What do dreams sound like?
Fulfilling one’s dreams is a great goal and is something that is always present in everything BBVA does. So much so that “Adelante por los sueños que aún nos quedan (Onwards for the dreams that we still have)” is a line in the lyrics of the corporate tune that BBVA adopted 10 years ago and that it is now leaving behind to take a leap forward with his new sonic DNA How we dream, which have a common denominator: dreams.
Never before have a few chords meant so much, but changing is necessary and evolving is key to success. That is why, if in February BBVA updated its tagline from “Adelante (Ahead)” to “Creating Opportunities,” now it is was turn for its beloved tune. Adelante, which was written by Xavier San Martín, a member of Spanish band La Oreja de Van Gogh, has been replaced with a new song: How we dream. With this tune, BBVA wants to prove that the bank is pivotal in making people’s dreams come true. This is a song that invites people to believe in opportunities, because they are at the root of all dreams that on occasions may seem unreachable but that, with perseverance, we eventually realize that they are not that impossible to achieve.
A brand’s senses are pivotal at the time of building its identity. The logo is clearly the visual image that is projected, but is not the only element that must show what the bank is like and what it conveys. We know what BBVA’s image is, but, what does it sound like now? And, most importantly, what does it say about the bank and what feelings does it conjure?
Brands are personalities
It sounds like dreams, the source of inspiration for BBVA’s sound, just as the song goes, of how they are created and how we visualize them. How we dream, was written by Michel Arnese, Global CEO & Founder audio branding firm Amp. He explained that “the song is intended to inspire, motivate and drive people.” How we dream is a sound that goes beyond just a few chords, conveying a “feeling of reliance and self-confidence every time people interact with BBVA,” said its composer.
How was the sonic corporate DNA created?
The design of the new sonic corporate identity, entailed not only creating a recognizable sound, “but also one that adapts to the spirit of its time, because brands are personalities that change overtime,” said Michel Arnese from his studio in Munich. And he added that “the DNA is the key for a durable sonic brand experience.” And, in order to for that to happen, the process begins with:
1. An in-depth study of BBVA, during which the bank’s personality and identity are translated into sonic characteristics.
2. A sonic brand workshop that concludes with the preparation of a report that provides the creative basis for the following processes
3. Development of the sonic DNA
4. The assessment
5. Development of the sonic identity, including different statuses and styles for different communication activities: brand, product, institutional…
Transformation as a key pillar
In the brand strategy, BBVA’s global transformation process has also been singled out as a pivotal element not only of its image and its identity, but of its sound as well. In Michel Arnese’s words, “the flexibility of the whole strategy grants BBVA the possibility of shaping and adapting the sound within its global transformation process.” A key part of its change and evolution process that “tries to offer to each market, a basis that is strongly linked to BBVA, its sonic DNA, and offering a tool to use this basis and adapt it to its communications needs.”
Through the sense of hearing, the brand makes the most out of a tool that has a great impact on people. Thanks to a sound that produces emotions, we are able to understand many of the messages that the brand wants to communicate: security, progress, transformation, confidence... Through the behavior that How we dream can produce, it is possible to build engagement among customers, making them feel more like they are part of BBVA, thanks to a sound that they like and will recognize. Dreams are something personal that sometimes we decide not to share, in this case, BBVA is adding the melody to your dreams, giving you the dose you need to believe in them.
To find out if you like BBVA’s new sonic DNA, you will need to listen to How we dream where dreams occupy a key element of BBVA’s sound, because making them come true is the ultimate goal for all those opportunities that appear and are finally achieved. Your present dreams will be your opportunities for tomorrow… come join us and let’s dream together.