Selling a top of the range garden tractor today to a well-heeled customer? Then your chances of a successful sale are increased if something like Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 2 in C Minor is playing in the background.

A first time mower being sold to a newly married couple? A track by Dolly Parton or Johnny Cash would suit better (presumably I Walk The Line).

These were the findings of a team of Australian scientists from Curtin University in Perth and published in the Journal of Retailing (who would surely be better employed unravelling the mysteries of the Edgbaston pitch for their batsmen).

Anyway after a series of experiments, their report concluded that classical music has connotations of luxury, whilst country music is associated with self-sufficiency and practicality.  They say there are lessons to be learned for retailers, not least that playing appropriate background music can aid the sale. So cut out the Kanye West!

MORE FROM GGP

I was reading this report when the details of the forthcoming GGP conference popped through the letterbox.

As many of you will know, it is contained in one of those music-loaded cards that you sometimes open in Clintons to be assailed by Victor Meldrew’s “I don’t believe it”, or a loud burp.

GGP have gone with the 70’s disco hit More, More, More (which presumably is not a Ron Miller retirement recall!) to promote the announcement of new models.

I remember including this Andrea True song in my playlist when I ran a mobile disco back in the 70s (yes really). Ms True was a famed porno star from the 1960’s and 1970’s who turned to singing after making more than 50 adult films.

Sadly, she is no longer with us so won’t be performing it personally at the GGP event at the National Motor Cycle Museum in September.