We know from our own experiences that music has the power to change our mood, and even conjure up memories we thought were long forgotten, so it is no surprise that marketing and brand experts have been eager to find out how they can use music to influence our behaviour.
Relaxing music
Keen to understand more, a group of scientists and a British band have been working together to create the most relaxing tune ever. The music was composed by a group of sound therapists and Manchester band Marconi Union.
They played the piece of music – entitled Weightless – to a group of 40 women, who found it more effective than songs by Coldplay, Mozart and even Enya in helping them to relax. Marconi Union and the founder of the British Academy of Sound Therapy, Lyz Cooper, created the tune, which works by combining specific rhythms, tones, intervals and frequencies to create a feeling of deep relaxation.
The science
Having a rhythm of 60 beats per minute (BPM) over a period of time encourages the heart rate and brainwaves to synchronise to the beat of the music, which is known as ‘entrainment’. It is low bass tones that create the relaxation; combined with a low whooshing noise, an almost trance-like quality is created that takes the listener further into the state of calm.
Dr David Lewis, a leading stress specialist, explained that Weightless produced greater feelings of relaxation than other pieces of music tested and other seemingly relaxing activities. The study, which was commissioned by Radox Spa, found Weightless to be more relaxing than going for a walk, having a cup of tea, and even having a massage. The results were found to be so conclusive that people were advised not to drive while listening to it.
Knowing the science behind this is invaluable to brand experts, with a Forbes article explaining just how big a role music can play.
If you would like to learn more about experiential marketing and its design, speak to a leading specialist agency such as https://moodmedia.co.uk. Such experts create unforgettable experiences for their clients’ customers, from in store music through to fully-mobile integrated marketing.
When music goes beyond the parts of the brain responsible for processing sound and reaches emotions, the results are palpable.
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