Mastercard Sonic Brand

Mastercard in 2019 expanded the ways of presenting its brand to include the use of sound. Introduction of a sonic identity within brand transformation followed the change in company logo to the symbol itself. This also relates to the simplifying how the name is written – now written with a small “c” in the middle, replacing the big “C”.

Jingles find broad application - from scores through a sonic logo and ringtones, to mobile phone company on-hold music or a sound indicating a successful transaction when paying in a shop.

„Acoustic expression gives our brand a distinctly new dimension and is an essential part of how people perceive Mastercard as a company today and on into the future. We set for ourselves a challenging task: to create a unique Mastercard melody that would become one with the company, would authentically reflect Mastercard and would be relevant worldwide in any musical genre. We find it important that our sonic brand not only strengthens the perception of our company, but also that people around the world have accepted it,“ said Mr. Miroslav Lukes, former CEO of Mastercard for the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria, in 2019.

A number of musicians, artists and agencies from around the world took part in creating the melody, including musical innovator Mike Shinoda of the popular rock band Linkin Park.

The characteristic melody of Mastercard

The result is a characteristic and catchy Mastercard melody, which can be easily adapted to different musical genres and cultures, and is simply becoming part of the local environment without losing any of its unified global voice. Use of different instruments and interpretations in different tempos makes room for rendering the Mastercard jingle in various styles, from an operatic vibe to a film soundtrack feel, or a playful variant, including regional variations.

It is expected that by 2022, the value of purchases made using voice commands will reach 40 billion US dollars, equivalent of roughly 900 billion crowns. Acoustic identities not only provide a new dimension to the links between businesses and consumers, but also allow consumers to easily move, shop and pay in an increasingly digital and mobile environment.

The first performance of Mastercard's new sonic logo took place a week before the holding of the 61st Grammy Awards, when Mastercard launched a new multi-channel marketing program with the participation of actress Camila Cabello. This was followed by participation in the music awards BRIT Awards in London and the mobile technology exhibition Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.