giving onkyo a 'sound' personality
Positionally this premium quality brand of fine audio equipment could be considered the Bang & Olufsen of Japan. Despite more than fifty years of dedicated sound craftmenship the brand was little known in Australia though it had been represented here for over a decade. We were engaged by Amber Technology, their agent, to develop a strategic campaign to move the brand toward a mainstream market position. Step 1 was to conduct both qualitative & quantitative research to define the brand character and the real motivators in the audio market. Why do people buy? How much do they think is enough to invest in their music machines? Do they believe the hi-fi store salesman? We uncovered some interesting outcomes and presented the launch campaign and research issues to their reseller network at a series of national functions.

Below are several of the concept directions tested in focus groups to see what would appeal to prospective audio buyers, what they thought was credible, what engaged their brains and "ears". This included a "50 years technology experience" position, a retail "steak knives and Tasmania" Christmas giveaway concept, and surreal visual shocks such as a "can of ears!"

The resulting campaign deliberately spoke to women, and their partners, with the promise "Hear what you've been missing". The ads tapped a relationship people share with their music. We treated women, for arguably the first time in the audio market, as people capable of making a hi-fi/sound choice. The ads also promised a personal, after hours, when-you-are-available, 'no-pressure' demonstration and chat... also a first in this industry... and it trippled sales.

Our next challenge was to launch Home Theatre Systems... "Home what?" was the general reaction in research, so we recruited David Stratton, Australia's most internationally awarded movie man from the SBS Movie Show to talk about this new technology, employed for many years by movie makers like George Lucas in 'Star Wars'... but described in plain english for the first time. His relevence to the entertainment environment and credibility, together with an 8-page free informational brief offered in every ad helped push Onkyo's perceived quality and honest approach to create a top brand performer in this market.