‘Music is the calling card for the soul of the brand’

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By Jennifer Glatt | Mint Pillow

Bespoke Sound is where deep musical know-how meets savvy hospitality strategy. Founded by Clay Bassford, this sonic identity studio crafts custom soundscapes that bring hospitality brands to life—one perfectly curated note at a time. More than just background music, it’s an immersive experience that lingers with guests long after they’ve checked out. With an all-star client list that includes Auberge Resorts, Hyatt, and Blue Lagoon, Bassford isn’t just setting the mood—he’s shaping the soundtrack of unforgettable stays. -Jennifer Glatt

First of all, what, exactly, is a sonic identity studio?
A sonic identity studio is a creative agency that uses the sense of sound to foster authentic connections between brands and their audiences, and in our case, guiding guests towards the optimal desired brand experience. At Bespoke Sound, we believe music is uniquely powerful in shaping meaningful experiences. Everyone on our team is a musician and/or DJ, so we combine that passion with hospitality know-how to create intentional, tailored sonic environments that consistently reflect a brand's values and vision. We're essentially fractional music directors, helping our clients strengthen connections with culture and the creative community. 

How do you work like a branding agency for hotels?
We approach sonic identity with the same strategic rigor as branding agencies approach visual identity. We start by deeply understanding the brand story, guest personas and experiential goals. We create a comprehensive sonic identity guide—similar to brand guidelines—that outlines musical concepts, energy flows and application principles across different spaces and dayparts [certain times of the day]. This ensures that music becomes an integral part of the brand expression rather than just generic, inconsistent or stale background noise.

What's your process for figuring out the sound a brand needs in its space?
Our process begins with immersion in the brands' and guests' worlds. We analyze guest personas, activities on-site, community and cultural context and experiential expectations. And, of course, we experience the properties ourselves to immerse ourselves in the space and atmosphere. 

Do guests notice the music, and what is the ROI or impact of a brand that establishes their sonic identity?
Guests absolutely notice music, even if subconsciously. Studies show on-brand music can boost F&B sales by 10% as guests linger longer and spend more. This impact echoes out to every part of the business. Beyond immediate revenue boosts, the right music can make a larger impact than any other experiential element of a brand, directly influencing brand affinity and durability, repeat visits, better reviews and more. As a hospitality brand in today's competitive landscape where many hotels—especially luxury, lifestyle and boutique hotels—must differentiate or die, it's frankly no longer optional to have a definitive and robust music strategy. Fortunately, music and sound are extremely effective and far more flexible investments that return significantly more value than just about anything else a hotelier might consider to solve this challenge. 

What role does music play in the guest experience?
Music is the calling card for the soul of the brand, creating an emotional shortcut to the lifestyle a property represents. It's the invisible thread that ties a guest experience together. It signals to guests that they're in a special place that welcomes them, that they speak the same language, that they are safe, belong here and are a part of our tribe. Music enhances mood across different environments, guiding certain activity types, energy levels and social interactions. If we do our job right, it creates these uniquely special, memorable moments that guests cherish long after departure. 

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