Wouter wrote:

Millemissen wrote:

@Wouter - I agree with you, but that page is quite old.

Much has changed since then!

MM

On the one hand, Indeed, much has changed. On the other hand, no. The main structure still remains. Even though the AV world is changing more rapidly than in 1999 B&o is still a company which needs to cherish long term customer relations. Lock in people when they are young, and if done correctly they will never buy another brand again.

I couldn't agree with you more on this point and this is why I felt franchising was a complete disaster. Any relationship I had built up by that point vanished overnight and its been an uphill struggle ever since because my mindset is as you say, but new franchisees have a completely different outlook, which isn't on par with my own.

Wouter wrote:

On the one hand, Indeed, much has changed. On the other hand, no. The main structure still remains. 

i would not say so.

B&O Play is a subbrand, which has a different target group than the traditional Bang & Olufsen brand has - you should not forget that.

MM

Millemissen wrote:

i would not say so.

B&O Play is a subbrand, which has a different target group than the traditional Bang & Olufsen brand has - you should not forget that.

MM

Maybe you are right, but I do not think that beoplay can be seen completely separated from b&o. I do not have the numbers to support this, but I think that a large share of beoplay's customers are current b&o customers. Maybe they have another target group but it isn't clear what this target group is. It all does not seem to be consistent to me. Compare the beoplay launch

I must admit Ilike the black and red ones.

Less impressed by the mangled grammar of the sales tagline but you can't have everything I suppose!

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grass is always greener with B&O ....

AdamS wrote:

Less impressed by the mangled grammar of the sales tagline .................... 

and the fact that it is scrawled on the headband!

I actually find this quite depressing

Following apple is one thing , aping them to this level is painful

RIP David Lewis

Wouter wrote:

Millemissen wrote:

i would not say so.

B&O Play is a subbrand, which has a different target group than the traditional Bang & Olufsen brand has - you should not forget that.

MM

Maybe you are right, but I do not think that beoplay can be seen completely separated from b&o. I do not have the numbers to support this, but I think that a large share of beoplay's customers are current b&o customers. Maybe they have another target group but it isn't clear what this target group is. It all does not seem to be consistent to me. Compare the beoplay launch video with this headphone release. Cobbler stick to thy last...

It should be VERY clear who the target group is; a lot of people who will spend relatively big coin to get great sound and a different look and feel. While almost never right, the former Todd Paul Winn did hit the nail on the head years ago when he talked incessantly and mind numbingly about the hip and cool people who needed to be attracted to the brand. 

But there are far more people listening to music around the world who are just normal people, and some of them have greater means and will differentiate with the BeoPlay brand if it is out there. Not having ever heard of DJ Khaled until this week, I asked around to a number of young people (including both my daughters) and every one of them knew of him. If you check his network out, you will find it is the entire East US popular music scene, including all the big names in rap/hip-hop/urban/dance, including former West Coaster Dr Dre. And if you don't think Europeans like this stuff, local hip hop legend Pusha T just finished his annual tour on your side of the water (including UK and Denmark) so somebody over there must. 

How did they get DJ Khaled? Don't like it?  Who knows or cares, if it sells stuff? 

The first video teaser with the B&O appeared on screen (29 April) before the Beats sale to Apple (29 May). Only rumors about Apple and Beats  before then. Nothing happens overnight, so I think it's fair to say that these were independent events; related but not causal. 

symmes wrote:

How did they get DJ Khaled? Don't like it?  Who knows or cares, if it sells stuff? 

I have to say I don't like the colors, kind of garish, but I think they will appeal to a certain market segment. The colors and branding are only a bother to me if they stop making the traditional colors I like, otherwise if it can drag a few more people, and people of a different market segment, into the brand all the better. B&O is making a lot of changes, they have to change if they are to survive, and expanding the market is desperately needed. To date, most Play customers I think have been B&O devotees, I don't think they pulled in as many new ears as they'd have expected or liked.

Face it, branding with "cool" hiphop/DJ type artists is the rage today, and it obviously must work. We will see how B&O does with it, but without a lot of stuff like this, we will not be seeing new products and things we want. It's a tough market, you have to take business where you can get it.

Jeff you hit the nail on the head there.