Resarsch about music as a tool for communication

Sound and music in relation to emotions and its ability to affect humans is studied extensively around the world in many different fields. sutch as acoustics, marketing, behavioral science, music, psychology etc. All research shows that music is very important for humans and that music affects us much. People use music to put themselves in emotional states, to be happy, to comfort themselves or to relieve stress. (Juslin & Västfjäll 2008)

Music is used a lot and effectively to enhance the emotional experience in the areas of film music (Cohen 2001), marketing (Bruner 1990) and therapy (Bunt & Hoskyns 2002).

 

In recent years, the use of sound and music has both increased in the business world and research world. People and politicians has begun to market themselves as brands and this increases the use of sound and music.

 

An international study shows that companies that have music that fits their brand identity is 96% more likely to be remembered than companies that do not have any music or music that does not fit with their identity. ( Dr. Adrian C. North & Dr. David J. Hargreaves , independent study from Leicester University) .

 

1982 came to a study med by Ronald E. Milliman. He examined how different tempo of music can influence customers in a store. He realized that if the music was slow (< 73 bpm ) instead of fast ( > 93 bmp ), it took the customers approx 20 % longer time to move a given route in the store. Which ultimately could lead to increased sales.

 

A study by Heartbeat International shows that the "wrong music ", ie music that can be annoying entails 44% of the customers and visitors to leave a store and 38% of them not to come back. While nearly 4 of 10 say they stay longer if the music is " right " . The number  increases to 5 of 10 for people aged between 16-24.

 

Music is a big part of people's identity. A study of Rentfrow & Gosling (2006) shows that people feel that their taste in music reveals more about their "real" person than movies , books and clothes. David A. Aaker (1991), Professor of marketing, talks about brands also have a so-called brand identity . It's about how a company wants to be perceived and what associations it will attract . The music and sounds can create emotional connection between the brand and the customer but also bring undesirable associations with the company.

 

Use music wisely!

 

Aaker, D. A (1991) Managing brand equity: capitializing on the value of a brand name. Free Press.

Bruner, G. C. (1990) Music, mood and marketing. Journal of Marketing.

Bunt, L. & Hoskyns, S. (2002) The Handbook of music therapy.

Cohen, A. J. (2001) Music as a source of emotion in film. Music and emotion: Theory and research.

Heartbeat international. Sounds like branding - A survey on how global brands work with music. http://www.soundslikebranding.com/report.html.

Juslin, P. N. & Västfjäll, D. (2008) Emotional responses to music: The need to consider underlying mechanisms. Behavioral and brain sciences.

Milliman R. (1982) Using Background Music to Affect Behavior of Supermarket Shoppers. Journal of Marketing

Rentfrow, P. J. & Gosling, S. P. (2006) Message in a ballad? The role of music preferences in interpersonal perception. Psychological science, vol. 17 nr 32005.