We’ve previously introduced you to the music selection music supervisors undertake when looking for the best-fitted sound for an ad. We’ve introduced some elements of research that are to be conducted on the targeted audience.
As with any advertising project, the more and better you understand your target audience, the more you’ll be able to create an effective campaign. It also includes the music selection; you won’t leverage the same soundtrack for ads directed at teenagers vs senior citizens.
The Significance of Understanding Audience Preferences
Understanding your targeted audience’s musical preferences is vital in this creative process because music supervisors won’t just choose a song a specific generation likes.
An ad serves more than just a commercial and transactional purpose; it is also for brand awareness. Nowadays, the emotional link between a customer and a brand is of utmost importance. So, by prioritising audience insight, you are equipped to craft the most effective soundtracks that capture attention and cultivate a positive and lasting relationship with a brand.
So, where do we start?
Audience Demographics To Take Into Consideration
Tailoring music selection to fit the target audience’s demographics involves strategically analysing their characteristics and preferences. This process includes considering the following factors:
Age:
Musical tastes often correlate with age groups, influencing the genres and artists that will most resonate with an audience. Selections should reflect the era and style that appeal to the specific age demographic targeted by the ad.
Various factors such as generational influences, life stages and emotional/nostalgic connections can shape one’s musical preferences.
Research shows that the music we like is often shaped by what was popular when we were young, a time called the “reminiscence bump.” It explains why songs from that time are usually extra special to us and stay with us for a long time.
For advertisers, this means that the selection of music for an ad campaign should consider the age demographic it intends to target:
- Younger Audiences might gravitate towards contemporary and emerging genres, such as pop, hip-hop, electronic, or indie music. This group is more open to new sounds and artists, reflecting their stage of exploring identity and expressing individuality. Music for campaigns targeting this demographic should be current, with a finger on the pulse of emerging trends and artists.
- Middle-aged Audiences often prefer music from their youth. Still, they might also appreciate contemporary music that resonates with their current lifestyle and values. Selections might include a mix of classic hits from the 80s, 90s, or early 2000s, along with modern tracks that appeal to nostalgia while still feeling relevant to their lives today.
- Older Audiences may have a strong affinity for music from their formative years, showing preferences for genres such as classic rock, jazz, soul, or classical music. However, it’s important not to stereotype; many in this demographic also enjoy contemporary music, provided it aligns with their established tastes.
Cultural Background:
Music is deeply rooted in cultural identity, and what appeals to one cultural group may not resonate with another. Understanding the cultural context of the target audience can guide the selection of music that reflects their values, traditions, and preferences.
Culture influences music preferences in several profound ways, making it a pivotal consideration for music supervisors and advertisers:
- Musical Genre and Style: Different cultures have unique musical traditions and genres that hold special significance for their communities. For instance, Latin American audiences may have a strong affinity for genres like reggaeton, salsa, or bachata, while African audiences might prefer Afrobeat or Highlife music. Selecting music that aligns with these cultural preferences can enhance the relevance and impact of an advertisement.
- Lyrical Content: The themes and stories told through music often reflect a cultural group’s values, struggles, and aspirations. Advertisers must be mindful of lyrical content, ensuring it resonates with or respectfully represents the target audience’s experiences and values. This consideration is critical in multicultural marketing campaigns, where the goal is to connect with audiences across diverse cultural backgrounds.
- Instruments and Composition: The choice of instruments and music composition can also be influenced by cultural preferences. Traditional instruments and musical structures unique to a culture can evoke a strong sense of identity and belonging. Incorporating these elements into advertising music can create a more authentic and engaging experience for the audience.
- Cultural Sensitivity and Respect: In today’s globalised world, where ads can reach a broad and diverse audience, advertisers must approach music selection with cultural sensitivity and respect. This means avoiding cultural appropriation and stereotypes and ensuring that the music chosen for ads represents and respects the culture it seeks to engage.
However, age is not all that human beings are defined by. It’s one of the many criteria to consider when creating a sound that can resonate personally and emotionally with an audience. Here come the psychographics to also take into consideration:
Psychographics Over Demographics
As we said, age is an indicator but also a number. So age and cultural background, while important, only scratch the surface. Let’s dive a little deeper into your audience’s attitudes, interests, personality traits, values, and lifestyles. We will shift from simply identifying “who” your audience is to uncovering “why” they behave in certain ways, prefer specific products, or hold particular beliefs.
Imagine you’re crafting a campaign aimed at the environmentally conscious, a demographic that spans across various age groups and cultural backgrounds. Here, the psychographic profile becomes your beacon because you can’t find the right track based on age and cultural identities here.
Matching the soundtrack with what people truly care about isn’t just about filling the silence. It’s about striking a personal chord, creating a musical expression of their beliefs and dreams.
To effectively identify and leverage psychographics in music selection for advertising, consider these five essential tips:
- Conduct In-depth Audience Research:
First, gather real insights about your audience by doing things like surveys, hosting focus groups, and checking out what’s buzzing on social media. Learn about their personalities, what they value, what they’re into, and how they live their lives. Tools like psychographic segmentation can give you even deeper insights into why people do what they do and what they like, laying down the groundwork for picking music that really hits home for them.
- Analyse Social and Cultural Trends:
Pay attention to what’s trending socially and culturally among your audience. Keep an eye on online platforms, forums, and social media where your target demographic talks about their likes and dislikes. Understanding these trends can help you choose music that fits the current vibe and values important to your audience.
- Leverage Data Analytics with AI Tools:
AI can be your friend here to help you dive into big batches of data and spot trends in music tastes among various personality types. These tools can predict which genres, artists, or songs will likely resonate with your audience’s specific interests, values, or ways of life.
- Engage with Your Audience:
Here’s a crazy idea – connect straight with your audience using social media polls, interactive content, and ways for them to give feedback. This can give you honest, direct insights into what music they like. Plus, it helps build a bond with your audience, showing them you care about their thoughts.
- Test and Iterate:
Finally, try out different music with a small group of your audience. A/B testing campaigns with different soundtracks let you see how people react emotionally and what they do. This helps you make changes based on their feedback and pick music that really speaks to your audience’s personality.
The Role of Emotions in Music Selection
Music has an unmatched ability to stir emotions, making it a critical aspect of advertising. Various genres and tempos can evoke feelings from happiness and excitement to nostalgia and relaxation. When choosing music for an ad, it’s essential to be strategic, aiming for specific emotional responses that align with the campaign’s objectives. For example, a high-energy pop song might be the best choice for a campaign meant to energise and inspire, while a gentle, melodic tune could be more suitable for a campaign that seeks to soothe and reassure. It’s time to understand how emotions influence consumer behaviour and shape brand perception is key.
- Understand Your Audience’s Emotional Drivers:
Search into your target audience’s emotions to understand what drives them. Use data from market research and social listening to choose music that connects with them on a personal level, making sure your campaign hits the right emotional note.
- Align Music with Campaign Objectives:
Pick music that reflects the emotions you want to evoke in your campaign. If you wish to inspire, reassure, or excite your audience, the music should match the emotional tone you’re aiming for.
- Test and Gather Feedback:
If it’s possible to do it with focus groups, go ahead! You can also A/B test to evaluate how different music choices affect your audience’s emotional response. This feedback is invaluable for fine-tuning your selection to maximise the impact of your campaign.
- Leverage Music Trends:
It’s important to stay true to your brand while incorporating trendy music, as it can make your campaign more relevant and appealing, especially to younger audiences. However, it’s crucial to make sure that these trends match your campaign’s emotional goals and your audience’s preferences.
Case Studies and Real-world Examples
To hopefully leave you slightly more inspired now, let’s take a look at some examples of real-world ad campaigns:
- Always: “#LikeAGirl”
Always’s “#LikeAGirl” campaign flipped a typical insult into a message of strength, pushing back against stereotypes about girls and women. The music played a significant role, starting off gently to match the thoughtful start, then building to a strong, empowering tune as the video celebrated girls’ abilities. This intelligent use of music made the campaign hit even harder emotionally, turning “#LikeAGirl” into a call for confidence and fairness and boosting Always’s reputation as a brand that supports women’s empowerment.
- Nike: “Find Your Greatness”
Nike’s “Find Your Greatness” campaign, rolled out during the 2012 Olympics, told a moving story about finding greatness in your way, no matter how athletic you are. The music was stirring and positive, touching many people by speaking to them on a personal level and encouraging them to do their best. This continued to boost Nike’s brand image, pushing people to achieve their goals and supporting personal success.
- Google: “Year In Search”
Google’s “Year In Search” series perfectly shows how music can amplify emotions and tell a powerful story. The music choices are thoughtful and touching, capturing the spirit of unity, strength, and optimism. These campaigns show us how impactful music can be in storytelling, bringing people together and reminding us of the strength of human connections. Which year is your favourite one?
To craft and/or find the perfect soundtrack for a campaign, don’t be scared of research into your target audience’s demographics, psychographics, and emotional triggers. By aligning music choices with audience preferences, you’re creating a campaign that should resonate on some personal level, enabling emotional connections with the brand and driving brand awareness and loyalty.
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