The atmosphere of a business can be described as the sensory items that a company utilizes to communicate their brand’s physical space. Where is the business located in the community? How do the interior and exterior visual elements – color, lighting, layout, etc – complement the brand? What are you trying to say to the customer by the music playing in the background?
Recently I was in a grocery store and noted that the songs playing, while popular and quite recognizable, were also very dated in a fifties to seventies, overly upbeat sort of way. To me, the communication was simple: Get your groceries and get the heck out of here! The second message was: Always remember your iPod.
Being one entirely obsessed with music, I pride myself in crafting “the perfect” playlist. I’ll regularly spend three hours tossing together themed mixes of fifteen to twenty songs, or the same amount of time attempting to create the seamless set of tunes that blend together flawlessly. (For example, I have the perfect transition from math/noise rockers Battles to glam pop Of Montreal, a highly unlikely combination that would otherwise appear ludicrous.)
When creating a playlist for your company it is important to keep a few things in mind.
1. Remember the artist.
First and foremost, any music you play in your business technically requires you pay some sort of licensing fee to play it. There are a few licensing companies out there, but the most well known is ASCAP. Working hand-in-hand with ASCAP can get you over the major legal hurdles.
2. Remember your audience.
Remember, you are creating something for someone else – your target audience. In Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity, Rob doesn’t really “get it” until he realizes that making a mix tape for Laura is really about putting together a compilation of music she would like – the same goes for your company’s playlist. You must ensure the music compliments your audience, in that it would be something they would enjoy. But that’s not all!
3. Remember your company.
No, I’m not talking about the music you like. I’m talking about your brand, your product. What are you communicating to your audience in the music that plays over the speaker system? Not only must this music tailor to the audience, it must also tailor to your brand, as well as the “atmosphere” of your business – the sensory items like visual features and textures and smells. Associating these elements can be difficult, but they’re also very important. This is the exact reason “Great Balls Of Fire” just wasn’t cutting it while picking up cheese and tortillas.
4. Remember your industry.
There is reason behind mentioning industry. I’ve noticed some commonalities between businesses within the same industry, and things that also don’t work for these businesses. Here are some elements to keep in mind, and some industry-ish trends:
Youth fashion retailers are notorious for picking up the latest trends, from the flashy and obscure to the more mainstream, depending on the type of audience that shops at the store. Fashion in general will tend to be a bit more edgy. Fashion also allows a bit more emotion to extend into the playlist, where other industries would play it a bit safer by focusing on simple upbeat background music. Last year, the more youthful retailers would have played “Electric Feel” by MGMT or “Hearts On Fire” by Cut Copy, while the year before it was “Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn & John. I have a sneaking suspicion that this year’s hype will (at least partly) surround Empire Of The Sun.
Grocery stores and banks will tend to play it safe and simple, since their audience is very wide and diverse. The music is always non-offensive, generally focused on being something you could easily ignore; something in the background, mostly upbeat. It also tends to be a bit more modern and contemporary. Another reason it felt awkward to shop for groceries while “Great Balls of Fire” played over the speakers – and a bit too loud at that.
Restaurants vary their playlists depending on the type of food served. I was in a Japanese restaurant the other day that had Spanish TV playing while the speakers broadcast modern hip hop (there are always blatant exceptions to what should be done). Those that feature food from other cultures are best when they feature soft, appropriate music from that culture as opposed to something classified as modern native – it makes for a complimentary atmosphere. I wouldn’t mind hearing the latest pop from the top of the charts while eating an American burger, but not while dining on sushi or Italian.
This brings me to another item. Speaking with Matt on this subject, he mentioned hearing the same John Mayer song in five different stores in the period of a single day. Playing recognizable music is good, but sometimes it’s best to use a known artist’s lesser-known work.
These are all merely items to ponder – creating an identity is a large portion of transitioning a company, the other part is ensuring you are communicating the proper message to your audience in everything you do, be it the business papers that represent the brand, the office layout including lighting and colors, or even the background music customers hear as they walk through the door.