Sonic branding has been growing in ubiquity over the last few years, as more and more brands come to appreciate the importance of recognisable audio. Indeed, these days, some of the best logos are actually sounds. And now we know which sonic logo is the most recognisable in the US.
According to a new study which pitted over 170 brands' sonic logos against each other in a blind recognition test with over 70,000 respondents, Arby's has the most well-known audio branding.
The fast food chain's 'We have the meat' jingle beat out the likes of McDonald's, Netflix and TikTok to score an 86% recognition rating in SoundOut's 2025 Index report.
“The SoundOut Index 2025 provides a reality check for marketers," says SoundOut CEO David Courtier-Dutton. "Attribution is everything. You can win awards for sonic creativity, but if consumers can’t link your sound to your brand, it’s wasted investment. The data is unequivocal: start by including your brand name until attribution is secured, then evolve to a pure musical identity. The winners of tomorrow are those who embed their brand into memory with sound today.”
Of course, it probably helps that the Arby's sonic logo features the word 'Arby's'. And that might explain why examples that don't feature the brand name, such as Netflix (21) and McDonald's (29) appear further down the list.
The study also points out the worth of reviving an old piece of sonic branding even if it's been lying dormant. "If you have an old, well loved yet retired sonic logo at the back of the drawer, pull it out, dust it off, refresh it and start using it. The performance of Maybelline’s new and refreshed 25 year old logo has been exceptional, leaping into 20th place overall (out of 174)"
And in another curious finding, the study identified what it calls a "recognition-recall gap”, whereby listeners actively recognise a sonic logo, but are unable to attribute it to the correct brand. "Many sonic logos succeed at creating a sense of familiarity - through catchy motifs, consistent use, and exposure - but fail to firmly encode the brand name in the listener’s memory."
But one thing is increasingly clear; now more than ever, sound is key to brand success.
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