For KDDI's designer phone brand, Iida, the brief was to create a soundscape that felt as high-end and innovative as the devices themselves—but with a distinctly playful and memorable twist. 

Working alongside our friends at Non-Format, we devised an audio ecosystem of bespoke chimes and alerts. Our approach was to treat the sounds not just as functional alerts, but as miniature, uptempo melodies, resulting in some refreshingly lighthearted sonic branding.

Iida collaborated with world-famous artists to create cutting-edge devices. When our old friends at the visionary design studio Non-Format (who later helped develop our own identity) were brought on to develop some animated chronographic themes, they invited Skillbard to contribute something musical and playful to accompany the visuals.

Emotional Functionality 

Non-Format’s firm conviction—that every design must "connect with individuals on an emotional level"—perfectly mirrored our own creative principles. We knew that for a device designed to be an object of identity, the sound is not just a utility, but a key component of personal expression.

We designed a suite of approachable sounds based on bright, uptempo melodies and playful sonic gestures. With attentive sound design and concise music composition we ensured the ringtones and message alerts were effective without feeling cluttered. Creating a sonic identity that matches the beautiful, high-end design while retaining the approachable, unpretentious character Non-Format were after, gave Iida users a unique, lighthearted, and emotional connection to their device.