Can Music Drive your Brand?
Recently I’ve been spending a great deal more time on London’s hectic rush hour traffic system. For those who haven’t experienced the pleasures of a cramped tube train, or a bus driven by a half crazed lunatic who can’t speak (that’s any language, not just English) or an 8am overground train from Clapham Junction to Waterloo. I can tell you, it’s not always a pleasurable experience.
Fortunately I have an iPod which I think you will all agree is the best invention since sliced bread. Not only do I have my entire music collection in my pocket, but I can literally escape the maddening crowd around me at the click of a button. I haven’t always understood the power of music, but at times it can make a huge difference to your mood or work rate. For example, I was travelling to Marylebone station recently on the tube, squeezed in closer to a complete stranger than I would normally stand with my wife. Under normal circumstances that would be very stressful, but on this occasion I had Bob Marley’s Legend album playing. Say no more.
Another example, after a hectic night networking at an event near to Waterloo, I had some driving house music playing, keeping my going until I got home and collapsed onto the sofa for some well earned rest.
Listening to all this music and starting to think about how it changed my experience of the product i.e. the tube and an overground train, got me to thinking about how small business could use music to enhance customer experiences. Not only that, but why hasn’t the London Underground continued to play classical music in it’s tube stations to reduce stress - a little experiment they ran a year or so ago (and possibly still do).
So as a small business, how can you use music? Well for a start consider checking out music and communications agency Frukt’s process for matching brands with music. It’s a seven stage process that starts with identifying brand objectives and target audiences, and ending with delivering the music to the correct touch points. If you can’t afford professional consultancy (which 99.0% of small businesses can’t), perhaps you might want to think about:
- where could you apply music to enhance your customers experience (taxi drivers, what about playing some classical music or taking requests, rather than that terrible talk radio show)
- where could you add music to enhance your internal communications (office managers, what about playing some light background music for your office staff)
- do you have appropriate music when people are ‘on hold’?
- what styles of music relate well to your product and target audience?
- when would a dose of good music help customers to appreciate your service?
- do you need general background music, or something custom made (sounds expensive, but there are music students everywhere who could knock you up an Intel style jingle if you think it would help).
Ok granted these are small ideas but then as small businesses we aren’t quite geared up for big brand expenditure. Any clues how much Intel paid for its jingle? Not much by the sounds if things, but $350 million to promote it last year is not an insignificant amount.
There’s a fantastic article on brandchannel.com all about ‘Putting the Metrics into Music’. It quotes some research done by Dr Adrian North at Leicester University:
Brands with music that fit their brand identity are 96% more likely to be recalled than those with non-fit music or no music at all
and
Respondents are 24% more likely to buy a product with music that they recall, like, and understand compared with 8% where the opposite applies
The article starts with the introduction that:
Every time a brand uses music - in marketing, sales or in a PR context, regardless of the music, genre, style, artist, or channel through which it is played, the music is influencing a constituent’s perceptions about the brand. It is effectively creating an asset or liability for its overall brand equity. When the ‘Sound of the Brand’™ is carefully and strategically managed and is consistent and relevant to its target customers, it has a positive impact on the equity of the brand.
So what does all this mean for you.?
Well, as a small business, operating in fierce market conditions, could you think about music as a method of differentiating yourself? How much more likely are you to pick up the phone to a taxi company that you know will play your favourite music in the car, or if you know your customers spend a lot of time on hold, are you happier listening to some smooth jazz or Mozart..? Well I hope you get the idea. Can music drive your brand - try it and see.
Tag:branding
Music is a very nice therapy for relaxation purpose. In the article you have given many choices were music can be played and applied like in a taxi or office. The suggestions are quite practical and useful too.
This is really an amazing experience for customers. I never seen my business in such way before. Thanks for the tip. I think it will really make a huge difference to a business. Even a lift that have good music, toilet have a comfortable music and energizing music in the morning will change the company 180 degrees.
Awesome! Thanks!
Music is the solution of all the stress in your mind. Music soothes your mind and makes it dance on the beats. If we are in a crowd place with a lot of tension in your mind music will give you relief in just a fraction of seconds.
Definitely yes! Music the best way to promote your products for your customers. People will not forget and every time they hear that music, first thing on their mind is your product. So add some music and choose wisely!
Of course incorporting music into your brand will bring you more business. Anything for that matter that a person can think about that relates to your company or product will be beneficial to the success of your business.
Music in a business setting has a profound effect in many instances. Incorporation of music into the ambiance of your business (from waiting area to hold music)is important enough to be integrated into planning subjects at university. AS indicated, how much more relaxed will people be with music playing rather than sitting/listening in silence??
Great Post
I use my music in a similar way-to take me away from the maddening crowd.It can literally change you mood in seconds.I find that if i have a good/happy asociation with a particular track simply by playing it it takes me back to the way i was feeling.
Rich
Music is the solution of all the stress in your mind. Music soothes your mind and makes it dance on the beats.
Music sticks in the mind of the listeners! Music definitely helps to make your product or business known to people.
“My bologna has a first name, it’s O-S-C-A-R”.
I heard this tune as a child and still remember it as if I heard it today. Definitely music can be a brand.
Music is already part of everything we do. It relaxes people, change moods and stays alert. If you plan to make it a “brand” be sure it is really catchy on all listeners and you’ll surely win.
Hi all, thanks for all the interesting comments. I really appreciate you all taking part in my blog.
Ansearch - I’d love to hear more about how music in business is covered in your university planning subjects..!
Auto parts mom - it’s not about making music a brand, but strengthening your brand by using music. Non slip stair threads got the idea nicely.
Alex Liu - come back and let me know how you get on with using music in your business. I hope it makes a huge difference.
Andy
i believe music holds great power
I always knew that music can have tremendous effect on you.
Music can possibly enhance your brand… as long as it’s not a website! Seriously, whenever I open a webpage and it has background music, I gotta click out of it ASAP
I know what you mean James. Websites with music are generally terrible, especially when you have to listen to a short loop over and over again. If you want to put music on your site, think very carefully !!
music can definitely drive your brand. after a long enough time, people will think of your brand when they hear a certain music!
Music works wonderful on human mind but in some cases it pull down the efficiency om our. U must agree with that.
Very interesting post. Somehow yes. Others have proven it.