Sonos creates logo that ‘vibrates’

Published January 26, 2015 at 7:34 am

When creating a noteworthy logo, you can’t do better than designing something tailor made for the internet. Speaker company Sonos has won praise for a unique new logo that communicates the industry of the brand in a simple but effective way that is unique to the online realm. Whether or not it was meant to be, this is an example of how a good logo can be innovative while still being easy to understand.

At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be anything unusual about it: simply the name Sonos in white block letters against a black and orange vortex background. The area around the name is split into four triangular quadrants, two wider than the others. But this logo comes alive when you scroll up and down the page quickly.

Gizmodo points out that moving the scroll cursor of a browser creates the illusion that the space around the company name is vibrating, much like a series of sound waves. The ad has been promoted through offline means as well, including a special exhibition space that shows off the impact of Sonos’ speakers.

Although the company behind the image, Bruce Mau Design, may not have actually intended the optical effect, the interesting look helped it gain attention through social media. What’s remarkable about it is the way it can be triggered easily online in a way that is both surprising and natural, and gets people talking.

When a company hits upon a medium-appropriate idea like this, a marketing campaign management tool will help push it out to many different viewers through readily available channels. The vast availability of mobile devices makes logos that feel at home in a digital space increasingly valuable to marketers.