2018 experienced an incredible surge in the smart speaker market, with over 41% of consumers owning a Google or Amazon enabled speaker. While these speakers were touting breakthrough tech, they were ignoring a key consumer need - high quality sound. The JBL Link filled this void. It’s a smart speaker that combines JBL’s legendary pro sound with Google’s unsurpassed tech credentials. We were tasked with developing a campaign that touted the JBL Link as ‘the best sound you could ask for,’ in other words, a smart speaker for music lovers. Our objective was to introduce the newest addition to JBL’s storied product line by reflecting back on its rich history of consumer’s requests for JBL pro sound.

Requests, shout outs, dedications. Throughout music history, people have always asked for songs - voice commands are not an invention of the smart speaker era. And for as long as song requests have been made, JBL’s incredible pro sound has been there to respond. Whether a concert goer shouting out his song request at Woodstock or a modern day party host requesting a tune from his smart speaker; the legendary sound of JBL remains consistent in its delivery, only now the technology has become smarter than ever with the new Link speaker.

In examining the smart speaker landscape, one thing was clear: most smart speakers out there delivered terrible sound. Google and Alexa’s offerings had compelling tech, but not sound you were going to fill the room with at a party. Combining Google Assistant with JBL’s legendary sound meant this was the first smart speaker on the market with pro sound. In fact, it was the best sound you could ask for.

The campaign for the JBL Link smart speaker first aired across the globe in 6 different markets on November 5th, 2018. It aired on TV, in cinemas, posted on all online social channels, also via sponsored ads running on multiple platforms including Youtube, Facebook and Instagram. The specific markets supporting the campaign effort included the North American, European, Asian, and Russian markets. At the core of the campaign was the film, which was also supported by print, out of home, and banner advertising across all markets.

Shortly after launching the film, music fans on the Internet went wild - reacting in droves to sponsored video posts. People were desperate to uncover the artists of the so-called hits they thought they recognized in the Woodstock and studio scenes. The comments posted under sponsored posts and organically on social channels became a united cry for help. Fans even swarmed JBL’s phone hotline, demanding to know which real Woodstock artist sang the song “Rabbit Man” - and which real Motown artist was behind the hit “Nightlight” - which fans swore they recognized as a classic. Was it Janis Joplin? Sweetwater? Earth Wind & Fire? Fortunately for us everyone wanted to know. The campaign created extraordinary interest in the JBL Link - resulting in a 184% increase of online searches for “JBL Link.”