Aston Martin

The Brief

Aston Martin were on the brink of putting the sounds of a 2007 Mercedes C-Class into their new category-leading DB11. Indicators, warning tones, everything.

I was commissioned to produce a piece of research that would prove the necessity of developing a bespoke in-car sonic identity to senior stakeholders.

The Insight

I conducted a study that demonstrated that the Mercedes sounds were perceived as cheap, flimsy and unsafe. When I asked what brand of vehicle consumers thought the sounds came from, they answered Kia and Nissan. The decision-makers at Aston Martin were convinced.

The Execution

A full suite of in-car sounds was designed in ‘The Key Of Bond’ – the key that all music in every James Bond film is composed in.

The Results

Research confirmed that the final sounds embodied the Aston Martin values of Power, Beauty and Soul. This time when asked, consumers said that the tones sounded like they came from an Aston Martin.

The bespoke sonic identity was used as one of the key marketing messages when the car was launched.