MassiveMusic Brings O2's Sonic Brand Identity to Life

Breathe in, breathe out. O2, the UK’s No.1 network, has launched a new sonic identity in collaboration with international creative music agency MassiveMusic. Echoing O2’s mission of helping people ‘feel more alive’, the new sonic identity revolves around human breath as a core element and acts as an indispensable part of the total experience the brand wants to deliver across the UK.

O2’s DNA is made of music

An inherently musical brand since its birth, O2 has always understood the importance of including music and sound as part of its brand expression. O2’s campaigns often make use of hidden gem songs by upcoming artists. Starting this year, the brand will further define its sound by embracing a comprehensive bespoke sonic identity that transcends music genres.

Breath as the foundation for O2’s sonic branding

By capturing and reimagining the various textures and nuances in human breath, MassiveMusic helped O2 to reinforce its brand values through music and sound. A multifaceted and highly adaptive sonic ecosystem designed to work with all types of content, all styles of music and across a variety of touchpoints.

Roscoe Williamson, creative strategy director at MassiveMusic, explains: “Our challenge was to reimagine the human breath in sound and music, so we got inspired by life’s unmissable moments and the breath you take right before you act. It resulted in a sonic language that is rhythmic and ethereal at the same time, encapsulating O2’s brand notion of feeling more alive.”

More than a sonic logo

MassiveMusic created a distinctive sonic logo, which will be used to sign off future communications. To provide more flexibility, they gave life to numerous modular variations of the logo, including an atonal version which can be seemingly integrated into any preceding music.

Lastly, the music agency also composed and produced a long-form piece of brand music, also inspired by the breathing concept. Embedded with signature O2 melodies, chord progressions and sound design elements, the brand track will form the basis of O2’s sonic DNA. From this, a range of musical adaptations, all linked by the unmistakable sound of O2, will be created for different content and touchpoints.

A brand new phase with music at its core

Rachel Swift, brand and creative director at O2, comments: “O2 has always had a strong visual identity so it was a natural progression to extend this into the world of sound. This comprehensive and adaptive identity will be integrated across all customer touchpoints, bringing to life the unmissable moments that our customers experience on O2.”

Signalling a natural progression and a new phase in the brand's evolution, O2’s sonic identity will cater to a broad selection of touchpoints. From interactive sonic installations that drive loyalty to digital products, through to the live experience of O2’s stores and venues, ‘The Sound of O2’ surpasses what is known as traditional sonic branding by entering into a new era of sonic experience.

‘You’re Our Headline Act’, the first TV campaign that includes the new sonic logo, officially launched on 29th February 2020 and will gradually introduce O2’s sound across the UK.