JKR

Bang & Olufsen

Bang & Olufsen symbolises so much more than sublime technology. It’s a definitive lifestyle brand. Encountering their products in a hotel room will make your stay feel that little bit more luxurious. Seeing them in someone’s house will confirm your suspicions that the owner isn’t short of a bob or two.

The real lesson we learn from their design is how to stand out whilst blending in. Like a really great piece of furniture, it sets a tone without barking at you from across the room. Reflecting the fact that Bang & Olufsen take their inspiration from everyday life: church organs, tulip fields, anything.

They have long understood how user interface can differentiate them from the mainstream. Bringing a stereo to life with a wave of your hand makes a much deeper impression than pressing a remote control. Of course, Bang & Olufsen do have remote controls. They’re cast in zinc to ensure they feel permanently cool to your touch, obviously.

This is by no means style over substance however. Their first work with radios and loudspeakers was driven by the ideal of “honest music reproduction” – reaching your ears uninfluenced by the limitations of technology. Visiting a store last week, I was given a demonstration of the new, 85-inch, 3D TV. It’s spectacular. And with a price tag of £65,000 - you know you’re buying more than just a television.

By James Joice, Client Director, jkr