If I ask you to recall the familiar chime of Microsoft Windows starting up, the iconic ‘bong’ of Taco Bell, or the unmistakable sound of Netflix’s opening, you’ll likely hear each sound clear as a bell in your mind. What if your favorite beer could be recognized not just by taste but by sound?
Sonic branding has emerged as a powerful tool in modern marketing, offering brands a unique way to connect with consumers through sound. Ipsos’ ‘Power of You’ study has shown that sonic devices significantly heighten brand attention. With the notable success of Netflix’s iconic ‘tudum’ sound achieving an 81% brand recall, the impact of auditory branding is undeniable. Leffe is revolutionizing the beer industry with a pioneering sonic identity that intertwines its rich, 800-year Abbey heritage with modern sound design.
Leffe, a revered name within the Anheuser-Busch InBev portfolio, has unveiled its first sonic identity in a novel move for the beer industry. This auditory branding, developed in collaboration with global agency Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR) and London music and sound agency MassiveMusic, marks a historic milestone as the first of its kind for a global beer brand. Leffe’s journey to a sonic identity is rooted in a deep respect for its 800-year-old Abbey craftsmanship.
This effort serves as an audacious step towards transforming how consumers experience the brand, blending its storied heritage with contemporary sensory engagement. Lourenço Arriaga, Marketing Director at Leffe, explains, “A few years ago, we embarked on a journey to develop Leffe’s visual brand, aiming to better connect with our Abbey heritage and enhance the overall sensory experience for consumers. We soon identified a significant opportunity in the element of sound.”
In a market where sonic branding is often underutilized, Leffe saw an opening. “Many brands were relying on generic ‘refreshment signifiers’ and a wide variety of music, which created inconsistencies. We realized that there was a huge amount of potential in using sound to truly resonate with consumers and create a more enriching and unique sensorial world for the brand,” Arriaga adds.
The Leffe Sonic System, aptly named ‘The Sound of Monastic Divinity,’ is a triumph of sound design that encapsulates the brand’s historic essence. Developed by recording the acoustics within the original Leffe Abbey in Belgium—home to monks since 1240—the sound of a bursting balloon in the Abbey was transformed into a digital reverb, creating a unique and recognizable sonic signature.
Two distinct sonic assets are at the heart of Leffe’s new sound: the Sonic Logo and the Sonic Palette. The Sonic Logo is a short, memorable mnemonic designed to encapsulate the brand and drive recall. It begins with two notes of an organ melody, evolves into rich chords, and concludes with warm choral voices and a bell, embodying the connection to monastic heritage.
The Sonic Palette is a long-form piece of music, rich with unique melodies, rhythms, and sound design representing Leffe. This versatile composition is a standalone brand asset and a flexible musical blueprint for future content. It can be adapted to various styles, from monastic to modern and upbeat, ensuring it remains relevant across different platforms and campaigns.
Sean Thomas, Executive Creative Director at JKR, elaborates on the creative process: “We set out to create a sonic identity that was both timeless and progressive. Drawing inspiration from Leffe’s birthplace and history, we focused on finding what was distinctive to the brand. From there, we crafted flexible audio signatures and effects that could bring this essence to life across all channels, designed to evolve with the brand and adapt to both current and future platforms.”
With the Leffe Sonic System launch, the brand is poised to reach an estimated 95% of consumers in France, Belgium, Italy, and the Netherlands by 2024. This sonic identity will enhance all audio-enabled touchpoints, from online beer purchases and the pouring of Leffe to social media and television advertising.
Leffe’s leap into sound connects the brand’s historical roots and modern auditory engagement to enrich the consumer experience.