Impact of Multisensory Branding

At Mastercard, we started our brand evolution journey two years ago, when we reinvented our logo to better suit the digital age and environment, and we continue to evolve. Earlier this year, we dropped our name from our logo and went into symbol brand territory. Now, I am thrilled to add a new dimension to our brand transformation – our sonic identity. 

 Similar to how people see and recognize our red and yellow circles as Mastercard wherever and however they engage with us – be it physical, digital or voice environments – they will now come to associate our unique sound as Mastercard every time they hear it. 

 Sonic identity adds a new dimension to the consumer experience, it reaches people’s minds and hearts through another sense. The Mastercard melody is the foundation of our sound architecture and will extend to many assets, from musical scores, sound logos and ringtones, to hold music and point-of-sale acceptance sounds. I’m proud and thrilled to see this come to life. In the lead up to the 61st GRAMMY Awards?, we collaborated with GRAMMY-nominated artist Camila Cabello. This was the first reveal of our Sonic Signature and it is just the start. 

 As a global company that operates in over 200 countries, it is important for us to take a deep and holistic approach to ensure that our sonic brand not only reinforces our presence, but also resonates seamlessly around the world. Our melody is one that considers different platforms, geographies and environments. The Mastercard melody has been developed using instruments and tempos to adapt and adjust to be contextually relevant to wherever people come into contact with our brand. Our sounds include operatic, cinematic and playful as well as a number of regional interpretations from Cape Town to Bogota and more.

 This is a crucial evolution for us, as it helps us cut through the thousands of messages people are confronted with every day. Our sonic identity registers our brand more powerfully and helps us prepare for the future of voice commerce, internet of things and the transforming consumer journey. Our new acceptance sound will provide assurance to customers and will be accompanied by an easily recognizable animation.

 Whether it be at point of sale or at the end of an ad, I’m excited for you all to hear Mastercard.