Qobuz
Like any musician or music lover with a conscience, I am disheartened by the villainous nature of streaming. That’s why the little french streamer Qobuz always held a place in my heart. It’s origins long pre-date Spotify with a commitment to things like hi-res, lossless audio, liner notes, and thoughtful editorials. All it needs is a modern visual identity to capture the next generation of young, energetic listeners hungry for authenticity in a sea mood playlists and AI slop.
Giving my favorite streamer the brand it deserves.
Qobuz had always been the most mindful platform in the landscape — Hi-res audio, genuine editorial depth, liner notes, a real love of music. The product is exceptional. The ethos is progressive. The brand is less visible.
I had to start with the messaging. The persona Qobuz needs to avoid is the “pretentious music snob.” and embrace that of a globally curious culture seeker. Music is our passport to the world and our key to each other’s hearts and minds. While the big streamers hurl repackaged playlists of your own music in a never ending feedback loop, Qobuz is an open air music market that says, “Come in! Look around.”
Brand Values
Developing a value system ensures aligned messaging across touch points. Derived from trend analysis, values can also serves as a reminder how you differentiate from your competition and inform your tone of voice. For Qobuz, we sought to own the "music as culture" listener. Ths positions Qobuz not as a Spotify alternative, but as a different category entirely, closer to a vinyl collection or a film library than a utility. Serve listeners who want to hear more, know more, and care more.
Tone Of Voice
The result is a comprehensive research and strategy playbook, complete with all pertinent visual applications. Qobuz has always stood on the right side of music and how we discover and share it with each other. It now has an identity to welcome a new generation that is as bright and fun as it is thoughtful and conscientious.
Transformation
Before
Out Of Home
After
With our people-centric tone at the core, our visual messaging accomplishes visually what everything our our brand stands for. With a bold simplicity we say: we exist to remind people that music has always been how humans understand each other, and to protect that idea at a time when the industry is doing everything it can to kill it.
Brand Video
A love letter to the power of music. Young and old, all over the world. Music brings us together and makes us feel alive. No Algorithm can take that away.