By Sarah Knight
Music has a direct influence on our emotions. It arouses every feeling from sorrow to joy and relaxation to excitement. Not to mention, music can evoke a sense of nostalgia that reminds us of a certain moment, person or stage in our life.
At the 2003 GlobalShop store design and in-store marketing show, Muzak, the world's leading audio branding agency, wowed audiences with a new tradeshow concept that demonstrated the unique emotional power of its core products, music and voice, while pointing to the future of inter-sensory branding.
Avoiding the traditional trade show booth design, Muzak transformed its 30-foot by 40-foot display space into an experiential art exhibit. With the help of award-winning industrial designer Karim Rashid, Muzak used an enormous ovoid surrounded by hot pink plastic stools called plobs to show audiences the powerful impact its audio architecture products and music programs have on creating experiences and brand images. Inside this 16-foot, egg-shaped "Sensorium," multi-colored lights bathed the foam-padded walls and cushy seating, while a captivating soundtrack powered by Klipsch loudspeakers took participants on a musical and emotional journey into the Muzak brand.
"Audio architecture needs to transcend the simple act of hearing; it must be felt in an emotional and powerful way," said Alvin Collis, Muzak's senior vice president of brand.
As audiences sat down, the sound system kicked in with a moving sound compilation that combined the music of Jimi Hendrix, the Temptations, Otis Redding and Radiohead with legendary speeches given by Thomas Edison, Martin Luther King Jr., Lou Gherig and Neil Armstrong. In order to deliver the full impact of this experience, Muzak used four Klipsch RCW-5 in-wall speakers along with a KSW-10 powered subwoofer.
This installation also highlights and strengthens the new business agreement that makes Muzak an exclusive provider of Klipsch loudspeakers for the commercial music subscription industry.
"We wanted our presence at GlobalShop to be both stimulating and memorable and the Sensorium's cool appearance and dynamic sound presentation made quite a statement," said Jaime Bettencourt, national sales brand manager for Muzak. "Muzak and Klipsch both share a passion for delivering high-quality, emotional sound experiences so it was only obvious that we use Klipsch for the Sensorium."
"Klipsch and Muzak are a winning combination and I believe together we will raise the bar for the quality of audio architecture sound," said Lance Jones senior vice president of corporate development for Klipsch.
According to Bettencourt, the Sensorium created a real buzz that lasted all three-days of the event. She said there was a consistent line of curious onlookers waiting to discover what was inside.
GlobalShop is the only annual event in the United States that brings together more than 800 of the world's top store fixturing, visual merchandising, retail construction, in-store technology and point-of-purchase suppliers under one roof. Founded in 1993, this exposition and conference has offered new ideas and cost-effective solutions that meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive marketplace.
Muzak exhibited under the visual merchandising category and was voted the best booth in that area by Visual Merchandising and Store Display magazine. According to Bettencourt, the magazine called the Muzak booth "bold in a sea of sameness" and "a sense of intrigue and great pink flooring and seating."
Muzak's success at GlobalShop is an affirmation that the emotional power of music and the personal power of voice not only enhance brands, but also create lasting experiences that help craft memorable brands.