Rumble rebrand transforms its wordmark into stories and sounds
Bear Meets Eagle on Fire’s work for the boutique sound studio centres around micro-stories, each with their own unique soundscapes
Sydney-based creative agency Bear Meets Eagle on Fire has unveiled its recent rebrand of Australian sound and music studio Rumble, following the studio’s decision to emphasise the critical role of sound in storytelling through its own branding.
Under the aptly titled new brand positioning, ‘Sound is Story’, the team at Bear Meets Eagle on Fire devised a fresh visual identity that highlights the importance of sound, and Rumble’s thoughtful, craft-driven approach.
Known for creating unique soundscapes for advertising, TV and film, the studio felt it was time to centre their artistry within their wider branding, with Tone Aston, founder of Rumble, explaining: “This rebrand is about reinforcing our commitment to the craft of storytelling through music and sound. Everything is designed to reflect that.”
Along with a reworked typeface for the studio’s logo, which now features heavy, rounded letterforms, Bear Meets Eagle on Fire also spent the past nine months slowly creating a suite of illustrations that are inspired by, and live within, the Rumble wordmark.
Rich and warm, with a distinctly editorial feel, these illustrations correspond directly with the letters in the Rumble name. Four key scenes have been drawn up for each letter, with each scene telling a short story and tying into a special soundscape crafted by the Rumble team.
For this aspect of the identity, Bear Meets Eagle on Fire enlisted the help of American cartoonist Adrian Tomine, who brought his classic style – established through his popular front covers and cartoon strips for the New Yorker – to bear on the project.
The featured illustrations include gun-wielding bears, mad scientists, deep sea monsters and motorbike gangs, all of which are rendered statically and in motion across the identity, allowing for a modular approach with thousands of possibilities for storytelling.
The result is a brand that much more accurately reflects the narrative potential of sound, as well as Rumble’s mastery of the medium. Great stories are elevated by great soundscapes, and the studio’s own identity now showcases this.
Commenting on the work, Micah Walker, CCO at Bear Meets Eagle on Fire said: “Our folks have been working on this idea for a while, so it’s great seeing it all come together as a cohesive identity. Lots of time and love, so massive props to the team.”