A few years ago I participated as a judge in a marketing contest designed to shower awards and recognition on those employing the best examples of marketing by custom installation/systems integration companies. It was a fascinating process and we saw some remarkable examples of high-quality marketing. But we also saw some common marketing mistakes…over and over.
Marketing
MSR Acoustics Launches New Acoustic Tuning Products at T.H.E. Show
MSR Acoustics announced this week that it will launch a new series of acoustic treatment products at The Home Entertainment (T.H.E.) Show taking place starting tomorrow through Sunday in Newport Beach, CA. These new products are a sly way of adding real resonance deadening panels to your listening room, but hiding their real function behind attractive art pieces to eliminate any resistance to typically ugly sound treatment products.
See more on this development & find out where you can experience MSR at T.H.E. Show… [Read more…] about MSR Acoustics Launches New Acoustic Tuning Products at T.H.E. Show
Yamaha Launches 3 New Aventage A/V Receivers
Topping off their latest RX-A30 series of Aventage A/V receivers, Yamaha on Tuesday announced the RX-A3030, RX-A2030 and RX-A1030 models. Yamaha calls them their “most stunning” models that were “engineered by ear” for those home theater enthusiasts who want the best.
See more about these brutes from Yamaha – who says they’re “the market leader in AV receivers”… [Read more…] about Yamaha Launches 3 New Aventage A/V Receivers
To Skeptical Crowd, Apple’s Tim Cook Promises ‘Game Changers’ are Coming
Wall Street analysts are getting increasingly concerned about the ability of Apple, Inc. to sustain its historic run of innovation. Some are suggesting the company’s best days may in fact be behind it. Exacerbating the growing drumbeat of discontent…it has been eight months – since October 2012 – when Apple last announced new products. And even they were more iterative than innovative. Clearly feeling the pressure, over the last couple of months Apple CEO Tim Cook has told anyone who was willing to listen to hang on, great things are coming.
Are ‘game changers’ really coming? Or is the innovation just a figment of Cook’s imagination?… [Read more…] about To Skeptical Crowd, Apple’s Tim Cook Promises ‘Game Changers’ are Coming
Do Your Email Marketing Campaigns Measure Up?
For many of today’s companies and marketers, whether business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-business (B2B), email marketing has become one of, if not the, most potent arrows in their marketing quiver. There are many reasons why this is the case. Certainly, one reason is “cost effectiveness.” For a relatively low-cost, marketers can address large lists of email addresses with their targeted message. And thanks to fill-in-the-blanks message templates, email marketing is also fairly easy to create. And finally, once you “push the button,” email marketing is delivered almost instantaneously.
But do you know if your campaigns are effective compared to objective norms? See more here… [Read more…] about Do Your Email Marketing Campaigns Measure Up?
Sharp Launches 4K Ultra HDTV
Sharp Corp. announced today that it will begin selling 4K or Ultra High Definition televisions to high-end consumers in Japan starting in June, according to a report by the Nikkei. To be included as part of its Aquos line, the company says that 4K technology offers consumers four times the resolution of existing HDTVs.
See more on Sharp’s plans, including whether they have plans to export 4K to the U.S…. [Read more…] about Sharp Launches 4K Ultra HDTV
Wake-Up Calls and Blind Spots
Last Wednesday, I got a wake-up call the likes of which I never expected…and it has changed my life. Oh yeah, not hyperbole. It started with a simple walk and ended with what I think demonstrates an important lesson in life…and an important lesson in business.
What was it? Well, as I said, it started when I went for a walk… [Read more…] about Wake-Up Calls and Blind Spots
ACTP Launches TiO Home Automation – They Want You to Turn it On
Last month we told you about the [probably final] closing of 3vNet…the third or fourth time it – or more accurately, its predecessor company Colorado vNet – has gone through that process. At the same time CEO Mike Anderson announced that closing, he also announced the launch of a new company called Automated Control Technology Partners – a company that he said would ultimately have a stable of brands under its control.
With this week’s announcement of the launch of Turn it On (TiO) – we have the first of these brands… [Read more…] about ACTP Launches TiO Home Automation – They Want You to Turn it On
NAD – Pulling High Performance Digital Away From the MP3 Muck
Saying they want to move their traditional audiophile customers into the exciting new world of digital music – while at the same time offering higher sound quality solutions to attract the “digital native” computer music lover – NAD Electronics today in a press preview in New York launched three new digital audio products it calls “The New Digital Generation.” Staking out the high ground, NAD hopes to be able to offer affordable access to better quality digital music…while at the same time, offering an upgrade path to the ultimate digital system performance.
See more on this remarkable digital evolution by an upper mid-fi company… [Read more…] about NAD – Pulling High Performance Digital Away From the MP3 Muck
Better Late Than Never? KEF Enters Headphone Market with New M Series
Well, it’s a pretty crowded business these days, but KEF, the U.K.-based company launched in 1961 by ex-BBC electrical engineer Raymond Cooke, has chosen to enter the headphone market now with two “M” series headphone models – the M500 over-ear model and the M200 in-ear model. Now over 50-years old, KEF (Kent Engineering & Foundry) has a long history as a respected loudspeaker innovator. These are, however, their first headphone designs.
