2025 JUROR
Karsten Kjems Sonic Minds
Founder // Sonic Branding
Copenhagen
With over 20 years as an international jazz drummer, Karsten Kjems is a leading advocate for audio branding. His deep passion lies in enhancing brand communication and customer experiences through the strategic use of sound and music.
Growing up in a music-filled home in Copenhagen, Karsten was immersed in jazz, recording studios, and early digital music production. His background as a software developer and branding specialist led him to identify a major industry gap: Brands struggled to convey identity through sound. In 2004, he founded Sonic Minds, one of the first agencies dedicated solely to audio branding and strategic sound design.
With over 15 years of global experience, Karsten has advised top brands, contributed to books, lectured at Denmark’s Sound Designer Education, and is a sought-after keynote speaker on the power of sound in branding.
