Nutella - The Sound of Nutella

Intro 

“The world’s most beloved hazelnut spread.” ~Nutella, now and forever.

This brand doesn’t need an introduction. Yet, with such a strong heritage, it needed a memorable sonic signature to capture their ‘nutellaness’. 

Challenge

Nutella wanted a new sonic brand identity that would enhance memorability, express their key brand values of positivity and togetherness, as well as support the launch of their new brand communication idea centering around ‘enjoying every bit’. 

The biggest challenge in all of this was finding a sound that would unite all Nutella products under a consistent tonality while still sounding unique and unexpected. So we drank some choco-latte and started crafting. 

Approach

We anchored our idea to the iconic ingredient that binds all Nutella products together: the hazelnut. But we didn't just crack hazelnuts in a studio, we explored what they could do musically. 

We dropped them on a drum kit, tossed them at guitars, shook them in a shaker and poured them onto a piano. These sounds added a lighthearted and fun energy to the track, and you can't help but smile (and crave them) when you hear them. 

Throughout the entire process, we kept positivity at the centre and grounded the sound in an accessible acoustic pop aesthetic. We embodied togetherness by joining several voices in harmony, and topped it off with a catchy 6-note melody for the hook to make the track stand out and improve recall.

Solution 

Let us introduce you to Nutella’s brand new sonic logo and ‘The Sound of Nutella’ – their accompanying DNA track. Both are catalysts for positivity (just like Nutella) with a sound that immediately makes you nod along. The fun blend of guitar, horns, catchy vocals and hazelnut percussion combine into a lighthearted and fun vibe that the whole family can enjoy together. 

Brian Barth, Creative Director at MassiveMusic Amsterdam, tells us about the process and results: “Nutella is a staple at family breakfast time across the globe. Its unique flavour has built an iconic brand legacy which brings families across generations and people from different parts of the world together. Exploring the musical potential of the hazelnut was an exciting challenge; an exploration that enabled us to create a sound that truly reflects its taste and significance. With their new and ownable sound, Nutella can continue building brand strength and saliency across all channels for many years to come.”

The result makes us melt like chocolate in the sun – that’s how much we love it. Our work has added the domains of music and sound to Nutella’s toolkit for branded communication and brought a new emotional depth to their relationship with their customers.