Skyscanner
SONIC BRAND
Skyscanner is the most popular flight comparison and travel site on the web and as part of their brand refresh they wanted a sonic brand. The goal was to make a sonic that would be a hard working brand asset pushing the brand's recognition, recall, personality and appeal. We went through a 6 month process with 11 creative rounds and approx. 110 difference iterations and versions. The final execution revolved around two creative ideas. The 3 syllables of the brand name, sky-scan-er and the airplane / travel notification chime sound most often heard on airplanes. The idea of co-opting that sound and its immediate association to travel, for a travel brand. This was our lightbulb moment, owning the sound of travel!
“Our vision is to help every traveler explore the world effortlessly, for generations to come.”
”Everything needed to pass these two checks”
Consistency
Does everything feel like it’s coming from one “world”?
Usability
Can people understand this? Is it simple enough to use, but with enough flexibility to push creatively when needed?
To achieve the goals of consistency and usability, we followed a path of
Ross Mawdsley - Global Head of Visual Design Skyscanner
Three syllables
Our sound works on multiple levels.
♪ Sky ♪ scan ♪ er
Mirroring the syllables of the brand name.
owning air travel
The sound we hear on every trip in a commercial air trip. The seatbelt chime on and off or message from the crew or captain.
We took the the synthesis principle behind this chime / alert sound and used it to build the Skyscanner sonic brand.
It’s immediately associated with air travel and beyond. Leverage people’s existing familiarity with the sound and recontextualizing it for the brand.
It lets everyone know it’s time for travel.
It lets everyone know it’s time for travel.
Quote
“Zelig was an invaluable partner in our journey to define Skyscanner’s sonic branding. Following the recent relaunch of our brand identity and motion system, it was essential that our sonic identity went beyond simply sounding appealing—it needed to resonate deeply with our core values and align seamlessly with the energy and movement of our logo.
Matt and the Zelig team, approached this challenge with remarkable insight and dedication. They immersed themselves in our brand world, taking the time to understand the nuances of our visual language, motion cues, and the emotional qualities we wanted to express. Their iterative approach allowed us to explore a variety of creative directions, each thoughtfully crafted to reflect Skyscanner’s character and purpose. Zelig were responsive and collaborative, consistently seeking our feedback and refining their work to match our evolving vision. They worked tirelessly to ensure that every facet of the sonic experience felt cohesive and complementary to our brand identity.Thanks to Zelig’s expertise and commitment, we now have a sonic identity that enhances our brand in a way that feels organic, exciting, and truly authentic to Skyscanner”. -
Peter Dickinson
Head of Motion
Skyscanner
Development Reel
Selects from the sonic development
Testing
We validated our final creative decision with some specific user testing.
Conclusions
The logo has performed well across all metrics
The logo demonstrates strong appeal
strong/excellent BrandMatch and Recall
The logo is most readily associated with the travel industry
sound
Intro swipe and click gesture into a 3 note melody featuring iconic travel chimes layered with piano, premium sub bass, ending with a satisfying screen tap.
A balance of relaxed, confident, technical with a hint of premium and luxury.
Credits
Sonic Brand Development, Creative: Zelig Sound
Client: Skyscanner
Andre Le Masurier: Global Head of Brand and Creative
Ross Mawdsley: Global Head of Visual Design
Peter Dickinson: Head of Motion
James Bradley: Principle Creative Lead
James Rose: Principle Producer