In 2010, Jawbone was an established leader in the Bluetooth headset category, but it was time to conquer a new space. A natural segue within the field of audio directed us to speakers. Enough time had passed since its inception that the category had become stale and inefficient—compromised sound, wires, docks, and batteries all created an underwhelming experience. It was time to mix things up. We needed the right metaphor that would inspire the creation of a new category. One that could make music exciting again. We found our answer in the 80’s pop culture phenomenon, the boombox, because it was loud, it was portable, and it was social. Our strategy became clear: to set music free again and make it beautiful.
Jambox’s name pays homage to its inspiration, the boombox, carrying a descriptive, yet aspirational and fun tone. The design language builds on Jawbone’s core brand pillar: to elevate lifestyle aesthetics with a fashion-forward attitude. In order to ensure a strong and consistent design language, materials, textures and colors were seen as equally important as designing the most advanced, compact technology that fits effortlessly into people’s lives. Framing the Jambox brand around this core tenet allowed us to drive and expand Jawbone’s equity. To celebrate the uniqueness of Jambox’s personality, we infused a healthy dose of fun in all brand applications—from in-store packaging to communications.
