# Money doesn’t just talk, it sings: The rise of sonic branding in the finance sector
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2021-09-30
Category: TECHNOLOGY
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology
Meta Title: Mastercard's Sonic Branding: Reshaping Financial
Meta Description: Discover how Mastercard's sonic logo and other innovative sound strategies are shaping the future of financial services in the digital age.
URL: https://financedigest.com/money-doesnt-just-talk-it-sings-the-rise-of-sonic-branding-in-the-finance-sectorhtml

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_By_ **_Erin McCullough_** _, Brand Music Consultant at DLMDD, the sonic branding agency._

There are big changes happening in the world of finance. Now that the majority of today’s money is digital, banks are cutting their physical presence on the high street and investing in digital services. This is a transition that has been underway for some time, but has undoubtedly been [accelerated by the pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/post-pandemic-tech-innovation-the-role-of-accelerators-and-5g-testbeds.html "Post pandemic tech innovation: The role of accelerators and 5G testbeds"). And with the [rise of non-human interactions with their banks](https://www.financedigest.com/sterling-rises-as-receding-bank-sector-worries-lift-sentiment.html "Sterling rises as receding bank sector worries lift sentiment"), customers are looking for an audio experience that transcends the functional.

In this non-physical world, brand [preferences are more important](https://www.financedigest.com/loyalty-subscription-services-and-the-importance-of-customer-preferences-in-modern-banking.html "Loyalty, Subscription services and the importance of customer preferences in modern banking") than ever. [Financial services](https://www.financedigest.com/how-big-data-is-sending-shockwaves-through-the-financial-services-sector.html "How big data is sending shockwaves through the financial services sector") should be looking to develop a sense of trustworthy reassurance for customers during this challenging time. By tapping into the power of [music and sound](https://www.financedigest.com/how-music-sound-can-help-financial-brands-differentiate-in-a-competitive-world.html "How Music & Sound Can Help Financial Brands Differentiate in a Competitive World"), they can create audible reminders that the company is providing a much needed and empathetic service, fostering customer loyalty and driving brand recall.

**Mastercard’s masterclass**

Mastercard’s recent rebrand and [investment in sonic branding](https://www.financedigest.com/5-compelling-reasons-that-you-should-invest-in-branding.html "5 Compelling Reasons That You Should Invest In Branding") has put them at the forefront of this new landscape. Taking the radical step to [drop the text from its logo last year](https://www.financedigest.com/duran-duran-drop-new-album-40-years-after-debut.html "Duran Duran drop new album 40 years after debut"), switching to a minimal design featuring the iconic interlocked circles, signalled a profound rethink of their brand strategy. Their holistic approach now integrates audio-visual elements to adapt to [customers’ changing](https://www.financedigest.com/talk-to-me-the-changing-face-of-customer-communications.html "TALK TO ME :THE CHANGING FACE OF CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS") digital experiences.

Embracing a ‘comprehensive sound architecture’, the centrepiece of the Mastercard sonic brand is the [**sonic logo**](https://www.thedrum.com/news/2019/02/08/fresh-revamping-its-brand-mastercard-unveils-sonic-logo): a unique melody that plays when customers interact with the brand online or in-store via point of sale sounds. The sound is adapted for different global [markets using local instruments](https://www.financedigest.com/artificial-intelligence-ai-to-catalyze-the-cell-analysis-instruments-market.html "Artificial Intelligence (AI) to catalyze the Cell Analysis Instruments Market"), with a core melody that can be reworked and woven into everything from advertisements to point-of-sale transactions. According to Mastercard’s research, 77 per cent of [customers believe the sound makes transactions and retail environments](https://www.financedigest.com/retaining-insurance-customers-in-a-post-pandemic-environment.html "Retaining insurance customers in a post-pandemic environment") more trustworthy. The [brand’s payment confirmation sound that reassures the card holder that a transaction was successful is currently used by over 36 million](https://www.financedigest.com/10-million-to-be-whipped-into-ice-cream-brand-four-winters-following-acquisition.html " Million To Be Whipped Into Ice Cream Brand Four Winters Following Acquisition ") digital wallets and physical payment terminals around the globe.

Mastercard has also won acclaim for their creative and unusual use of sound – the [brand will be releasing an album created in partnership with global](https://www.financedigest.com/how-a-british-brand-catered-to-hnwis-can-maintain-its-position-within-the-global-luxury-sphere-and-even-grow-in-these-current-circumstances.html "How a British brand catered to HNWIs can maintain its position within the global luxury sphere, and even grow, in these current circumstances") artists, taking the sonic logo melody as inspiration. The first single, [**Merry Go Round**](https://www.thedrum.com/news/2020/01/07/mastercard-drops-first-single-expand-sonic-brand-architecture), by Swedish artist Randle and songwriter and producer Niclas Molinder, is an attempt to  ‘organically and authentically integrate’ Mastercard’s brand values and sonic identity’. This investment into experiential marketing – also including signature macaron flavours and a [**pop-up restaurant**](https://www.thedrum.com/news/2019/09/24/does-brand-need-flavour-mastercards-cmo-thinks-it-does) – is completely redefining how people interact with Mastercard.

[**Voice technology**](https://www.financedigest.com/peppermint-technology-revamps-communications-with-via-voice-solution.html "PEPPERMINT TECHNOLOGY REVAMPS COMMUNICATIONS WITH VIA VOICE SOLUTION")

Some competitor [banks are focusing their audio](https://www.financedigest.com/dont-play-second-fiddle-how-disruptor-banks-can-leverage-music-and-audio.html "Don’t Play Second Fiddle: How Disruptor Banks Can Leverage Music and Audio") development on VoiceID technology. [**HSBC**](https://www.hsbc.co.uk/ways-to-bank/phone-banking/) was an early adopter of this, with customers able to use their voice as password to access personal banking. Others are now looking to take advantage of the [**£5.6 billion**](https://www.deloitte.co.uk/tmtpredictions/predictions/smart-speakers/#:~:text=The%20key%20trend%20that%20Deloitte,selling%20price%20of%20%C2%A334.) smart speaker market in the UK. Last year, [**NatWest**](https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/saving/article-7341625/NatWest-partners-Google-allow-customers-bank-using-smart-speaker.html) started its trial with Google Assistant, allowing customers to bank from home and ask eight different questions using voice alone. With an estimated [**1 in 5 UK**](https://voicebot.ai/2019/10/11/over-20-of-uk-households-have-smart-speakers-while-germany-passes-10-and-ireland-approaches-that-milestone/) households now having a smart speaker, there is a key opportunity for banks and financial services to capitalise on this by applying sound strategically to communicate trust and security in these new technologies.

**Visa’s recent research** into the effectiveness of brand sound to increase trust at the point of payment found that audio cues play a key role. In-store, [consumers who experienced sensory branding](https://www.financedigest.com/how-cfos-of-consumer-brands-can-create-new-value-relevance-at-scale.html "How CFOs of Consumer Brands can Create New Value & Relevance at Scale") were 12 per cent more likely to say that the merchant cares for their security. Similarly, positive perceptions of the Visa brand increased by 14 per cent compared with those who did not experience the sensory [branding at the point of sale](https://www.financedigest.com/geelys-ev-brand-zeekr-aims-to-double-sales-in-2023-expand-in-europe.html "Geely’s EV brand Zeekr aims to double sales in 2023, expand in Europe"), with recall of the Visa logo also increasing.

**Music as a tool to humanise**

[Investment firm](https://www.financedigest.com/toshiba-in-talks-with-four-investment-firms-for-strategic-ideas-sources.html "Toshiba in talks with four investment firms for strategic ideas -sources") Vanguard has been utilising the power of sound to add intimacy and directness to its recent ads, projecting an approachable and positive image of an industry that many find difficult to relate to.

Vanguard’s advertising features people from all walks of life making the ‘Vanguard V for value’ sign, while an uplifting soundtrack mirrors the sunshine of the visuals. The distinctive song was [created from layers of ‘human-made sounds’ to tell the Vanguard story in an approachable and jargon-free way](https://www.financedigest.com/6-ways-how-to-create-great-tiktok-videos-for-your-business.html "6 Ways How to Create Great TikTok Videos For Your Business"), helping to modernise and humanise the brand.

Essentially, what we’re seeing across the board is the power of custom music and sound: using generic music risks losing important [brand recognition in these cluttered but extremely important digital](https://www.financedigest.com/3-top-digital-asset-threats-facing-your-brand-in-2017.html "3 top digital asset threats facing your brand in 2017") channels. Brands that fail to build equity in the audio space will lose out in the long term as we see the role of audio growing [ever stronger in closing the loop between consumers and their chosen financial services](https://www.financedigest.com/can-financial-services-brands-ever-be-credible-on-social.html "Can financial services brands ever be credible on social? ") brands.


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