Sound That Sticks: Inside Nordstrom’s Sonic Branding with Sonic Guild

Marketing Partnership Case Study

NORDSTROM + SONIC GUILD

Partnership Overview Partner: Nordstrom Program/Activation: Sonic Branding Campaign Timing: 2021 Location: National

Summary: In 2021, Sonic Guild (then known as Black Fret) was engaged by Nordstrom to source and develop a new song by an emerging Seattle musician for use in sonic branding across multiple platforms. The goal was to support musician development while creating a distinctive marketing tool for the company. The outcome exceeded expectations, elevating Seattle artist Shaina Shepherd, leading to the commercial release of the song through Sub Pop Records, and supporting additional live performance opportunities in Seattle and New York City.

Objectives: The partnership aimed to create a new recording that would be instantly identifiable across multiple platforms and evoke a sense of warmth and discovery for listeners, while fostering positive sentiment toward the brand. The song was deployed across Nordstrom’s podcast, broadcast, and online marketing channels, as well as in-person events. The initiative also supported the career development of emerging Seattle musicians, advanced Sonic Guild’s nonprofit mission, strengthened Nordstrom’s connection to its local community, and differentiated the brand from competitors in its category.

Strategy: The partnership was designed to meet these goals by sourcing songs that reflected the brand attributes identified by Nordstrom, while identifying local talent whose sound and story aligned with the campaign and whose participation would meaningfully advance their careers. Sonic Guild developed a unique recording for use across Nordstrom’s full range of sonic branding applications. Rather than licensing an existing track, the partnership focused on original content creation, enabling flexibility across platforms and extended storytelling opportunities, while supporting the growth of Shaina Shepherd and delivering value for both organizations.

Execution: Sonic Guild vetted hundreds of songs aligned with Nordstrom’s brand criteria, ultimately selecting “Never Be Another You” by Lee Fields & The Expressions as the foundation for the project. Sonic Guild identified Shaina Shepherd as the primary artist and assembled all featured and supporting musicians, producers, and studio partners to bring the recording to life, providing meaningful support to local creatives. In collaboration with Nordstrom, the team released the single commercially through Sub Pop Records, produced a companion video, and executed live performances in Seattle and New York City, including a performance with John Legend.

Results / Impact: The campaign generated millions of impressions across Nordstrom’s marketing channels and has remained in active use from 2021 to the present. The song also achieved over 30,000 views on YouTube and more than 75,000 streams on Spotify. The project earned press coverage in outlets including Essence Magazine, Women’s Wear Daily, AM New York, and Just Jared. In addition to its marketing impact, the initiative financially supported Sonic Guild and more than 10 musicians, producers, and engineers, further advancing Sonic Guild’s mission.

Partner Value: Nordstrom strengthened its connection to its home community of Seattle while differentiating its marketing approach within the retail landscape. The campaign engaged music fans, Nordstrom customers, and Sonic Guild supporters, creating a shared audience across platforms. It also aligned with Nordstrom’s values by supporting musicians through financial investment and fostering meaningful connections between artists and the business community. The partnership generated strong earned media opportunities across press, social media, and broader storytelling channels.

Testimonial: “We are thrilled with how the song turned out and how it’s the perfect fit for Nordstrom’s Closer To You campaign. Shaina and this group of fantastic Seattle musicians really came together in the spirit of art and community. Seattle has a very rich musical legacy and we are excited we were able to engage Sonic Guild to connect us to talent in our own community to give the song an authentic feel. It became a very Seattle community moment Sub Pop decided to release it as a single.” - Pete Nordstrom, President and Chief Brand Officer, Nordstrom

Key Takeaways: The partnership between Nordstrom and Sonic Guild delivered clear value for both organizations, providing meaningful financial support to Seattle-area musicians while creating a platform to elevate Shaina Shepherd and advance Nordstrom’s brand objectives. The collaboration demonstrated that musicians bring inherent authenticity that, when supported, becomes a powerful and mutually beneficial asset. Supporting emerging artists offers brands a distinctive and cost-effective alternative to licensing major commercial hits, while contributing to the long-term success of artists and allowing brands to share in that impact.