Restaurant and bar owners know the importance of creating the right atmosphere. When customers walk through your doors, every element, from lighting to seating to service, contributes to their overall impression and experience.
Yet one of the most powerful tools for crafting a memorable venue experience often goes overlooked or underutilized – your TVs.
The hospitality landscape is mightily competitive, and venue owners are realizing that their TVs can offer value to customers well beyond showing live sport. Indeed, strategic use of your screens with music videos can amplify the energy in your establishment, reinforce your brand personality, and create a distinctive environment that keeps customers coming back.
Control Play offers a powerful solution – professional music video management without the hassle, helping you transform your space from ‘just another bar’ to the must-visit destination in town.
As the leading entertainment platform for hospitality venues across North America, Control Play provides business owners with comprehensive control over their audio-visual environment. Its system integrates seamlessly with your existing setup, giving you access to a vast library of licensed content and intuitive tools to manage your venue's vibe.
“Some of the best customer service I have ever had in 20+ years in the bar and restaurant business.” – Chickie's & Pete's
The power of music videos in your venue
Adding music videos to your venue's TVs can transform your atmosphere and create a more immersive customer experience in many ways…
Stronger brand personality: Music videos create immersive storytelling that adds a visual layer to your venue's atmosphere. They provide a visual anchor for your preferred demographic, helping reinforce your unique identity in a crowded marketplace. The right visual choices communicate your brand values without saying a word.
Enhanced customer engagement: Dynamic visuals command attention and keep your guests engaged, especially during quieter times when conversation might lag. This visual stimulation encourages longer visits and creates a more memorable experience that stands apart from venues that default to sports programming or static displays.
Elevated energy levels: Pairing high-energy tracks with complementary music videos drives a more engaging experience, perfect for busy nightlife venues or when you need to boost the mood during slower periods. Visual energy directly influences how customers feel in your space.
Social media appeal: Well-curated music videos create photo- and video-worthy moments for guests to share online, increasing your digital visibility and attracting new customers through organic word-of-mouth. Today's consumers are constantly seeking shareable content for their social platforms.
What sets Control Play approach apart is that users retain complete control. Unlike streaming services designed for personal use, the platform is built specifically for business environments, with tools that allow you to craft experiences that perfectly match your brand's personality
“Awesome feature at our sports bar. The customers love it.” – Sammy C's Rock N' Sports Pub, Gallup, NM
Making the most of music videos – a practical approach
Transitioning from simply playing background music to creating a deliberate audio-visual experience requires thoughtful planning and execution.
If you're new to building your perfect venue vibe, don't feel overwhelmed – start small and scale up as you become more comfortable with the process. The key is to begin with intentionality and gradually expand your approach as you see positive results.
Start with a solid audio foundation: Before diving into visuals, focus first on creating exceptional playlists that reflect your brand identity. Control Play is a platform designed for businesses rather than consumer streaming services, and offers properly licensed content and professional curation options.
Gradual visual integration: Once you've mastered your soundscape, begin experimenting with music videos or visual loops that complement your audio selections. Choose content that reinforces your venue's unique personality and appeals to your target demographic.
Analyze audience response: Pay attention to how customers react to different visual content. What keeps their attention? Which videos generate positive comments or social media shares? Use these insights to refine your approach.
Create a consistent schedule: Develop programming that evolves throughout your operating hours to match changing crowd energy levels. This could mean creating distinct morning, afternoon and evening visual strategies.
Your attention to these details will not only elevate customer satisfaction but also encourage loyalty and word-of-mouth buzz. Remember, the right visual vibe can transform your space from ‘just another bar’ to the must-visit destination in town.
“Deliver exactly what they promise. Content, reliability and any support needed is excellent.” – The Summit Interquest, Colorado Springs, CO
Taking your venue experience to the next level
Investing in thoughtful music video programming can deliver measurable returns for your business.
For instance, engaging visual content can encourages guest to stay longer, particularly during traditionally slower periods. Customers, therefore, could be more likely to order additional items when they're enjoying the environment, thus boosting your bottom line.
Beyond immediate financial benefits, a distinctive audio-visual experience becomes part of your venue's identity that is difficult for others to replicate. There's also an operational benefit – when properly automated, scheduled content frees managers and staff from constantly managing the venue's audio-visual elements, allowing them to focus on serving the customer.
For many venue owners, implementing these strategies independently requires significant time and expertise that may be better directed toward other aspects of their business.
Control Play offers a comprehensive solution that handles content licensing, scheduling, hardware requirements and ongoing support – put simply, creating a distinctive atmosphere that elevates your customer experience has never been easier.
Are you ready to transform how you use your TVs?
For more information, visit www.controlplay.com, or schedule a free 3-step action plan at www.controlplay.com/action-plan/#free-action-plan.