The most effective and emotional way that the BA would be able to signal their new brand image, they realized, was through a sound design that could be rolled out across their offices and throughout all their communications. The first step in overhauling their brand identity through sound was to ask themselves one very important question: What does work sound like? Therefore, they used the two core components that people associate with work, structure and freedom, and brought them together in an innovative corporate sound design concept – THE SOUND OF WORK.

The BA knows what work means to people. They know that it gives them structure and a routine. As a sound, they established this structure musically using the rhythms of daily tasks. These became the foundation of the sound design. They also know that for many people work also means freedom – a chance at professional self-determination. This comes to life in a number of sound sequences and melodic progressions that unfold over the dense rhythms. Finally, the BA acknowledges that our working lives are also full of change. The high-energy musical composition of the sound logo reflects these possibilities and symbolizes the BA’s support throughout these changes. The end of the piece strives ever onward, just like the BA’s ultimate guiding principle: to “move people forward.”

These three elements come together in one optimistic and instantly recognizable audio identity that can be adapted for all brand touchpoints like hold music, films, online and in BA branches.

Due to the fact that nearly every German citizen comes into contact with the BA at some point during their career, THE SOUND OF WORK sound design concept has the opportunity to reach over 80 million people in the next 10 years. Initial results have indicated that the new sound design has helped the BA overcome misconceptions and build trust in a space where the brand was not only lacking positive feeling, but was actively disliked. According to a nationwide media tracking wave in 2016, over 80% of the subject group rated the sound design positively and associated it with good feelings. They described it as dynamic, aspiring and above all motivating.

THE SOUND OF WORK has given a face and a welcoming character to a brand that was once considered cold and unfriendly, and people overwhelmingly agree that the BA is a valuable institution with their best interests in mind – that the BA truly does know how people work.