No other consumer electronics company today is as steeped in history and innovation as Sony. Watch this video to find out more about the Sony Spirit and the philosophies and principles that have guided the company since inception to today. Experience the passion, the spirit of freedom and open-mindedness, the power of creativity, the embracing of challenges and the individual’s will to succeed. This is the Sony Spirit and it’s in our Sony DNA.

It was in 1946 that Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita together with a small team of passionate and committed group of employees started to build “Tokyo Tsushin Kenkyujo” (Totsuko), or “Tokyo Telecommunications Research Institute” into the billion dollar global conglomerate that it is today. The main objective of the company was to design and create innovative products which would benefit the people.

From early attempts at creating products like the rice-cooker to the later success of creating Japan’s first magnetic recorder, the innovative company went on to create other hit products which won the company widespread recognition and international acclaim as a truly global company known for its quality and innovative products. Significant product milestones included Japan’s first transistor radio (1955), Trinitron colour television (1968), Walkman personal stereo (1979), Handycam videocamera (1989), PlayStation (1994), Blu-ray Disc recorder (2003) and PlayStation 3 (2006).

The company name of Sony was created by combining two words of “sonus” and “sonny”. The word “sonus” in Latin represents words like sound and sonic. The other word “sonny” means little son. Used in combination, Sony is supposed to represent a very small group of young people who have the energy and passion towards unlimited creations and innovative ideas. With the far-sight of expanding worldwide, it was in 1958 that the company formally adopted “Sony Corporation” as its corporate name. Easy to pronounce and read in any language, the name Sony, which has a lively ring to it, fits comfortably with the spirit of freedom and open-mindedness.