What is your product soundtrack?

Have you ever wondered what the music or soundtrack of a particular product might be? The reality is that many already have it, but we're not aware of it. Music has a bigger impact at the time of a purchase than we think. There are several studies that demonstrate this impact. Both the rhythm, genre of music, volume, and whether minor chords are prevalent can influence the purchase in different ways. Among other things, our mirror neurons ensure that we synchronize our steps with the rhythm of the music. This happens, for example, when we walk into the supermarket and a song comes out of the speakers. If the rhythm of the music is slow, we're likely to move more slowly and therefore spend more time in the place, which is reflected in our purchases. Likewise, the background music also influences us in the same way and determines the length of our stay in a restaurant.

A study by Klemens Kn?ferle has shown that when we listen to slow music with minor chords (this type of chord is commonly associated with sadness), purchases in stores increase. This has to do with our brain's natural need for balance: When confronted with a feeling of sadness, it subconsciously tries to balance it with something that provides instant gratification. In this case, that's shopping.

On the other hand, music can influence not only the quantity of products we buy, but also the quality. A 2015 study by A. C. North and colleagues found that classical music can influence shoppers and make them spend more money. In a luxury store, this type of music can lead consumers to try to fit into the upper-class social identity that this music embodies, and therefore choose to buy more expensive products.

When we think about packaging, we can take this into account and try to use a type of music at the point of sale that fits the product concept or style. For example, if we are designing an Art Deco style wine, a 1930’s swing jazz will likely “pair" with our product and influence the purchase decision.

Here is a study that demonstrates the influence of music on purchase decisions:

Study

In 1999 A. C North and David J Hargreaves conducted a study called "The Influence of In-Store Music on Wine Selections" where in a supermarket they alternated French and German music in the wine section for two weeks. They found that on days when French music was played in the background, sales of wines from the same country increased. The same happened on days when German music was played in the background: Sales of wines from that country or related to that country increased. The interesting thing about this study is that 90% of the buyers answered no to the question of whether the music influenced their purchase decision.