Motel One commissions a sonic identity for 13 countries
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
German hotel group Motel One has appointed Berlin music agency EightSix to build a unified sonic branding system across 13 countries — covering upscale sister brand The Cloud One too — betting on audio identity as its next cross-border differentiator.
What Motel One is doing
Motel One named Berlin music agency EightSix, after a competitive pitch, to build a unified sonic branding system spanning 13 countries. The system also covers its upscale sister brand The Cloud One, with a shared audio foundation but distinct acoustic signatures for each.
It goes beyond a simple sonic logo to a full audio system. Senior brand marketing manager Nastasja Tschunke says the brand should be as unmistakable to the ear as its design is to the eye.
Why sonic branding, why now
Audio is one of the last under-exploited branding assets. As voice interfaces, podcasts, short-form video and in-property soundscapes multiply, a consistent sonic identity gives a brand another way to be instantly recognised — often before a logo is even seen.
For a hospitality brand, sound is also experiential. The music in a lobby, the tone of an app notification, the audio in a brand film — a coherent system ties those moments together into something a guest feels, not just sees.
One system, two brands
Building a shared audio foundation while keeping Motel One and The Cloud One acoustically distinct is a neat portfolio move. It creates efficiency — one system, one set of principles — without collapsing two positionings into one sound.
That mirrors best practice in visual identity: a common architecture underneath, differentiated expression on top. Doing it in audio is simply extending the discipline to a sense most brands still ignore.
Our read for marketers
Sonic branding is no longer a luxury for big advertisers. As more of the customer experience becomes audio — assistants, video, physical spaces — a distinctive, consistent sound is a genuine recognition asset worth investing in.
The move to watch is treating audio with the same rigour as visual identity: a documented system, applied consistently across every touchpoint, rather than a one-off jingle that never gets reused.
Quick FAQ
What is Motel One's sonic branding project?
Motel One appointed Berlin agency EightSix to build a unified sonic branding system across 13 countries, covering both Motel One and upscale sister brand The Cloud One with distinct acoustic signatures.
Why is sonic branding important?
As voice interfaces, podcasts, video and in-property soundscapes multiply, a consistent audio identity lets a brand be recognised by ear — often before a logo is seen — and is especially powerful for experiential categories like hospitality.
How do two brands share one sonic system?
Motel One and The Cloud One use a shared audio foundation with distinct acoustic signatures — a common architecture underneath, differentiated expression on top, mirroring best practice in visual identity.
— Oliver Nikolla-Casado, International Markets Reporter at Marketing Minute
As more of the customer experience becomes audio, a distinctive, consistently-applied sonic identity is a genuine recognition asset — treat it with the rigour of visual branding.
Would your brand be recognisable with the logo hidden and only the sound playing?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: W&V, Campaign Germany, Tageskarte.
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Written by Oliver Nikolla-Casado, International Markets Reporter at Marketing Minute
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