Take a moment to look at the most popular apps on your phone.
Whether they’re banks, e-commerce platforms, delivery services, or mobility apps, many share remarkably similar design principles. Minimalist interfaces. Rounded corners. Soft gradients. Clean typography. Simplified navigation.
Over the last decade, digital products have become significantly better designed. But they’ve also become increasingly similar.
As a result, brands are facing a new challenge: how do you stand out when everyone follows the same design playbook.
Modern design systems have democratised good design. Frameworks, UI kits, and best practices have enabled companies to create beautiful digital experiences faster than ever before.
This has been a positive development for usability.
However, it has also created a new problem.
Consumers today can switch between five banking apps, three ride-hailing platforms, or multiple food delivery services and encounter experiences that feel almost identical. While logos and colors may differ, the overall interaction patterns remain largely the same.
Research conducted by Siegel Gale found that consumers increasingly struggle to differentiate between brands within the same category. In crowded digital markets, functional features alone are no longer enough to create memorable experiences.
As competition intensifies, companies need new ways to create distinction.
Historically, branding lived primarily in visual assets. Logos, typography, colors, imagery, and advertising campaigns carried the burden of recognition.
Today, customers interact with brands in very different ways.
Many interactions happen through mobile apps, wearable devices, smart speakers, digital payments, and voice interfaces. In some cases, users may spend more time experiencing a product than engaging with its marketing.
This shift has elevated the importance of product experience as a branding tool.
And increasingly, sound is becoming part of that experience.
Consider how instantly recognisable Netflix’s opening sound has become. Or t he confirmation tone associated with Mastercard transactions . These sounds do more than signal an action. They create familiarity and reinforce identity.
In environments where visual attention is limited, sound often becomes the fastest route to recognition.
For years, sonic branding was largely associated with advertising. Brands invested in jingles, campaign music, and audio logos that appeared in television commercials and radio spots.
The most innovative organisations are embedding sound directly into their products.
Transaction confirmations, onboarding experiences, achievement notifications, AI assistants, and connected devices are all becoming opportunities to express brand identity through sound.
This evolution represents a significant shift.
Instead of sound being something customers hear during a campaign, it becomes something they experience every day.
And repetition is where memory is built.
Research from Ipsos has shown that sonic assets can significantly improve brand recall when consistently applied across touchpoints. Every interaction becomes an opportunity to reinforce recognition and emotional connection.
The GCC is experiencing one of the most ambitious digital transformation journeys in the world.
Governments are digitising services. Financial institutions are investing heavily in fintech innovation. New digital-first businesses are emerging across nearly every se…