Thursday, May 10, 2012

QSR Magazine: Top Movers and Shakers Under 30

by Morgan Bolling & Sonya Chudgar

Bradley Newberger

President & Co-Founder--Ambiance Radio

Age: 25

Research has proven for decades that music affects the way people feel and behave, but no one had yet applied much of this to background music--until Newberger.

During his senior year at Cornell University, Newberger was teh student manager of the fine-dining restaurant on campus. After receiving multiple comment cards decrying the music, Newberger decided to find a source that would better suit the restaurants' musical needs.

"It was while looking at the different options that were available that I realized people were missing something," he says. "They weren't using one thing to be able to come up with music. They were using channelized solutions, they were using sound music branding, trying to market music to what your brand sound like. But it turns out, they weren't using anything about science."

Ambiance Radio uses science to create a fully customized musical approach to a hospitality or food service location. No two stores are given the same music, even within the same brand, and the result is quite effect, Newberger says.

"We recognize that music can really make people feel and react in certain ways. " For instance, we focus the music on helping restaurants manage wait times, making it feel a little bit less like they're waiting for a little bit more. We also affect the staff. When employees are happier, that will transeate to happier guest in the long term."

Ambiance Radio clients include Schlotzsky's Deli, Freebirds, Pie Five Pizza Co & Pizza Inn.

Newberger says playing the right music is the cheapest remodel a restaurant can do. "We've had a lot of success helping brands re-image, where changing the music was the first step in their long-haul remodel process and they saw an instance difference as soon as our music went in," he says.

For more information...

/user_area/May 2012 QSR.pdf