The right sound in the right place to the right person enhances the experience

While GastroNord’s visitors are inspired by world-class food and beverages, the LLB Expo (Sound Light Image) will be in full swing in another part of Stockholmsmässan´s big exhibition halls. Sound, lighting and images (moving and still) are becoming an increasingly important competitive tool for creating stimulating environments in restaurants and hotels. So in collaboration with GastroNord’s project management a joint programme is being arranged, specifically targeting the HoReCa industry. One item on the programme is a talk on the new Chef’s Talk stage by Sweden’s leading sound architect Margareta Andersson from Lexter.

Margareta Andersson is a sound architect. Her job is about influencing our experiences of a space by designing the right soundscape.

   “Sound design is still a relatively untapped opportunity. With sound, you can expand on your concept, make spaces seem larger or smaller, warmer or colder. You can surprise your visitors and give them a richer experience,” says Margareta Andersson.

   Adapting the soundscape to the environment in a public space context is expected to soon become just as obvious as choosing the right fittings and fixtures, or lighting. Sound has a very great impact on our emotions and our actions, and by choosing the right soundscape for the purpose, you can create the right kind of atmosphere in a space. It’s well-known that noise can make people stressed, but in fact an environment that is too quiet is not good either. It is better to add a very subtle background sound, since total silence can generate anxiety and disquiet.

Sense marketing increasingly popular  

Stimulating more senses, like smell and hearing, in marketing is becoming increasingly popular, and Sweden is in fact one of the world leaders in sound design. People eating out at a restaurant or staying in a hotel today want an experience – not just a meal to eat or somewhere to sleep. Having music in a space is far from being adequate to achieve this – sound is so much more than just music. Margareta Andersson always takes a holistic approach to the brands she works with and adapts the sound content and technology to the customer and the concept. This includes using sound showers and sounds from nature to influence the listener.

   Margareta, you are one of the speakers at GastroNord’s new concept arena Chef's Talk. What will you be speaking about?

   “I’ll be focusing on ways to stimulate people’s senses of hearing and smell to give them experiences of whole new dimensions.”

GastroNord is collaborating with the LLB Expo

Margareta Andersson and her company Lexter will also be one of the exhibitors at the LLB Expo, which will be held this year for the 15th time. Over 100 exhibitors will be showing their brands, new products and new solutions in stimulating environments. A wide-ranging seminar programme, developed in collaboration with Sweden’s theatre technicians and lighting technicians associations, is also on the agenda. The LLB Expo is a collaboration between the industry association LLB and BraMässor, with project management by GastroNord.

   Daniel Fritzdorf, project manager for GastroNord, is very enthusiastic about this collaboration with the LLB Expo:

   “Today, professional sound and lighting are fast becoming a self-evident element in environments and concepts in restaurants and at hotels. So this collaboration feels just perfect for us at GastroNord, and is highly relevant for our exhibitors and visitors. One of the highlights is a collaboration with the fantastic sound architect Margareta Andersson, who will be giving a talk on GastroNord’s new seminar stage, Chef's Talk. Not to be missed!” adds Daniel Fritzdorf.

   What are your expectations of this collaboration with the LLB Expo?
   “It will broaden the offering for GastroNord’s visitors, and the specialist skills offered at the LLB Expo will mean that more decision-makers will be coming to Stockholm International Fairs for these days.”

  What is GastroNord intending to do to generate interest in the joint programme during these fairs?
  “We will be integrating new lighting and sound technologies in specially constructed, inspirational environments such as stages and themed bars to generate curiosity about the collaboration,” Daniel Fritzdorf concludes.