Love them or hate them, corporate jingles or soundscapes are a highly effective way to make a brand more memorable and create an emotional connection between a business and its customers. So, it’s perhaps no surprise that airlines are increasingly adopting bespoke soundscapes throughout their customers’ journeys to help reinforce their brand identity and link to the passenger.
“Passengers tend to notice corporate sounds during moments such as boarding, where bespoke boarding music – up to 30 minutes in duration – can be used to reinforce the airline’s own branding. Apart from safety announcements, boarding music is generally the only part of the inflight entertainment offering that every passenger onboard will hear,” says Brad Power, Creative Director at inflight entertainment specialists Stellar Entertainment.
He says soundscapes can signal brand presence and provide a genuine sense of continuity throughout the journey, but they can also improve the onboard passenger experience in other ways. Soothing and familiar music, for example, can directly help to reduce stress and reassure passengers.
Sonic identity
Power suggests that airlines without a sonic identity risk missing a key branding opportunity: “Sound is one of the most emotionally resonant senses, and a well-crafted audio strategy and identity can strengthen brand recall, reinforce values and improve the travel experience.”
He argues that it is particularly important now that passengers increasingly engage with airlines across digital and touchless interfaces, as visual branding alone may not always be enough. Sonic assets can be used inflight as well as in places such as airport lounges, on telephone holding applications and more widely in advertising campaigns, for example.
Emotional connections
“Stellar Entertainment has long been aware of the importance of sound in connecting and creating an emotional response in people,” says Power. He cites the example of an advertising campaign run with the headline, ‘Before planning your next audio budget, try watching Star Wars with the sound turned down’.
“In short, music and sound can be a very powerful tool and should be a part of any airline’s style guide,” he adds.
Music trends
The choice of music matters, according to Rick Smith, Audio Department Manager for Spafax, an international travel media network which provides content technology and media assets at scale for airlines. With legal support, it helps guide clients through the complex rights relating to music licensing to ensure that they are not exposed to financial risks.
“Some clients want to be hip and edgy, some want to convey class and luxury, and others want to create a relaxing, friendly mood. We work closely with the client to find the most appropriate artists and the sound that they feel defines their own unique brand.”
He notes that “chill or lounge” boarding music, “which is upbeat and relaxing all at the same time,” is the most popular among the airlines it currently works with.
Contemporary folk music, Americana and acoustic tunes are also popular because they sound the best on overhead speakers – which can have a tendency to distort onboard.
Multiple moods
“The trend we see becoming more popular is that of having multiple boarding programmes for different times of day or reflecting a specific theme. For example, one airline group we currently programme for has four to five programmes on its system in the following genres: pop, r&b, chill, acoustic and one themed relating to the time of the year – so spring, summer, winter or Christmas vibes. It will use more upbeat music for boarding during daytime hours and more relaxing music for nighttime departures,” he explains.
He also observes: “Original compositions are becoming rarer since they are more expensive to get produced and flight attendants seem to complain and want more variety.”
Local vibes
Meanwhile, some airlines seek music from the region where they are based or reflective of their home nation’s cultural heritage. “Accordingly, a piece for an Asian carrier would reflect the cultural sounds associated with that part of the world, using traditional instrumentation, vocal textures and familiar musical motifs and melodies,” explains Power.
He goes on to identify that an increasing number of airlines are producing promo reels highlighting their IFE line-up for each cycle. These also use the music soundscapes already associated with the airline’s brand.
Fast forward
“Many airlines have yet to fully explore how sound can enhance digital and touchpoint-driven experiences,” says Power. “There’s untapped potential in using sound dynamically – such as mood-based playlists, AI-driven audio personalisation or real-time audio cues in mobile apps. Soundscapes in lounges and virtual environments also offer opportunities to deepen brand immersion.”•
