<-
Back to all posts

Digital Signage and Music: Creating a Multi-Sensory Brand Experience

Written by

Abbie Dawson

Published

March 28, 2025

Category

Display

Two senses are more powerful than one.

In an age where customers seek more than just products - they seek experiences - retail and hospitality brands must find innovative ways to engage their audiences.

Digital signage and music, when combined, create a powerful multi-sensory experience that enhances brand identity and drives emotional connections.

The science behind multi-sensory branding.

Consumers don’t just see a brand - they experience it through multiple senses. Research shows that combining visual and auditory stimuli can enhance memory recall, influence emotions, and shape purchasing decisions. When done right, digital signage paired with curated music transforms a store, restaurant, or venue into an immersive environment that leaves a lasting impression.

The benefits of integrating digital signage & music.

1. Enhances emotional connection.

Music is deeply tied to emotions. When paired with the right visuals on digital signage, it creates an immersive brand atmosphere that makes customers feel more connected to the space.

2. Strengthens brand identity.

A brand’s personality isn’t just about logos and colours - it’s also about how it makes people feel. The right combination of music and digital signage reinforces brand identity. 

3. Influences buying behaviour.

Studies show that background music can influence shopping behaviour. Upbeat music encourages quicker decision-making, while slower tempos encourage longer browsing times. When combined with digital signage showcasing promotions, featured products, or storytelling content, brands can subtly guide customer behaviour and boost sales.

4. Enhances customer experience.

Imagine walking into a retail store where digital screens display dynamic, on-brand visuals synchronised with an ambient playlist, or showcasing promotions that are relevant to you. The experience feels seamless and intentional, making the space more enjoyable. This approach is also beneficial in restaurants, hotels, and fitness centres, where the right music-video pairing can set the mood and enhance customer satisfaction.

5. Keeps content fresh & engaging.

With digital signage, brands can easily update visual content to match seasonal promotions, time of day, or specific events. When synced with adaptable music playlists, businesses can create an ever-evolving atmosphere that remains fresh, relevant, and engaging for returning customers.

Startle makes a simple message spring to life by allowing the timing of display to hit the target market!

- Gary Roberts, Amber Taverns

The fusion of digital signage and music is a game-changer for brands looking to create an unforgettable customer experience. By engaging multiple senses, businesses can strengthen emotional connections, enhance brand perception, and influence consumer behaviour in a way that static marketing methods cannot achieve.

Frequently asked questions.

What is sensory brand experience?

“Sensory brand experience” refers to the holistic and multi sensory experience that customers have with a brand. It encompasses all the touchpoints and interactions that customers have with a brand, including visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile elements. It is at the heart of brand experience.

What are the benefits of sensory branding?

Enhanced Customer Experience: Sensory branding can elevate the customer experience by engaging multiple senses, making it more memorable and enjoyable. Brand Recall: Sensory branding can improve brand recall by creating a lasting impression on customers, making it easier for them to remember the brand.

What is the impact of brand experience?

Brand experience affects satisfaction, trust and loyalty. From the customer viewpoint, brands are relationship builders. In this present research, we propose the effects of brand experiences to build long-lasting brand and customer relationship with brand trust, satisfaction, and loyalty.

What is the brand experience theory?

Brand experience is conceptualised as sensations, feelings, cognitions, and behavioural responses evoked by brand-related stimuli that are part of a brand's design and identity, packaging, communications, and environments.

Share this post

LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Email icon

Like what you hear?

Ready to amplify your brand? Get in touch to find out how we can use music and tech to help you achieve your goals.

Request information

Explore our audio branding services.

Elevate your brand with strategic music solutions, designed to build an impactful audio experience.

Discover more

Explore our visual branding services.

Elevate your brand with strategic visual solutions, from digital signage to branded TV, designed to build an impactful experience.

Discover more

Your support, your way.

Proactive account management, free player replacements, end-to-end support… our Relentless Support™ team are just that - relentless.

Discover more

Ready to amplify your retail brand?

Get in touch to find out how we can use music and tech to help you achieve your goals.

Discover more

Ready to amplify your hospitality brand?

Find out more about how we can use music and tech to help you achieve your goals.

Discover more

Abbie Dawson

After spending years executing marketing activity for everything from water bottles to mortgages, Abbie was ready to take a step closer to her goal of working with a brand with music in its DNA. Enter: Startle. With a bachelors degree in Marketing and a Marketing Week Mini MBA in Marketing, she is in charge of our marketing activity, making sure to spread the word of Startle to as many brands as possible. When Abbie’s not working, you'll find her vinyl shopping to add to her collection or in the gym picking up heavy things or making enemies with a punching bag.

Say hello on LinkedIn

Like what you hear?

Ready to amplify your brand? Get in touch to find out how we can use music and tech to help you achieve your goals.

Request information

Explore our audio branding services.

Elevate your brand with strategic music solutions, designed to build an impactful audio experience.

Discover more

Explore our visual branding services.

Elevate your brand with strategic visual solutions, from digital signage to branded TV, designed to build an impactful experience.

Discover more

Your support, your way.

Proactive account management, free player replacements, end-to-end support… our Relentless Support™ team are just that - relentless.

Discover more

Ready to amplify your retail brand?

Find out more about how we can use music and tech to help you achieve your goals.

Discover more

Ready to amplify your hospitality brand?

Find out more about how we can use music and tech to help you achieve your goals.

Discover more

More to explore.

Contact us.

Get in touch to speak to our team who are ready to help you amplify your brand. We’d love to hear from you.

  • Number of locations *

UK

Startle Music Ltd
6 Hillside Farm, Pepper Hill
Great Amwell, SG12 9FX, UK
+44 (0) 203 397 7676

Europe

Startle c/o I.D. Online Ltd
3015 Lake Drive
Dublin, D24 DKP4, Ireland
+353 1 697 2557

Americas

Startle International Inc
228 Park Ave S, PMB 88380
New York, NY 10003, USA
+1 646-585-0165