Partner Success Stories
How a Legendary Stereo Revived its Roots of Innovation with a Single Turntable
Victrola’s Challenge
Victrola is a legendary record player company widely known for bringing recorded audio into the homes of millions since 1906. For years, Victrola has become widely known as a manufacturer of entry-level audio products. The company wanted to reestablish itself as an innovator in the audio space. Victrola approached the WiFi speaker giant, Sonos, to bring the first standalone, high-performance turntable that is fully integrated with Sonos to the market. The result was Victrola Stream Carbon.
Having never previously launched a product of this magnitude, Victrola relied on Carve to develop a comprehensive plan to quickly and effectively elevate the brand’s perception among the media and consumers. The goal was to position Victrola Stream Carbon as aspirational versus entry-level, help drive pre-order sales weeks before the product launch, and keep sales steady leading into the holiday season.
Results Over a 4-Month Period Included
Media
Placements:
103
Media Impressions:
1.98B+
Average CSS
Score:
9/11
Awards:
4
The Carve Solution
Because Victrola Stream Carbon was entering the company into a new category of audio, Carve’s initial planning began nearly seven months before the launch. Our solution encompassed a multi-faceted approach spanning in-depth research, event planning and staffing, pre-launch media outreach, and trade show support.
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Because Victrola Stream Carbon effectively positioned the company in front of a new audience, Carve began monitoring Sonos coverage seven months prior to the turntable launch. Reporters were meticulously combed through to identify contacts that would help position Victrola Stream Carbon as a premium product their readers need to see for themselves.
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The media needed to experience Victrola Carbon stream in a setting that was true to life. Carve was heavily involved in conceptualizing, developing, and executing an invitation-only press event at the InterContinental Hotel Penthouse in New York City. The event was attended by 10 top-tier media invites, including TechRadar, WIRED, CNET, Tom’s Guide, and Wall Street Journal.
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Carve could not rely solely on event attendees to secure coverage. This led to a multi-tiered media outreach strategy that also didn’t interfere with additional Sonos launches. Event invitees were identified and contacted, followed by additional widespread outreach to help secure coverage from reporters around the world.
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One week after launching Victrola Stream Carbon, Carve supported Victrola at their first CEDIA trade show, where the turntable was on display at the Sonos branded booth. Prior to the show Carve conducted pre-event outreach to secure meetings for Victrola representatives at the Sonos booth. While Victrola only had one product on display, it quickly became the highlight of the predominantly Sonos-branded location. Victrola Stream Carbon took home four awards.