If you have underestimated the power of Music influencing the purchasing behaviors of customers- well, you are overlooking a serious ingredient in Marketing. Appropriate tempo, right volume and correct genre have changed games for a number of retail outlets since 50s. For instance, fast tracks are flops in departmental stores. Why? They make people move at higher pace. Slow music tracks don't do well in smaller cafeterias or snack joints. People tend to get too comfortable. To understand the Psychology of Music is serious business and at Goa Institute of Management, Dr. Divya Singhal takes a super interesting elective with the name of Lyrics Management.
What exactly this elective is all about?
Developed by Dr. Divya, Goa Institute of Management adopted Lyrics and Management as an elective in the year 2008. With cutting-edge innovation being adopted by Sales and Marketing teams all across the world and across varied segments, Lyrics Management allows students to think on a wider plane. The course deploys the trope of jingles, rhymes, soft music, loud music, genre, tempo, and various other components to draw parallel with trends and buying patterns of consumers. To explain the elective further, Dr. Divya says "A manager needs a deep appreciation of society and it's evolving cultural values- what better than to connect with music. It is necessary to focus on the intricate details that actually impact a brand in significant ways and music, definitely, is one such thing which anyone can relate to. Airtel for instance! Can you deny A.R. Rahman's contribution to the brand?"
She further explains- "we need to understand one thing that music branding has increasingly become an important focus these days. It is proven fact that one does not have to listen to hear, whereas one does need to be looking in order to see, hence brands are making their sonic identity Brands are creating SoGo (Sonic Logo) or MoGo (Music Logo). SoGo or MoGo are thin slices of non-verbal brand information and are short and distinctive melody mnemonics. And, the course orients students on this line."
More importantly, this elective covers the discussions on music and its role in social movements, team building and belongingness in the organizational context, and also in creating soft power in international relations.
How are students graded when they opt for this elective?
The course involves the learner into intense class activities, making interpretations and presenting write-ups to be able to get the credit. The grading components are assignments, class activities, academic presentation and end term.
For instance, one evaluation component of this particular course is Critique Assignment in which Dr. Divya asks students to investigate any one of the related research papers. There are many academic papers available on issues ranging from retail and music, music and advertising, the role of music, music and learning, music and emotions, music and social change, sonic branding, etc. Submissions are being evaluated on the basis of application and integration of course concepts, an organization of paper and originality of analysis. In addition, students earn higher grades for successfully integrating information from additional sources and/or related articles.
In another evaluation component which is an academic study report and presentation component titled as ‘Insights'; students work in groups and undertake a comprehensive study on relevant topics.
How are GIM students outshining through the course?
Every year there are students who choose interesting topics. Once a group presented on Nursery Rhymes and their immense specificity. In the last batch one group did their study on music and its impact on human behaviour and health, another did on music and sports. Dr. Divya adds to the list further with a broad smile on her face- "one of my PGDM PT student who was part of my elective course did her dissertation on- "Study on Outlook Of Marketers, Advertisers And Managers Towards Music: Seizing New Trends And Opportunities."
Needless to say, Lyrics Management of Goa Institute of Management is gradually going a long way!