While most bank marketing strategies focus on ads, messaging, and visuals, there’s one element of the customer experience that’s often overlooked: branded background music.

The right background music doesn’t just fill silence. If chosen well, a thoughtful bank soundtrack can build an emotional bridge between financial institutions and your customers. Build and brand it right, and background music can create trust and satisfaction, and ultimately, brand loyalty.

Pandora CloudCover specializes in curating stations specifically for banks and financial institutions. Our musicologists spend hours matching music to your space.

The Connection Between Sound and Brand Identity

Brands are made up of more than a logo, color scheme, and sleek interior design. Just as a well-designed bank branch and consistent visual identity shape how customers perceive it, sound can also reinforce a bank’s brand. 

Music has the power to evoke emotions, enhance recall, and establish familiarity.

The Power of Music: What’s in a Jingle

Some of the world’s most recognizable brands have long embraced the power of sound. Most of us can reproduce popular brands’ jingles from years ago, thanks to their sing-songy effects on memory and emotion.

Think: McDonald's iconic "ba-da-ba-ba-ba" jingle. Intel’s signature five-note chime. Ricola’s single-word yodel. The best jingles serve as memorable identifiers and immediately connect customers to their respective brands. 

But these elements don’t just complement marketing campaigns.They create a subconscious association that enhances brand recognition and trust. If fast food, technology, and healthcare businesses can leverage sound to build their brands, why can’t banks?

The Impact of a Bank Branding Strategy

The impact of sensory, specifically sound-based, branding is backed by data. 

A study by MRC Data found that 73% of shoppers noticed background music playing at grocery stores. Even when focused on a regular, otherwise somewhat mundane, activity in-store, customers were aware of the music overhead. 

Banking activities like opening an account, applying for a loan, or making investments are inherently high-stakes and can induce stress. So for financial institutions, brand and marketing strategies typically aim to build trust and reliability with customers. If customers feel safe and taken care of in your space, they’re more likely to stay longer and spend more.

By integrating background music into your marketing strategy, you can strengthen your bank’s brand identity, enhance customer experiences, and create a lasting emotional connection that goes beyond financial transactions.

Background Music in Financial Spaces: Based in Emotion

But to get to the branding, we have to start with the brain. 

Background music has to fit your brand and physical space well enough to elicit the emotions you want it to in your customers. If done right, it can influence not only your clients’ emotional states, but also their decision making.

Music Genres That Reduce Stress

Specific music genres, such as instrumental, classical, or soft pop, can reduce stress and enhance focus. 

• Instrumental and classical: The absence of lyrics in instrumental and classical music minimizes cognitive load. Lyric-free background music requires less effort to digest mentally, allowing individuals to concentrate better on the task at hand. 
• Soft pop: With its mellow tones, soft pop creates a soothing ambiance that can alleviate anxiety. In banks where clients often face significant financial decisions, soft pop music is conducive to thoughtful deliberation.

Custom versus Generic Background Music

According to Veritonic’s Audio Logo Index, consumers recognize brands substantially more frequently when their logos include a sound component. In fact, 72% of consumers who recognize a brand by its audio logo are more likely to choose that brand over competitors.

The same concept can be applied to your bank’s background music. 

While generic music can add to your space’s atmosphere, it won’t leave a lasting impression on customers. Custom-curated music that reflects your bank's brand identity can create a unique, memorable experience, ultimately encouraging repeat business.

Designing Branded Soundtracks for Banks

How do you choose your soundtrack? 

There are a few factors to consider when customizing a playlist to suit your bank’s brand.

Customer Demographics

A bank’s target customer can vary greatly from branch to branch. Everything from geography to special services influences the demographics of clients you seek to serve. 

Your music should cater to the musical preferences your clients are most likely to share. 

Key customer demographics to consider:

• Age: Clients are likely to be put at ease by music they recognize. Typically, the Baby Boomer Generation will appreciate different songs from Millennials, for example.
• Income level: Clients with similar income levels likely share similar financial goals. Music can support these goals’ related transactions. For example, long-term savings planning may be best backed by calmer, lyric-free music. More advanced investing could be energized by an upbeat soundtrack.
• Geography: Your bank’s location also influences popular music among your region’s clients. While country music is popular in large cities within Texas, Florida, and Nevada, rock prevails in larger metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, New York City, and Minneapolis.

Choosing music that fits every demographic can be challenging. Platforms like Pandora CloudCover have pre-made stations built for banks across the U.S. and Canada. It also offers even further customization. Stream our music for banks free for 14 days. Terms and conditions apply.

Background Music Implementation Challenges: Common Mistakes

If you’re just getting started curating background music for your bank, you’re likely to encounter some challenges. 

Common Pitfalls

Here are some of the most common mistakes we see when it comes to streaming background music.

• Mismatching Music Genre with Your Space: Selecting the wrong type of music can create an atmosphere that conflicts with your bank’s physical brand. For example, high-energy pop or dance music may feel out of place in a financial setting, potentially increasing stress rather than alleviating it. Similarly, overly somber or slow-paced music might make the environment feel dull or uninviting.
• Streaming Unlicensed Music: Playing unlicensed music in a commercial space can result in substantial fines and legal repercussions. Many businesses mistakenly assume that personal streaming accounts (such as Spotify or Apple Music) can be used for public playback. However, these platforms don’t include public performance rights, making banks vulnerable to copyright violations and ultimately, large fines.
• Choosing Inconsistent Music across Branches: Does your bank have more than one location? Without a standardized approach, different branches may play varying styles of music, leading to an inconsistent brand experience. A customer visiting multiple locations may perceive a lack of cohesion, weakening the brand's identity.

Harmonize Brand Identity and Customer Experience with Pandora CloudCover

By integrating strategic sound branding, banks can create a welcoming atmosphere that reduces stress, enhances focus, and elevates customer satisfaction. The right music fosters a sense of professionalism and reliability — key attributes in an industry where trust is paramount.

However, successful implementation requires avoiding common pitfalls, such as mismatched genres, unlicensed music, and inconsistent sound strategies across branches. To mitigate these risks, banks should prioritize licensing compliance, custom music curation, and a multi-location playlist strategy to ensure consistency and legal security.

Pandora CloudCover can offer comprehensive bank background music. Get started today.

References

10 of the Most Memorable Jingles of All Time. (November 2022.) Zimmer Communications.

EXCLUSIVE: How In-Store Music Increases Grocery Store Sales. (December 2023). Progressive Grocer.

Veritonic 2022 US Audio Logo Index. (2022). Veritonic.