Dive Brief:
- Sonos unveiled a brand campaign that is part of a larger shift in creative direction for the marketer, emphasizing sensory experiences and a complete sound system over tech specifics, according to a press release.
- “Love the Sound. Feel the System” uses hand-drawn diagrams to illustrate how Sonos speakers and headphones come to life, providing “awe in the living room” and “love in the bedroom.” Media spans video, podcast, print, social and a “significant” out-of-home push in New York.
- Along with repositioning Sonos, the effort supports two new products: the Ace Ultra headphones and Beam Ultra compact soundbar. Sonos is in recovery mode from a disastrous software update that pummeled its stock, resulted in a CEO ouster and frustrated fans.
Dive Insight:
Sonos is pivoting its messaging to focus more on the emotions and experiences inspired by its products rather than pure tech specs and standalone hardware. “Love the Sound. Feel the System” underscores how Sonos is interconnected and applicable to multiple aspects of the home and everyday life, including the kitchen, living room and bedroom. The work is meant to be a “company repositioning first and a brand refresh by extension,” the release stated.
“We have two priorities: to appeal to a more mass audience, not just early adopters, and to reconnect with longtime customers by getting back to what we do best. For anyone who has drifted away, I hope this work is a reminder of what makes Sonos different, and why it has always had a little magic,” Sonos CMO Colleen DeCourcy said over email.
Hand-crafted art, dance cards and diagrams support the illustrative approach, one that is less audio wonk-oriented but still aims to reflect the amount of care Sonos puts into building its gear. Creative, which was developed in-house, promotes new headphones and a sound bar, which Sonos previewed at an event in New York earlier this month.
“Forget the calibrated acoustics and software-driven analytics. This is a sound system to puncture your calloused soul,” a voice-over narrator says in a new 30-second spot.
An OOH blitz around New York spans subway ads at Westfield World Trade Center, Moynihan Train Hall and Penn Station; painted billboards in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; and guerrilla wildpostings, street panels and digital projections. In addition to the hardware, Sonos recently rolled out a major software update, Sonos 27, that introduces more artificial intelligence and agent-powered features, including a voice assistant that helps curate music and mood.
DeCourcy, a former Snap Inc. marketer and Wieden+Kennedy creative veteran, joined Sonos as CMO last November. Sonos has made several marketing hires this summer, including creative directors Rinee Shah and Kendra Eash, director of creative production Cameron Ford, brand design lead Raquel Scoggin and strategists Zach Gallagher and Janet Shih.
Sonos is in comeback mode after a prior, glitch-prone software change alienated customers and dented the business two years ago. Sonos estimated the stumble cost it about $100 million in revenue — a Wall Street Journal analysis factoring in stock market performance pegged the number closer to $500 million — and former CEO Patrick Spence stepped down amid the monthslong debacle.
The marketer’s bottom line is doing better these days while Sonos is also levergaging more insights derived from customer feedback. Revenue was up 9% to $375 million for the fiscal quarter ended June 27. Executives on the earnings call outlined a growth strategy that includes “more intentional marketing” as one of its main pillars. Teasing the fall marketing activities on the call, Sonos CEO Tom Conrad called it “the clearest expression in a decade of what makes Sonos singular in the world.”
