Stephen Arnold Music (SAM) is an internationally acclaimed sonic branding agency providing custom and production music to leading corporations, broadcast networks, television stations, digital media outlets, production companies, film studios, trailer houses, immersive experiences, advertising agencies, and content creators. From TV to TikTok we create sonic branding that gets our clients heard.
Understanding how the brain processes sound is essential to sonic branding. Good sonic branding stimulates an emotional response, but great sonic branding does more–it becomes rooted in the belief system. It’s what makes the best sonic brands so deeply resonant and meaningful, and that’s why, when we hear the Mission: Impossible theme, we feel danger in the air. Sonic brands, as they tap into our emotions and gradually and consistently become beliefs, are irresistible. For brands, they are a gold mine.
Sonic branding is so much more than a catchy jingle – it’s the #1 brand asset for building awareness1, thanks to its attention-grabbing power and instant recognizability. From sonic logos, to branded music packages, sound effects, and immersive audio, sonic branding creates deep emotional connections and stimulates brand recall.
Sound is processed in the neural pathways responsible for emotion, fueling meaningful connections with audiences, while strengthening loyalty and sense of belonging.
The use of well-designed sonic elements in brand communications is proven to generate higher recognition and recall.
Using sound alongside visual and tactile elements amplifies the power of your brand messaging.
World-class sonic solutions enhance overall brand appeal, which is highly correlated with recall and propensity to buy/engage.
1. System1 Group. (2025, June 23). The Long and the Short (form) of It. System1 Group. https://system1group.com/creative-effectiveness-tiktok
Sonic branding is so much more than a catchy jingle – it’s the #1 brand asset for building awareness1, thanks to its attention-grabbing power and instant recognizability. From sonic logos, to branded music packages, sound effects, and immersive audio, sonic branding creates deep emotional connections and stimulates brand recall.
Deep dive into your brand DNA, audience, voice, style, positioning, and objectives.
Emmy-winning composers bring the sound of your brand to life with creative concepts fine-tuned through collaboration and, if desired, audience testing.
Integration of your sound across every brand touchpoint for maximum audience impact.
For more than three decades, SAM has partnered with leading brands around the world to craft impactful, brand-defining, award-winning music and sonic identities. Our hands-on approach, industry-leading creativity, and commitment to uncompromised quality are at the heart of everything we do.
Sonic Branding • Sonic Logo • Custom Music
With a creative partnership spanning over a decade of production music and main themes for AAA releases, Gearbox and SAM finally found their rhythm with a fun and engaging sonic identity that speaks to the gaming masses. When we captured SAM Production Mgr., Jesus Garcia’s son yelling ‘Gearbox’, everyone knew we had caught lightning in a bottle.
Sonic Branding • Custom Music • Consumer Brands
Crazy Water has been making people feel good for over 140 years, so when their creative agency, TRG, reached out to SAM for a custom sonic brand and brand song to make wellness fun, it didn’t sound so crazy to us! Our team tapped into quirky roots of the brand developing a sonic logo and song fitting of Crazy Water’s dead-pan humor and Texas-sized personality.
Sonic Branding • Custom Music • Sports
SAM was brought in to create an original sonic identity for TGL, a first-of-its-kind, three-on-three golf competition featuring top players from the PGA Tour. The comprehensive music package features an upbeat feel with hybrid instrumentation, as well as a hype overlay from DJ Khaled. TGL’s debut match from the new SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, attracted nearly 1M viewers and generated strong acclaim.
Sonic Branding • Custom Music • International
Logistics giant UPS called upon SAM to elevate a recent global communications campaign with custom music scored to a set of compelling capabilities videos. SAMs score was critical to the project’s success, providing a memorable musical theme with the flexibility to be adapted regionally for Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.
Sonic Identity • Custom Music • International
SAM was approached to develop a custom sonic identity and associated music assets for 37 TV, a Qatari satellite Channel that airs in the English language and targets non-Arab communities residing specifically in Qatar and neighboring Gulf countries. The sonic package successfully conveyed the ‘soul and beating heart’ of the channel, memorably representing the Qatari culture.
Sonic Identity • Custom Music • Broadcast Music
SAM was asked to develop a custom thematic music package for CNN News Central, the network’s 6-hour daily programming block originating from its New York and DC studios. The package centers on a confident and uplifting main identity along with all live orchestration to give CNN News Central a distinct and memorable sound in the industry.
UX/Navigation • Sonic Identity
SAM was approached by PerkinElmer, a leading developer of end-to-end laboratory testing technologies, to create original UX audio for their highly advanced gas chromatography machines. What began as a way of creating a more informative and immersive user experience using audio laid the groundwork for a sonic identity for the company.
Sonic Identity • Custom Music • Broadcast Music
NBC and Golf Channel called upon SAM to develop a sonic brand and custom music package for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Tournament. With the goal of inspiring greater interest in the women’s game while representing one of golf’s greatest courses, it goes without saying that the music for this prestigious event had to meet the highest standards.
Your brand has a story. We’ll give it a sound. Our team specializes in creating powerful brand audio that’s instantly recognizable, emotionally resonant, and unforgettable. At SAM, we’ve helped thousands of companies across industries worldwide craft iconic sonic identities. Tell us about your project, and let’s make some music together.
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Yes and no. Sonic branding is the big picture – it’s your brand’s sound strategy across every touchpoint. Your audio logo? That’s one of the stars of the show, showing up in ads, socials, and apps. However, a full sonic brand can also include a 2-3 minute brand theme for promos, sound-alike tracks for content, custom SFX and app notifications, and more – it’s the whole sonic toolkit. As for jingles, well… these catchy earworms can certainly get attention, but not without drawbacks that make them less popular in modern sonic branding (more here).
Pricing varies by project depending on the number of pieces and variations, track length, instrumentation and production, usage, testing needs, and more. Think of it as a key investment in your brand’s identity – it’s flexible to your needs and can scale up or down. We would love to provide a quote for your unique project, big or small. Connect with us and let’s get started.
A typical sonic branding project consisting of a sonic logo and brand theme takes 8-12 weeks from start to finish, however, we are accustomed to meeting the needs of our clients when faster timeframes are requested.
Absolutely! We’re all about building great relationships. Think of us as your strategic audio team – we’ll plug right in with your primary decision makers (whether that’s your marketing team, agency, or both) and make sure all of your audio flows seamlessly with your brand’s bigger picture.
No problem at all. We’ve helped major brands update, evolve, and reimagine their existing sonic identities. Just say the word – we’ll dial into your current theme and take it as far as you want.
Two things: emotion and memory. First, the sound has to feel like your brand – capturing its values, personality, and elevating your content. Get the emotion right and let repetition work its magic, turning a spark of emotion into a lasting memory. When people feel it and remember it, your brand earns stronger awareness and lift.
