In the citizensound sonicRetail survey, we found a few stores decided on a policy of a music-free zone in–store.

Shops such as Church’s shoes had the sound of people talking and shoes being squeezed on to feet, nothing more. And this worked for the environment and the clientele. A sense of calm away from the storm of the street.

The Apple Store on Regent Street London is also music free, which given the connection between Apple and music, this seems shocking. However, Apple might rationalise this decision by seeing each person as controllers of their own music destiny (via their iPod of course). So a store that tries to dictate and decide what the customer should hear is not a store that respects that customer. However, my issue with the Apple Store is that in this music-free zone, music is generally heard…not through the store PA system, but through far-off speakers linked to Apple products. People test out iPod speakers or listen to songs on laptops. So the sound throughout the store is of far off tinny music.

Meanwhile the O2 in-store had the music so low that you could hardly hear it. Given the immense commitment to music by O2, this again seems like a contradiction. I would expect the in-store sonic experience to be stunning in any O2 store. Sadly, this is far from the truth.   Which leads to another issue…

citizensound says:

If you think music has a role in store then for goodness sake have it loud enough to do its' work and invest in a decent soundsystem. 

Mango stores are the sonic version of vanilla ice cream. After a while you are yearning for mint choc chip, raspberry, peach or mango even…anything but  vanilla…I have to ask the question – what is the point of having music in store if the music is so bland? It got me thinking…

If Mango was a band, who would it be? And then it dawned on me…Mango is the fashion version of Westlife.

Westlife have sold loads of albums, have a huge following, but are not known for innovation and creativity. They get on their stools, then get off them and sing covers, get back on their stools, then sell lots of CDs. A brilliant and successful model that works. So, Mango as Westlife is not a bad thing, IF Mango wanted that image. But this is NOT Mango. When I lived in Barcelona in the 90s, Mango was not a covers band. It was not white suits and the boy your mother would like. Mango had credibility. It had edge. Yet it also had accessibility. Right now in their stores, it just feels much like a lot of other stores…

Una nota para MANGO:Por favor Senores y Senoras de Mango, es possible a cambiar vuestra estrategia de musica en las tiendas – estoy seguro que hay musica que puede connectar mejor con los consumadores. No estais Westlife, eres mas cool que ellos.

In our first post on the sound of the brand at retail, citizensound mentioned the lack of investment that seems to go into sound within the retail space.

This comes in part from a marketing focus on the visual when it comes to financial commitment. The sense of sight dominates marketing decisions – the logo; the packaging design; the Retail window display; the Point of Sale materials; the storyboard for the next ad – all highly visual. This makes sense given the power of the visual to connect with our subconscious. However, the human being is a sensory beast, not purely a visual one. The sense of smell, of taste and of touch have immense power on human behaviour, yet are still highly under-utilised in marketing – likewise with the sense of sound. Many retailers know that music has a role to play in the in-store environment, but it seems to have been relegated to a line on a spreadsheet that gets ticked or a figure that is cut every year.

In many of the stores citizensound visited, the little thought put into the sonic experience suggests that the sourcing of music has been given to companies who provide the cheapest service of homogenised nonsense, rather than carefully chosen music that resonates with the brand and the consumers. For some companies, I can imagine that music sourcing has been left purely in the hands of those looking to reduce costs rather than build brand. However, it is also probable that music is just not seen as a priority, so marketing budgets are channelled to the Visual, while the other Senses get neglected.

Gap has used music imagery in their communication successfully before and have created innovative music links such as Madonna/Missy Elliott. So to find poor sound quality and bland music in their stores was hugely disappointing sonically.

On the other hand, HSBC have invested in their own radio station. As you wait for an appointment with a business account person, you can kick back and listen to HSBC’s in-house radio station. Playing a balance of music that works for the company, HSBC have DJs playing a safe playlist with dedications to local store staff, and promotions of new products for customers. All the staff said they enjoyed it, whilst customers were shaking their ankles. This made more sense than Gap.

Who would have thought HSBC could teach Gap about music and customers?

citizensound says:

If you are listening GAP, please please sort out your stores – you and your customers deserve better…

Too often the sound is a last minute scramble in the advertising process, as advertising agencies all too often pitch ideas visually rather than sonically.

So it is no surprise that the mood set by the sound of the ad is poorly thought through in most advertising.

When is is right, it is immensely powerful.

Here is a great example of the power of sound. Another one of those clever Honda ads.

PS What is the half life of your sonic branding… 15 seconds…15 minutes or 15 years?

Lucy from Diesel (on the right) joined Kate Williams of Columbus Media at the citizensound session at Venice.

In response to the panel urging brands to commit to more than just the short term when getting involved in music marketing, Lucy shared with the attendees the experience of Diesel.

The Diesel U-Music activity has been active for a number of years, slowly but surely building credibility with both the breaking acts and fans alike. Whilst these two groups seem to be have benefited from the investment from Diesel, how about the brand itself?

Lucy shared with the attendees a classic problem for a brand who gets involved in the music space with the band and fan at the forefront of their activities. How does the brand get recognition for the commitment they have made without coming over as too pushy?

Artists such as Mylo have come through the Diesel U-Music project, yet few people are aware of this. Since becoming an established artist, Mylo has come back to support the Diesel U Music events, so recognition from the artist is not in doubt.

It is the transference of this mutual respect into long term business results that is the tricky bit for Diesel. It reminds me of the conundrum that ethical brands face. Do you tell the world that you are ethical, thus placing yourself in the firing line for those to find any weaknesses in your argument (Memories of Anita Roddick in the early days of Body Shop) or do you just do your stuff and keep low key about it (Levi Strauss a good example)? It is the eternal debate. Shout about your good work or do it quietly.

If the marketing world believes in the power of word of mouth or Advocacy Marketing, then letting others do the talking for you has to be the way forward…

Here is Gary McClarnan, of Sparklestreet, on the left and my co-citizen Nick Watt enjoying a quiet drink in Venice.

Gary took time out to join citizensound and Pete Jenner at the Venice Festival of Media. His entrepreneurial flair, deep understanding of artist psyche and finding a balance between Brands and Bands was a huge benefit for all those who sat in on the session at the Festival.

Much appreciated Gary…

Turn on the video game.

Select Super Mario Brothers.

Escape into the wonderful world of plumbing.

Have fun.

Yet without those catchy tunes, this game will be somewhat lessened.

Koji Kondo is the man behind the music. He clearly knows how to create the sonic complement to the visual, a lesson that many brands could learn from. The theme from Super Mario Brothers is number 9 on the Billboard Ringtone charts and has been there for 129 weeks!

Post Script: What is the sound of your brand?

Kids at the back of the bus. One plays a beat that he made the night before to his friends. They decide whether it lives or dies before the bus comes to a stop…

There is the obvious outcome of high irritation levels of fellow passengers. Plus the future of the music industry could look more precarious if creation, distribution and consumption takes place beyond the number 137 bus.

Furthermore, with such a public display of your music tastes, the protagonists know they will irritate some people but get approval from your group at the same time. This is not new though, this trend reminds me of the boombox generation.

What is worse…people cutting themselves off from the community with little white ear plugs or people making a statement with their mobile music? Give me the second one any day…

So I have been chatting with my online friends about great album covers. We were thinking of the ones where the visual impact of the album cover fused closely with the sound inside the album. Integrated Communication if you wish…

Here are one example:

Bim Sherman - Miracle. A legendary reggae singer. This album fused his great voice with the sound of the indian tabla…Serene, Calm, spiritual music. Now look at the cover. It gives that sense too…

Not known for my love of focus groups as a way of getting insights on what consumer think about brands. Same for the world of music.

No way that focus groups could have helped the late great Ahmet Ertegun when he set out to start Atlantic Records.

We started Atlantic simply because we wanted to sign a few artists whose music we liked, and make the kind of records that we would want to buy.

I honestly never imagined I would be able to make a living from doing something that was so much fun. I am very glad I was wrong.

Brands who wish to be Brave can learn a thing or two from the story of this man. Sometimes you just know what you are doing is right. So do it and believe.