A PROJECT REPORT ON

A COMPARITIVE ANALYSIS ON JBL and BOSE

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement

For the award of the degree of

BACHELORS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
SESSION (2021-2022)

Under the guidance of Submitted by:

Shivendra Shukla Unnati Gupta

(Designation) Roll No. 0303588

Batch: BBA 2019-21

DAYANAND ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, KANPUR

AFFILIATED TO C.S.J.M. UNIVERSITY, KANPUR

 Acknowledgement (Hand written)

I would like to express my sincere gratitude and

regards to my Internal guide Mr. Shivendra Shukla
for his constant inspiration, supervision and
invaluable guidance during the training. I would also
like to thank for Dayanand Academy of Management
Studies giving me such an opportunity

With regards
Unnati Gupta
 PREFACE (Hand written)

A professional course in (Bachelor of business

administration ) is incomplete unless the theoretical
knowledge acquired in the class room is backed up
by practical exposure ,as theories alone do not give
perfection to any discipline .The gap between theory
and practiced is bridged by the summer training
,which has been an integral part of the syllabus.

This present Project report is an image of what I

have done and observed during my research project
in JBL and BOSE

I was assigned a project Comparative analysis on

JBL and Bose

This report is the result of the work done during the

research period...

I have tried my level best to be as a systematic as

possible and to avoid any sort of biases.
 STUDENT DECLARATION
I, Unnati Gupta student of B.B.A at Dayanand
Academy of Management Studies, Kanpur of
hereby declare that the Project work entitled a study
on the Comparative analysis on JBL and Bose. Is
compiled and submitted under the guidance of
Shivendra Shukla This is my original work.

Whatever information furnished in this project report

is true to the best of my knowledge.

Name: Unnati Gupta

BBA Third Year

Roll No: - 0303588

 COLLEGE CERTIFICATE

. (To be left blank)

 INDEX/TABLE OF CONTENTS

(COMMON STRUCTURE FOR REPORT-Tabular Format)

INDEX PAGE NUMBER

• CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

• CHAPTER 2 COMPANY PROFILE – Iincludes description of both companies.Also

mention strengths of the company (15 pages)

• CHAPTER 3 Comparison of two big firms i.e. companies of the same industry on the
following topics (Any one)

a) Financial effectiveness ( includes comparison of Profit &

loss account and Balance sheet) ( 20 pages)

b) Marketing Strategy (includes segment wise division of

marketing strategy such as customer orientation, tools
of marketing, marketing mix, pricing strategy, distribution
strategy)(20pages)

c) Promotional Campaign (includes advertising and media

selection)(20 pages)

d) H.R policies ( includes training, Payroll system)( 20

pages)

 CHAPTER 4 Conclusion 1-2 pages

 CHAPTER 5 Annexure 5-8 pages
(Includes - Bibliography, Company photographs and Products etc.)
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
 Introduction to the topic
In today's competitive world while entering in the
market it is very necessary to have good knowledge of the
potential of a particular market. The growth of a company
is invariably determined not just by its strategy, but on how
it responds to the challenges it encounters. Over the
decades the companies JBL and Bose has successfully
countered several challenges that have come its way with
innovative responses and continuous improvement, which
have enabled it to remain stable and even convert some of
these challenges into opportunities. The companies JBL &
BOSE are the world class companies in the AUDIO
industry and these are the largest audio equipment
(headphones, speakers) producing companies in India as
well.
The report provides a comprehensive insight into the
companies and also about the companies’ SWOT
analysis. This report mainly studies in detail the various
product mix, market mix strategies of both the companies
and also focuses on the segmentation of both company
based and industry based and helps in analyzing the
competitive advantage of both the companies and the
reason behind their success.
INDUSTRY
PROFILE
 Audio Equipment
What Are Audio equipment Industry?

The audio equipment market consists of sales of

audio equipment and related services that are used
for
 Entertainment
 musical instrument amplification
 motor vehicles
 public address
Audio equipment is a device that is used for
 recording
 reproducing
 processing the sound
Audio equipment include –
 speaker systems
 stereo equipment
 Amplifiers for musical instruments
and public address systems.

The global audio equipment market is expected to

grow from $24.59 billion in 2020 to $28.54 billion
in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate
(CAGR) of 16.1%. The growth is mainly due to the
companies rearranging their operations and
recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had
earlier led to restrictive containment measures
involving social distancing, remote working, and the
closure of commercial activities that resulted in
operational challenges. The market is expected to
reach $28.71 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 0.1%

The audio equipment market is expected to be

driven by growing demand for wireless audio
devices. The demand for wireless audio devices is
growing rapidly due to changing consumers’
behaviour in media consumption and increasing
popularity of mobile devices. Consumers are
increasingly using their mobile devices, laptops and
tablets to play audio on speakers wirelessly, which is
driving the growth of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connected
speakers. Companies such as Samsung, Sony, LG,
JBL and Bose are launching wireless audio
products.

History of the Industry

The audio equipment industry had its origins in the
late 19th century. Thomas Edison developed the
phonograph using wax cylinders in 1877
and Guglielmo Marconi created a wireless
transmission system in 1895 that was used for
radio broadcasts. A few years after Thomas Edison
invented the phonograph, Emile Berliner developed
the disk format of recording.
By the beginning of the 20th century, the disk format
replaced the wax cylinder as the phonograph record
format. Another important early innovation was Lee
DeForest's vacuum tube, developed in 1906.
The 1920s were important years of research and
commercialization for the industry. Developments
included the first commercial radio broadcast in
1922, the Western Electric Company's patents for
electrical sound recording and the replacement in
radios of loudspeakers for headphones in 1924, the
introduction of the AC radio in 1926, Philo
Farnsworth's television patents, the introduction of
automobile radios in 1927.
The industry enjoyed rapid growth in the 1920s and
1930s.During that period, more than 100 million
radios were sold in the United States.
The late 1940s saw the industry return to its pre-war
patterns of rapid growth and innovation.
The transistor marked the birth of solid-state
electronic components, commercialized in 1954 with
the mass marketing of the first "pocket radio”. The
introduction of 45 rpm records and 33 rpm long-
playing records in 1948.These records were the first
mass-produced "hi-fi" recordings. The industry
developed compact disc and accommodating audio
systems, first mass-marketed in 1983, which quickly
replaced phonograph systems.
In the mid to late 1990s, the most significant
innovations in audio formats included digital audio
tape recorders (DATs), digital compact cassettes
(DCCs), and mini-discs (MDs).
By the early 2000s, consumers were buying
computer hard drives, also known as digital music
servers, for the sole purpose of storing music they
had downloaded from the Internet (in formats like
MP3) or transferred from their CD collections.
Additionally, CD recorders and portable Internet
audio players were increasing in popularity.
Currently, headphones and earphones are some of
the largest and best-selling products in the global
audio equipment market. Companies such as
Samsung, Sony, LG, JBL and Bose are launching
wireless audio products.
When it comes to product segment, smart speaker
has been the fastest growing audio equipment type
over the recent years.
Smart speakers – known as the speaker with an
integrated virtual assistant powered by AI and
Machine Learning technologies, have gained a huge
share in the global audio equipment market.

Market Segmentation
By Product Type
 Headphones & earphones

 Microphones

 Speaker

 Sound Bars

 Others (DVD players, CD players, Blu-ray

players etc.)

By Device Type,
 DAC
  Preamplifier

 Amplifier

 Receiver

 Others

By Technology
 Wired

o Audio cable

o Ethernet cable

 Wireless

o Bluetooth

o Wi-Fi

o Airplay

o Others

By end-user
 Commercial
  Residential

 Automotive

 Others (Defense & Security)

By Region
 North America

 Latin America

 Europe

 Asia-Pacific

 Middle East and Africa

GLOBAL PRESENCE
The United States is the leading importer of home
audio equipment. The value of imports increased
significantly from approximately $20.0 billion in 1997
to about $30 billion in 2000, while exports remained
relatively flat.
Japan was the world's leading producer and
exporter of household audio equipment in the 1990s
and early 2000s. However, since the 1980s, Japan's
dominance has been challenged by rapidly
expanding production in South Korea, China,
Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
Worldwide retail audio recording sales totaled $37
billion in 2000. In terms of volume, the United States
was the leader in compact disc sales, with 943
million units. In second place was Japan (279 million
units), followed by Germany (205 million units). The
United Kingdom led the way in per capita sales of
audio recordings
The latest market report shows that the global smart
speaker market was valued at $11.9 billion in 2019,
and it is forecast to reach $35.5 billion by 2025. 
Geographically, US is the largest audio equipment
market is the world.
Microphone is the bestselling audio equipment
in the US. In 2019, microphones sales in the US
amounted $627 million, of which the wireless
microphone sales accounted $172. Speaker is the
second most popular audio device in the country
generated retail sales value of nearly $540 million in
the same year.

MARKET SHARE OF AUDIO INDUSTRY IN

INDIA
India has been a rapidly growing wireless stereo
earphone market with 723% Year-on-Year growth in
Q3 2020, according to a report by Counterpoint
Research. The report calls it as one of the select few
categories that managed to defy the impact of
economic slowdown. This increase in the wireless
market seems to have been led by the new work
from home environment and the increasing number
of good entry level truly wireless earphones.
The Indian truly wireless market is led by boat with
an 18% market share, followed by Xiaomi 16%,
Realme 12%, JBL 8% and Apple.

In terms of audio-visual exports, India is ranked 4th

in the world.
COMPANY
PROFILE
 JBL
Founded: 1946

Founder: James Bullough Lansing

Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States

Parent: Harman International Industries

CEO: Dinesh Paliwal

Plant set up Chakan, Pune

In India:

Products: Amplifiers
Loudspeakers
Headphones

Markets: Worldwide

Tagline/Slogan: HEAR THE TRUTH

USP: Provide exemplary sound quality

Global Brand Martin Garrix

Ambassador:

Indian Brand Sara Ali Khan

Ambassador:

Website: www.jbl.com
JBL is an electronics company, which is known for its high-quality audio
systems in the media industry are founded by James Bullough
Lansing. Their primary products are loudspeakers and associated
electronics. There are two independent divisions within the company —

 JBL Consumer – audio equipment for the home.

 JBL Professional – audio equipment for professional use.
This American company produces several kinds of audio systems, which
gives heavy emphasis on the quality of the sound. This company has
different kinds of products for different purposes. 

Audio systems of this company are preferred by almost every media

channel that would have to deal with the music system. The sound clarity
of the audio system would allow the music maker to understand and listen
to every note of the tune that they are developing or playing. Thus with the
help of this high-quality system, musicians are able to make good songs for
entertaining their fans. 

HISTORY
Lansing and his business partner Ken Decker started a company in 1927, in
Los Angeles, manufacturing six- and eight-inch speaker drivers for radio
consoles and radio sets. The firm was named Lansing Manufacturing
Company, from March 1, 1927.
In 1939, Decker was killed in an airplane crash, the company soon began having
financial troubles and In 1941 Lansing Manufacturing Company was bought by Altec
Service Corporation, after which the name changed to "Altec Lansing". After Lansing's
contract expired in 1946, he left Altec.

Lansing founded Lansing Sound in which later the name changed to "James B. Lansing
Sound" and was further shortened to "JBL Sound".

In 1946, JBL produced their first products –

 The model D101 15-inch loudspeaker

  The model D175 high-frequency driver.
The D175 remained in the JBL catalog through the 1970s. Both of these
were near-copies of Altec Lansing products. The first original product
was the D130, a 15-inch transducer for which a variant would
remain in production for the next 55 years.

James Lansing was noted as an innovative engineer, but a

poor businessman. For the next three years Lansing
struggled to pay invoices and ship product. As a result of
deteriorating business conditions and personal issues, he
committed suicide on September 4, 1949.
The company then passed into the hands of Bill Thomas,
JBL's then vice-president. Soon after, Thomas purchased
Mrs. Lansing's one-third interest in the company and
became the sole owner of the company. Thomas is
credited with a strong growth of the company for the two
decades following the founding of JBL.
In 1955 the brand name JBL was introduced to resolve
ongoing disputes with Altec Lansing Corporation. The
company name "James B. Lansing Sound, Incorporated"
was retained, but the logo name was changed to JBL with
its distinctive exclamation point logo.
In 1969, Bill Thomas sold JBL to the Jervis Corporation
(later renamed Harman International) headed by Dr.
Sidney Harman.
By 1970s JBL become a household brand for the best-
selling loudspeaker model of any company to that time
and also saw a major JBL expansion in the professional
audio field from their studio monitors.
Over the next two decades JBL went more mass-market
with their consumer line of loudspeakers. At the same
time, they made an entry into the high-end market with
their project speakers, consisting of the Everest and
K2 lines.
Currently, JBL deals in different audio products even in
the consumer segment, from complete wired on
headphones to completely wireless earphones, JBL nearly
deals in all various types of headphones as per the
consumer requirements on different price points.
JBL has always been known for the great output audio
speakers which they continue to manufacture for
household consumers. Apart from the traditional
conventional wired speakers, JBL has also shifted its
focus on portable and Bluetooth speaker product line. Due
to advancements in technology and increase in the use of
smart phones, Bluetooth speaker hold as a day to day
requirement for the households. JBL is attempting to
continuously update itself and provide a great experience
to all its customer low, midrange and premium price
segments in terms of portable speakers.

PRODUCTS OF JBL

JBL Consumer
 Speakers
 Headphones
 Sound bars
 Gaming headsets
 Microphones

JBL Professional
 Studio monitors, Controllers & Accessories
 PA Speakers(Portable, powered, Passive)
 JBL Commercial

MISSON, VISION & VALUES

Mission Statement
We combine passion and purpose to design and deliver
smart products, systems, software and services that
connect people wherever they are. We lead with integrity,
innovate with intention, and drive operational excellence
to inspire breakthrough performances that generate
customer value and strong shareholder returns.
Vision Statement
To make life more connected, entertaining, personalized
and productive.
Values
 Excellence
 Innovation
 Inclusion
 Integrity

Competitors of JBL in India

 Beats Electronics
 Bose Corporation
 Eastwood
 Pioneer Electronics.

ACHIEVMENTS
JBL was the first to equip a Bluetooth speaker with a very
special racetrack-shaped driver whose increased cone
area delivers bigger sound.
JBL sets a Guinness world record by connecting 1,000 JBL
Flip 4’s playing music from a single source.
JBL became a prominent supplier to the –
 tour sound industry
 Music festivals.
JBL was formerly used in –
 Ford's top-of-the-line vehicle audio systems
 Toyota product line

STP Analysis
Segment
People who like to hear music like -  
 Automotive
 Consumer
 Professional
 Others
Target Audience
  Automobile manufactures
 Individuals –
 Young office employees
 College student 
 Discs
 Halls

Positioning
Helps creating great lifestyle experiences for
today's connected generation

STRENGTH OF JBL
 Diverse product portfolio with strong brands in
each product category
 Caters to both Rich and Middle class people so
revenue generation is stable
 Continuous innovation helps it to stay ahead of the
competition
 Majority of the world's luxury cars are equipped
with Harman's premium audio and infotainment
systems
 Some of its products are market leaders in their
respective categories like JBL
MARKET SHARE OF JBL
JBL brand has reached the tremendous milestone of 100
million portable speakers shipped worldwide, cementing
its position as the portable audio leader and category
shaper.
Today, not only does JBL power the world’s most epic
musicians, athletes, venues and automobiles, JBL is the
market leader in portable speakers with 34.2%
volume share.
Where as in India, JBL hold the overall fourth position
on the list with an 8% market share during Q3 2020,
saw a drop in its share from the last quarter, where it
managed to hold a 15% market share. The report states
that this could have happened due to the increased
competition, and consumers preferring value offerings
due to the economic slowdown.
 BOSE
Founded: 1964

Founder: Amar Bose

Headquarters: Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S.

CEO: Lila Synder

Plant set up Chakan, Pune

In India:

Products: Speakers
Home threature
Car audio
Stereo Speakers
Headphones
Portable Media Player

Markets: Worldwide

Tagline/Slogan: BETTER SOUND THROUGH RESEARCH

USP: Headphones are noise cancelling

Brand Mcllroy
Ambassador:

Website: www.bose.com
BOSE – Better Sound Through Research
Bose Corporation is an American manufacturing company that
predominantly sells audio equipment. The company was
established by Amar Bose in 1964 and is based in
Framingham, Massachusetts. Bose Corporation best
known for -
 Development, manufacture and marketing of
loudspeakers
 Consumer and professional audio systems
 Automobile sound systems
 Noise cancellation technology for the aviation
industry
 Computer simulation software to analyze auditorium
acoustics.
And it has a reputation for being particularly protective of its
patents, trademarks, and brands.
Bose was the company for producing the first noise
cancelling headphones

BEGINNINGS

The story of Bose begins with the story of a boy fascinated by

electronics—taking things apart, figuring out how they worked
and dreaming of one day inventing his own.
The company was founded in Massachusetts in 1964 by Amar
Bose with angel investor funding, including Amar's thesis
advisor and professor, Y. W. Lee.
Amar's interest in speaker systems had begun in 1956 when he
purchased a stereo system and was disappointed with its
performance. The purpose of the company was to
develop speaker systems which used multiple speakers
aimed at the surrounding walls to reflect the sound
and replicate the sound of a concert hall.
In 1966, the Bose 2201 became the first product
sold by the company. The 2201 was a failure in the market
and was discontinued after three or four years.
After this experience, Amar argued that the best measure of
audio quality is the listener's perception. Also in 1968, the
company introduced the Bose 901 stereo speaker system.
The 901 was an immediate commercial success, and Bose
Corporation grew rapidly during the 1970s. The Bose 901 model
name was a mainstay of the Bose line-up for many years, being
produced from 1968 until 2016.

The first Bose retail store was opened in 1993 in

Kittery, Maine. Bose announced it would close all of its retail
stores in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia in 2020,
but would keep open another 130 stores in India, Southeast Asia,
South Korea, China, and the United Arab Emirates.
In 2011, then-chairman and primary stockholder Amar Bose
donated the majority of the firm's non-voting shares to his
former employer and alma mater, the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. However, the conditions of receiving the shares
stated that MIT was not allowed to sell them, nor was MIT
permitted to participate in the company's management and
governance. Following Amar Bose's death in 2013, Bob
Maresca became the CEO.
At the end of 2017, Maresca stepped down as CEO
and Bose President Phil Hess took the position. Maresca
remained Chairman of the Board however.
In January 2020, Bose announced that they would be closing all
their more than 100 retail stores in North America, Japan,
Europe, and Australia. They will retain their online presence on
their own website, as well as on Target, Best Buy, and Amazon

In late January 2020, President and COO Jim

Scammon replaced Phil Hess at the helm.
In August 2020, Bose named their first female CEO,
Lila Snyder.

BOSE CORPORATION IN INDIA

Bose Corporation entered into India in 1998. Since its
entry, the prices of its products have been constantly
revised downwards, while part of the reason can be
attributed to drastic increase in offerings in the segment,
and some part to the lowering of import duties, and
another reason given by the general manger is the main of
the selling of the products to a greater audience.
Bose Corporation India Pvt. Ltd was founded in 1995,
with initial focus on design and installation of
professional sound systems in public places. In October
1998, the first store in the country opened in Connaught
Place in New Delhi.

PRODUCTS OF BOSE

 Wave Systems12
 Sleep buds
 Headphones and Headsets
 Digital Music Solutions
 Sound dock for iPod
 Speakers

MISSION, VISION & VALUES

Mission Statement
Think of better solutions, create better products, and help
people enjoy the things they love. It started when Dr.
Bose founded the company in 1964 and continues today
with innovative, passionate employees around the globe.
Vision Statement
Our vision is guided by human interests how better sound
affects us or what it means to find joy in products that
work exactly how you want them to or why solid
customer service isn't a nice-to-have, but a promise we
keep.
Values
 Respect
 Excellence
 Innovation
 Passion
 Integrity

Competitors of BOSE
 Sennheiser
 HARMAN International
 Sonos
 Emerson Electric.
ACHIEVMENTS

 Bose was the first company to offer factory-installed

sound systems custom-engineered to the acoustics of
a specific vehicle model.
 Dr. Bose and Dr. William R. Short win the
Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation’s
Inventor of the Year Award for the waveguide
loudspeaker system.
 Bose becomes the first company contracted to
provide sound systems for every event at the winter
Olympics in Calgary, Canada.
 Bose Corporation was the first company for
producing noise-cancelling headphones.
 Bose receives the prestigious Red Dot International
Design Team of the Year award for continuous
innovation and achievement in design.
 In April 2009 Bose ranked 3:
o Ranked 3rd in the $1.4Billion Home Audio
market
o Ranked 3rd in the $3.3Billion Portable Audio
marker.
 Bose sleep buds are the first product to use noise-
masking technology.
STRENGTH OF BOSE
 Strong brand name worldwide
 Advanced technology competencies
 Strong position in home theatre systems market
 Diverse customer segments
 High investment research
 Cooperation with MIT electrical engineering

MARKET SHARE OF BOSE

Today, you can find Bose wherever quality sound is
important. From the Olympic Games to the Sistine
Chapel from NASA space shuttles to the Japan National
Theatre. In home and on the road, from large outdoor
arenas to intimate neighborhood stores, restaurants and
clubs, you can hear the realism of the most respected
name in sound Bose.
Bose Corporation generated annual sales revenue of 3.6
billion U.S. dollars in the fiscal year 2020. There was a
drop in sales compared to the previous year. The latest
version of the 2020 market study on Active Noise
Cancellation (ANC) Earphone Market comprising 119
with market data Tables, Charts, Graphs, and Figures
which are easy to understand with showcased in-depth
analysis.
The Corona virus Pandemic (COVID-19) has affected
every aspect of life worldwide. This has led to several
changes in market conditions. The report covers the
rapidly changing market scenario and the initial and
future impact assessments.

3.8 4 4 3.6
2017 2018 2019 2020
MARKETING
STRATEGY
MARKETING MIX

What is Marketing Mix ?

The marketing mix refers to the set of actions, or tactics,
that a company uses to promote its brand or product in
the market.
The 4Ps make up a typical marketing mix –
1. Price
2. Product
3. Promotion
4. Place
All the elements of the marketing mix influence each
other. They make up the business plan for a company
and handled right, can give it great success. But handled
wrong and the business could take years to recover. The
marketing mix needs a lot of understanding, market
research and consultation with several people, from
users to trade to manufacturing and several others.

MARKETING MIX of JBL

1. Product Mix of JBL:
The primary product of JBL is loudspeakers and
electronic items associated with it. The company has
entered into the partnership with other brands like
Motorola to bring quality audio to its Smartphone, It has
also tie-ups with car manufacturers like Smart, Ferrari
and Toyota to supply the best car products. Its product
portfolio includes the following:

Wireless
 Home Speakers
 Portable Bluetooth-Speakers Accessories
 Wireless Headphones
Home Audio
 Sound bars
 Loudspeakers
 Computer and TV Speakers

Headphones
 Sports
 On-Ear & In-Ear
 Wireless and true wireless
 Noise cancellation
 With mike
Speakers
 Portable
 Waterproof
 With power bank
Professional
 PA speaker & Studio monitors
 Microphones
 Headphones
 JBL commercial
 Mixers
Car audio
 Loudspeakers
 Subwoofers
 Amplifiers

2. Place Mix of JBL (Global):

JBL is an international company with its presence

extended to several countries. It has a widespread and
strong distribution network that includes services of
distributors and corporate offices in several parts of the
world. Its subdivision JBL Professional is one of the top
marketer, manufacturer and designer and has its
headquarters base at Northridge in California.
JBL products can be easily obtained in places like -
 South Africa
 US
 Canada
 China
 Australia
 India
 Japan
 Thailand
 Indonesia
 Germany
 France
 UK in Europe
 Middle-eastern region etc.
JBL also provides facility of e-shopping It has its own
website www.jbl.com and some other websites as well
provides JBL products such as -
 AMAZON
 FLIPKART
 NYKKA etc.
From where one can easily order a product and delivery
is assured as soon as possible. With reference to the
Indian market JBL has its presence in every nooks and
corners of the country.

3. Price Mix Of JBL :

JBL caters to both middle-class section and rich class with

help of its diversified product portfolio. It wants to
extend its customer range so that everyone can easily
afford its products.
Moreover, continuous innovation has helped the brand
to remain ahead of its competitors. It does not want to
lose this advantage and hence has adopted a skimming
pricing strategy for new products so that it can generate
revenues as early as possible.
For established products, it has adopted a reasonable
policy for some products belonging to JBL Consumer and
mid-premium policy for JBL Professional products. Its
products are leaders in their respective fields and hence
the company has been able to garner good revenues and
sales.
JBL's USP as a brand has been that it offers products at
each and every price segment. Following is the product
line up of JBL at different price levels –

4. Promotions Mix of JBL

JBL is a recognized brand and is a firm believer of

advertising for promoting its products. For brand
marketing, JBL would collaborate with several sports
personalities that would target the young audience.
Sports personalities such as Ben Ferguson and Chaz
Ortiz would increase the popularity among the younger
generation. It collaborated with several popular
musicians such as A. R. Rehman and actors such as
Dwayne Johnson to reaching out the large part of
general masses
The company would take active participation in the
promotion of its various products by creative ads and
punch lines. For example- #CORDFAIL which promotes
waterproof and wireless JBL speakers.
Another marketing campaign that used
#LISTENINCOLOR as a tagline for the ad, which
features star basketball player Stephen Curry showing his
basketball skills.
Under the same campaign, the company collaborated
with soccer star player Jerome Boateng who would use
his skills to transform the whole game. Another
campaign titled Block out the Chaos which would
emphasize the sound quality of the JBL headphones.

MARKETING MIX OF BOSE

1) Product Mix of Bose :

Wireless audio device market is a relatively new market.

In this scenario, Bose has emerged as a prominent player
in the use of wireless technologies in audio devices.
Though there are other players in the market, most of
them are focused on one or two products such as
headphones and sound bar. Bose has an edge over the all
types of audio devices. It has also successfully delved into
areas like suspension technologies for automobiles.
Its products include:

Headphones
 Sports
 Open-Ear
 Wireless
 Noise cancelling
 Ear buds
 Gaming
 Aviation headsets
 Soundcomm headsets

Speakers
 Portable Bluetooth
 Home theater
 Sound bars
 Wave CD systems
 Stereo
 Computer
 Portable
Audio sunglasses
 Sport performance: TEMPO
 Elegant cat eye : SOPRANO
 Refined square frame : TENOR
 Classic angular look : ALTO
 Find my frames: QUIZ
Bose Sound Control Hearing Aids

BOSE Sleep buds

Car audio
 UltraNearfield speakers
 Super65 woofers
 Stereo

2) Place Mix of Bose :

Bose Corporation is a multi-national having its presence

across the globe. It has more than 190 stores in the US
and numerous locations worldwide including
technologically advanced countries like Japan and Korea
and emerging markets like India & China.
In India, there are nearly 11 standard Bose stores and
few in the 'factory outlet' variety. Bose Products are
available in the following types of stores:
 Bose Stores
 Bose Factory Outlet
 Bose Airport Kiosks
 Bose Personal Audio Store
 Bose Showcase Store
The types of products available in the stores depend
upon on what type of store it is.
For example - The airport store will majorly
endorse wireless earphones, whereas Bose
Showcase Stores will aim at showcasing latest
Bose products and innovative products.
Bose tries to cut down on middlemen to make their
products reach the consumers. They have expanded
their distribution channel by choosing partner Almo
Professional Audio/Visual, based in Philadelphia,
PA, and AVAD LLC, based in Sherman Oaks, CA.
Though they have directly employed Territory
managers who will be key players in working closely
with existing dealers, integrators and new partners
to ensure premium service to the customers.
They have their products available for purchase on
online portals like-
 BestBuy
 Amazon
 Flipkart
 Targert
 Walmart and many more.
Realizing the threat of brand image damage from its
counterfeit products Bose promotes the buyers to
buy from the Bose stores directly or else demand a
full proof invoice from the sellers. The counterfeit
products are similar in look and design but does not
match the sound quality that of Bose’s original
products.

3) Price Mix of Bose :

Bose Corporation caters to a niche target audience and

relies on minimal advertising. Its products are more
highly priced. It's important to mention that most of its
products are high-end because they are innovative and
with excellent sound system. The components and
speakers also come at a high price.
Some of its featured products like SoundLink Mini
Bluetooth Speaker Il have a maximum retail price of
Rs18, 000 in the Indian market. The price difference is
considerable as in the case of Home Theatre systems.
Bose Home theatre systems start at Rs 23000.

4) Promotions Mix of Bose -

 Bose Corporation relies on a low-key adverting

policy compared to its competitors in the industry.
The company's primary marketing strategy is to make
its products available to the consumer directly with
no middleman or resellers.

 To this end, Bose has focused on selling through

exclusive stores that the company has set up. E-
commerce websites are another option to make its
products available to the consumers.

 The strategy of minimal advertising is a little

surprising considering in consumer durable goods
segments, product features often undergo change and
 consumers need to be communicated on the same
actively.

 However, the company believes in targeting a niche

market and holding people's attention with its
innovative and atypical products.

 Bose’s creative segment advertises through videos

that intensify emotions, serenity and how the brand’s
headphones can help you. Also it markets online via
E-commerce sites like Amazon.

 Despite all these promotions, the amount spent on

advertising is minimal and Bose is said to reinvest all
its revenues into production and development.

 Bose adopted a direct sales model to distribute the

901. Bose salesmen went door to door demonstrating
the speaker. Customers appreciated the sound
reproduction capabilities of the speaker, and the
model sold well.

 On the digital front Bose is present on every

renowned social network platforms where they
update regularly about the latest products and
innovations. They have roped in celebrities Nicki
Minaj, P. Diddy, and Lil Wayne to endorse their
products.
MARKETING STRATEGY

What is Marketing Strategy

A marketing strategy refers to a business's overall game
plan for reaching prospective consumers and turning them
into customers of their products or services. A marketing
strategy contains the company’s value proposition, key
brand messaging, data on target customer demographics,
and other high-level elements.

Marketing strategies of JBL

1. Selection of Targeted Audience:

In recent years, the youth of India became self-aware

regarding the sound quality. Thus the demand for the
better quality audio system increased rapidly among the
young Indian generation.
This massive demand was observed by the company thus
releasing high-quality headphone under affordable
prices.
The targeted audiences were young office employees
and the college student who like to hear music from their
Smartphone or apple pods. The sound quality impressed
the young Indians thus it became famous through their
mouths.

2. Efficient distribution of product

outlets:

Since JBL brand is an international brand, it has a major

presence in almost every country. After effective
marketing comes the part where the company would
have to fulfill the demand of the consumer.
With its physical outlets in every shops and availability in
almost every electronic shop boosted the popularity of
the brand.
This company also marketed its audio system on every
famous online shopping platform such as Amazon and
Flipkart. The easy availability of the products along with
high quality made it a household audio product in India.

3. Affordable price range:

As the targeted audience was young people of India, the

price range would have to be relatively cheaper. The
company was able to develop advanced products that
cheaper in price but still retained the quality of the
brand. Young Indian didn’t hesitate to invest in such
cheap yet high-quality products that would last for a long
period of time. This advantage encourages Indian young
generation to buy audio systems of JBL.

4. Premium products for

professionals:

JBL also lookout for professional musician fields for

selling their high-end premium products. They would
target rich musical producers for promoting their
products. These methods worked in two ways, the first
way would be the sale of high-quality audio products
would bring popularity among the established musicians.
The 2nd way would be the free exposure of the products
that would increase the popularity of the other JBL
products. Through these methods, JBL was able to gain
immense popularity among both new musicians and
general young masses of India.

Marketing strategies of BOSE

 Bose emphasizes on providing top-of-the-line

products to its customers and provides a customized
sound solution which caters to the needs of the
individual preferences and indoor ambience.
 Bose has focused on advertizing its brand through its
association with celebrity sports personalities from
Formula 1 Car Racing, National Football League
 (NFL), USA Skiing and Snowboarding teams among
others.
 The focus has been to emphasize the high quality of
its offerings like the noise-cancelling headphones
being popular among the coaches and players alike of
the NFL, who need to be focused on the game in
spite of the high cacophony around them in the
stadium.
 The management of Bose Corporation has always
encouraged research in various technological fields
apart from their core business category of sound –
thus their patronage have provided significant
advancements in such diverse fields as car and
heavy-duty truck suspensions and cold fusion
technology.
CONCLUSION
This report builds and examines the two brands - JBL and
Bose - in the audio system devices market. The two
brands are chosen as they compete in very similar markets
and yet they have very different brand personalities.
JBL and Bose are among the most valuable brands in the
audio system devices market, and this report will bring
out the stark differences between their market strategies
and reason behind their success.
The goal is to observe how consumers can have vastly
different perceptions and relationships with very similar
products owing to different brands i.e. JBL and BOSE.
This project report concludes that JBL and BOSE’s
products are easily available in every part of the world.
The BOSE distribution channel and targeting the audience
of the JBL is much strong, the most important thing,
which I feel to improve, is "the pricing of the products”
The BOSE’s products mostly target niche audience,
whereas JBL covers the whole segment which increases
the reach of its products in the market. That’s why some
of the JBL products are the market leader in the market.
On the other hand BOSE emphasizes more on the
research and developments to produce the innovative
products by using new technologies. Thus BOSE becomes
the first company which produces noise cancellation
headphones and currently it produces a new product
called SLEEPBUDS by using noise masking technologies
for the peoples who are having hard time to get good
sleep.
Thus, this concludes that both the companies JBL and
BOSE are world’s top audio equipment producing
companies.
ANNEXURE