Relaunching JLab
JLab was entering into a new chapter as a brand. They had pulled back from their top customer in an effort to relaunch with a more focused approach at mass retail. They had very little shelf presence at the nation’s largest retailers and were preparing to introduce a plethora of new products and a revamped brand strategy, all while trying to shift to more sustainable growth.
Key issues faced
Portable Audio was, and still is, a highly saturated market within Consumer Electronics. Longstanding brands owned the OPP space, while private labels were becoming increasingly more relevant at key national retailers. JLab’s brand was largely unknown in the market, and there were several old product categories that needed to be cleaned up. Going toe-to-toe with the marketing and PR budgets of the big brands was not an option.
Implementation
Powerplay worked with JLab to focus on key retailers’ core competencies to target two distinct subcategories: Kids Headphones and True Wireless. We parlayed success in these segments to earn pegs within the traditional wired and the booming Bluetooth sides of the business, outperforming brands that had owned those pegs for years. We amplified marketing efforts externally with increased influencer partnerships and geotargeting for key demographics, as well as amplifying within our retailers’ own channels and trained the associates who were on the floor living and breathing the product daily. We presented low-risk, high-reward business plans to the merchant teams, and offered flexibility, custom curation and exclusivity. We secured four feet of branded space in all Best Buy doors and had the lead value Black Friday offers at both Target and Best Buy in 2019.
Outcome
JLab is the #1 selling True Wireless brand under $100 in the U.S., the #1 Kids Headphones brand in the U.S. and a Top 5 market share leader within all headphones, according to NPD.
In light of the global pandemic, there was a strong focus among consumers on affordable True Wireless and Kids Headphones. We were able to show continued growth, even during uncertain times, as distance learning and working remotely became increasingly common. Additionally, JLab remains a first-to-market industry leader within active noise cancelation and mobile gaming, while continuing to push the message of value.
