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PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Clyne Media, Inc.
Tel: (615) 662-1616
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Genelec appeals to the senses at K-Supermarket Hertta
NATICK, MA, March 15, 2022 — There aren’t too many supermarkets in the world that can boast Genelec loudspeakers, but K-Supermarket Hertta in Herttoniemi, Helsinki, is clearly not your average supermarket. Part of the K Group, the second-biggest grocery trade operator in Finland and one of the biggest in Northern Europe, K-Supermarket operates some 250 stores at the top end of the market, offering customers a high-end in-store experience with a carefully selected range of local produce and specialties. At K-Supermarket Hertta, Markus Ranne, the independent merchant who runs the store, decided to elevate the experience still further with the use of sensory marketing – a combination of scent and sound design to attract customers and encourage them to linger. He called on Helsinki-based sensory marketing specialists Sevende Aromas to design the environment – for which they specified Genelec 4000 Series installation loudspeakers.
“Sounds can affect people’s comfort and shopping behavior in most commercial spaces and environments such as supermarkets, hotels, offices, bars and restaurants. The sense of hearing is our third most dominant sense,” explains Sevende Aromas’ founder and CEO, Eero Niskanen. “Studies have shown that the right kind of sound environment can increase sales by up to 30% and it also has a positive effect on the work efficiency of employees. When it comes to scent design, research tells us that customers stay up to 40% longer in a fragrant environment. Fragrance is therefore an important part of branding. K-Supermarket Hertta was keen to incorporate both elements as part of their commercial strategy.”
Sound designer Aki Päivärinne explains that the brief was to create a relaxed and immersive sound space for the newly renovated fresh fruit and vegetable section, and stereophonic sound for the candy department. “This was an inspiring task since I had also created the previous monophonic sound design for the store, including the beer and beverages department,” he says.
“In my work I use a variety of computer programs, including electro-acoustic modeling software. In this instance, as the speaker setup in the fruit & veg department is not symmetrical, I created a model of the space within the software to calculate the delay times required for realistic 3D sound images.”
The setup consists of twelve Genelec 4030 loudspeakers evenly spaced above the refrigerator elements or suspended from the ceiling, while eight compact 4020s grace the drinks section and a further four are deployed in the candy section. These are complemented by eight strategically placed fragrance machines, which deliver the scent experience. Control comes courtesy of a QSC Q-SYS Core 110f processor with a touch screen interface for managing level control across the various zones.
“To develop the soundscape for the fruit and veg area, I started by imagining some kind of surreal colorful fruit-world,” continues Päivärinne. “I started hearing the lush forests, distant animals, shifting weather patterns, poetic saxophone phrases, light and sea and harmonic clouds overhead – creating a relaxing and safe feeling. After the first listening I made some small adjustments to the dynamics of the material, which now sounds fantastic. I am really happy with the outcome.”
When asked what prompted the decision to specify Genelec loudspeakers in this context, Päivärinne’s reply was straightforward: “I have worked with Genelec loudspeakers in various projects over the last ten years or so and have always enjoyed using them. In this instance the 4000 Series offered a high quality, reliable solution for creating an immersive soundscape. They also look good, which is a bonus!”
Combined with the scent design provided by Sevende Aromas – who also handled the systems integration – the results have had a marked impact on sales, as proven by a recent study conducted by Helsinki University. “The study compared the results of sensory marketing against those of a similarly-sized supermarket using traditional marketing techniques,” notes Niskanen. “The supermarket using sensory marketing was more successful in every respect and customer satisfaction levels were considerably higher.”
The impact of sensory marketing is not only measured by an immediate increase in sales. Positive perceptions of where to buy help build a lasting and loyal customer relationship over the longer term. It is natural to want to do business in pleasant places, and it has been proven, time and again, that combining fragrance with the right sound has a positive impact on customer satisfaction.
“We used quality scents and worked with a talented sound designer to create an alluring soundscape,” Niskanen continues. “The soundscape uses a combination of natural sounds and musical elements. For it to be truly immersive it’s important that it sounds realistic; this is why we opted for a high quality audio solution based on Genelec loudspeakers, which deliver detailed, transparent sound even at low levels. There is no doubt that Genelec played a major role in the outcome.”
For more information please visit www.genelec.com
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Photo file 1: Genelec_K-Supermarket_Hertta1.JPG
Photo caption 1: Markus Ranne, Independent Store Merchant (left), and Eero Niskanen, Sevende Aromas’ Founder and CEO (right)
Photo file 2: Genelec_K-Supermarket_Hertta2.JPG
Photo caption 2: Genelec 4000 series loudspeakers at K-Supermarket HerttaPhoto file 3: Genelec_K-Supermarket_Hertta3.JPG
Photo caption 3: Genelec 4000 series loudspeakers at K-Supermarket HerttaPhoto file 4: Genelec_K-Supermarket_Hertta4.JPG
Photo caption 4: Genelec 4000 series loudspeakers at K-Supermarket HerttaPDF file: K-Supermarket_Genelec_Case_Study.PDF
PDF caption: Genelec K-Supermarket case studyGenelec, the pioneer in Active Monitoring technology, is celebrating over 40 years of designing and manufacturing active loudspeakers for true and accurate sound reproduction. Genelec is credited with promoting the concept of active transducer technology. Since its inception in 1978, Genelec has concentrated its efforts and resources into creating active monitors with unparalleled sonic integrity. The result is an active speaker system that has earned global acclaim for its accurate imaging, extremely high acoustic output from small enclosures, true high-fidelity with low distortion, and deep, rich bass.
Genelec is also celebrating 15 years of its Smart Active Monitoring™ technology, which allows studio monitors to be networked, configured and calibrated for the user’s specific acoustic environment. Each Smart Active Monitor or subwoofer is equipped with advanced internal DSP circuitry, which tightly integrates with the GLM (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager) software application, running on Mac or PC. GLM’s reference microphone kit allows the user’s acoustic environment to be analyzed, after which GLM’s AutoCal feature optimizes each Smart Active Monitor for level, distance delay, subwoofer crossover phase and room response equalization, with the option of further fine tuning by the user. By minimizing the room’s influence on the sound, Smart Active Monitors deliver an unrivalled reference, with excellent translation between rooms.
Other brand and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
—For more information on the complete range of Genelec Active Monitoring Systems, contact: Genelec Inc., 7 Tech Circle, Natick, MA 01760. Tel: (508) 652-0900; Fax: (508) 652-0909; Web: http://www.genelec.com/.