid today.

The metallic core tone, comparable to touching a piano string with a hammer, served as the basis and was mixed with all kinds of instruments that reflect the multicultural society of the city. The result is a contemporary audio branding that sounds both abstract and classic at the same time. A successful balance between old and new. Or: how the strongest sonic branding examples can capture a complete brand story in a 2-second audio logo. ”