Twenty Thousand Hertz
Boom Bling: TikTok's sonic guerrilla marketing
May 8, 2024
Music producer and sound designer from MassiveMusic discuss the creation of TikTok's iconic sonic logo, detailing the meticulous process, covert marketing strategy, and final debate over a single note. The podcast explores the unexpected impact of a dog bark in the logo, TikTok's Sonic DNA strategy, and the fusion of science and art in sonic branding.
26:04
Episode guests
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Creating TikTok's distinctive Sonic logo involved thousands of iterations, covert marketing, and consumer testing to choose an E major seventh chord.
- TikTok's strategic placement of its Sonic logo at the end of videos on other platforms led to rapid recognition and success in branding through sound.
Deep dives
The Evolution of TikTok's Sonic Branding
TikTok, with over 700 million users, lacked a distinct Sonic identity despite its heavy focus on adding music to videos. Partnering with Massive Music, TikTok aimed to create a unique Sonic logo. After a lengthy pitch process and thousands of iterations, TikTok's Sonic logo, known as the boom bling, featured an 808 kick drum and an ascending chord to convey joy and creativity. The logo's E major seventh chord was chosen over a simpler E major chord after consumer testing revealed that it resonated better with TikTok's desire to appeal to a broader audience.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
