Most people can relate to rising stress levels as the holiday season approaches, and scientific reports show that traditional Christmas music tends to increase stress even more. We gave a music producer and a stress scientist professor a mission to compose a truly de-stressing Christmas song, specially engineered for Bowers & Wilkins premium in-car sound system, the best place to listen to it.

The audio piece was created to in an effective and relaxing way contribute something unique to the Christmas music category, using recognizable sound elements associated with the holiday season. The result became the world's first stress-relieving Christmas song.

To activate and demonstrate the combined effect of the de-stressing Christmas song and the premium in-car sound system we launched the campaign at Volvo Studio Show Room in Stockholm during December. It was an open event for the public and press/media to try out the song's stress-reducing effects.

There was a lively debate in international media about increased stress during Christmas. Several studies show that traditional Christmas music on repeat contributes heavily to stress. Similar debates pop up globally every year as the holiday season approaches. This year even to the point that experts warn us about how this can affect us in a negative way.

No lyrics, sound only (Sound SPA)

The world's first stress-relieving Christmas song innovatively combined science and engineering. A well-known music producer and a stress scientist professor composed a truly de-stressing Christmas song, specially engineered for Bowers & Wilkins premium in-car sound system.

The structure and elements of the song are based on the brief from the stress scientist professor. Easily described as harmonic chords and subtle melodies together with well-known elements made to create comfort and security, meaning not using too much volume, treble and base. Relaxation is created by the way of elegant melody transitions and layers of “warm” nature and Christmas sounds – a campfire, sleigh bells etc.

To get the maximum relaxing effect the quality of the sound system is crucial. Together with engineers from Bowers & Wilkins all audio elements were optimized for the 19 speakers in the car.