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Grace Smidt's avatar

thereeee but for fortuneeeee

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Philip Teale's avatar

True it’s a common thread for the brands whose target consumer is basically anyone! Futuristic designs + otherworldly ad campaigns, to convey cutting-edge sound and specs. It's a tried-and-tested playbook for that saturated market. But I can think of several big audio brands that go against the grain of sci-fi aesthetics: Marshall, AKG, House of Marley, to name a few. The ones that come from musicianship and heritage tend to stick with more traditional aesthetics associated with recording studios, etc.

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Remy Smidt's avatar

oo good call out. Diving into those brands now. Do you think the musician/heritage/history is a compelling enough story? Is that the antidote to all this scifi weirdness?

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Philip Teale's avatar

While I’m not immersed in that sector, I can say from my experience as a long-term audiophile, headphone-wearer and former musician, that it really depends on why you’re buying from the brand. Just like with cars, you may care about function, aesthetics, or both. Sonic preferences are also an important factor. Some people prefer bassy headphones for example. Others want clear and airy audio. This is why I’m a big believer in testing, or at least researching, as many headphones as you can before buying. The heritage brands usually have a backstory which may resonate on a personal level with consumers. E.g. House of Marley is linked to Bob Marley and his values. Marshall comes from guitar amplifiers and rock music. There’s a lot to be said about this space! Sorry this got wordy. Hope it helps though 😊

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rish vee's avatar

Refreshing take, and well-written! I do think we'll see the opposite of this in the coming years, with an already growing resurgence in nostalgia-influenced branding. I think the general sentiment around products and tech will call back to a 90s or early 00s essence of design and product use - smaller phones, bright colors, transclucency, analog design, etc. Not all at once, and definitely not led by the big guys aka Apple, Meta, et al, but I suspect the mid-tier brands will lead branding in the direction of the past.

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