Astral Media Inc. Launches New Audio Branding Platform That Speaks to the Media Company's Diverse Audiences

Hollywood-based sound design team creates eleven variations of the media conglomerate's signature audio sign-off, each customized to a different audience.

Listen to the new customized audio sign-offs: www.astralmedia.com/audioslogos

MONTREAL, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Astral Media Inc. will release a new audio branding platform today that reflects the various audience segments in the media conglomerate's diverse broadcast network. Inspired by the company's commitment to serve highly targeted audiences in television, radio, outdoor and interactive media; Astral commissioned Musikvergnuegen, an award-winning and innovative sound design studio, to create 11 variations of the company's core 4-note audio sign-off. This venture in branding, through engineered sound, is a significant achievement, not only for Astral Media, but for all media enterprises looking for a way to balance effective corporate branding while still managing to reach individual markets with customized messages.

"We are taking the art and science of audio branding to a new level by achieving a true intimacy with our audiences, which we expect will deliver a greater return on marketing investment for the master brand," explains Alain Bergeron, Astral Media Inc. Vice President of Brand Management & Corporate Communications. "The more our message and brand identity can be customized within our community of unique consumers, the more effective we should be in captivating and building a loyalty within our diverse audiences."

Astral Media launched its first audio branding message in 2007 to provide its corporate identity with a friendly, engaging human expression of the company's brand character. The goal of this extension of the audio branding initiative is to continue creating value for the brand by building a multi-layered platform that is easily identifiable by a vast consumer base, and delivering this experience in less than five seconds. With Astral Media's landscape of properties continuing to expand and diversify, including the recent re-branding of four radio stations in association with Virgin Media, the company has decided the most efficient way to communicate with and engage its multi-faceted audience is to speak to each segment in a manner that shows appreciation for the individual personalities, while still managing to deliver the same overall brand identity and message.

"Astral Media is moving boldly to expand the discipline of audio branding to personalize its brand character with the most diversified audience possible," says Walter Werzowa, composer/sound designer and owner of Musikvergnuegen. "As far as we are aware, no media company has allowed for such specific, targeted audio branding across their diverse outlets; a mnemonic is the best vehicle to achieve this task."

Astral Media worked closely with composers and audio designers that specialize in corporate branding from the California based studio, Musikvergnuegen. This team of sound and marketing experts is lead by Werzowa, whose pioneering work on the famous Intel "bong" can be heard somewhere in the world every 5 minutes. Musikvergnuegen was contracted to compose personalized audio logos for 11 specific broadcast/radio stations and genres. Seven mnemonics have been created for radio, each one corresponding to Adult Contemporary, Radio News, Oldies, Rock, Soft Rock, Country and Pop Rock; Musikvergnugen also composed four additional Television mnemonics to compliment Movie, Kids, Pop, and Television News. Astral Media's core audio sign-off is the 4 note melody a1-b1-c#2-b1, which threads through the newly created sign-offs. This melody can be interpreted as a motif and/or as a riff. This creates the highest flexibility, allowing the mnemonic to blend with any musical style. The new customized audio sign-offs can be accessed at www.astralmedia.com/audioslogos.

About Astral Media

Astral Media is a leading Canadian media company, active in specialty and pay television, radio, outdoor advertising and interactive media. Astral Media's solid and dynamic presence in the country's major markets rests on its commitment to offer a unique combination of high-quality, targeted media for all its audiences. For more information, please visit www.astralmedia.com.

About Musikvergnuegen

Musikvergnuegen is a music and sound design production company located in Los Angeles, CA and founded by Austrian-born composer and sole owner, Walter Werzowa. Musikvergnuegen, which means "the pleasure of music" in German, specializes in audio branding. Most notably, they are responsible for having created the famous Intel audio logo along with mnemonics for LG, Comedy Central, Samsung, Delta Airlines, GM Goodwrench, and more. For more information and access to their reel, please visit www.musikvergnuegen.com.

    Press contacts:
    Matthew R. Bautista                 Annick Major
    Director, Media Relations           Director, Brand Deployment
    Paine PR                            Astral Media Inc.
    212-613-4924                        514-939-5000, extension 3139
    mbautista@painepr.com               amajor@corp.astral.com

SOURCE Astral Media Inc.

RELATED LINKS
www.astralmedia.com/audioslogos