Harman International - JBL Fest Campaign

Company: Harman International, Stamford, CT
Company Description: JBL creates the amazing sound that shapes life’s most epic moments. From iconic events like Woodstock and concerts at Madison Square Garden, to games at Yankee Stadium and weekend road trips, JBL elevates listeners’ experiences with award-winning audio that lets them make the most of every moment. With unmatched professional credentials and over 70 years of delivering industry leading innovation,
Nomination Category: Marketing Campaign Categories - Industry
Nomination Sub Category: Marketing Campaign of the Year - Electronics

Nomination Title: JBL Fest

OVERVIEW. JBL Harman is a global technology company with a portfolio of 36 brands in four distinct divisions: consumer audio products, professional audio solutions, connected car, and connected services. JBL’s first-ever brand destination event in July 2017 (JBL Fest in Las Vegas) exceeded every internal benchmark: participation, press, social engagement, and total press impressions.

2018’s planning challenge – make JBL Fest even better, drive more business, and create more engagement. As a kick off to the key holiday selling season, JBL wanted to achieve these objectives: create consumer excitement, drive social conversations, build brand engagement, incent key customer participation, and gain significant consumer/trade press attention.

STRATEGY Create a consistent brand story that worked across all four global divisions, and integrate this storytelling across all talent, celebrity, and key influencer interactions in order to drive substantial consumer and trade press.

Overarching message: JBL Fest is an epic 3-day celebration of entertainment and sound where some of the biggest stars in music, sports, and culture will party alongside thousands of consumers and fans from around the world. Multiple content tracks used JBL Fest as a common messaging platform to engage four distinct press targets with specific strategic messages:

-Lifestyle press – highlight Fest sights and sounds, linking JBL brand ambassadors to specific coverage beats.
-Culture Influencers – the places to see and be seen, setting up/sharing real-time snaps, stories and posts.
-Entertainment press – leverage celebrities and talent with exclusive photo assets for widespread pick up.
-Marketing/industry press – use JBL Fest as a proof point for brand’s role in defining pop culture.

EXECUTION Pre-event promotion began in August with press releases, targeted outreach and pre-event retail promotion. Party In Las Vegas With JBL in-store promotions were taken up in 7 regions by 127 key retail partners across 47 countries that reached +6,800 participating stores. These point of sale promotions were supported with advertising and related promotion in many of the markets.

For three days in October, JBL Fest became a messaging platform for multiple audiences. JBL Fest produced a three-track event schedule for consumers, key business customers and press/influencers. This holistic celebration of music and sound combined premium entertainment, parties, exclusive VIP events, JBL education and immersive brand experiences.

Consumer experiences and social amplification. Consumer promotion winners from +35 countries joined thousands of local guests creating thousands of their own content posts (collectively +10K posts). Each venue was transformed with custom lighting, photo booths and JBL LED Pulse speakers integrated into glowing immersive entry tunnels.

Key customer content and events. Key business partners kicked off JBL Fest with an exclusive dinner reception and concert for +100 VIPs. Key partners enjoyed private performances for Harman China and Harman India guests. JBL University produced educational and business compliance events for all business customers featuring 7 industry experts in FEST Talks, as well as the JBL Brand Immersion seminar.

Media / Influencers. JBL Social Suite was the content hub for exclusive press interviews and custom content from 85 media, JBL Brand Ambassadors and celebrity influencers. Each night’s headline concert was preceded by a press/influencer green room reception. Media partnership with E! News included 18 content posts on E! News IG feed reached 9.3 Million impressions. This storytelling focus increased JBL brand channel impressions to 42.3M impressions, leaping +366% over 2017’s performance.

Impacts. JBL Fest created gigantic press reach with 2.6B Impressions (+292% over 2017) that included national coverage in print, online and TV (coverage summaries submitted). Massive social connections were created with #JBLFest content/tags gaining 9MM engagements/240MM Social Impressions. JBL-owned social channels created 42MM impressions, gaining +366% over 2017.

JBL Fest drove substantial business impacts, resulting in incremental revenue gains across all global divisions. Participating retail partners increased 32% YoY and reached more than 6,800 stores. The targeted outreach to lifestyle automotive press/influencers reached 1.9M followers and yielded +157% YoY gain in social post engagements.

In bullet-list form, briefly summarize up to ten (10) of the chief features and results of the nominated campaign or project (up to 150 words):

-Created a global destination brand event for B2B customers, consumers, and press
-Brought JBL brand to epic life for a gigantic celebration of music and sound
-The JBL Fest event showcased our JBL celebrity brand ambassadors -- connecting our celebrities to press, influencers, key customers and target consumers.
-Created brand education events, experiences, and brand seminars for B2B contacts
-Produced immersive brand love events for press and key influencers
-Staged 3 epic entertainment evenings of headline concerts, plus a dozen additional VIP and targeted events.
-Invited 85 press and influencers, who in turn created thousands of content posts.
-Gained total press reach of 2.6B impressions (+292% increase over 2017 results).
-Massive social media reach with 9 Million engagements and 240 Million Impressions.
-JBL Fest created significant business impacts, resulting in millions in incremental revenue (numbers confidential), a 36% increase in participating retailers covering more than 6,800 stores.