What High End Manufacturers Could Learn From Bose


In the high end community Bose gets no respect. The fact is they don't deserve our respect - Bose does not make a particularly good sounding product and they're over priced. Yet at the same time, there is much the high end could learn from Bose. The concept is marketing. Bose knows how to sell hi-fi equipment. Open up a general interest national magazine and there's a prominent ad for Bose. How many high end manufacturers have ever run television ads? Bose has. Bose once sent me an unsolicited videotape ad thru the mail. Finally, Bose even has retail outlets. What a concept, actually spending money to make people awear of your product with the hope that they will buy it.

My question is why doesn't Martin-Logan, Krell or Harman (Revel, Levinson, etc) embark upon similar marketing efforts? The future of high fidelity sound reproduction will be for those companies that grab it. Right now, Bose is grabbing for that future. Will any high end companies step up to the plate and challenge?
128x128onhwy61
Ryyno is correct. Bose has established it position in the marketplace in the minds of many consumers. Most of the high end companies are continuing to serve ever smaller segments ie. German large format cameras. The reason is not a lack of a better product but simply because of arrogance and a lack of resources. Bose rules because they have figured out how to reach the consumer with their message.
This thread is like a bad odor, it just wont go away.
Regarding Bose, it just make me sick to think of it. It's a reflection of the degrading of cultural value in our society really. Just look at the latest TV schedule and Bilboard chart, nothing close to any artistic value. People prefer fast-food entertaiment these day. The tele is litter with so call "reality TV" but in reality there's nothing further from reality than those shows. Does your life or anybody you know has any resemblance to those shows, I doubt that. Music is not faring any better. Nothing but one hit-wonder, the top ten hits on the Billboard are nothing but dance track that belongs to some hip-hop clubs. Rock is even worst, most are what I call Angry White Man Yelling. These so call artist sometime say they are making a social statement, supposedly with their 6th grade education. Bose is following the same principal "If you hear it often enough it ought to be true". Thats why they throw out words like; Life-like, Direct-Reflecting, Accoutimass, Bass-Module, Stereo-Everywhere. To most people this sound damn good, but thats like Taco Bells say they serving authentic Mexican food. But hey if you have the dough to make people hear it often enough they'll think thats true. I may come off as a bitter man but actually I just feel sad that after thousands of years of cultural evolution and this is what we have to show for, quite pathetic. BTW I dare anyone to find the specs of Bose product anywhere on their website or brochure or User Maunual. If you do CIA has a job for you
off topic.

Rhyno, you are the man! I am not a whisky afficionado at all but once was impressed by the glossy duty-free catalog on an airplane to Asia, I got a bottle of Chivas and thought it must be near to top of whisky crowd. But when I tried it with my father-in-law, both agreed that it is not so good but I was blaming myself for not being able to appreciate such a 'high-end' liquor! Lately I got a bottle of Jack Daniels not as flashy as Chivas but tasted waaaaay better. I still have no clue of which are good whisky brands and how they taste like. I guess this must be what the 'mass market' is behaving in audio shopping. I can personally relate Bose to Chivas!

abe
I think Martin Logan (Mr. Saunders) don’t really want to be like Bose, once things starts to be mass marketed they thrive and deteriorate in quality.
I guess what I am trying to say is you don’t see as many Jaguars compared to Hyundai’s.
These guys pay a fortune for adds like some in millions of dollars to a point that some think SONY is the best product in the world! That is provided you have tried all on the planet.

It’s a tough call for manufactures, like what Jason Bloom of Apogee and Aurnie Nudell of Genesis Technologies bailed out of Infinity, not for the money but the principal behind their product.
More does not mean better for all!
Bose has their name printed on a window of the new condo's at 59th and Broadway in NYC. This is right across from Trump tower and the entrance to Central park. Bruce Willis is said to have bought two units in this building.
Of course it helps that everyone already KNOWS Bose is the best. This merely reinforces the fact.