ASUS was established in 1989 and is known worldwide for its technology solutions such as computers, graphic cards, and motherboards. They have been awarded multiple times through the years. They are driven by innovation and the wish to make it possible for everyone to have an effortless digital life and great experiences using their technology. Their goals are to create sustainable technology and help minimize the digital gap between different communities worldwide.

The Challenge

ASUS wanted to strengthen and express its brand through music and sound to gain stronger coherence between their products, audio landscape, and channels. And over time, create recognisability with the audio logo. It was essential to produce a sound that stood out from other tech companies, such as ASUS’ partners.

Through our Audio Concept & Strategy process, we conducted a workshop with ASUS, identifying a vocabulary and key attributes, and creating a shared understanding of how the ASUS brand should be expressed in sound based on the company’s values and overall brand profile.

We chose to collaborate with our vendors Joel Krozer and Mikael Tobias. Mikael Tobias is a British-Canadian musician, composer, producer, and sound artist. His work explores the liminal space between physical and emotional resonance, using live instrumentation along with meticulously treated electronics to create visceral and evocative soundscapes. Joel Krozer is a producer and sound designer, who goes by the name Six Bit Deep. Joel’s credits range from young local artists to major label big shots of literally every genre of music. His music and sound design expertise ranges from film, tv & ad music to producing records and computer game sound. Both musicians are based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Insights

The ASUS master audio logo needed to have depth and complexity, combining the core values of the ASUS brand and still staying true to the mission and vision. Furthermore, we discovered that it:

• Needed to have a clear and defined start and stop, making it distinct and strong, and stands out when played together with Intel and Windows.
• Had to encompass the full spectrum of frequencies, making it complex and well-balanced.
• Had to have excellent potential for spatial audio.
• Had to contain many layers of audio DNA elements to be applied in different brand touchpoints.

We tested our sounds across different regions to ensure their sonic logo was consistent across different cultures. Furthermore, we developed the sonic logo to be deployed across the many brand touchpoints of ASUS.

Solution

Audio Identity

Based on the Audio Concept & we created an Audio Identity consisting of the audio logo and music toolbox containing two different tracks, expressing the diversity of the ASUS Brand. The Music Toolbox is a flexible audio library, giving ASUS several mixes & match possibilities for different needs.
The music tracks are musical expressions that, in their way, reflect and represent ASUS’ brand and values. They are composed with the unique ASUS melody elegantly integrated within.

Audio Logo

The ASUS master audio logo was designed with depth and complexity, combining the core values of the ASUS brand and staying true to their mission and vision. In addition, harmonically speaking, the logo was based on an ASUS-chord variation, taking ownership of this chord and creating a strong narrative in the audio identity.

Finally, it encompasses the full spectrum of frequencies, making it complex and well-balanced by having tight and punchy bass elements, crisp mids, and cutting-edge high tones that pan around the listener for an elevated experience.

The ASUS Audio Logo consists of three main elements, tactile sound design to represent innovation, harmonic textures to be an inspiring and joyful, and humanistic and subtle melody to convey knowledge and progressiveness. The elements combined create a harmonious blend of the key attributes and were adopted into the Music Toolbox tracks.

Listen to the audio logo below.

After creating the audio logo, ASUS updated its animated logo, so the animation and sound logo blended perfectly together.

Music Toolbox tracks

We made two brand music tracks for ASUS.

Brand Music 1, also called Joy Through Technology, is a hero-type track, representing the joyfully emotional and humanistic side of ASUS, with a powerful progression leading into the final chorus of choir and synthesizer solos, signaling the joy and empowerment that ASUS products bring.

This track helps envision a world where innovative technology lies firmly in the hands of the people, providing forward-thinking ways to enrich our modern lives. Blending organic instruments with electronic treatments and digital sound design, the music connects both intellectually and emotionally.

Brand Music 2, also called Inno Wave, is a hub-type track representing the incredible, knowledgeable, and innovative side of ASUS, with a punchy and driving drum beat, evolving throughout the track and signaling the cutting-edge of innovation that ASUS products represent.

Inno Wave is a sonic journey through digital components, underlining the power of modern computing. It draws inspiration from contemporary electronic music such as Floating Points and Caribou and is an homage to their blend of organic matter with modern digital technology. The melody of the ASUS sonic logo is played throughout all sections, and the track finally concludes with the logo’s original sound design.

Event Music Package

We also created an event music package to be played as background music at ASUS’ events and event music elements designed for walking on-stage, off-stage and revealing their product prices. Music for this special moment needed a strong beat, creating momentum and building excitement. For this reason, we added horns on top to strike the feeling of incredible joy, grandiosity, and engagement.

Listen to how the new ASUS Audio Identity amazed the crowd at the “2022 ASUS Launch Event”

Check out the ASUS audio identity case film below.

Words from ASUS

“Working with Sonic Minds was a pleasure. Karsten and his team gently guided us through the sonic brand process. They took the time to help us grapple with the growing pains of sonic branding and addressed each of our concerns along the way. Their workshops were vital in helping us understand who we are as a brand through sound. Together we developed our sonic DNA into a comprehensive sonic brand, with the foundation, support, and tools needed to continue growing. Sonic Mind’s expertise, clear communication, and flexibility allowed us to finish our project on time and set us up for success in the future.”

Clinton Marrs, Brand Designer and Digital Marketing Specialist