And finally… Mastercard introduces sonic branding to world of invisible payments

The news comes closely on the heels of the company’s recent transition to a symbol-only branding which saw it ditch the text from its logo to follow the style of other major firms such as Nike and Apple.

Mastercard said it had tapped musicians, artists and agencies from across the globe, including Mike Shinoda of band Linkin Park to come up with the sound.

“Sound adds a powerful new dimension to our brand identity and a critical component to how people recognise Mastercard today and in the future,” said Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer, Mastercard. “We set out an ambitious goal to produce the Mastercard melody in a way that’s distinct and authentic, yet adaptable globally and across genres. It is important that our sonic brand not only reinforces our presence, but also resonates seamlessly around the world.”

In the lead up to the 61^st Grammy Awards, Mastercard will launch a new multi-channel marketing program starring Grammy-nominated artist Camila Cabello, which will be the first creative output to feature the brand’s sound logo.

Following the US introduction, the Mastercard sound will then head to The Brit Awards in London and then Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.