Sounds
Corporate Sound
What ist Corporate Sound?
As markets become more and more complex and the daily flood of information we face keeps growing, a consistent and clearly designed brand identity establishes trust and provides guidance. This identity consists of more than just visual media. Brands communicate to many senses and are perceived that way too. We see them on billboards and newspaper ads, but in image films, TV- and radio ads or even telephone waiting loops, they also become acoustic experiences.
In sound branding, the identity of a brand is translated into sound using a strategic process. The result is a Corporate Sound.
The essential tasks of a corporate sound in this context are to:
- clearly position a brand through sound,
- enhance its recognition in acoustic and audiovisual media,
- differentiate from competitors,
- achieve higher media efficiency.
As part of a corporate identity, a corporate sound has a high value for us, as
it makes the Group and all its divisions more comprehensively experienced.
Our goal is, over many years, to use this sound across media in all audio- and audiovisual media, thereby establishing a close connection between brand and sound. Just hearing the brief sound logo should trigger associations with the Deutsche Bahn brand in the listener’s mind.
In the future the Deutsche Bahn corporate sound will be available for
experiencing several thousand times daily on TV and the radio, apps,
websites, events, podcasts, image films, telephone waiting loops etc.
so as to fundamentally condition the brand’s acoustic perception.
Download the DB sound logo here:
Rhythm
In every business area—rail transport, car sharing, Call a Bike and logistics—it’s always about movement. Rhythm as the translated idea of mobility is the core element of the audio brand identity of DB. Rhythm defines the business model of Deutsche Bahn, and stands for clear, managed processes and definite timing.
The rhythm of the DB sound is dynamic, driving, syncopated and sharp. The core sequence consists of six beats.
DB motif notation
The DB rhythm defines the DB corporate sound and is consistently used in acoustic applications. The recurring rhythmic sequence is catchy and easily recognizable.
The rhythm sequence can be applied within acoustic applications as single sequence or as a recurring rhythm.
The rhythm’s acoustic coloration, instrumental arrangement and tempo are not preset. Yet the basic sequence remains recognizable.
Handling the DB rhythm freely and openly enables flexible use of the corporate sound. There are no genre-specific restrictions to obstruct the creative storytelling of certain application formats.
This diversity also reflects DB’s broad fields of business.
The Tonal Level
The core motif of the Deutsche Bahn corporate sound is based on the two tones of ‘D’ and ‘B.’ They hark back to the original tonal interval (descending third) of the long-familiar ‘platform ding-dong.’ With added rhythm, the static ‘ding-dong’ becomes a dynamic, driving motif.
DB rhythm notation
This sequence of notes in the above-defined rhythm should become an integral element of all DB musical pieces.
The motif can be placed in the fore- or background, depending on the application.
The motif is especially suited to being reproduced as a bass line. This way the motif is less melodious. Instead it translates the basic feeling and atmosphere of traveling, the experience of mobility (e.g. as the abstractly translated sound of traveling by train on rails). This is where the identity-giving sound of Deutsche Bahn has its wellspring.
It is muscular, atmospheric and lively.
At higher registers, played by melodic instruments, the motif has a more direct, conspicuous and ‘jingle-like’ effect. So as not to endanger the value and durability of the Deutsche Bahn corporate sound, the more melodiously played motif should be used sparingly.
The scale of the DB corporate sound is B major.
The Sound- and AV Logo
A sound logo is the prominent element of a corporate sound. It makes the brand audible in fewer than three seconds.
It can be used in both a purely auditory way (e.g. in a phone waiting loop or radio spot) and audio-visually (in TV ads and image films).
At its core the sound logo of Deutsche Bahn consists of the Deutsche Bahn rhythm and the tonal Deutsche Bahn bass motif. It is augmented by subtle sound design that gives the overall effect the necessary modernity.
This is where you’ll find files for professional application of sound- and AV logos for downloading.
The download menu option is reserved for a restricted user group.
Integrating the sound- and AV logo
Only the provided audio- and AV files may be used for the ending of an audio or audiovisual Deutsche Bahn application. Please note: Do not change the sound logo.
Use of the sound logo can lead to a perceived break from the previous storytelling music. The tonality of the music does not necessarily have to match the sound logo’s muscular tonality. In the ending, however, the sender brand appears with assurance and displays its full size and power of expression. To avoid breaks in tonality, the music—if produced specially for the application—can be composed in the same scale (B major) as the sound logo and use the Deutsche Bahn rhythm.
Attaching the sound logo to the previous music/sound track should take place as follows:
Inserting a brief pause of up to about 0.5 seconds between music/sound track and sound logo
- Insert a brief pause of approx. 0.5 seconds before running the sound logo.
- Otherwise the music can fade out approx. 0.5 seconds before the sound logo runs.
Please note:
Avoid directly attaching the sound logo to the music/sound track with a hard cut.
DB Brand Music and Music Library
Another element of the DB corporate sound is DB brand music. It makes the brand acoustically experienced in about 2.5 minutes. This music line can be used in diverse applications. It is suitable as music for image, films, in phone waiting loops, for events and much more. The music line can be shortened, cut and ‘looped’ at your discretion, so as to optimally fit the application in use.
To prevent the music from seeming old quickly, a DB music library with several ready-to use musical pieces in various scales will be made available. This way we can meet a broad range of communications requirements.
Legal Notices
DB AG has acquired the rights of use for the corporate sound for all media without restrictions in time and geographical location. In principle, however, transferral of GEMA rights of public performance in this context is void.
For any and all use of the sound logo for radio, TV and movie theater ads, the following GEMA data must be reported to the attending agency. However, separate fees will not be required as the media costs already include these fees.
Title: DB Sound Logo (Database number: 148 06 416)
Composers: Johannes Lehniger (GEMA:141515)
Holger Schuhmann (GEMA: 812805)
Alexander Wodrich (GEMA: 913908)
Title: DB Brand Music (Database number: 148 06 416)
Composers: Johannes Lehniger (GEMA:141515)
Holger Schuhmann (GEMA: 812805)
Alexander Wodrich (GEMA: 913908)
For other applications, specific reports of the DB Corporate Sound to GEMA are not required.
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