A Cymbal, a Whoosh and a Bang

What do Wimbledon and the World Cup have in common?

Well aside from balls, the answer is Hum Audio Branding, and the link here is BBC Sport

I know, even the most sports phobic of you are thinking ’I’ve seen some BBC Sport, and I don’t remember any annoying mindsticking sonic logo thing going on’ But what we’re talking about here is actually a great example of subtlety and flexibility in audio branding, an understated reminder of where you are and who you’re watching. Because you’re watching, the BBC

Our Story goes back to an earlier incarnation of the BBC Sport branding that we created. What evolved from it was the sequence of end hits –a cymbal, a whoosh and a bang.

A composition alright, but not one, significantly, containing a musical theme. Not one you’d recognise straight away, but critically, by repetition, memorable.

I love the way it’s been used to link iconic BBC title music to the shows, for example smoothly carrying us from the end of the Match of the Day titles to the studio and Gary Lineker’s lovely smile.

Or at the end of the current Wimbledon titles woven into the ending of the music

Or for the recent British Championships, heard against the crowds cheering

Somewhere in a BBC Sport programme, you’ll hear this message made by Hum for the BBC. Here we are, BBC Sport, for the greatest show on earth.