The Brief:

Marshall is an iconic name in rock ‘n’ roll. Their amps have been used worldwide for over 50 years. Sliding Doors was chosen to launch Marshall Headphones in the UK and to manage their PR over the next 2 years, covering a number of new product launches. Marshall Headphones are designed with the Marshall legacy in mind and reflect the style of the amps themselves. Sliding Doors’ brief was to plan and execute a launch which established Marshall Headphones as a fashionable lifestyle accessory, but which also clearly communicated the brand’s heritage and commitment to both sound and build quality. The campaign needed to reach fashion, lifestyle, music and consumer tech press with varying emphasis on key messages to each.

What We Did:

Sliding Doors researched the Marshall history and heritage in the music world to ensure a strong understanding of the brand. Using strong imagery, we launched a wide-ranging campaign which introduced the product range but also clearly pushed the brand, and the fact that the brand values and heritage had been carefully integrated into the design of the headphones. Ongoing individual pitches followed the initial release, to ensure that Marshall Headphones were regularly placed in relevant high profile and influential media outlets, ensuring that the Marshall name was respected and the range of headphones was highly visible to end consumers. Using our strong music industry connections, Sliding Doors also teamed up with Universal Music and Pretty Green (clothing chain owned by Liam Gallagher of Oasis) to celebrate the release of the remastered ‘Quadrophenia’ album by The Who. We supplied Marshall Headphones to be used as part of the Quadrophenia exhibition at the Pretty Green flagship store in Carnaby St, London, a month long event which attracted large numbers of visitors.

What We Achieved:

Sliding Doors secured wide ranging, positive and high impact coverage for Marshall Headphones. Our campaign received coverage in the highest circulation and most respected publications, underlining our strategy to highlight the brand heritage as part of the product launch. Coverage ran in the likes of Stuff, CNET, The Sunday Times, The Saturday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, Total Guitar, Q Magazine, GQ, Esquire, ShortList, Stylist and many more.

The campaign reached tens of millions of readers in print and many more online. All key messages were clearly communicated and Sliding Doors  ensured that the Marshall brand extension into headphones was positively received by the media and end consumers.