Following a bold rebrand by Wolff Olins, Instacart needed to reinforce its personality through a comprehensive sonic identity. I partnered with Antfood to develop a vibrant sonic logo, a flexible musical style guide, and a UX sound toolkit that brings joy and utility to the product experience.

Our first task was crafting the sonic logo. The sound needed to be bold and emotive, reflecting the core of sharing a meal while encompassing the breadth of Instacart’s offerings. We engaged in a far-reaching sonic exploration—investigating pop music, food ASMR, and jangling shopping carts—before landing on a composition called “Joyful Adventure.”

Vibrant Whistle and Carrot Snaps

We expanded this sonic DNA into an eclectic, refreshing musical aesthetic across a library of bespoke compositions. To aid teams in selecting the right track, we established core brand moods—from Joyous, Playful, and Propulsive to Informative and Empathetic.

We developed a robust toolkit spanning three energy levels, each provided with stems and modular cut-downs to help tell stories while remaining uniquely Instacart:

• Mild — A softer, more understated feel for curiosity and suspense.

• Medium — Background tracks that add rising energy and momentum.

• Spicy — In-your-face anthems built for peak energy and optimism.

Mild, Medium & Spicy tracks, alongside modular assets for virtually infinite variations.

We defined five brand moods to guide music selection across every context — from high-energy campaign spots to quiet, supportive in-app moments.

Three energy levels — Mild, Medium, and Spicy — each delivered with full stems and modular cut-downs for virtually infinite variation.

Interchangeable building blocks designed to extend any composition while staying unmistakably Instacart.

Individual track layers that give teams precise control over texture, energy, and length — without touching the original master.

Finally, we turned our attention to the product. We designed a categorical sonic UX ecosystem to provide feedback, manage attention, and celebrate milestones across both the Customer and Shopper apps.

The comprehensive sound list relies on nuanced thresholding to dictate frequency and tone:

• Celebration & Feedback — Tiered from mild savings alerts to spicy first-batch celebrations.

• Confirmation — Ranging from subtle item scanning to full ‘Add to Cart’ screen emphasis.

• Communication & Status — Distinct tones for Shopper chat messaging, push notifications, and shift availability.

To maintain consistency across all media touchpoints, we developed strict timing guidelines for how the sonic logo interacts with other audio elements.