Music Research: The Impact of Background Music

Several articles on musicworksforyou.com discuss the recorded benefits of background music. The question remains however – can background music change customers’ perceptions of an organisation and with it their behavior as consumers?

Two studies published by the eminent academics North and Hargreaves tend towards supporting this claim. In a study that took place in 1998, North and Hargreaves (‘The effects of music on atmosphere and purchase intentions in a bank and a bar’. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 30, 1504-1522) played Easy Listening and Classical Music in a branch of a high street bank. 331 customers were interviewed and rated the atmosphere in the banking hall against 20 adjectives. Customer perceptions of the atmosphere within the bank were measured against four key dimensions: Dignified, Assertive/aggressive, Inspirational, and Dynamic/upbeat.

The table below shows the mean scores against each measure when different or no music was played. Both Easy Listening and Classical Music made the banking hall seem more Inspirational and Dynamic and less Dignified and Aggressive/assertive than when no music was played. Classical Music made the bank seem 233% more Inspirational and 146% more Dynamic/upbeat than when no music was played.

So if the perception of a business can be altered through the use of background music, does it follow that consumer behavior can be affected through the same mechanism? North and Hargreaves’ study from the same year ‘The effect of music on atmosphere and purchase intentions in a cafeteria’ (Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 28, 2254-2273) gives further weight to the claim.

The impact of music on perceptions of a cafeteria shown by North and Hargreaves (1998) also led to an impact on purchase intentions. Diners were asked to state the maximum that they would be prepared to pay for 14 individual items. The study was carried out with no background music, Classical, Pop and Easy Listening music. The individual prices were then totaled across all 14 items. The values stated when the different types of music were played were as follows:

In conclusion, diners were prepared to spend more money when background music made the premises seem more upbeat (pop) or upmarket (classical music). Compared to no background music at all, Classical music encouraged customers to be prepared to pay 20% more and Pop music 16 % more.
Naturally, business owners looking to use background to positive effect must consider carefully the type of music for their premises to ensure that the mood and style best fits the desired atmosphere and intended customer behaviour.
For more information please contact Shaun Austen at Entertainment Media Research Ltd.
www.entertainmentmediaresearch.com