August 27, 2024 • 12 mins
What if Vegas used sound to invite rather than disorient? Would a sound strategy even make a difference?
You can find my original article here. To listen to some musical inspiration referenced within the episode, check out my Spotify playlist.
Thank you to Artlist for your wide variety of SFX and lovely background music. Thank you also to Vegas for being the noisy inspiration for this rabbit hole of a thought.
---
For more on sound in marketing, sign up for the Sound In Marketing Newsletter http://eepurl.com/gDxl6b.
For further inquiries, email Jeanna at mailto:jeanna@dreamrproductions.com
The Sound In Marketing Podcast is produced by Dreamr Productions and hosted, written, and edited by Jeanna Isham. It is available on all the major podcast channels here https://pod.link/1467112373.
Let’s make this world of sound more intriguing, more unique, and more on brand.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannaisham/
https://twitter.com/Jeanna_Isham
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:05):
Welcometo the Sound In Marketing Podcast.
The Sound In Marketing podcastexplores and defines sound on purpose,
in marketing and in advertising.
I'm your host, Jeanna Isham, owner
and founder of Dreamr Productionsand Sound in Marketing Learning.
I create, consult and educate individuals
and brandson the power of sound in marketing.
(00:28):
My goal is to inspire you with unique
and interesting waysto use sound effectively in your business.
If you would like to explore this further,my company, Dreamr Productions
would love to help.
Our contactinfo can be found in the show notes.
Now on to the show!
In this episode,I documented a recent trip to Vegas
(00:49):
and my thoughts onhow it could have sounded better.
Sound in casinos
could be more strategicthan just noisy and overwhelming.
Before I even begin,I want to make it clear
that I know I am not Vegastarget audience.
But what if I could be?
What if Vegas could change my mind
(01:11):
with a more strategic sound experience?
What if Vegas won me overby taking a note?
From Disney.
As a sound strategist,
I'm usually more attunedto the sounds around me than others.
My most recent trip was no different.
(01:33):
In March 2024,I was attending a conference in Vegas
and the noise was deafening.
From the moment I stepped off the plane,
the sound of Vegas hit melike a hurricane.
The pressure to gamble starts immediatelyas slot
machines are waiting for you,literally at the gate.
(01:55):
Although I'm not a gambler, an immediate exclamation of Vegas
made sense to me, as gamblingis one of its biggest draws.
The sound of slot machines is iconicto the area, and in that respect,
the cacophony of ‘cha-ching’made all the sense in the world.
This is good branding,but that was where the sound strategy
(02:15):
ended, at least until my very last day,which we'll circle back to later.
From the airport.
I was whisked away on a liftto Mandalay Bay.
I had to sign in for my conferencebefore dropping off my bags at Excalibur.
Staying at a different hotelthan the conference meant
I would be walking a lotduring the next four days.
Vegas tip (02:35):
wear good walking shoes.
Ladies, ditch the heels.
I entered Mandalay Bay and was loudlygreeted by the sound of about
a million different slot machines playinglargely different ‘cha-ching’ jingles.
It felt like all volumeknobs were turned to 11.
There was no getting away from thisnot so subtle plug to dump money
(02:59):
into a machine.
Over and over againwith the same disappointing results.
Again, not a gambler.
On top of the ‘cha-ching’s,the PA systems were also at an
11, blasting random musicto every corner of the huge space.
If it had been playing a specific playlistor had a theme in mind,
I never figured out which one.
(03:20):
What playlist goes from Michael Jacksonto Garth Brooks
anyways?
I could feel a headache starting.
No one justfinds what they are looking for in Vegas.
So it took me twice
as long to locate the conference centerthan I would have liked.
Once signedin, I turned and headed for Excalibur.
Thankfully, there was a tramfor the sake of story flow.
(03:42):
We will pretend that
I found that the first day and didn'twander out to the street with my suitcase.
I stepped aboard the tram.
At this point,I had been walking and surrounded by sound
for at least an hour or twobetween the airport and the hotel.
Sitting down peacefully on a tramfor a whole two minute ride
sounded delightful.
(04:02):
I spoke too soon.
Instantly after “the tram is moving”announcement came on.
I was bombarded withwhat sounded like rave music.
It wasn't until I found the screenbehind my head the second day
that I realized it was anad for the Blue Man group.
Without that context, allit had been to me was very loud music
(04:23):
in a small space with a terrible speakerthat needed maintenance.
My headache was getting worse.
After a not so relaxing two minutes,I deboarded
the tram and wandered Excaliburuntil I found the front desk.
Another Vegas tip.
Frontdesks are super hard to find in Vegas.
Allow ample time and wear good shoes.
(04:44):
Always.
My room wasn't ready yet,so I had to wait.
The only seats I could find to waitcomfortably in were in the casino's bar.
This bar was in the center of everything.
I shuffled into a booth and pretendedI would order a drink soon.
I never did.
Even if I had been fond of gambling,I was tired at this point
(05:05):
with all my bags in tow.
I was not properly ready to do Vegas yet.
Now, in the center of the chaos,there was nothing left for me to do
but to drown out sound with other sounds.
I put in my earbudsand listened to a podcast or two,
possiblythree, while I waited for my room.
(05:27):
Finally the notification cameand I wearily stumbled to the room.
The MGM app told me was mine.
I opened the door, entered,and was greeted
by glorious silence.
Nap time.
So what does Disney have to do with this?
(05:48):
Walt Disney was a master of experience.
He understood that the more the sensescomplemented each other within the park,
the more memorable and magicalan experience his guests would have,
and the more memorable and magicalthe experience,
the more likely guests would return overand over
and over and over again.
(06:09):
Sound was no exception.
Great pains are takento create the sound of Disney
every single day, from Fantasylandto Tomorrowland.
The sound and music changedstrategically from one land to the next.
This experience is so well-craftedthat the guests don't even notice.
(06:29):
We can thank Mr. Q in part for that.
A formeraudio experience engineer at Disney, Mr.
Q was acutely aware of a sound design
issue in the park.
In the 1990s, the volume of sound
and music between lands at the parkhad minuscule variations
(06:50):
that would unknowingly disruptthe guest's magical Disney experience,
even though there had been no formalcomplaints.
Mr. Q knewthe experience could be better.
He created speakers that had a complex
algorithmthat regulated the sound between them.
He placed these 15,000 speakersstrategically around the park.
(07:12):
The effect is what we now know, or
rather don't realize today
because of Mr.
Q, we can now jump from land to landin a more acoustically seamless way.
Does this mattersince we're not even aware of it?
Yes. And for that very reason.
(07:32):
Good experiential sound isn't noticed.
Good sound experiencesdon't draw attention to themselves.
It is a complement to all other sensesat play.
It's worth noting thatI have never gotten a headache
from a trip to Disney,unless it was ice cream induced.
Walt Disney and company have gonefar beyond these speakers
(07:55):
within their sound strategy, butI'll save those examples for another time.
The point is, Disney treatsits sound experience with the same level
of importanceas its visual, textural, olfactory,
gustatorial
experiences.
Now back to Vegas.
(08:18):
What if Vegas used
Disney's principles of sound to invite
rather than disorient their customers.
What if Vegas separated and partitionedits casino sounds?
What if they created different sectionsand subsections of these massive
halls with sound wallsto create a more cohesive experience?
(08:40):
For example, walkways could playfiller music
like Michael Jackson and Garth Brooks,while the slot machine ‘cha-chings’
enticed peopleat a muted level from a distance.
The music in the walkwayscould then slowly transition from said
filler music to musicmore appropriate to where
the walkway led.
(09:02):
If you are walking towards a craps tablein the New York
New York hotel and you start to hearFrank Sinatra singing Luck, Be a Lady.
(Musical theater
kid here) would your anticipationto play a game of craps.
actually grow?
What would happenif you were greeted at the Paris casino
with some Can-Can music,or maybe some Caravan Palace?
(09:23):
If you haven't heard of Caravan Palace,check them out.
I’ll link it in the show notes
Would that curated music set
the environment memorialized that specificcasino more than Vegas in general?
Would this help its bottom line toknow guests favored that hotel over others?
As youapproach the gondolas in the Venetian.
(09:45):
What if you hearsome instrumental traditional Italian music?
However, as you get closer,the music starts to transition.
The faint sound of.(O Solo Mio playing)
Gets louder and louder
as you near the canal,prompting you to take the gondola ride.
What if Vegas put more thoughtinto the sound experience?
(10:09):
Would it matter?
Would we notice and be more inclinedto participate in what it's whispering,
rather than yelling for us to do?
Could sound strategymake Vegas self-expression more pronounced
and appreciated?
My sound journey was bookendedabsolutely perfectly.
(10:31):
The most memorable Vegassound of my visit came at the very end,
as I lined up to board my plane home.
I couldn't helpbut snicker at the last song
I was hearing inVegas over the airport's sound system.
Sheryl Crow's
leavingLas Vegas ushered me back to reality
and clearly ended my four daysound journey
in Nevada.
(10:55):
Will Vegas ever
discover a sound strategylike what I've described?
I really don't know.
I may be one of the very fewwho even notice or care right now,
but I do believe it would be noticeableto all if implemented.
An improvementlike this could subconsciously encourage
loitering and longer patronage.
(11:17):
The employees would be happierwith curated sound over constant noise
with the massive amounts of moneyVegas already spends on itself.
Why not splurge on sound strategy overits constant facelifts?
Dear Vegas.
That was fun.
But just as at the end of my tripsto Disneyland, I bid you adieu.
(11:37):
I'll hear and see you again soon.
Thank you to Art list for
providing some amazing sound effectsand musical tracks for me to play with.
Your selection never disappoints.
I know it was a bit anticlimacticnot playing Leaving Las Vegas, but
although this is an educational podcast,I just didn't want to risk a lawsuit.
(12:01):
But Sheryl, if you're listening, I'd loveto put it back in with your blessing.
Thank youalso to Vegas for being the noisy
inspiration for this rabbithole of an episode.
This was a joy to write outand get out of my head.
All contact informationcan be found in the show notes.
Let's make this world of soundmore intriguing, more unique, and
(12:21):
more and more on brand.
Welcometo the Sound In Marketing Podcast.
The Sound In Marketing podcastexplores and defines sound on purpose,
in marketing and in advertising.
I'm your host, Jeanna Isham, owner
and founder of Dreamr Productionsand Sound in Marketing Learning.
I create, consult and educate individuals
and brandson the power of sound in marketing.
(00:28):
My goal is to inspire you with unique
and interesting waysto use sound effectively in your business.
If you would like to explore this further,my company, Dreamr Productions
would love to help.
Our contactinfo can be found in the show notes.
Now on to the show!
In this episode,I documented a recent trip to Vegas
(00:49):
and my thoughts onhow it could have sounded better.
Sound in casinos
could be more strategicthan just noisy and overwhelming.
Before I even begin,I want to make it clear
that I know I am not Vegastarget audience.
But what if I could be?
What if Vegas could change my mind
(01:11):
with a more strategic sound experience?
What if Vegas won me overby taking a note?
From Disney.
As a sound strategist,
I'm usually more attunedto the sounds around me than others.
My most recent trip was no different.
(01:33):
In March 2024,I was attending a conference in Vegas
and the noise was deafening.
From the moment I stepped off the plane,
the sound of Vegas hit melike a hurricane.
The pressure to gamble starts immediatelyas slot
machines are waiting for you,literally at the gate.
(01:55):
Although I'm not a gambler, an immediate exclamation of Vegas
made sense to me, as gamblingis one of its biggest draws.
The sound of slot machines is iconicto the area, and in that respect,
the cacophony of ‘cha-ching’made all the sense in the world.
This is good branding,but that was where the sound strategy
(02:15):
ended, at least until my very last day,which we'll circle back to later.
From the airport.
I was whisked away on a liftto Mandalay Bay.
I had to sign in for my conferencebefore dropping off my bags at Excalibur.
Staying at a different hotelthan the conference meant
I would be walking a lotduring the next four days.
Vegas tip (02:35):
wear good walking shoes.
Ladies, ditch the heels.
I entered Mandalay Bay and was loudlygreeted by the sound of about
a million different slot machines playinglargely different ‘cha-ching’ jingles.
It felt like all volumeknobs were turned to 11.
There was no getting away from thisnot so subtle plug to dump money
(02:59):
into a machine.
Over and over againwith the same disappointing results.
Again, not a gambler.
On top of the ‘cha-ching’s,the PA systems were also at an
11, blasting random musicto every corner of the huge space.
If it had been playing a specific playlistor had a theme in mind,
I never figured out which one.
(03:20):
What playlist goes from Michael Jacksonto Garth Brooks
anyways?
I could feel a headache starting.
No one justfinds what they are looking for in Vegas.
So it took me twice
as long to locate the conference centerthan I would have liked.
Once signedin, I turned and headed for Excalibur.
Thankfully, there was a tramfor the sake of story flow.
(03:42):
We will pretend that
I found that the first day and didn'twander out to the street with my suitcase.
I stepped aboard the tram.
At this point,I had been walking and surrounded by sound
for at least an hour or twobetween the airport and the hotel.
Sitting down peacefully on a tramfor a whole two minute ride
sounded delightful.
(04:02):
I spoke too soon.
Instantly after “the tram is moving”announcement came on.
I was bombarded withwhat sounded like rave music.
It wasn't until I found the screenbehind my head the second day
that I realized it was anad for the Blue Man group.
Without that context, allit had been to me was very loud music
(04:23):
in a small space with a terrible speakerthat needed maintenance.
My headache was getting worse.
After a not so relaxing two minutes,I deboarded
the tram and wandered Excaliburuntil I found the front desk.
Another Vegas tip.
Frontdesks are super hard to find in Vegas.
Allow ample time and wear good shoes.
(04:44):
Always.
My room wasn't ready yet,so I had to wait.
The only seats I could find to waitcomfortably in were in the casino's bar.
This bar was in the center of everything.
I shuffled into a booth and pretendedI would order a drink soon.
I never did.
Even if I had been fond of gambling,I was tired at this point
(05:05):
with all my bags in tow.
I was not properly ready to do Vegas yet.
Now, in the center of the chaos,there was nothing left for me to do
but to drown out sound with other sounds.
I put in my earbudsand listened to a podcast or two,
possiblythree, while I waited for my room.
(05:27):
Finally the notification cameand I wearily stumbled to the room.
The MGM app told me was mine.
I opened the door, entered,and was greeted
by glorious silence.
Nap time.
So what does Disney have to do with this?
(05:48):
Walt Disney was a master of experience.
He understood that the more the sensescomplemented each other within the park,
the more memorable and magicalan experience his guests would have,
and the more memorable and magicalthe experience,
the more likely guests would return overand over
and over and over again.
(06:09):
Sound was no exception.
Great pains are takento create the sound of Disney
every single day, from Fantasylandto Tomorrowland.
The sound and music changedstrategically from one land to the next.
This experience is so well-craftedthat the guests don't even notice.
(06:29):
We can thank Mr. Q in part for that.
A formeraudio experience engineer at Disney, Mr.
Q was acutely aware of a sound design
issue in the park.
In the 1990s, the volume of sound
and music between lands at the parkhad minuscule variations
(06:50):
that would unknowingly disruptthe guest's magical Disney experience,
even though there had been no formalcomplaints.
Mr. Q knewthe experience could be better.
He created speakers that had a complex
algorithmthat regulated the sound between them.
He placed these 15,000 speakersstrategically around the park.
(07:12):
The effect is what we now know, or
rather don't realize today
because of Mr.
Q, we can now jump from land to landin a more acoustically seamless way.
Does this mattersince we're not even aware of it?
Yes. And for that very reason.
(07:32):
Good experiential sound isn't noticed.
Good sound experiencesdon't draw attention to themselves.
It is a complement to all other sensesat play.
It's worth noting thatI have never gotten a headache
from a trip to Disney,unless it was ice cream induced.
Walt Disney and company have gonefar beyond these speakers
(07:55):
within their sound strategy, butI'll save those examples for another time.
The point is, Disney treatsits sound experience with the same level
of importanceas its visual, textural, olfactory,
gustatorial
experiences.
Now back to Vegas.
(08:18):
What if Vegas used
Disney's principles of sound to invite
rather than disorient their customers.
What if Vegas separated and partitionedits casino sounds?
What if they created different sectionsand subsections of these massive
halls with sound wallsto create a more cohesive experience?
(08:40):
For example, walkways could playfiller music
like Michael Jackson and Garth Brooks,while the slot machine ‘cha-chings’
enticed peopleat a muted level from a distance.
The music in the walkwayscould then slowly transition from said
filler music to musicmore appropriate to where
the walkway led.
(09:02):
If you are walking towards a craps tablein the New York
New York hotel and you start to hearFrank Sinatra singing Luck, Be a Lady.
(Musical theater
kid here) would your anticipationto play a game of craps.
actually grow?
What would happenif you were greeted at the Paris casino
with some Can-Can music,or maybe some Caravan Palace?
(09:23):
If you haven't heard of Caravan Palace,check them out.
I’ll link it in the show notes
Would that curated music set
the environment memorialized that specificcasino more than Vegas in general?
Would this help its bottom line toknow guests favored that hotel over others?
As youapproach the gondolas in the Venetian.
(09:45):
What if you hearsome instrumental traditional Italian music?
However, as you get closer,the music starts to transition.
The faint sound of.(O Solo Mio playing)
Gets louder and louder
as you near the canal,prompting you to take the gondola ride.
What if Vegas put more thoughtinto the sound experience?
(10:09):
Would it matter?
Would we notice and be more inclinedto participate in what it's whispering,
rather than yelling for us to do?
Could sound strategymake Vegas self-expression more pronounced
and appreciated?
My sound journey was bookendedabsolutely perfectly.
(10:31):
The most memorable Vegassound of my visit came at the very end,
as I lined up to board my plane home.
I couldn't helpbut snicker at the last song
I was hearing inVegas over the airport's sound system.
Sheryl Crow's
leavingLas Vegas ushered me back to reality
and clearly ended my four daysound journey
in Nevada.
(10:55):
Will Vegas ever
discover a sound strategylike what I've described?
I really don't know.
I may be one of the very fewwho even notice or care right now,
but I do believe it would be noticeableto all if implemented.
An improvementlike this could subconsciously encourage
loitering and longer patronage.
(11:17):
The employees would be happierwith curated sound over constant noise
with the massive amounts of moneyVegas already spends on itself.
Why not splurge on sound strategy overits constant facelifts?
Dear Vegas.
That was fun.
But just as at the end of my tripsto Disneyland, I bid you adieu.
(11:37):
I'll hear and see you again soon.
Thank you to Art list for
providing some amazing sound effectsand musical tracks for me to play with.
Your selection never disappoints.
I know it was a bit anticlimacticnot playing Leaving Las Vegas, but
although this is an educational podcast,I just didn't want to risk a lawsuit.
(12:01):
But Sheryl, if you're listening, I'd loveto put it back in with your blessing.
Thank youalso to Vegas for being the noisy
inspiration for this rabbithole of an episode.
This was a joy to write outand get out of my head.
All contact informationcan be found in the show notes.
Let's make this world of soundmore intriguing, more unique, and
(12:21):
more and more on brand.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com