Technical terms audio branding

Brand versus corporate
The term ‘corporate’ refers to the company as a whole, while ‘brand’ refers to an individual
brand. Thus, the design guidelines of the company Daimler are listed in the corporate design
manual, whereas the company owned car brand Mercedes-Benz has its own brand design.
The same applies to ‘corporate sound’ and ‘brand sound’ (q.v.). Brands which refer to a company
as a whole - e.g. Lufthansa – are also called corporate brand (corporate sound).

Acoustic brand management
Management process of acoustic brand communication. Main objectives include circularisation,
differentiation and identification of the brand.

Audio branding
(sound branding, sonic branding, acoustic branding)
Process of brand development and brand management by use of acoustic elements (audio
branding elements) within the framework of brand communication.

Brand sound, corporate sound
Acoustic dimension of brand design (corporate design). Reflects the acoustic identity of a
brand (company) and becomes audible as audio logo, brand song, brand voice etc.

Brand sound identity, corporate sound identity
Form the basis for acoustic brand appearance (corporate appearance) and input of acoustic
branding elements. These are expressed in the brand sound (corporate sound) and are the
acoustic identity of a brand (company).

Central acoustic idea
Creative idea, deduced from brand identity, for the acoustic design of a brand, analogue to
the visual design idea of a brand design (corporate design).

Commercial song
Used as spot background and background music and – as opposed to brand song (q.v.) - is
employed only temporarily or just once in an advertising campaign.

Sound style guide
(acoustic design manual, brand sound guidelines)
Set of rules for all brand sound elements (corporate sound elements) and guideline for their
use.