HSBC announces new sound identity

Musician Jean-Michel Jarre is the composer of the new HSBC’s sound identity, marking the next phase of the company’s global brand refresh.

‘Together we thrive’ becomes more than HSBC’s brand promise: it is also the title of an electronic musical piece composed by Jean-Michel Jarre. The piece will now start being heard across the 66 markets in which the company operates, from the UK to Canada, from China to the USA.

The move is an attempt to incorporate music marketing in HSBC’s global brand refresh started about a year ago. According to Andrea Newman, HSBC global head of brand, the new sound identity aims to create “a distinctive sound which works alongside our visual branding and logo”, ever more relevant in a world where audiences are increasingly “busy and distracted.” The company hopes that the piece will be associated with the brand, allowing customers to recognise HSBC wherever they interact with them.

Customers contacting HSBC’s call centres across the world will now be able to hear the new tune, a musical piece composed of seven different edits to adapt to different markets and cultures.

The piece was born from a connection between the brand’s and Jarre’s ideals, which allowed the collaboration to bear fruit. “I really connected with HSBC’s deep focus on the notion of thriving”, Jarre says. “I truly believe we need to focus on the environment, education and technology. Once I understood their value to the HSBC brand, suddenly it seemed that we were speaking the same language.”