This chapter focuses on the impact of music on customers' shopping experiences, both in physical and online luxury retail service settings. It highlights the strategic importance of music in enhancing luxury brand experiences, underscoring the need for congruity between music and brand to avoid unfavourable outcomes. It builds on earlier research on the impact of background music in service settings. Two exploratory studies show how consumers understand the power of music to enhance brand image. The discussion emphasises the strategic role of music in luxury brand experiences, contributing valuable insights for luxury brand management.
TopIntroduction
The influence of the retail environment on consumer behavior and brand experience has long been a topic of interest for both brand managers and academic researchers (Kotler, 1973; Turley & Milliman, 2000; Gustafsson, 2015; Joy et al., 2023). One particularly notable example that has garnered academic interest is the retail environment created by Hollister Co. (Stevens et al., 2019). Hollister Co. is a teen fashion company, and its retail environment builds on Southern Californian surfing culture. With the nightclub-like atmosphere, complete with loud music that muffles speech, strong fragrances, minimal, almost dark lighting, and visually appealing, minimally clothed staff, the company has aimed at attracting popular and cool kids and inviting an intense response from them (Stevens et al., 2019; Brown et al., 2018). Indeed, Hollister Co. presents a polarizing example that has sparked debate, simultaneously serving as an intriguing example of how retail environment and its atmospherics can be used to draw consumers’ attention, convey brand image, influence consumer behavior, and stand out from competition (Joy et al., 2023; Lindstrom, 2005).
The existing body of research on retail atmospherics has identified multiple elements that have an impact on the overall experience, such as store layout, product representation, material features, and odors (Bitner, 1992; Turley & Milliman, 2000; Joy et al., 2023). An additional element is background music, which has received extensive scholarly attention over the decades (e.g., Chebat et al., 2001; Garlin & Owen, 2006; Morin et al., 2007; Hynes & Manson, 2016; Jain & Bagdare, 2011; Kellaris, 2008; Milliman, 1986). It has been studied in various retail contexts such as in supermarkets (North et al., 1999), restaurants (North et al., 2015), bars (Jacob, 2006), home electronics retail (Andersson et al., 2012), florists (Jacob et al., 2009), and banks (North et al., 2000), just to mention a few. Several studies’ findings indicate that background music, or certain aspects of it, can influence consumers emotionally, cognitively, or behaviorally (e.g., Anderson et al., 2012; Beverland et al., 2006; North et al., 2015; Vida et al., 2007; Yalch & Spangenberg, 1990). Although research indicates that background music affects consumers, the findings are inconsistent, highlighting the need for further investigation into this topic (Garlin & Owen, 2006; Joy et al., 2023; Michel et al., 2017).