Raffles Dubai is the latest five star luxury hotel brand to enhance and extend their brand experience through the use of "music styling", thanks to sensory brand consultant Equal Strategy.
Occupying a pre-eminent position in Wafi City, Dubai's ultra exclusive lifestyle complex, the 248-room Raffles Dubai is part of the Raffles International group, present in 19 locations worldwide including Paris, Macau and Beverly Hills. The property epitomises the Raffles brand, recognised worldwide as "a promise to provide the very best".
Raffles Dubai's design and decor pays homage to its middle eastern location and heritage, offering guests an oasis of Arabian hospitality in the midst of a bustling desert metropolis.
Raffles Dubai sought a comprehensive music styling solution from Singapore-based sensory brand consultant Equal Strategy, one which would project their brand through music which reflected the qualities and values of the hotel chain.
Simon A. Faure-Field, CEO of Equal Strategy, has devised a music programming, management and updating plan which draws upon the company's extensive repertoire of over 5 million musical works. Four key guest environments were analysed and consulted on: the hotel lobby, Fire and Ice American Grill, Azur and Crossroads Cocktail Bar.
Using techniques of behavioural science as applied to music and auditory input, Faure-Field devised a series of musical programs for each of these environments based on the activities within each area combined with the likely state of guest "arousal" (relaxed or vigorous activity).
A music environment was then devised, varying in style and genre at different times of the day, with unique playlists compiled for each outlet. These playlists drew heavily upon the theme of each area and overall served to reflect the hotel's flagship presence in the middle east.
Faure-Field cites the sounds we hear in public spaces as powerful influencers on mood, behaviour and guest loyalty patterns. "The music that fills the ears of a hotel guest puts them into a certain state of mind therefore it's critical for this to gel with other aspects of the hotel experience such as design, decor, service and even the scent that you smell in the air. The brand hangs together as a result of all these cues and stimuli, not just any single one, like design and decor for instance."
According to Faure-Field, a pleasant experience of a harmonious brand induces positive reinforcement amongst guests leading to customer loyalty and repeat business. "There is no mystery about it: disharmonious brands generate customer aversion whilst consistently harmonious brands lead to loyalty. The brand is communicated through the totality of the guest experience and that means paying close attention to something as seemingly innocuous as the background music or the fragrance in the air".
Since 1999, Mr Faure-Field has been the only consultant in Asia Pacific specializing in combining music with fragrance to synergise a consistent brand experience for customers. His work is grounded in behavioural science research and draws extensively upon research into the effects of background music and atmosphere on retail environments.
Faure-Field's company has worked extensively with major hotel chains like Raffles International, Westin, Starwood Group, Marriott Hotels & resorts and Pan Pacific on spatial branding solutions. Equal Strategy is the only consultancy in the Asia region advising forward-thinking hoteliers on the deployment of these sensory brand techniques.
