Building a world-famous, market-leading brand in just four seconds

Walter Werzowa, an Austrian composer who calls California home, got a familiar looking brief in 1995; create a brand asset that evokes innovation, is inviting yet remains corporate.

Despite the familiar input, what he produced changed the computer category forever.

One layered sound of tambourine, an anvil, an electric spark and a hammer on pipe (the sparkle) followed by four notes. D flat, G flat, D flat and A flat. The four notes were the result of Werzowa repeating the client’s name over and over in his studio.

In-tel. In-side.

This four second second sound (known as ‘the wave’, or ‘the bong’) created brand preference in category where there was virtually zero interest and understanding. No one cared about processors. However they cared deeply about computers, but struggled to choose between them. Screen size? Software? Specification?

Intel successfully gave them a non-negotiable feature for every PC purchase. Customers felt their purchase was more considered.

All thanks to the salience of a four-second sound attached that plays over an easy to recognise logo, consistently applied throughout the customer journey, present on awareness building comms through to the final three feet in store.
 
The motivation for the initial brief was Intel’s deal with computer manufacturers to subsidise their commercials, with the “Intel Inside” branding appeared in full as a mandatory requirement.

Intel had built the commercial framework to ensure high brand exposure. However given the co-branded nature of many of their ads, it was vital Intel has a memorable asset to standout. The logo on its own wasn’t going to be enough. Walter Wezowa’s ‘Wave’ was vital to the success of Intel Inside.

At the peak of its use, the Intel “wave” was estimated to be played somewhere in the world every five minutes. It was recognised by 56% of consumers globally.

The sound has evolved from Werzowa’s original score. It’s now all synth, no xylophone and marimba. But the sonic asset remains a core part of the brand identity almost 30 years since it first played.

Commitment to your distinctive assets is the behaviour of a distinguished brand. It drives recognition and directly effects purchase decisions.

Intel could have sat back and rested on the advertising deal they’d struck with computer manufacturers. They knew they had the media spend to achieve awareness.

But they doubled down on creating a brand asset that was distinctive, and became a non-negotiable ingredient to every PC purchase as a result.

Don’t fall for the familiar. Demand distinction.