The sound of luxury: A content analysis of hashtagged luxury brand posts and their music on social media

Luxury consumption functions as a means for individuals to project their status or ideal self. Consumers engage in conspicuous consumption by displaying luxury brands, utilizing price tags and logos as symbols of social identity. Music, a powerful determinant of emotions and consumer behavior, plays a pivotal role in brand communication, particularly for luxury brands seeking to establish exclusivity and a high-end identity. Given the critical role of music in luxury branding, this study aims to analyze the types of music associated with the hashtags #luxurybrand and #luxurybrands on social media. Employing qualitative content analysis, the research examines Instagram posts tagged with #luxurybrand and #luxurybrands, categorizing music presence, genre, and lyrical content. The findings reveal that while 884 out of 2000 analyzed posts feature music, the majority of luxury brand-related content does not incorporate musical elements. Jazz emerges as the most frequently associated genre, followed by pop, reinforcing the contemporary perception of jazz as a symbol of sophistication and high culture. Moreover, instrumental music is favored over vocal music in luxury brand posts, aligning with the industry’s emphasis on timelessness and exclusivity. These findings suggest a departure from traditional perspectives in music branding, indicating that genre selection exerts a greater influence on luxury brand identity than lyrical content. Future research should further investigate consumer perceptions to enhance the understanding of music’s role in luxury brand communication.