BRAND STRATEGY:

CLASSÉ

5-Year Plan Brand Book

Brand Research: Zachary Raber
Creative Director: David Gardner
Design Lead: Sripriya Prasad
Client Manager: Nany Mines
Agency: ColorJar

Classé brings a 40+ year reputation for amplifier excellence to its parent company, Sound United. Since its notable absence from the market, the business has remained small since it was acquired by Sound United. There are two notable brand shortcomings: low-to-no brand awareness and an underdeveloped knowledge of the market Classé should be serving. Classé is an excellent product, but it isn’t connecting with the luxury audio market like it once was.

BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO A LEGACY BRAND

OBJECTIVE ONE

Conduct market research, analyze competitor’s positioning, and construct target personas.

OBJECTIVE TWO

Arrive at research-driven insights for the creative team + client lead

KEY RESEARCH QUESTIONS

  • SEGMENTING

    Which is the more important segment to target—Audiophiles or Luxury Buyers? Which makes up more of Classé’s historic sales?

  • INFLUENCE POTENTIAL

    Who are the “consulted experts” that the Luxury Buyer segment and how can we influence them?

  • FACTS VS EMOTION

    Does messaging to the hyper-informed Audiophile segment need to demonstrate technical literacy, or can emotional reasoning also work? Which is the driving force in purchasing?

  • PURCHASE DRIVERS

    Breakdown of Classé sales by the intent of purchase (recording equipment, commercial use, personal use & multimedia theater)

CONSTRUCTED PERSONAS

Distilling an entire market into two distinct personas

AUDIOPHILES

BUYING MOTIVATED BY TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE.

  • They are highly educated in sound engineering. They know what they want and they can sniff out if a brand doesn’t know what they are talking about.

  • They are niche hobbyists who don’t stop after a single acquisition— they’re constant system tinkerers and explorers.

  • They are obsessive researchers, comparers, enthusiasts who enjoy the challenge of testing a brand’s bold claims against their sky-high standards.

Insight: to be on audiophile’s radar, Classé must sharpen its voice to sound like industry experts and dare audiophiles to experience Classé’s boldly stated sonic excellence.

LUXURY BUYERS

BUYING MOTIVATED BY STATUS.

  • The segment has the financial means to invest in quality. Price is not a major factor in decision-making.

  • Purchases are consulted by experts in brick-and-mortar stores. Trust is placed in these store representatives instead of conducting extensive personal research.

  • Purchases are motivated by social prestige and class expectation.

Insight: to sell to luxury buyers, classé must form close relationships with in-store sellers to inspire sellers to become enthusiastic brand ambassadors.

BRAND POSITIONING

  • TARGET AUDIENCE

    For the world’s most discerning music lovers.

  • BRAND PROMISE

    We power moments of joy by delivering uncompromising sonic purity.

  • REASON TO BELIEVE

    The first choice of studio icons for over 40 years, including Abbey Road Studios.