Visa Spent a Year Developing a 'Signature Sound'

People will hear the signature sound when they make a payment through a mobile device or at a cash register. The company is also launching a unique vibration and adding animation to its logo. The creation and selection process, which took a little over a year, involved focus groups, three specialist agencies and rounds of elimination to whittle down 200 different sounds. The new sound, vibration and animation are the culmination of months of global research spanning eight markets, including "neuro-research"--hooking people up to machines and studying their physical reactions to the various sound options. "We wanted to make sure we had the global view. Not just four-to-five uninformed people deciding which sound won the popularity contest," said Ms. Biggar.