Parkin: The Rhythm of Mobility
When Parkin needed their brand to be represented by sound, they came to us. Not just to trigger emotional resonance with Dubai’s premier parking facilitation company, but to celebrate the dynamic lifestyles of this Smart City’s residents. The result? An audio signature inspired by the sound of arrival at the place you want to be, combining functionality with an aspirant metaphor for Dubai itself.
Sprinkle a little fun and warmth into the mix and suddenly, Parkin is more than a service. It’s a friend.
Every day is a fresh start.
We proceed towards our goals…
The tale begins at one place: Parkin.
Your space, your starting point, your arrival moment.
Parkin… Sound of the city, beat of movement
“For us, the customer experience doesn’t just stop at how easy it is to find a parking spot, it extends to every interaction a person has with our brand. That includes how we sound.”
— Reem, Marketing Director at Parkin
From parking meters to mobile notifications, every touchpoint needed a sound that communicated convenience, confidence, and Dubai’s unique personality.
How we designed the sound of Parkin
Our roadmap to delivery compromised four milestones.
1. Mapping Touchpoints
We analysed every moment where sound and user meet: the Parkin app, on-hold systems, parking meters, radio ads, and digital signage.
Then we assessed how each of these could reinforce the brand.
2. Translating Dubai’s Culture and Spirit
The unique vibrancy and multicultural character had to be a cornerstone
of our final product. Joe Dickinson, Managing Partner at WithFeeling:
“We focused on three elements: the touchpoint between brand and consumer, the dynamic culture of Dubai, and the city’s role as a smart city where technology serves humanity.”
3. Composing the Sonic Signature
The audio sequence of manoeuvring a vehicle into a parking bay followed by the crisp sound of a car’s locking mechanism became the brand’s mnemonic. The brand track built on this motif, with the addition of a heartbeat and culturally appropriate melodies brought to life with the Ney flute, Oud and Qanun.
4. Building the Toolkit
Beyond the mnemonic, we developed a scalable audio toolkit:
• Long-form brand track for film and events
• App notification chime for digital touchpoints
• IVR and hold music designed for clarity and calm
• Radio and TV tags reinforcing the mnemonic
This ensured Parkin will sound consistent wherever it’s heard, now and in the future.
Behind the Sound
The Science
Sound is processed faster than sight and connects on an emotional level immediately. Parkin understood this insight and recognised the need for a sonic cue to lead their brand relationships across all touchpoints.
“Whether you hear the Parkin sound on the app, a parking meter, on hold, or in a radio ad — it evokes the same emotional response. That’s the power of a sonic identity.” Keith Gillespie, Head of Sonic Branding at WithFeeling.
The Impact
Recognition: Uniqueness becomes familiarity
Engagement: Warmth creates bonding
Consistency: Multiple touchpoints engender trust
Application & Future Scalability: Aligns with Smart City objectives
Lessons for Other Brands
Sound is becoming the most active ingredient in the sensory diet of
everyday life. It can connect quicker, has greater flexibility than visual stimulus and if researched properly, can yield a far more accurate impression of a brand than any other sense.
With the rapidly increasing speed of consumer and business decision-making in the digital era, supremacy in the battle for att
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