The document summarizes a research study that investigated the influence of music on the communicative efficiency of commercials. The study involved a survey where 83 respondents viewed 6 commercials, 3 with music consciously chosen to match brand attributes and 3 with music not related to the brand. Respondents then completed questionnaires to assess their understanding of the brands. The results indicated commercials with consciously chosen music provided respondents a clearer understanding of the brands compared to those with unrelated music. The study suggests music can significantly impact how audiences perceive brands advertised in commercials.

1. 1
Music
Influence
on
Brand
Perception:
Survey
of
the
Commercials’
Communicative
Efficiency
Author
Yulia
Malenkaya,
general
director
in
Sound
ID
Audiobranding
Key
words
1. Communicative
efficiency
2. Brand
attributes
3. Commercial
4. Survey
5. Music
Abstract
Music
plays
a
pervasive
role
in
consumers’
lives
and
is
often
used
in
marketing
communication.
As
a
powerful
mean
of
mood
creation
and
communication
of
feelings
and
emotions,
music
appears
to
be
an
important
component
of
audio
support
in
commercials.
This
paper
explores
the
influence
of
music
on
the
efficiency
of
commercials.
For
this
purpose
a
survey
of
6
video-­‐spots
was
conducted.
Selected
ad
videos
included
3
videos
with
music,
consciously
chosen
according
to
the
key
brand
attributes,
and
3
videos
in
which
music
is
chosen
without
regard
to
the
image
of
brand.
Selected
commercials
were
shown
to
the
sample
of
83
respondents,
who
filled
in
questionnaires
after
the
overview.
The
survey’s
results
indicate
that
music
may
have
significant
impact
on
audience
perception
of
the
brands:
commercials
with
conscious
music
choice
gave
a
much
clearer
idea
of
brands
to
the
respondents,
than
the
ones
with
unconscious
choice
of
music.

2. 2
Advertisers
spend
large
sums
of
money
on
the
production
of
music
for
the
ads.
Creative
fees
for
an
original
composition
can
be
one
of
the
largest
expense
items,
whereas
the
rights
to
popular
songs
can
cost
much
more.
Music
costs
can
add
hundreds
of
thousands
of
dollars
to
the
ad
budget.
For
example,
Nike
spent
$500
000
on
the
rights
to
use
The
Beatles'
song
"Revolution"
(Cocks,
1987).
Companies
are
risking
millions
of
dollars
on
the
belief
that
music
can
boost
ads’
efficiency,
yet
there
is
no
universally
accepted
explanation
of
how
this
works.
The
theory
of
audiobranding
is
developing
intensively
nowadays,
meanwhile
the
issue
of
semiotic
qualities
of
music
and
its
potential
for
branding
is
not
enlightened
enough
in
marketing
literature.
There
are
some
investigations,
which
have
suggested
that
music
influences
listeners
mainly
through
their
feelings
and
moods
(Gorn,
1982;
Bruner
1990).
Although
most
of
the
research
is
focused
on
emotional
responses
to
ad
music,
it
is
also
important
to
bear
in
mind
a
pervasive
idea
that
music
is
in
some
way
capable
of
symbolizing
emotions,
images
or
ideas.
This
idea
lead
to
the
development
of
music
semiotics
in
70s
and
80s,
but
still
didn’t
find
ist
place
in
the
theory
of
marketing
communications
and
branding.
Taking
all
this
into
account,
the
general
intent
of
this
essay
is
to
explore
the
potential
of
music
communication
and
ist
impact
on
brand
perception.
For
this
purpose
a
research
focused
on
the
dependence
of
the
commercials’
efficiency
from
music
choice
was
conducted.
1. Methodology
of
research
1.1
Procedure
The
study
refers
to
the
primary
empirical
quantitative
research.
It
was
carried
out
in
January
2010
by
a
survey
of
respondents,
based
on
the
questionnaires
sent
by
e-­‐mail.
The
aim
of
the
research
is
to
define
the
impact
of
music,
chosen
for
the
ad
according
to
the
key
brand
attributes,
on
the
perception
of
brand,
promoted
in
this
commercial.
The
ability
to
create
a
brand
image
and
communicate
it’s
key
features
refers
to
the
communicative
efficiency
of
the
ad.
The
notion
of
commercial’s
communicative
efficiency
implies
the
change
in
the
viewer’s
perception
of
the
brand
and
usually
discussed
together
with
economical
efficiency,
which
stands
for
increase
in
sales
volume,
growth
of
the
demand
for
the

3. 3
product
and
other
economically
significant
results.
In
contrast
to
economical
efficiency,
the
level
of
achieved
communicative
efficiency
can’t
be
calculated.
It
is
defined
by
feedback
from
the
viewers
and
interpreted
through
such
constructs
as
perception.
feelings,
emotions,
attention,
memory
and
motivation
(Кутлалиев
&
Попов,
2005).
As
the
conceptual
definition
of
communicative
efficiency
is
quiet
abstract.
broad
and
difficult
to
evaluate,
in
this
particular
research
it
is
interpreted
according
to
the
number
of
key
brand
attributes,
recognized
by
the
viewers.
The
questions
in
the
form
are
closed,
as
they
provide
several
answers
to
choose.
Among
the
answers
there
are
both
correct
key
brands’
attributes
i.e.
laid
by
the
owners
of
brand,
and
incorrect
ones,
intentionally
contrived
for
the
survey.
Since
the
observed
situation
has
two
possible
outcomes
(either
the
respondent
selects
the
correct
attribute
of
the
brand
or
not),
the
information
obtained
through
the
survey
refers
to
a
nominal
level
of
measurement,
and
the
questions
are
alternate
(dichotomous).
According
to
the
aims
of
the
research,
2
alternative
hypotheses
were
formulated:
H0:
use
of
music,
selected
for
the
commercial
according
to
the
key
attributes
of
brand,
promoted
in
this
commercial,
doesn’t
facilitate
brand
identification,
its
memorability
and
generation
of
the
correct
associations
among
the
viewers.
H1:
use
of
music,
selected
for
the
commercial
according
to
the
key
attributes
of
brand,
promoted
in
this
commercial,
facilitates
brand
identification,
its
memorability
and
generation
of
the
correct
associations
among
the
viewers.
To
test
these
hypotheses,
six
video-­‐spots
were
selected:
three
commercials
supported
by
the
music,
which,
on
the
author’s
opinion,
matches
the
key
attributes
of
brand
(further
these
3
commercials
will
be
stated
as
commercials
with
consciously
chosen
music):
Brand
&
commercial
title
Music
Reference
to
the
video
Chanel
Coco
Mademoiselle
Joss
Stone
-­‐
«Love»
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aibOY18P
kgo

4. 4
Nike
(Nike
Courage)
The
Killers
-­‐
«I
got
a
soul
but
I’m
not
a
soldier»
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHTPoQb
YPCE
Miller
(In
Miller
way)
FatBoy
Slim
-­‐
«Wonderful
Night»
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FxtoR8d
ltA
Table
1.
Commercials
with
consciously
chosen
music
and
three
commercials
supported
by
the
music,
which,
on
the
author’s
opinion,
doesn’t
match
the
key
attributes
of
brand:
Brand
&
commercial
title
Music
Reference
to
the
video
Sberbank Music by A. Ribnikov, lyrics by I.
Kohanovsky, “Я тебе конечно верю” [Of
course I believe you]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwh
UYdJuAI&feature=youtube_gdata
Megafon (Music
expert)
Music,
composed
for
the
commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k
BIRaw5Jix4
Pyaterochka (the
nearest low prices)
Music, composed for the commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJh-
KzS0t88&feature=related
Table
2.
Commercials
with
unconsciously
chosen
music
The
choice
of
commercials
was
motivated
by
one
factor:
connection
between
semiotics
of
music
and
brand
identity.
Decision
about
the
occurrence
of
this
connection
in
the
commercials
was
made
by
following
2-­‐steps
procedure:
1. official
sites
of
chosen
brands
were
scanned
for
information
about
brand
attributes
correlating
with
elements
of
Aaker’s
Brand
Identity
Model
(Aaker,
1995).
After
this,
key
identity
elements
were
structured
in
a
table
(see
the
appendix
№1
«Key
brand
attributes»).
2. music,
used
in
the
video-­‐spots
was
considered
according
to
the
Model
of
Musical
Competence
(Stefani,
2000),
in
order
to
formulate
its
main
socio-­‐cultural
aspects:
genre,
style,
audience,
national
and
sub
cultural
belonging,
image
of
the
musician/group/singer,
and
so
on.
The
conclusion
on
whether
music
matches
the
brand
identity
or
not,
was
made
after
these
two
analyses.
On
the
base
of
Brand
Identity
Models
key
attributes
of
the
brands
were
determined
(see
the
appendix
№2
«
Key
Brand
Attributes»)
and
further
included
in
the
answers
options
in

5. 5
questionnaires
along
with
wrong
options,
created
intentionally
for
the
survey.
The
procedure
of
survey
consisted
of
two
stages:
first
-­‐
watching
video-­‐spots
and
then
filling
the
form
in.
After
that,
the
respondents
sent
the
filled
forms
to
the
e-­‐mail,
mentioned
in
the
questionnaires.
1.2
Sample
The
universal
set
for
the
survey
was
determined
according
to
following
operational
factors:
• Demographic
component:
o age
of
respondents:
from
18
to
50
years
old
o gender:
doesn’t
matter
o income:
doesn’t
matter
• Geographic
component:
Saint-­‐Petersburg
(including
the
suburbs
of
the
city)
Initial
sample
constituted
100
respondents.
16
respondents
refused
to
participate
in
the
survey
during
the
process
of
data
collection
and
1
respondent
filled
in
the
form
in
an
incorrect
way.
As
a
result,
the
actual
sample
constituted
83
respondents.
The
sample
of
respondents
for
the
survey
refers
to
a
non-­‐
random
sample
type,
since
it
consists
mainly
of
the
students
of
Graduate
School
of
Management
–
department
of
Saint-­‐Petersburg
State
University.
This
is
a
constraining
factor,
which
has
a
certain
impact
on
the
results
of
the
research.
The
constraints
will
be
discussed
in
more
detail
further,
in
the
section
“Constraints
of
the
research”
2.
Results
2.1
Analyses
After
the
collection
of
survey’s
data
it
was
organized
into
the
EXCEL
table
(see
the
attached
EXCEL
file
«Survey
data»).
Further
analyses
consisted
of
calculation
of
following
rates:
-­‐
frequency
distribution
of
correctly
recognised
atrributes
(for
each
brand
attribute)
-­‐
percentage
distribution
of
correctly
recognised
atrributes
(for
each
brand
attribute)

6. 6
-­‐
average
values
of
correct
responses
(for
each
of
two
groups
of
commercials:
commercials
with
consciously
chosen
music
and
commerciald
with
unconsciously
chosen
music)
Tables
with
results
for
each
brand
are
stated
below:
Table
3.
Survey
results
for
Chanel
Coco
Mademoiselle
brand
Table
4.
Survey
results
for
Nike
brand
Brand
attribute
Number
of
respondents,
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
Percentage
of
respondents
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
(%)
(data
is
approximated
to
whole
numbers)
Feminity
59
71
Romanticism
65
78
Discreet
luxury
61
74
Elegance
in
simplicity
71
86
Charm
and
independence
68
82
Grace
of
aroma
61
74
Brand
attribute
Number
of
respondents,
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
Percentage
of
respondents
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
(%)
(data
is
approximated
to
whole
numbers)
Desire
to
win
74
89
Determination
to
strive
57
69
Overcoming
yourself
52
63
Commitment
and
perseverance
51
62
Striving
fort
success
and
superioriy
41
49
Enthusiasm
40
48
Brand
attribute
Number
of
respondents,
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
Percentage
of
respondents
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
(%)
(data
is
approximated
to
whole
numbers)
Clubbing
68
82
Outstanding
events
48
58
Change
in
everyday
city
life
53
64
Fresh
emotions
43
52

7. 7
Table
5.
Survey
results
for
Miller
brand
Table
6.
Survey
results
for
Seberbank
brand
Table
7. Survey
results
for
MegaFon
brand
Stylish
clubs
&
parties
71
86
Target
audience:
young
people
from
18
to
30
years
old,
income
–
average
and
higher
69
83
Brand
attribute
Number
of
respondents,
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
Percentage
of
respondents
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
(%)
(data
is
approximated
to
whole
numbers)
Security
24
29
Lidership
25
30
Responsibility
&
stability
23
28
International
authority
10
12
Fast
service
20
24
Resistance
to
crisis
41
49
Brand
attribute
Number
of
respondents,
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
Percentage
of
respondents
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
(%)
(data
is
approximated
to
whole
numbers)
High
quality
service
20
24
Available
prices
13
16
Reliability
28
34
Convinience
21
25
Wide
range
of
services
38
46
Unified
standards
of
service
17
21
Brand
attribute
Number
of
respondents,
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
Percentage
of
respondents
correctly
recognised
the
attribute
(%)
(data
is
approximated
to
whole
numbers)
Quality
3
4
Economy
63
76
Respect
for
Russian
traditions
31
37

8. 8
Table
8.
Survey
results
for
Pyaterochka
brand
Average
number
of
recognized
attributes
is
28,2 for
the
commercials
with
conscious
choice
of
music.
For
the
commercials
with
unconscious
choice
of
music
this
rate
is
much
lower
and
constitutes
58,4.
Six
attributes
from
the
block
of
brands,
promoted
in
commercials
with
conscious
choice
of
music
achieved
more
than
80%
recognition
(marked
in
green),
whereas
from
block
of
brands,
promoted
in
commercials
with
unconscious
choice
of
music,
only
one
attribute
exceeded
80%
recognition
rate.
One
more
observation:
sixteen
attributes
from
the
block
of
brands,
promoted
in
commercials
with
conscious
choice
of
music
achieved
more
than
50%
recognition,
whereas
from
block
of
brands,
promoted
in
commercials
with
unconscious
choice
of
music,
only
two
attribute
exceeded
50%
recognition
rate.
All
in
all,
the
level
of
response
for
the
first
block
of
brands
is
quiet
high
and
therefore
testifies
to
the
high
level
of
communicative
efficiency
of
the
commercials,
in
which
music
was
selected
according
to
the
key
attributes
of
brands.
The
information,
which
was
supposed
to
be
perceived
by
the
viewers,
was
actually
perceived.
The
communicative
efficiency
of
commercials
from
second
block
was
much
lower
–
it
could
be
seen
from
the
rates.
These
rates
show
a
considerable
excess
in
recognised
attributes
of
brands,
which
were
promoted
in
the
commercials
with
conscious
choice
of
music.
On
the
base
of
this,
it
could
be
concluded,
that
the
collected
data
is
statistically
significant,
which
means
that
the
communicative
efficiency
of
the
commercials
and
perception
of
brands
in
particular,
could
be
enhanced
via
music.
Therefore
the
H0
hypotheses
is
rejected,
while
H0
hypotheses
is
true:
Use
of
music,
selected
for
the
commercial
according
to
the
key
attributes
of
brand,
promoted
in
this
commercial,
facilitates
brand
identification,
its
memorability
and
generation
of
the
correct
associations
among
the
viewers.
However,
the
constraints
of
the
research,
conditioned
mainly
by
the
non-­‐random
sample
type,
doesn’t
allow
to
consider
this
with
full
confidence.
National
belonging
29
35
Walking
distance
locations
35
42
Low
prices
67
81

9. 9
2.2
Constraints
of
the
research
Interpreting
the
results
of
the
study,
it
is
necessary
to
take
into
account
multiple
constraints
and
assumptions
underlying
the
design
of
the
study.
First
of
all,
it
is
very
difficult
to
evaluate
the
impact
of
music
on
the
viewers’
perception
of
brands
singly,
since
the
audience
perception
of
a
brand
is
a
result
of
all
the
synergic
factors,
created
by
the
commercial.
Secondly,
even
though
the
respondents
were
asked
to
base
their
answers
solely
on
the
commercials,
selected
for
the
study,
their
responses
are
also
influenced
to
some
extent
by
the
previous,
already
existed
image
of
the
brands,
which
was
formed
by
all
the
marketing
communications
of
these
brands
that
they
have
ever
received.
Another,
and
by
far
the
most
significant
constraint
is
the
fact
that
most
of
the
participants
in
the
study
sample
(approximately
80%
of
the
total
number)
are
students
of
one
department.
It
means
that
they
may
have
a
sort
of
similarities
in
some
aspects.
The
main
consequence
of
this
constraint
is
the
fact
that
the
results
of
the
study
can
not
be
extrapolated
to
the
universal
set,
as
they
are
not
representative.
3.
Discussion
and
Conclusion
We examined the proposition that music may have significant
impact on brand perception. Investigation of six commercials, selected
according to the choice of music used in it demonstrated that this proposition
receives fairly consistent empirical support. The interaction between music
semiotics and brand identity enhance the communicative efficiency of the
commercial, providing the viewer with a clear idea of the brand. The level of
brand recognition is higher in those cases, when the commercials are
supported by music, selected according to the key brand attributes.
Although
the
results
of
the
study
were
statistically
significant,
they
are
not
representative
and
couldn’t
be
extrapolated
to
the
universal
set,
because
of
limitations
of
the
research.
The
main
constraint
that
should be addressed in further research is the following – the sample was

10. 10
mainly limited to one population group— university students. Though this
group was an appropriate target audience for the survey, their belonging to
the same generation and to the community of one department may affect the
way they respond to all the elements of broadcast commercials.
But,
nevertheless,
the
value
of
this
study
is
undeniable:
such
kind
of
a
cheap
and
relatively
simple
research
can
be
a
useful
practice
for
the
brand
owners
and
advertisers.
The
developed
procedure
and
methodology
of
study
can
become
an
easy
way
to
check
the
efficiency
of
commercial,
in
respect
to
brand
recognition,
securing
against
money
waste
for
the
use
of
unfit
music.
This
study
may
help
as
well,
to
explain
some
of
the
conflicting
findings
reported
in
previous
research
on
the
relationship
between
background
music
and
marketing
effectiveness
of
the
advertisement
(Bruner
&
Gordon,
1990).
Moreover, the main outcomes of the research pose some forward-
looking questions, which appear to be perspective for further research. First
of all, it applies to the issue of market segments and categories of goods or
services, for advertising of which music becomes an important mean of
communication. It could be assumed, that since music enhances the
communicative efficiency of the ad, it is more relevant for the ads which has
first of all an emotional, not cognitive appeal and are aimed at emotional
perception, not the rational one. If so, music appears to be more valuable and
significant element of communication for luxury brands, which satisfy
emotional needs or need less rational motives to be bought (for example, a
high-end fashion brand), than for the goods, positioned as economical,
money-saving offers (for example, economical packs of corn-flakes,) or
imply a multicriteria process of buying decision (for example, garden
machinery). This assumption offers an important area for continued research.

11. 11
References
Aaker,
D.
(1996),
Building
Strong
Brands,
the
University
of
Michigan:
Free
Press
Bruner,
Gordon
C.,
III
(1990),
Music,
Mood,
and
Marketing,
Journal
of
Marketing,
vol.
54,
issue
4
,
pp.
94-­‐104.
Cocks,
J.
(1987),
Wanna
Buy
a
Revolution?,
Time
(May
18),
p.
78.
Gorn,
G.
J.
(1982),
The
Effects
of
Music
in
Advertising
on
Choice
Behavior:
A
Classical
Conditioning
Approach,
Journal
of
Marketing,
vol.
46,
pp.
94-­‐101.
Stefani,
G.
(2005),
On
the
Semiotics
of
Music
in
Derek
B.
Scott
(ed.),
Music,
Culture,
and
Society.
Oxford:
Oxford
University
Press,
p.
50-­‐
55.
Кутлалиев
А.
&
Попов
А.
(2005),
Эффективность
рекламы
[Advertising
Efficiency].
Москва:
Эксмо.

12. 12
Appendix
№
1
Key
brand
Attributes
Brand
Key
brand
attributes
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Feminity
Romanticism
Discreet
luxury
Elegance
in
simplicity
Charm
and
independence
Grace
of
aroma
Nike Desire
to
win
Determination
to
strive
Overcoming
yourself
Commitment
and
perseverance
Striving
fort
success
and
superioriy
Enthusiasm
Miller Clubbing
Outstanding
events
Change
in
everyday
city
life
Fresh
emotions
Stylish
clubs
&
parties
Target
audience:
young
people
from
18
to
30
years
old,
income
–
average
and
higher
Sberbank Security
Lidership
Responsibility
&
stability
International
authority
Fast
service
Resistance
to
crisis
MegaFon High
quality
service
Available
prices
Reliability
Convinience
Wide
range
of
services
Unified
standarts
of
service
Pyaterochka Quality
Economy
Respect
for
Russian
traditions
National
belonging
Walking
distance
locations
Low
prices