Turning Audio into an Active Placemaking Tool
Context
Westfield London has worked with OnBrand’s Centre Radio platform for over a decade, with responsibility for the music and messaging heard throughout the centre since launch.
Traditionally, in-mall audio performs a functional role: setting atmosphere, managing pace and supporting dwell.
Sounds of Westfield was designed to evolve this role — transforming music from a passive background utility into an interactive placemaking layer that shoppers could actively engage with.
The objective was simple but ambitious:
- Increase shopper engagement without paid media
- Encourage longer dwell through participation, not promotion
- Re-energise underutilised space
- Extend the centre’s experience beyond physical boundaries
- Deliver something scalable across other assets
Client
Westfield London
Delivery Partner
OnBrand / Centre Radio
The Challenge
Like many large retail destinations, Westfield London faces familiar pressures:
- Maintaining dwell time in a post-pandemic, omnichannel environment
- Creating reasons for shoppers to pause, not just pass through
- Making experiential activations feel authentic rather than promotional
- Delivering measurable engagement without adding operational complexity
The brief was not to “add noise”, but to create meaningful interaction using an asset already central to the shopping experience: music.
The Solution
Sounds of Westfield is an interactive music-voting experience that allows shoppers to influence what they hear in the centre.
At its core:
- A large-format touchscreen installation within a repurposed retail unit
- A supporting mobile-friendly website enabling remote participation
- Live voting and leaderboard mechanics
- Integration with the existing in-mall audio strategy managed by Centre Radio
Rather than introducing new content channels, the activation enhanced an existing system, making it participatory.
Physical & Digital Integration
Physical Activation
An unused retail unit was transformed into a bold, high-impact installation:
- Full storefront wrap designed to stop footfall
- Clear, instinctive calls to action visible from distance
- A centrally positioned touchscreen kiosk inviting immediate interaction
Crucially, the space did not rely on staff, promoters or explanation.
Shoppers understood what to do within seconds.
Digital Extension
To remove friction and increase reach:
- A dedicated website was built to mirror the in-mall experience
- QR codes placed across the food court allowed participation away from the unit
- The experience was fully mobile-optimised, with no app download required
This ensured engagement was not limited to a single physical point.
How It Works (Operationally)
- Shoppers vote for tracks from a curated playlist
- Votes are logged and ranked in real time
- The most popular tracks are weighted more heavily in the centre’s music rotation
- Shoppers can remain in-centre to hear the impact of their choice
- Optional email opt-in extends engagement beyond the visit
For landlords and managing agents, the key point is this:
no additional operational burden was introduced.
The system integrates with existing audio management and can be overseen remotely.
Results (First 5 Days)
The activation demonstrated that shoppers will engage meaningfully with placemaking initiatives when the interaction feels intuitive and rewarding.
With no paid marketing
Why This Matters for Property & Place
Sounds of Westfield illustrates several principles increasingly important to landlords and asset managers:
- Audio as placemaking
Music becomes an interactive layer of the built environment, not just ambience. - Experience without disruption
Delivered using existing infrastructure, without operational complexity. - Dwell through participation
Engagement is driven by involvement, not incentives or discounting. - Reactivation of underused space
Vacant or transitional units can become experiential assets. - Scalable by design
The model can be replicated across zones, assets or portfolios.
Client Perspective
Looking Ahead
The success of the pilot opens opportunities for:
- Multiple installations across a single asset
- Zone-specific sound identities (fashion, food, leisure)
- Portfolio-wide rollouts
- Integration with BID activity and community initiatives
- Data-led insights into shopper mood and engagement
Summary
Sounds of Westfield demonstrates how music, technology and placemaking can combine to deliver:
- Increased dwell
- Strong engagement
- Low-friction operation
- Genuine shopper participation
For landlords, asset managers and BIDs, it offers a scalable, commercially grounded approach to enhancing the in-centre experience – without relying on incentives, staffing or short-term promotional mechanics.
