Emotions at the POS
Scents, images, music: Moodmountain offers comprehensive multisensory solutions for the point of sale.
In front of the store, a video wall magnetically attracts consumers. Then the potential customer finds a touchscreen in the entrance area. The interactive information pillar entices shoppers to linger and gives them the feeling that they have landed in the right store. The modern touch screen replaces in a very trendy way the boring signposts that used to guide customers to the different departments. Today, customers are welcomed into these departments amidst attractive decorations and music appropriate to the target group. The basic lighting is subdued, as in the lounge at the aperitif. At the POS, however, a product video shines in all its glory. - The store as a multimedia experience.
When shopping, people react consciously and unconsciously at the same time. The price is decisive, says the sensible side in the left brain. The right side of the brain listens to the music and checks whether the ambience is right. If the customer is relaxed, he is more likely to engage in a conversation with the salesperson. These are sensory marketing tools that address the sensory levels.
The trend that has become the norm in all stores today emerged in the 1970s with elevator music. Department stores were stocked with tapes and cassettes. These were regularly re-recorded in a copying line. A company in Spreitenbach made a name for itself early on as a pioneer in this niche market.
Fifty years of experience
Moodmountain was founded in 1958 still under the label Europhone. This term derived from the phonograph. The company started with simple music solutions for sales areas and business premises. In 1991 the company was taken over by Richard Koch. The new owner gradually expanded and brought Europhone into the world of new technologies. Tapes became CD players and finally, in the digital age, network solutions with hard disk systems. In line with the expanded offer, the name also changed to Moodmountain at the beginning of 2009.
Mood is a word that covers all moods. Mountain expresses the solidity of the company and Swissness. "The term reflects much better our world of emotions," says Markus Coradi. In addition to owner Richard Koch, who now serves as chairman of the board of directors, Coradi has also been named the company's new CEO with the new look. He joined as head of marketing and sales. Prior to Moodmountain, Coradi worked for Sunrise, Phonehouse and before that eleven years in the music industry - for example as business manager at City Disc and also in the record industry most recently as sales manager at Warner Music. Coradi supplemented this music background with a part-time degree in business administration. In addition, he graduated from SAWI as a federally certified marketing manager.
International network
The new name Moodmountain naturally also shows a reference to the internationally active Mood Media Group. The Swiss have been working with this globally active partner company for 15 years. Mood Media is active in 35 countries and manages 110,000 locations with music and over 5,000 stores with video solutions on several continents. The entire group generates 150 million Swiss francs in sales per year and employs 500 people worldwide. "We are active in a niche market, but we are the clear market leader there," explains Coradi.
Through its partner Mood Media, Moodmountain can also handle international projects from Switzerland, whether for the Marché gastronomy chain or Mövenpick Hotels, as recently in Finland, Hungary or Austria. Such orders are coordinated from Switzerland and installed with local partners on site. Moodmountain also distributes the specially developed hardware from Mood Media.
Moodmountain has entered into another partnership with Gadget. This company in the event sector and artist management realizes audio spots and soundscapes for Moodmountain. Ambius is a partner in the field of fragrance systems. This international supplier belongs to the Rentokil Group and "scents" about 500 objects throughout Europe - from parking garages and casinos to shopping centers and retail areas. Here, for example, changing rooms are supplied with fresh scent to eliminate unpleasant odors. In restrooms, grapefruit or floral scents are popular. Fragrances with more technical associations can be found in the transition from a parking garage to a mall in a shopping center. However, all of these scents are used "extremely discreetly." A few drops of the aroma are compressed to the nano level and then float into the chosen space with the air circulation. In most cases, the entire space is not managed either, but only the entrance area. "We are careful not to oversaturate," Coradi explains. In this sense, a scent should not even be consciously perceived. "It just has to smell good."
Moodmountain also has an important partnership with Dimension 3, a group of small entrepreneurs such as architects, designers and interior decorators, whose main concern is aesthetics. One brings greenery, the other the decor and Moodmountain the music, the images or the fragrance. This creates a complex sensory environment. Many customers have remained loyal to Moodmountain for more than ten years, "because they are satisfied with the service," as Coradi is pleased to say. Among the most important references are Denner, Migros, H&M, C&A, Volg, Globus, Marché, Mövenpick, Valora, McDonald's, Tchibo as well as UBS and many more.
Full service from a single source
Moodmountain employs twelve people. In addition to the service technicians, who are on the road throughout Switzerland, a marketing department, content management and project managers work in Spreitenbach. These draw schematics and ceiling plans: Where do the speakers go? What systems are there? Amplifiers? How are the evacuation systems integrated? How does the whole thing need to be wired and switched? Once this planning is complete, the equipment is assembled in a large workshop in Spreitenbach, delivered and finally installed on site. This full service naturally also includes comprehensive after-sales support. This is guaranteed by fast response times, service technicians and customer-oriented key account management.
When a company launches a campaign, the commercials can be synchronized at the POS. "We do this very intensively for Migros," explains Coradi. In the stores of the Zurich cooperative, advertisements for the campaigns or activities of the Migros Culture Percentage are thus placed on a weekly basis. "This demand in POS advertising will develop even more," Coradi is convinced. In the future, Moodmountain would also like to work increasingly with advertising and branding agencies for such holistic POS concepts.
Advertising campaigns are already possible today, for example at retailers, where suppliers have a specially produced spot placed. In such operations, synchronization between the constantly running music and the sound of the advertising is very important, especially if video content is also integrated. It pays off if everything comes from the same provider and is controlled centrally by a computer.
Moodmountain's technologies are always state-of-the-art. "We therefore have a high quality standard for the products and complementarily distinguish ourselves through the comprehensive full service, i.e. from consulting, planning, realization up to after sales. This advantage is highly appreciated by our customers," explains Coradi.
Customized programs
Most of Moodmountain's projects, or around 70 percent, are handled in the retail environment. Then comes the catering industry with 10 percent. Shopping centers/office buildings and public facilities, for example for the SBB, achieve a similar share.
Since 2001, an internationally valid standard regulates the requirements for emergency warning systems, evacuation systems can also be found in Moodmountain's portfolio. Often such public address systems for emergencies can be coupled with the systems for entertainment. Another diversification is Kids Entertainment. Here, children's cinemas and play corners are set up, where kids can entertain themselves with sophisticated game and quiz programs on touch terminals, for example, while their parents relax and shop.
Moodmountain works with original music and buys the licenses for it. The customer has to settle fees with Sui¬sa depending on the size of his sales area. The content, which is mixed by experienced music experts in Spreitenbach, is usually completely different in the morning than at lunchtime and in the evening - but always within the overall sound design concept, which is defined together with the customer. Different music concepts can also be defined for each sales floor with the help of the computer control system. Dance or rock in the young fashion department, lounge music in the perfumery and "mainstream" at the entrance. If a company such as the Globus department store is organizing a South Africa week, Moodmountain feeds in the South African music. Depending on the dominance of the POS promotion, the number of songs per hour varies - so employees don't feel disturbed. "These factors also have to be taken into account," Coradi knows.
Moodmountain can deliver the music for chain stores such as Migros or Denner centrally from Spreitenbach via a satellite system. Streaming solutions via the Internet are also possible. There are 80 different music programs on offer. For this, the CDs are entered into a database (over 6 million songs) and linked according to 700 different criteria - style, with voice, without voice, female, male, trumpet, drums or even number of beats per minute.
To determine the program, Moodmountain's specialists sit down with their client's marketing and sales departments and then determine the multisensory concept for music, video or scent according to the communication and sales strategy. "Such professional systems are a good differentiation tool compared to competitors in the market," Coradi is convinced. In addition: the time spent in the store becomes longer, the customer feels comfortable. "He is entertained and learns something with the info on the screens." If the customer stays longer, he naturally buys more. Moodmountain's overall multisensory solutions therefore boost sales. In addition, the brand is also strengthened, because with the visual components, the customer also consciously perceives the branding elements; music and scent have a more subconscious effect. Moodmountain is therefore convinced: "If the customer likes it in the store, this conveys a good image of the company to him from a perception point of view, and he will therefore come back again."
Andreas Panzeri
When shopping, people react consciously and unconsciously at the same time. The price is decisive, says the sensible side in the left brain. The right side of the brain listens to the music and checks whether the ambience is right. If the customer is relaxed, he is more likely to engage in a conversation with the salesperson. These are sensory marketing tools that address the sensory levels.
The trend that has become the norm in all stores today emerged in the 1970s with elevator music. Department stores were stocked with tapes and cassettes. These were regularly re-recorded in a copying line. A company in Spreitenbach made a name for itself early on as a pioneer in this niche market.
Fifty years of experience
Moodmountain was founded in 1958 still under the label Europhone. This term derived from the phonograph. The company started with simple music solutions for sales areas and business premises. In 1991 the company was taken over by Richard Koch. The new owner gradually expanded and brought Europhone into the world of new technologies. Tapes became CD players and finally, in the digital age, network solutions with hard disk systems. In line with the expanded offer, the name also changed to Moodmountain at the beginning of 2009.
Mood is a word that covers all moods. Mountain expresses the solidity of the company and Swissness. "The term reflects much better our world of emotions," says Markus Coradi. In addition to owner Richard Koch, who now serves as chairman of the board of directors, Coradi has also been named the company's new CEO with the new look. He joined as head of marketing and sales. Prior to Moodmountain, Coradi worked for Sunrise, Phonehouse and before that eleven years in the music industry - for example as business manager at City Disc and also in the record industry most recently as sales manager at Warner Music. Coradi supplemented this music background with a part-time degree in business administration. In addition, he graduated from SAWI as a federally certified marketing manager.
International network
The new name Moodmountain naturally also shows a reference to the internationally active Mood Media Group. The Swiss have been working with this globally active partner company for 15 years. Mood Media is active in 35 countries and manages 110,000 locations with music and over 5,000 stores with video solutions on several continents. The entire group generates 150 million Swiss francs in sales per year and employs 500 people worldwide. "We are active in a niche market, but we are the clear market leader there," explains Coradi.
Through its partner Mood Media, Moodmountain can also handle international projects from Switzerland, whether for the Marché gastronomy chain or Mövenpick Hotels, as recently in Finland, Hungary or Austria. Such orders are coordinated from Switzerland and installed with local partners on site. Moodmountain also distributes the specially developed hardware from Mood Media.
Moodmountain has entered into another partnership with Gadget. This company in the event sector and artist management realizes audio spots and soundscapes for Moodmountain. Ambius is a partner in the field of fragrance systems. This international supplier belongs to the Rentokil Group and "scents" about 500 objects throughout Europe - from parking garages and casinos to shopping centers and retail areas. Here, for example, changing rooms are supplied with fresh scent to eliminate unpleasant odors. In restrooms, grapefruit or floral scents are popular. Fragrances with more technical associations can be found in the transition from a parking garage to a mall in a shopping center. However, all of these scents are used "extremely discreetly." A few drops of the aroma are compressed to the nano level and then float into the chosen space with the air circulation. In most cases, the entire space is not managed either, but only the entrance area. "We are careful not to oversaturate," Coradi explains. In this sense, a scent should not even be consciously perceived. "It just has to smell good."
Moodmountain also has an important partnership with Dimension 3, a group of small entrepreneurs such as architects, designers and interior decorators, whose main concern is aesthetics. One brings greenery, the other the decor and Moodmountain the music, the images or the fragrance. This creates a complex sensory environment. Many customers have remained loyal to Moodmountain for more than ten years, "because they are satisfied with the service," as Coradi is pleased to say. Among the most important references are Denner, Migros, H&M, C&A, Volg, Globus, Marché, Mövenpick, Valora, McDonald's, Tchibo as well as UBS and many more.
Full service from a single source
Moodmountain employs twelve people. In addition to the service technicians, who are on the road throughout Switzerland, a marketing department, content management and project managers work in Spreitenbach. These draw schematics and ceiling plans: Where do the speakers go? What systems are there? Amplifiers? How are the evacuation systems integrated? How does the whole thing need to be wired and switched? Once this planning is complete, the equipment is assembled in a large workshop in Spreitenbach, delivered and finally installed on site. This full service naturally also includes comprehensive after-sales support. This is guaranteed by fast response times, service technicians and customer-oriented key account management.
When a company launches a campaign, the commercials can be synchronized at the POS. "We do this very intensively for Migros," explains Coradi. In the stores of the Zurich cooperative, advertisements for the campaigns or activities of the Migros Culture Percentage are thus placed on a weekly basis. "This demand in POS advertising will develop even more," Coradi is convinced. In the future, Moodmountain would also like to work increasingly with advertising and branding agencies for such holistic POS concepts.
Advertising campaigns are already possible today, for example at retailers, where suppliers have a specially produced spot placed. In such operations, synchronization between the constantly running music and the sound of the advertising is very important, especially if video content is also integrated. It pays off if everything comes from the same provider and is controlled centrally by a computer.
Moodmountain's technologies are always state-of-the-art. "We therefore have a high quality standard for the products and complementarily distinguish ourselves through the comprehensive full service, i.e. from consulting, planning, realization up to after sales. This advantage is highly appreciated by our customers," explains Coradi.
Customized programs
Most of Moodmountain's projects, or around 70 percent, are handled in the retail environment. Then comes the catering industry with 10 percent. Shopping centers/office buildings and public facilities, for example for the SBB, achieve a similar share.
Since 2001, an internationally valid standard regulates the requirements for emergency warning systems, evacuation systems can also be found in Moodmountain's portfolio. Often such public address systems for emergencies can be coupled with the systems for entertainment. Another diversification is Kids Entertainment. Here, children's cinemas and play corners are set up, where kids can entertain themselves with sophisticated game and quiz programs on touch terminals, for example, while their parents relax and shop.
Moodmountain works with original music and buys the licenses for it. The customer has to settle fees with Sui¬sa depending on the size of his sales area. The content, which is mixed by experienced music experts in Spreitenbach, is usually completely different in the morning than at lunchtime and in the evening - but always within the overall sound design concept, which is defined together with the customer. Different music concepts can also be defined for each sales floor with the help of the computer control system. Dance or rock in the young fashion department, lounge music in the perfumery and "mainstream" at the entrance. If a company such as the Globus department store is organizing a South Africa week, Moodmountain feeds in the South African music. Depending on the dominance of the POS promotion, the number of songs per hour varies - so employees don't feel disturbed. "These factors also have to be taken into account," Coradi knows.
Moodmountain can deliver the music for chain stores such as Migros or Denner centrally from Spreitenbach via a satellite system. Streaming solutions via the Internet are also possible. There are 80 different music programs on offer. For this, the CDs are entered into a database (over 6 million songs) and linked according to 700 different criteria - style, with voice, without voice, female, male, trumpet, drums or even number of beats per minute.
To determine the program, Moodmountain's specialists sit down with their client's marketing and sales departments and then determine the multisensory concept for music, video or scent according to the communication and sales strategy. "Such professional systems are a good differentiation tool compared to competitors in the market," Coradi is convinced. In addition: the time spent in the store becomes longer, the customer feels comfortable. "He is entertained and learns something with the info on the screens." If the customer stays longer, he naturally buys more. Moodmountain's overall multisensory solutions therefore boost sales. In addition, the brand is also strengthened, because with the visual components, the customer also consciously perceives the branding elements; music and scent have a more subconscious effect. Moodmountain is therefore convinced: "If the customer likes it in the store, this conveys a good image of the company to him from a perception point of view, and he will therefore come back again."
Andreas Panzeri
Markus Coradi is new CEO
at Moodmountain in Spreitenbach.
at Moodmountain in Spreitenbach.
