Startle

09/07/2026

Songs That Sell is now available to watch back 🎵

Our Creative Director, James, recently hosted a webinar. He shared research from a unique study into the impact of background music on customer behaviour, mood, and spend in charity retail environments, in collaboration with DEBRA. The findings are not only very interesting, but also incredibly useful for any retail and hospitality brands looking to make the music in their locations a tool, rather than just background.

If you missed it, or want to watch it again, the full recording is here: https://buff.ly/kLIhggn

It's packed full of research findings and actionable tips.

We ran the first known study into how background music affects beha...

06/07/2026

Coffee shop by day. Cocktail bar by night. Same brand, completely different energy - and the soundtrack has to work for both.

That's the challenge BEAR Coffee brought to us. Since 2016 they've built a reputation for sustainably sourced, specialty coffee and a fearless approach to reinventing what a coffee brand can be.

We built their brand sound from playlists they'd already started, then expanded and tailored them - soul, disco and indie tracks with a warm, rugged charm that flexes from morning coffee to evening cocktails.

The result: every BEAR location now runs on music that matches their energy, with full control through Startle Studio.

Read the full case study: https://buff.ly/oYuXLue

25/06/2026

What does a pizzeria sound like?

For Pizza Pilgrims, it's an eclectic mix of forgotten hits, standout album tracks, and soon-to-be classics - the kind of music that makes you reach for Shazam mid-slice.

Our music curators built bespoke playlists and fine-tuned them using BPM, energy, valence, and track popularity data to shift with the mood and manage cover flow at peak times.

Here's what co-founder Thom Elliot had to say:
"Startle has proved to be the perfect partner for Pizza Pilgrims, embracing all of our ideas for using music and technology to enhance our pizzerias. Our playlist management has improved massively, but the custom integrations we've been able to build in are the most exciting part. On top of this, the support we receive is super responsive and I know we can rely on the Startle team for quick, 1-to-1 help whenever we need it."

Read the full case study 👇

https://www.startle.io/case-studies/pizza-pilgrims

23/06/2026

We're pleased to share that Startle has been awarded the Guaranteed Irish mark.

The Guaranteed Irish mark is awarded to businesses that demonstrate a real and sustained commitment to Ireland, going through a structured assessment process covering employment practices, training and development, health and safety, sustainability, and long-term business planning before becoming a member.

We're proud that this level of scrutiny reflects what we've actively been building in Ireland. It's where a third of our team are based, with a lovely office, and some really fantastic customers.

Read more on our blog 🇮🇪: https://www.startle.io/blog/startle-is-now-guaranteed-irish

15/06/2026

Belushi's Bars are built for the big moments - live sports, nights out, packed-out tournament screenings.

So their screens needed to keep up.

We work with Belushi's across the UK and Europe, delivering digital signage that does more than display a logo. Think automated sports promotion that takes over the screens an hour before kick-off, bespoke pre-match content tied to specific nations, and Formula 1 coverage that kicked in during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

The right content, in the right venue, at exactly the right time - managed from one platform.

That's the Startle difference.

👉 Read the full story:

Find out how Belushi's boosted customer experience and promote effectively with Startle's signage solutions.

28/05/2026

With 2 weeks until the World Cup starts, we're here to tell you how to turn football screenings into unforgettable fan experiences this tournament season.

How to turn football screenings into unforgettable fan experiences this tournament season.

19/05/2026

Letting store teams control music may seem harmless, but it risks inconsistency, brand dilution, and operational issues. Multi-site brands need a smarter approach.

Magnus, our Head of Music Development, tells us all about it.

https://str.tl/3R5v5Wo

11/05/2026

Discover how background music for business influences customer behaviour, dwell time, and sales in retail and hospitality, backed by real research.

23/04/2026

Your playlist could be costing you sales.

Music doesn’t just fill silence - it shapes behaviour, mood, and how long people stay.

At Startle, we have a 5-step strategy to help retail & hospitality brands turn background music into a real growth driver.

Read it here 👇

Discover Startle's 5-step background music strategy, blending expert music curation and behavioural insight to drive commercial impact.

20/04/2026

We’re introducing Featured Playlists - a new way to bring artist-led curation into retail and hospitality spaces.

Launching with: The Sound of: Arlo Parks 🎧

Inspired by her new album Ambiguous Desire, this playlist blends her latest work, back catalogue, and artists with a similar tone and texture.

Curated music, made for real spaces. Thank you to [PIAS] for inviting our Head of Music Development, Magnus, to Arlo's exclusive album listening party - that insight helped shape this playlist.

Read more: