SONG CONTEST BLOG

From hotel lounges to corporate advertising campaigns, music is an integral part of creating a unique identity.  Businesses commission their own music to strengthen their brand in a number of capacities, including audio logos and signatures, gongs, jingles, theme tunes, and orchestral underscores.

The Cologne Bonn airport in Germany signifies the beginning of music in airport branding.  Several frustrating hours of delay at this airport in the mid-1970’s prompted Brian Eno to produce a record of calming music intended for public environments called “Ambient 1: Music for Airports”.  Its success paved the way for a new musical niche of ambient and ‘chill-out’ music.  In 2003, Cologne-based group, “plus49”, partnered with a design firm to create music specifically for the Cologne-Bonn Airport, a collaborative effort inspired by Eno.  The band wrote on-hold music for the telephones, elevator tunes, an airport speaker gong, and a short musical snippet called “Happy Sky” which aired prior to every overhead announcement at the terminals. Their song, “Symbols & Gateways”, dedicated to the launch of the Germanwings Airbus is, today, the airport’s theme song and featured on an album of airport-themed music.

Airports are, quite literally, a city’s gateway.  Although most of the passengers passing through them are unaware, airports invest considerably in a unique musical identity which, in turn, becomes synonymous with the destination itself.  Leaving a strong musical impression has become tantamount to providing a powerful customer service or shopping experience which helps to promote the city’s culture and attitude.  Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), for instance, traces its theme tune back to a 1970’s chart topper called “L.A. International Airport”, written by Leanne Scott and performed by Susan Raye.  For its 75th anniversary, LAX commissioned a change in the chorus to make the song more upbeat and ‘welcoming’.  During 2003, Southwest Airlines gave each of its arriving LAX passengers a CD copy of the song.

Arguably, the most ambitious airport music program is attributed to Austin- Bergstrom International Airport in Texas.  The airport hired a music coordinator to oversee its four live music venues and ensure that its passengers enjoy only local music, an approach now shared by many airports around the world to promote their local cultural assets.

Due to the ubiquity of music in today’s society – music is simply everywhere we go – brand managers and music coordinators have to work much harder and invest more money to ensure that their client, be it Heathrow Airport or Coca Cola, is tapping into an audience that will buy [and fly] with greater confidence if appropriate and assuring music accompanies the experience, a matter of increasing emphasis during a down economy.