Short songs, jingles and sound logos are all around us. For instance; imagine the Intel jingle or classic Nokia ring tone. But, what purpose does sound branding serve?
A company can be represented and identified by a specific sound
Sound has a direct link to our brains and causes an emotional response to memory. In the case of advertising – this is something that makes us take action. In many cases this element of advertising actually turns consumers into fans by adding an extra element of brand identity. We all live in a multimedia society and the power of sound and music cannot be ignored. Can you just image silent adverts on TV or films without a well-crafted soundtrack? The background sound all adds to the overall experience and delivers a response on an emotional level, which is helped by sound branding.
When customers walk into your store, what do they hear?
Is it your favourite radio station or staff CDs? Appropriate music needs to be played that fits your brand and if chosen well can actually increase time that customers spend in your store.
The natural assumption is that music plays merely a pleasant background environment to a store. However, by offering an unsuitable selection of music, establishments lose the ability to identify their branding needs. Businesses now use sound to influence retail behaviour from increasing shopper dwell times and spend to providing an ambiance that creates a positive uplift in the retail experience and improved customer satisfaction ratings.
Our research shows that 72% say playing good music significantly improves the image of a store. However, brands have spent a lot of time and money on visual branding while sound hasn’t been treated as a brand element that needs to be explored.
Branding business through music has emerged as a great sales & marketing tool and by compiling the correct music, OnBrand Music have created a premise where music becomes as important as decor. Like all good interior designers will tell you, consistency is key.
Music is one of the most cost-effective ways to identify with your customers
Choosing the right music means your customers know that they are in your store. They recognise the music you are playing. They sing along, browse, buy and tell their friends. Your customers actually embrace your identity that is driven by your musical branding. This isn’t a radical big budget change that demands huge expenditure to improve your image either … just a simple case of using the correct choice of music that sends a direct message to the customers. You may have many competitors nearby, you may have simple interior decor and you may not have the most competitive prices, but you can have the best choice of music!
Research conducted by music licensing company PPL revealed how retailers could boost their bottom line by playing music and enhancing their in-store customer experience.
A resounding 97% of staff surveyed recommended that all retail stores play in-store music and 99% agreed that in general, retail stores that play music tend to be modern and appealing places to shop, providing brands with a real advantage in a competitive marketplace.
Music Matters
Your customers have an image of your business and using the correct audio branding is one of the best ways to create a memorable identity for them. There are great opportunities here to communicate your overall store image and influence your shoppers behaviour. Therefore, sound and audio branding is a tactical low-cost tool that shouldn’t be overlooked.
