The in-store experience has always been a differentiating factor for Bose. Given the premium positioning amidst fierce competition, the physical product experimentation and the luxury in-store service have always been crucial selling factors for Bose.

Then came 2020 with its Covid-19 lockdowns. Bose was forced to close nearly 120 stores worldwide, including the Middle East – a region where such elements of the customer journey play a significant role as a proof of value.

Bose needed a game-changer solution to keep consumer interest high, continue to demonstrate its differentiation and ultimately recover sales via digital channels.

We needed to find a way to connect Bose to challenging consumers and prove the brand’s value more than ever – all so in a meaningful way in the context of the pandemic.

But how could we make a high-end product appealing during an economic crisis with no way to make customers experience it?

Leading with innovation and relevance, we brought noise cancelling savings directly to loud home offices. By converting everyday decibels into discounts on Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700!

The Noise-O-Meter uses a first-of-its-kind algorithm that instantaneously converts live decibels into discount coupons. In short: The louder your home office, the larger your discount.

There are countless noises inside homes and regular headphones just aren’t enough to block them. This consumer tension around the struggle for productivity was the impetus behind Noise-O-Meter.

Our strategy was anchored on a series of insights.

As a product, Bose is perceived as premium with a price justifiable by the higher quality demonstrated in-store. We also learned the importance of the in-store experience for the Middle East in particular, an element lost during the lockdowns.

For office workers, the recession brought by Covid-19 triggered cash constraints. It also changed their work reality to home office.

Our strategy thus focused on addressing both Bose’s and customers’ new realities and challenges.

We spoke directly to consumers dealing with the struggles of working from home in noisy ambiences, sharing the workspace with the rest of the family. By developing the Noise-O-Meter, which converts everyday decibels into discounts on Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700!

It uses a first-of-its-kind algorithm engineered to interpret sound data and ambient noise levels in different settings, instantaneously generating proportionate eCommerce discount coupons based on everyday decibels.

In short: The louder your home office, the larger your discount.

It was also designed to be easily accessible via a simple swipe up from targeted Instagram Stories, creating a seamless journey from checking the noise to generating and redeeming coupons.

The UX and design were optimized for smartphone screens; while the algorithm was engineered to work with and tested across diverse microphone sensitivities.

In less than a month, the Noise-O-Meter achieved over 7 million impressions, measuring more than 7000 home office noises and converting 400,000+ decibels into discounts.

Most importantly, there was an incredible 37.5% increase in the average weekly online sales of the high-end Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700! Multiple retailers are now keen on adapting this in other markets.