The Sound of RNIB
R-N-I-B, See Differently
Client: RNIB
Roles: Sonic Strategy, Sonic Branding, Music Composition
Category: Sonic Branding
Year: 2024
Molecular Sound created RNIB's first ever sonic identity, working with and for the sight loss community to build a sonic logo, brand track and a suite of RNIB Connect Radio assets – all grounded in empathy, warmth and representation.
The Brief
RNIB wanted a sound as recognisable as its bold visual identity – one that lived up to "See Differently" and reflected its role as a coach and enabler for blind and partially sighted people. It had to be empowering, clear, bold and warm, flexible enough to stretch from a five-second sonic logo to a full brand track and a suite of RNIB Connect Radio assets, while staying consistent, accessible and true to the community it represents.
How We Made It
As the Royal National Institute OF Blind People, it was essential the sound was made by the community as well as for it. We recorded a diverse group of blind and partially sighted people aged 8 to 89 speaking the letters "R N I B", layering their voices over a four-note melody to create instant recall. Blind musician Abi Baker recorded the piano and violin topline in a single take, and the assets were mixed by two-time Grammy-nominated, partially sighted engineer Hector Mestre. The result is a sonic logo that expands into a full brand track and a suite of RNIB Connect Radio assets, launched across RNIB's helpline, videos and advertising.
The Sonic Logo
At the heart of the identity is a five-second, four-note sonic logo. A chorus of voices from the sight loss community – aged 8 to 89 – speak the letters "R N I B" over the melody, giving instant recall and making sure the brand is heard as clearly as it's seen. An alternate version carries the "See Differently" tagline.
Listen
The Brand Track
The sonic logo expands into a full brand track built in D minor at 116 BPM, layering strings, piano, synths, percussion and textured beats around the same four-note melody. It's the most complete expression of the RNIB sound – the DNA that runs through every touchpoint, from the helpline to advertising.
Listen
From a five-second sonic logo to a full brand track and a suite of 18 RNIB Connect Radio jingles, the identity was built entirely by and with the sight loss community – then rolled out across RNIB's helpline, videos and advertising from launch in December 2023.
