Why audio brands need to stop selling the product

I still remember the moment that a pair of sound-isolating earphones transformed my experience of a much-loved track. As a life-long music fan, I always treasured pure vinyl-plus-speakers. But the earphones made me listen in a whole new way, discovering details in the music I never heard before (to try some new cans for yourself see our best budget audiophile headphones and the best Bluetooth headphones).

That moment nicely frames the challenge for audio brands today: how to convey the true value they bring to everyday scenarios. That value doesn’t lie in hardware and specifications – but in headspace and experience.

A booming market, a silent experience

The global consumer audio market is projected to surge from $100.24 billion in 2024 to $219.22 billion by 2030. But standing out in this market has never been more challenging.

Incremental innovation and design have created a sea of sameness. Features that were once a shorthand for premium (Bluetooth, voice activation, active noise cancelling and so on) are now table stakes. Although the category is built on immersive sound, the shopping experience remains surprisingly silent.

In this booming landscape, the brands that use transformative and emotive power in a fresh way, will stand out. Here is how to go about it…

From product to experience

Audio brands need to shift from product-focused to experience-focused storytelling. Today’s consumers want more from their brands. They look to them to reflect their own values, to sell them a lifestyle. Never has the adage “Don’t sell the drill, sell the hole” been more apt.

Yet audio brands still sell the product, when they should be selling the ‘calm commute’, the ‘focused gym session’ or the feeling of spirits uplifted. So how can they capture and convey the feeling of better sound, to evoke the immersive experiences they deliver?

A unique and authentic brand story

Start by looking at your own brand story. Can you leverage your heritage and authenticity in a way that sets you apart? Whether you have a history entwined with professional musicians or an affinity with a specific type of music, highlighting roots and credibility can build trust and aspirational appeal. It allows you to move on from generic audio branding tropes.

In our work with Shure, for example, we helped the iconic audio innovator amplify its heritage to reach new audiences, building on its long-standing reputation for quality and as the go-to for professional music artists. Rallying around the words ‘legendary performance’, a refreshed visual identity and packaging moved the brand forward with a more consistent brand expression even as the business was rapidly evolving.

Differentiation through design

Packaging is a key part here. Too often, audio brands rely on showing off the product without evoking context or experience. Instead of minimalist backgrounds and sleek product shots, they should be exploring ways to make packaging more engaging and reflective of audio’s impact. Other consumer sectors are better at this. Think of food packaging, for example, where brands are constantly innovating their packaging to convey flavour and the different emotions and experiences of enjoying a meal – before you can taste it.

Maybe leverage the unboxing as a brand moment; experiment with visuals that enhance the narrative; or use copywriting to great effect. Language can carry and evoke emotion in even the most function-heavy categories. Remember the iconic Porsche ads from the 1970s and 80s (above), where the copy did all the heavy lifting? They conveyed precisely through words what it feels like to be behind the wheel – revealing the power of the beast on page. This is what audio should be looking to emulate.

Think of the shopping journey

This storytelling needs to extend to the entire shopping journey. For a category built on a very personal kind of immersion, the pre-purchase experience is underwhelming. Retail spaces – on and offline – rarely let people feel the power of one audio product over another. With today’s bricks-and-mortar retailers unable to compete with online on convenience, dialling up the immersive shopping experience is crucial.

This could involve experimenting with curated listening tests or guided sound moments in store (or in-app), for example – carefully designed steps on the shopping journey that turn discovery into a sensory event. But more importantly, brands need to think about creating a brand world. A space – online or off – that inspires a love of audio and reveals the value of great sound. A great example is the luxury audio brand Wrensilva, which does a lovely job with its showrooms that celebrate the act of listening.

Lean into cultural relevance

Moving beyond the product also means positioning your brand as part of a broader cultural conversation. Beats did this so well, when it burst on the scene 20 years ago, with its celebrity endorsements and lifestyle brand collaborations anchoring it in pop culture and athletics.

Too often, audio brands resort to ‘inside the factory’ thinking, assuming their products are inherently superior. This is what makes the sector so ripe for disruption. Those brands that challenge conventions and reimagine how they connect with consumers will carve out a distinct space.

By taking a broader view, the audio sector can better enable consumers to experience the impact of better sound in new and inspiring ways. The future of audio absolutely includes the specs, but even more important is the value it can bring to life.

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