MassiveMusic Develops an ‘Out There’ Sonic Logo for Kathmandu

As a part of their long-term strategy, the outdoor lifestyle brand Kathmandu wanted an iconic, memorable and distinctive sonic identity that captured the sound of outdoors. International creative music agency MassiveMusic stepped up and produced a new sonic logo that aligns with Kathmandu’s mission to get people ‘Out There’ whilst delivering an emotional boost to consumers. 

To capture and craft the new, unique sound of Kathmandu, MassiveMusic took inspiration from three key pillars: 

- The sound of you exploring the outdoors

- The wooden melody

- The unique bird call

The first key pillar marked the start of immersive field recordings. The sound of people exploring rich, immersive and natural soundscapes combined with a light percussive rhythm was meant to capture the light-hearted spontaneity of the brand.

The second key pillar led the journey to the trees. As the living material from which the first musical instruments were made, it was a logical decision to incorporate wooden instruments into the sonic logo. From there on, a catchy melody was created that resonated with contemporary music and improved recall. 

The third and last key pillar was inspired by nature’s best musicians: birds. The search for a unique bird call led to the picturesque mountains of France, where the passionate craftspeople of Quelle Est Belle used sustainably-sourced PEFC-Certified wood to create handmade wooden bird calls. Since bird calls are like sonic air horns that stand out above all else in a crowded space, there is no better way to capture the audience’s attention. 

These three key pillars have come together as the ‘call of the wild’ and they create an identity that perfectly reflects Kathmandu’s joyful, carefree and spontaneous personality. The corresponding launch film visually captures the unique combination of the key pillars and shows the audience precisely how the sonic logo was created.

Marijn Roozemond, director of creative strategy at MassiveMusic, said: “To capture the joyful, spontaneous and carefree spirit of the brand, we took our cues from the natural world and crafted a sound from three distinct parts that belong ‘Out There'. We found our rhythm in the sound of you exploring the outdoors, our distinctive wooden melody from the trees, and we top it off with the ear-catching sound of a unique bird call. These three elements in combination create a sound that is instantly recognisable and uniquely Kathmandu.” 

Eva Barrett, chief customer officer at Kathmandu, said: “Kathmandu has always been about getting people out there in nature, where we feel better – your spiritual, mental wellbeing is enhanced when you’re out in nature.” 

Want to learn more about how Kathmandu’s sonic brand was created? Head to the MassiveMusic website by clicking here.