Within the first episode of my Nudge podcast, I interviewed the incredible psychologist Dr. Adrian North, who performed one of many seminal studies on the psychology of music.
Again in 1997, the researchers stocked an English grocery store with 4 kinds of French and German wines, all equally matched in value, dryness, and sweetness. For 2 weeks, the shop audio system both performed German oom-pah music or French accordion music. North and his colleagues would change the music every day and measure the impact on gross sales.
Seems, 83% of wine patrons purchased French wine when the accordion music was enjoying, whereas 65% of patrons picked German bottles when the Bavarian music was on.
North interviewed these patrons as they left the shop, however nobody claimed the music had an impact on their buy — but it clearly did.
Is the connection between music and shopping for habits nonetheless related?
North’s examine had some vital outcomes, nevertheless it’s price noting that this examine is nearly three many years previous and has a comparatively small pattern dimension of simply 82 individuals.
So, are the findings nonetheless related at present?
Properly, in 2017, researchers at Montclair State College discovered that enjoying Italian music in a college cafeteria elevated gross sales of their Italian dish (hen parmesan). When enjoying Spanish flamenco tunes, they elevated gross sales of paella.
It’s clear that music does appear to form what we purchase. And perhaps even what we wish to eat?
Certainly, throughout a current journey to Paris, I couldn’t assist however cease on the native boulangerie every morning for a espresso and croissant. Considering again, I noticed that they routinely performed French café-style music. Maybe that’s what drew me in.
What else can music affect? Seems, rather a lot …
In his ebook Pre-Suasion, Robert B. Cialdini writes that music made youngsters 3x extra doubtless to assist their friends. Equally, in Get It Achieved, Ayelet Fishbach shared how music can improve gymnasium reps by 50%. And Nick Kolenda’s work in Think about Studying This Guide reveals that unhappy music makes thrilling life landmarks really feel additional away.
But, the examine on music that’s arguably most influential includes (extra) grocery store buyers.
In Ronald E. Milliman’s study (aptly titled “Utilizing Background Music to Have an effect on the Habits of Grocery store Buyers”), he monitored the circulation of buyers as they navigated a grocery store within the southern U.S. Over 9 weeks, he discovered that prospects spent 38% extra when gradual music (60 BPM) was performed in comparison with quick music (108 BPM).
Milliman and his crew concluded that the tempo of the music influenced the pace of the consumers. In different phrases, a gradual tempo slowed down the tempo of buying, giving the shoppers extra time to purchase. Compelling, proper?
In his fantastic ebook Sensehacking, Charles Spence desperately tried to seek out firms which have utilized this perception into music and tempo (and have been prepared to speak about it).
One of many few public examples is Chipotle.
In keeping with Spence, Chipotle fastidiously controls the tempo of the music in all of its 3,500+ shops. They intentionally play sooner music at busy occasions of the day to hurry up their prospects and shorten the lengthy strains.
Chipotle’s in-house DJ is quoted as saying, “The lunch and dinner rush have songs with larger BPMs as a result of we have to hold the shoppers shifting.”
In the course of the quieter intervals, the shop performs slower tunes to maintain prospects lingering and hold the shop busy.
So, the subsequent time you end up chomping down in your lunchtime burrito or reaching for that bottle of German wine, take a minute and ask your self: “What music is enjoying proper now?”
