The shoes you wear, the (hopefully smart!) phone you use, the car you drive- these are all things society uses to determine your image and status. Nowadays designers and endorsements have taken over everything- from your keychain to your laptop case. I thought I had seen it all until I was introduced to Beats by Dr. Dre. The hip hop executive introduced his line of super aural headphones in July 2008 but it was this past holiday season in which sales picked up. Over-ear headphones retail from $249.95 to $399.95. The line also includes in ear headphones, speakers and audio systems.
Initially, I questioned those who would purchase such pricey headphones and the image they wish to convey by doing so. But looking at Lucas Cahill’s blog, my initial thoughts on the product expanded to the quality aspect of the headphones. While I still believe in the psychological factors behind purchasing Beats headphones, Lucas mentions the value Dr. Dre places on audio quality, considering he is the CEO of a joint record label. Even visiting the website, Dr. Dre himself states “With Beats, people are going to hear what the artists hear, and listen to the music the way they should: the way I do”.
Despite the quality of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, the majority of consumers still recognize the product mix because of the correlating image- especially through the “b” logo on each earphone. Product lines and categories have expanded to the Artist Series, featuring Justbeats by Justin Bieber, Diddybeats by P. Diddy and of course, Heartbeats by Lady Gaga. As a marketing student, I find it very intriguing to witness this brand of product in its growth stage and to observe the development of this trend amongst students and music enthusiasts alike.
