By Malay Desai
From: Sweden, by Akestam Holst
A home entertainment company tied up with construction and acoustic experts to determine exactly how high you can turn up the volume at home before the neighbours complain. This algorithm was applied to many homes on the housing market, which the company claimed was the world’s first real estate listing service based on sound.
Why we like
Welcome to the first world. Apparently when it comes to buying homes in Stockholm, the neighbours’ noisebearing thresholds is one of the major factors that go behind a decision; or so this campaign wants us to believe. First of all we must collectively gasp out ‘what utter bull****’ with a rejecting third world hand wave and then think of the idea, which is intriguing nevertheless.
The ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ has assumed an altogether different meaning here with Pause, one of the leaders in sound systems attempting to give a new angle to buying their products. Evidently the young folks with buying capacities take their music very seriously (Stockholm is one of Europe’s top party destinations with a vibrant nightlife). But to think simply, the idea is to just peg the home entertainment system purchase with a new home purchase — which anyway happens in metros.
The mechanics of this is a different matter. The campaign promises to bring a new wave to the city’s real estate scene by offering ‘valuable’ information on how much volume it will take for your new neighbours to knock on your door or call the cops.
Of course it doesn’t take in relative factors such as the nuisance made by people talking (or er, passing out or puking in the doorway?) or more importantly, the neighbour’s mood!
The motive here is to create a value-add out of nothing and make it seem like a big deal. Because obviously, in a market cluttered with home entertainment system brands — all of which offer the ‘best’ ‘clear’ and stereophonic sound, one must not add to the jargon. Only talking about unique features won’t be outstanding, going ‘outdoors’ and making a newsworthy stunt will help.
Take our own market for instance, how many 5.1 and 2.1 channel sound systems can you count on your fingers? Pause the brand (and its agency) has been associated with innovative campaigns prior to this one, which also sort of legitimizes this irrational idea. Their initiative of making customers undertake a ‘heist’ in a secure showroom made headlines and won awards, look it up.
Meanwhile, this writer is planning another algorithm to know his neighbour’s sound thresholds. It’s called asking.
To watch this film, feed this link: goo.gl/ZFcjXf
