Reveal Marketing Research study: For most Romanians, commercial/popular music is a source of joy and relaxation when they go out
Through its latest nationally representative urban study, Reveal Marketing Research aimed to create a clear picture of the importance and impact of music when Romanians choose to go out in different Horeca locations, in the context of the well-known power of music to influence people’s feelings, atmosphere and experiences.
- 9 out of 10 Romanians believe that commercial/popular music can influence their mood and behaviour when visiting different public places
- The public spaces where Romanians consider it most important to listen to commercial/popular music are Horeca locations, namely restaurants and terraces (73%), bars and pubs (73%) or cafes and confectioneries (66%).
- 4 out of 10 Romanians were willing to spend more money out of pocket, and 6 out of 10 were willing to spend more time in Horeca locations if pleasant commercial music plays in the background
About Romanian attitudes and habits regarding music
According to the results of the Reveal Marketing Research study, 83% of Romanians declare that they like music in general, especially young people between 18-24 years old (91%), and if we refer to the daily routine, 87% of them listen to music more than 30 of minutes per day. Moreover, we find that 1 in 10 Romanians integrate music to a very large extent in their daily activities, spending more than 5 hours a day listening to different songs.
When it comes to music played in public places, 70% of Romanians consider it important and very important to listen to commercial/popular music in the places they frequent, and 91% declare it can influence their behaviour and mood in such a context. Thus, the data reveal the essential role that music plays in creating a pleasant and appropriate atmosphere in the public places people frequent, especially for those aged 35-44 (95%).
Going out to different Horeca locations is one of the main leisure activities of Romanians!
Going out is one of the main leisure activities of Romanians, with 4 out of 10 respondents mentioning that they frequent restaurants and terraces or cafes and confectioneries at least once a week.
As a general trend, we observe that with age, the frequentation of different Horeca locations decreases, and that the representatives of generation Z (18-24 years old) show a significantly higher interest in such public venues, as they visit more restaurants and terraces (62% vs. 37% total sample), cafes or confectioneries (46% vs. 38% total sample) or bars and pubs (38% vs. 25% total sample) on a weekly basis.
The impact of music on the experience in different public places
Music influences the pace at which Romanians consume and spend time in different Horeca locations
Horeca locations (restaurants and terraces – 73%, bars and pubs – 73% and cafes and confectioneries – 66%) stand out as the public spaces where Romanians consider it important to listen to commercial/popular music.
So music has a significant impact on the amount of time spent in public places, with a significantly higher percentage of respondents saying they spend more time in bars and pubs (64%) or in restaurants and terraces (63%) if the music creates an atmosphere they like. Music can also influence the time spent in other locations such as cafes and confectioneries (58%), fitness and sports halls (55%) or shopping centres and malls (54%).
85% of respondents say that commercial/popular music positively influences their mood in the public places they frequent, and if we refer to the willingness to visit more often locations where commercial music plays in the background, 7 out of 10 Romanians declare that they would be more willing to visit such venues more often.
Also, most respondents were willing to pay more for consumption, especially in public Horeca locations, if pleasant commercial music is played in the background. Thus, 43% of Romanians would spend more money in bars and pubs, 42% in terraces and restaurants and 40% in cafes and confectioneries.
We notice that those between the ages of 25 and 44, an age group known to be active on the labor market and the main consumer group in modern society, are the most willing to spend more time in these public spaces and spend more money if the atmosphere created by the music is to their liking, the percentage differences being around 10% for all the Horeca locations previously mentioned.
On the other hand, 1 in 2 Romanians said they would spend less time in any type of public place if the music playing in the background is not to their liking, an aspect mentioned to a greater extent by mature people aged between 54- 70 years (58%).
Marius Luican, CEO of Reveal Marketing Research:
“Music is a language that we all understand and it is certainly a tool that can influence the general mood as people use it to personalise or create their desired atmosphere at home, while it is also of particular importance in the different types of outdoor locations and environments that individuals frequent. The data from our study confirms the essential role of commercial/ popular music in creating the right atmosphere when Romanians choose to go out. For example, the fact that 6 out of 10 Romanians say they are willing to recommend to friends and family Horeca locations where the music was to their liking, makes music a loyalty measuring tool that creates and amplifies emotions, with the ability to significantly enhance the experience in such a space.”
Favourite music genres in the Horeca locations that are frequented
According to the survey data, Romanians have a clear preference for a certain genre of music when they frequent different Horeca locations, compared to when they visit other types of public locations such as shops, shopping centres, etc. For example, half of Romanians say they prefer a certain genre of music when they frequent restaurants and terraces (52%) or bars and pubs (49%).
Tracking the preferences of Romanians in terms of music genres according to the Horeca locations they frequent, it shows that they prefer pop/ hip-hop/ rap (40%), rock (41%) and dance/ electronic (38%) music in bars and pubs. In the case of restaurants and terraces, traditional/ folk music (38%), blues (37%) and jazz (35%) are among the top preferences, while when they choose to visit cafes or confectioneries, Romanians prefer blues (30%) and pop/ hip-hop/ rap (29%).
By age, those between 25-44 year olds have a significantly higher preference for energetic music genres to keep the mood going in clubs and pubs, such as pop/hip-hop/rap music (46% vs. 40% total sample), while representatives of Generation Z (18-25 years old) prefer DJ sets (52% vs. 36% total sample) or electronic/dance music (46% vs. 38% total sample).
In the case of restaurants and terraces, people between 25-44 years prefer jazz music to a greater extent (44% vs. 35% total sample), and mature people between 45-54 years classical/symphonic music (32% vs. 24% total sample). Turning our attention also to cafes and confectioneries, pop/hip-hop/rap music is rather in the top of preferences of young people between 18-34 years old (36% vs. 29% total sample).
Therefore, the musical genre seems to have a significant importance for the majority of Romanians, 66% of them consider it important or very important that the musical genre is to their liking in the public locations where they choose to go. A slightly higher percentage is observed among respondents aged between 35-44 years (72%), who appreciate to a greater extent the comfort offered by a musical genre they like.
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About Reveal Marketing Research
Reveal Marketing Research is a full-service market research company specializing in marketing research, sociological studies, customer insight, business strategy, market development. With expertise in over 20 industries, Reveal Marketing Research believes that market research is the basis for good decisions and brand positioning. The qualitative and quantitative solutions have been helping companies in Romania and other European countries for 15 years.
Methodology: The Reveal Marketing Research study was conducted online during July 2023, on a representative sample for the universe of 18+ internet users, urban residents. The sample size was 818 respondents and the maximum sampling error for the general target is +/-3.5% at 95% confidence level.