User:Selsharbaty (WMF)/Sound logo guidelines update

Wikimedia Sound Logo

The Wikimedia sound logo offers a new way to identify Wikimedia content across a range of uses and preserve the global reputation of Wikimedia, particularly in audio settings. Created by Thaddeus Osborne in 2022 for ‘The Sound of all Human Knowledge’ contest, it builds to "Wikimedia" announced as a warm five-syllable melody welcoming all to learn. Its sounds signify knowledge being consumed, growing and collected in our projects and include pages turning, typing on a keyboard, synthesiser instruments, a mouse click and a book shutting.

Length: 4 seconds
Key signature: C Major
Tempo: 144 BPM

Who the sound logo is for

The sound logo is freely available for anyone to use, subject to its Creative Commons license, as long as they are not themselves using it as a trademark or implying that their use has an official endorsement from the Wikimedia community or Foundation if it doesn’t. As summarised in our trademark policy, Wikimedia community members, Foundation staff and supporters of free knowledge can make some uses of it without permission but most uses require permission via a trademark agreement. If you are a third party that reuses Wikimedia content and are interested in implementing the sound logo, the Wikimedia Enterprise team is available to support and collaborate with you to find a solution for specific use cases.

Where and when to use it

The Wikimedia sound logo is our core sonic brand asset and should be used to sign off at the end of audio and audiovisual content that relies on or increases awareness of knowledge from any Wikimedia project, is created by Wikimedians or by the Wikimedia Foundation, no matter the length. The primary use case is for voice assistant devices, but the sound logo should play in any audio setting or alongside Wikimedia visual logos when they are used across touchpoints including:

The full-length 4-second sound logo should be used where possible. Two cutdowns are available for use should a shorter version be required – for example, the 1-second cutdown should be used on voice assistant devices. You should not create your own Wikimedia sound logo. If you believe your use of Wikimedia content requires the use of the sound logo, or are unsure, please send a request to trademarks wikimedia org

How to use it correctly

The sound logo should:

Play in isolation after any audio (music, voice-over, sound effects etc).
Not be mixed with or overlap any audio.
Start after any audio has concluded or faded out completely, in a non-abrupt way.
Have at least 0.25 seconds (250 milliseconds) of silence before and after it.
Be applied at its highest resolution (48kHz/24-bit) before being dithered down.
Play at the same peak dB level as all surrounding audio at its highest point.
Not undergo a change in EQ, pitch, speed, fading or have audio effects applied without permission.

Branding audio content

With audio content such as voice assistant devices, podcasts and radio, the sound logo should be used alongside the name of the relevant Wikimedia project, group or organisation verbalised in the local language.

On voice assistant devices, content that comes entirely from Wikimedia should be identified by using the sound logo followed by the Wikimedia project that is the source - e.g. “According to Wikipedia…” or “Wikipedia says…” - followed by the answer to the search query.

This method is permitted to identify knowledge sourced entirely from Wikimedia during any piece of content.

With podcasts and radio, at the very end of the audio, the Wikimedia project, group or organisation responsible for the content - e.g. “This podcast was produced in partnership with Wikimedia” - should precede the sound logo.

As a rule of thumb, the 1-second sound logo should be used on voice assistant devices and the 4-second sound logo should be used in podcast and radio content.

Branding audiovisual content

With audiovisual content - including video, during events, broadcasting and advertising - the sound logo should be used alongside the visual logo mark of the relevant Wikimedia project, group or organisation. With static logo marks, the sound logo should commence when the logo is visible. When using animated Wikimedia logos or visually fading into logos, the five-note melody of the sound logo should start as soon as the logo is static and fully visible. Animating or fading into a logo should conclude with enough time for the five-note melody to coincide with the fully visible logo. This guidance applies when using multiple Wikimedia logos. They should all occupy the same frame and all be static, animated or faded in over the same timeframe.

As a rule of thumb, if the content is:

15 seconds or longer, use the 4-second sound logo.
6 to 15 seconds, use the 2-second sound logo.
6 seconds or less, use the 1-second sound logo.

An example of correct placement of audio and the sound logo alongside the Wikimedia visual logo.

A collection of Wikimedia-branded video bumpers is available for permitted use through an approved request and/or trademark agreement. Please enquire via trademarks wikimedia org

Using the sound logo on apps and websites

The use of the sound logo on apps and websites should be approached mindfully to enhance the user experience and avoid listener fatigue. As an example, we may limit repeat playback of the sound logo on the same device and we may create short sounds (known as earcons) derived from the sound logo and provide them to use for key UX or UI moments.

Using the sound logo in closed captions

The Wikimedia sound logo should be used in closed-captioning and can also be referred to as the “Wikimedia sonic logo” and the “Wikimedia sonic brand”. If a sound logo description is required the following acts as guidance for the 4-second logo, to be rephrased as needed.

Synthesiser chords/harmonies with book pages turning, a book shutting with a computer mouse click and a 5-note melody/jingle with 5 keys typed on a computer keyboard.

Co-branding content

Within the Wikimedia movement

When co-branding audio, include a mention of the creator (a Wikimedia Foundation-recognised affiliate or Wikimedian), what the content is for and the 4-second sound logo before any other brand mentions.

Co-branded videos should use Foundation-recognised visual logos for the creator and related affiliates, add text that addresses the logos and the content’s purpose, and then include the 4-second sound logo in one video bumper that comes before any others.

If you're making a bumper with several visual logos and the sound logo:

You need permission via an approved request or trademark agreement.
Follow the Wikimedia Foundation visual identity guidelines.
Only use Wikimedia Foundation-recognised visual logos. If you're unsure whether your group or project is recognised, email trademarks wikimedia org
Do not include logos from outside of the movement.

When branding Wikimedia Foundation-sponsored audio, mention how the support was used before including the 4-second sound logo and use no other branding. In Wikimedia Foundation-funded videos, use the Wikimedia Foundation logo, add text addressing the support and the 4-second sound logo in one bumper without including any others.

If Wikimedia Foundation staff contributed to content as volunteers or if the content is for fundraising, the Wikimedia trademark policy requests a notice of this in the credits.

With partners outside of the movement

To co-brand audio that shares knowledge from Wikimedia projects, mention Wikimedia's input and include the 4-second sound logo before other branding. Co-branded videos sharing project knowledge should have a bumper with the project logo, text with Wikimedia's input and the 4-second sound logo, before any other bumpers.

In co-branded audio that promotes Wikimedia projects, mention Wikimedia’s input and the content’s purpose, then include the 4-second sound logo before any other branding. Co-branded promotional videos should have a bumper with the project logo, a mention of Wikimedia’s input, the content's purpose and the 4-second sound logo, with all other bumpers following.

For project-focused co-branded videos with partners outside of the movement, recognised groups can feature their logos alongside project logos and the sound logo on bumpers.

If you require the use of the sound logo or video bumpers, please send a request to trademarks wikimedia org