Sonic Lens : Sonic Branding + Music Intelligence

ALJAZEERA ENGLISH - sonic rebrand

How did Al Jazeera use music to drive brand perception change and reposition the brand, while also evoking its 'voice of the people' POV?

Giles Trendle, Managing Director at
Al Jazeera English

At Al Jazeera, we are delighted that Sonic Lens's musical artwork has won this award. They have produced a unique audio brand for the Al Jazeera English channel that combines flexibility and diversity; and blended an endless range of sounds and techniques that together paint a picture that has contributed to our institutional brand.

Dustin Preston, Head of Global Creative at
Al Jazeera Media

The sonic branding was a major part of a channel refresh we designed for Al Jazeera English and a fundamental element in helping develop the channel into a truly modern, holistic brand. Winning this award really validates the sonic approach of our channel refresh on the global stage and within the industry. And it’s a testament to all those who were involved in the project.

Exploring the Al Jazeera sonic universe...

Al Jazeera airs 24/7 with no ads. That's a lot of time to fill with only their own content. Their visual branding system is consistent and flexible, but their prior audio brand was inflexible and overly repetitive. Instead of creating a single mnemonic or song or toolkit, we gave Al Jazeera a voice through music and sound - a complete language that is authentically and recognizably theirs, no matter what style of music or time constraints are applied. Instead of gimmicks, music is a red thread that ties the brand together across all content without ever feeling repetitive or old. From news to sports to weather to stock market to idents to promos to underscore to mnemonic, Aljazeera is a brand that lives and breathes. Below are but a few examples...