Iron Hill Brewery

Problem

The music wasn't connecting with the space and the guests

Their music was a mash-up of all different feedback from staff and guests, resulting in random music that was based on individual preference, and not what was right for the brand or spaces. They wanted a sound that could influence guests to stay longer and grab one more beer.

They also have a specific night for their King of the Hill crowd, a membership offered to loyal customers who are looking for a slightly different atmosphere. Ultimately they needed a music strategy that resonated with both guests and employees to help influence more positive guest behaviour and keep the team motivated.

Solution

Create a music strategy that resonates with the guests and staff

Our music strategy team took Iron Hill Brewery through discovery workshops and site surveys to identify as much information as possible, before designing a music strategy that detailed the what where, and how to utilize music for the brand and spaces.

Their main goals were:

1. Increase spending on food with key times identified. We know that playing louder music will drive people to make ‘unhealthier’ food choices. So by keeping the volume at a certain level, we can increase spending on items such as desserts, burgers, and fries.

2. Increase bar spending throughout the day. Slower music, makes people stay longer at a table which will increase spending at key times. This needs to be balanced with the fact that faster music makes customers leave quicker. So during peak times, faster music will work better.

3. Fill the space to feel less empty at quieter times. Big party anthems and big songs will highlight the emptiness of the space. Acoustic sounds and music that haven’t been overproduced work best if the space is slowly filling up.

4. Increase bar spending during promotional times. Again employing the slower music during these times, for example, the one more turn, will make patrons stay longer within the space and more likely to grab another drink.

5. Keep the King Of The Hill crowd in the space longer. To really separate out this crowd we can use the data from each location to understand the specific demographics for the King of the Hill members who are attending and adjust the music accordingly.

Altaura also partnered with Soundtrack Your Brand to utilize their music streaming devices and easy-to-use remote app for deliverability and control of the system. To keep the teams happy, we built out all playlists so that you would only hear a song repeat 8 times per month and created collaborative playlists, where staff could add suggestions that the music team could review and add if they aligned with the strategy.

Result

Guests that constantly ask about the music, and relay how much they love it.

We have created an on-brand experience that resonates with their audience and staff where they are already seeing really positive results.

The Iron Hill team has seen an 80% increase in positive feedback about the music being played across all their locations. Staff are reported to feel happier and more motivated at key times of trading.

Their king of the hill crowd now stays longer on Thursday evenings and their sound is now a Spotify playlist available to their members. As our accounts team continue to work with Iron Hill Brewery, we expect to see even more positive results over the next few months, watch this space!

Iron Hill Brewery