New Mercedes-Benz audio logo features prepubescent singing boy

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Mercedes-Benz has unveiled their new mnemonic, hoping to follow in the gilded footsteps of other companies with ubiquitous sonic identities such as Intel (the Pentium signature was composed by Musikvergnuegen), NBC’s chimes (their classic three-note audio signature actually started as a live bell performance on their radio broadcasts), and the slightly-more-annoying-but-still-effective Zoom Zoom for Mazda.

The sonic signature will be attached to all Mercedes branding starting November 1, 2007.

Says Dr. Olaf Göttgens, Vice President Brand Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars :

Our new sound logo is going to make the Mercedes-Benz brand not only visually, but also acoustically distinctive, and thus more quickly recognizable.

Oooooohkay.

To say they failed would be a bit strong, considering it’s brand new and the jury, as they say, is still out.

But we think it sucks. Big time.

We’re trying to wrap our heads around exactly why we think it’s so bad, and all we can come up with is a mish-mash of B-horror-movie score/a castrati version of the Moulin Rouge theme/and pre-pubescent church choir camp (which really should be creepy enough to warrant an entirely new round of sonic exploration).

Check it out in the last few seconds of this new spot :

As with any kind of sonic production, music can inspire or leave your customers puzzled. Maybe it’s a gutsy decision… maybe we’re way off base and the numbers will come back confirming this was a stroke of genius. It’s mysterious… it’s ambient, moody… dark, but not too dark (it’s a child, remember?!). Maybe there are potential customers out there who think buying a Mercedes will somehow add to the drama in their lives.

We just think it’s plain creepy. [dh+ms]