Our Approach to Sonic Branding

As part of PENN Entertainments transformation into a modern omnichannel entertainment and gaming company, they sought to extend their new corporate brand to the customer experience with a reimagined loyalty program, PENN Play.

for the PENN Play, “Well Played” campaign, inclusive of a brand 

 (sonic logo) that enables flexibility for 

 across each of the 4 campaign spots. Create 

 of the core anthem that are tailored towards the personality and context of each spot, while maintaining a cohesive sonic branding experience to aid in brand recall.

Translate the core brand defining attributes of playful, sophisticated and approachable into a musical score. Utilize found sounds associated with the brand experience that aid in brand recognition and client ownability. Extract the strongest brand defining musical assets from the main score to create the PENN Play sonic logo. Execute a multi-genre creative versioning process for each of the 4 campaign spots, to allow for a tailored experience within each of the client personas. Maintain a cohesive sonic identity across the versioning through melodic consistency and the use of sonic assets specifically crafted for PENN’s brand attributes.

PENN Play’s launch and first month has exceeded historical performance. It has also impressed customers, boosting organic followers on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. It’s driven new registrations and is increasing downloads of the app. And it’s given PENN Entertainment the connective tissue needed to strengthen the corporate brand and portfolio as it continues to build capabilities and acquire new offerings and customers.

The campaign won Gold at the 2024 MUSE Creative Awards in the Sonic Branding category, a Silver at the 2023 W3 Awards in the Integrated Campaigns category, as well as Silver for the 2024 Reggie Awards in the Customer Engagement Marketing (CRM, Loyalty, Retention) category.

“JBMG not only developed a custom score and sonic logo for one of our largest brands, but they also versioned that hero track in 4 different ways, each having different vibes that better matched the energy of each spot. The creative team and clients were blown away with the final product and to me, the music is the strongest piece across the board.”

– Prophet (Executive Producer, PENN Play “Well Played”)

Case Study - PENN Entertainment | JB Music Group

Read our case study and listen to the sonic brand anthem and mnemonic (sonic logo) that JB Music Group composed for PENN Entertainment.

PENN Entertainment

 for their 50th anniversary, that would capture the essence of Disney and call everyone to the most amazing experience they had put on in 50 years. The anthem needed to be delivered in an expressive way that would tug on the heartstrings of families and friends, and transform them to a place filled with hope, optimism and endless celebration. This sonic identity would become a part of everything associated with the Walt Disney World 50th anniversary experience: scored to parades, fireworks displays, and utilized through all communications.

Translate the core brand defining attributes of magic, wonder and excitement into a musical score that enables for flexibility in versioning across various contexts. The final execution of the winning anthem included a modern pop driven production palette, layered with a 45-piece orchestra and full choir. The orchestra and choir recording sessions were held in Nashville’s iconic Ocean Way Studios and The Sound Kitchen. The final version of the anthem was released through a strategic 

was in use across all broadcast, social media, as well as multiple iterations across all 4 parks from October 2021 until Fall of 2023. In 2022 Disney saw a 22.7% increase in year over year revenue. Park attendance also began to skyrocket, pulling them out of their COVID decline. The song is currently available on all music platforms and has 2M + streams.

Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary | Sonic & Audio Branding | JB Music Group

Read our case study and listen to the music for the brand anthem and mnemonic for Walt Disney World.

Walt Disney World

Morgan Stanley wanted to show off their wealth management capabilities in a way that was both informative and entertaining, so they set out to create an 

 event that used storytelling to explain the complex financial concepts and show how Morgan Stanley and its clients grow together. The goal was to create an environment that evokes emotion, symbolizes growth, intrigues the listener, and provides a light, soothing and free atmosphere for their U.S. Financials Conference.

to accompany an art installation for the event, utilizing a combination of three key elements. 1) Electronic elements (to signify digital products) 2) Melodic elements for a warm and nurturing touch, with instrumentation that feels epic and trust evoking 3) Growth sounds: Plants, rainforest, vegetation sounds that feel lush and opulent.

to accompany the long form digital content for Morgan Stanley’s, Connected Client Journey videos.

The immersive conference was held in June of 2022, and Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management website for their “Connected Client Journey” is underscored by 5 different custom JBMG tracks. The activation was so successful with press and industry attendees that it is now going on the road with plans to expand through 2023.

Case Study - Morgan Stanley | JB Music Group

Read our case study and listen to the music that JB Music Group composed for Morgan Stanley's immersive conference and digital content.

Morgan Stanley

Butterfinger needed to boost brand relevance in popular culture, as they were starting to experience double-digit sales declines. To accomplish this, they sought out to create a campaign that introduced the Butterfinger Investigators (aka the BFI) under the premise that Butterfinger bars are so steal-worthy that there’s an investigative unit to prevent people from laying a finger on your Butterfinger. To accompany the campaign and optimize performance, a strategic approach to sound was critical.

To enhance the story and boost brand recognition through sound, JBMG was brought in to craft a long-form and short-form mnemonic (sonic logo) that would precede and conclude all related media content. We also provided custom music, scored to picture that would help set the tone for this campaign series going forward. This sonic branding experience needed to capture the tongue and cheek tone of the BFI brand, while also eliciting their key campaign characteristic of mystery. Through a blend of unique, sparse instrumentation, intentionally dramatic music, and just the right touch of exaggerated guitar reverb, the winning musical assets perfectly balanced comedy with mystery. 

The 3+ year campaign included TVC’s, long-form webisodes, social content, retail, activations, partnerships, promotions and a call center “tips line”. In just one quarter, BFI achieved double-digit growth. Now in year three of the campaign, the work continues to deliver growth quarter over quarter.

Butterfinger Investigators Case Study | Sonic & Audio Branding | JB Music Group

Read our case study and listen to the sonic branding and custom music that JB Music Group composed for Butterfinger - Ferrero USA.

Butterfinger - Ferrero USA

Case Studies

What 

Sonic branding (AKA “audio branding” or “sound branding”) is the expression of your brand through sound, which involves a comprehensive strategy for integrating music and audio into all relevant brand interactions and channels: advertisements, immersive experiences, podcasts, retail spaces, voice-control devices, industrial ecosystems and more. That's where we come in.

The expression of your brand

We want to create a world free from noise.

Our Beyond Sound™ services focus on delivering the most effective sonic branding experiences for our clients and their customers, through a methodical process led by our team of creative strategists, global talent and research gurus. Our approach enables adaptability and versatility across all cultures and platforms.

Delivering the most effective experience

By building sonic principles that align with your brand pillars.

All said and done, we provide the guidance, creativity and quantifiable intelligence necessary for effective ongoing implementation of a client owned audio strategy and brand.

Guidance, creativity and intelligence

Research shows the use of a consistent sonic brand across all touchpoints can increase brand recall by up to 96%.

Importance Of Sonic Branding

Sonic Branding & Sound Branding Agency | JB Music Group

Beyond Sound™ is JB Music Group's sonic branding solution, where we bring the expression of your brand to life through sound.

Beyond Sound™