TONIQ Wins at the International Sound Awards with the New NZZ Sound
The Zurich-based sound agency TONIQ has developed two acoustic brand identities—one for Sunrise and one for the NZZ—and has now received the Winner Award at the International Sound Awards in Hamburg for its work on the NZZ project.
What does a media brand sound like that has stood for independent analysis and journalistic quality for generations—while continuously evolving? This very question was at the heart of the NZZ’s new sound identity. In collaboration with TONIQ, an acoustic brand system was developed that centers on a shift in perspective and can be flexibly applied across a wide variety of applications.
This approach has now also won over the jury of the International Sound Awards, which is composed of top-tier audio and digital experts from around the world. In its statement, the jury praised the work as «a carefully researched, high-quality, and flexible sound identity that harmonizes consistency and adaptability for a renowned newspaper brand.» They also specifically highlighted «the strategic rigor, the comprehensive toolkit, and the well-balanced blend of modern and classic sounds.».
«For a brand like the NZZ, it’s crucial to respect what has been tried and true while also creating space for new formats and perspectives—and thereby reaching across the broad target audience,» says Ina Bauspiess, Head of Partnerships, Live Events & Branding at the NZZ. «We’re very pleased that the jury recognizes precisely this combination of consistency and the ability to adapt to the times, and it’s a wonderful affirmation of our collaboration with TONIQ.»
The award-winning brand sound system was developed for the entire NZZ portfolio: as a subtle cinematic backdrop for brand communication, as a distinctive framework for podcast formats, in spatial form for live events, and as a short, recognizable signature for social media and editorial applications. The system also includes the strategic foundation for the NZZ’s brand voice.
The International Sound Awards In Hamburg, outstanding projects in the fields of sound, music, and audio communication are recognized annually, with a special focus on applications of sound that are strategically, creatively, and technologically compelling.
Responsible at NZZ: Ina Bauspiess (Head of Partnerships, Live Events & Branding), Nina Hildebrand, Olivia Blum (NZZ Brand & Creation Team), Sarah Ziegler (Podcast Manager), Guy Papstein (Senior Product Designer). Person in charge at TONIQ: Ph!L!pp Schweidler (Director of Strategy), Alexandra Salomão (Consultant), Florian Goetze (Creative Director), Dominique Dreier and Kilian Spinnler (Creative Producers), Yves Gerber (Head of MeloMetriq)
