Bang & Olufsen Unveils B&O Play Brand

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 1/11/2012

Las Vegas - Luxury A/V brand Bang & Olufsen revealed the name of a new sister brand, called B&O Play, and unveiled the subbrand's first product, a portable AC/DC AirPlay speaker priced at $799

The company developed the subbrand to expand its customer base to a younger demographic through more affordable portable A/V products that offer broader appeal than Bang & Olufsen's core A/V products. Distribution will be through Bang & Olufsen-branded store, but the company also plans to expand distribution to retail outlets such as high-end department stores.

Select Bang & Olufsen products such as headphones and a docking speaker were previously available through select Apple stores and Apple's on-line stores, and the new AirPlay speaker, called the BeoLit 12 portable speaker, will be available through those Apple outlets.

Additional B&O Play products will be rolled out throughout 2012, including lower priced portable speakers.

The subbrand will focus on four product categories: tabletop docking speakers, portable speakers, headphones, and smaller size 32- to 46-inch TVs that require no custom installation or setup services, said Zean Nielsen, president of Bang & Olufsen America.

Both the BB&O Play and Bang & Olufsen brands will share a focus  on design, performance, craftsmanship, and ease of use, but the new brand carry a playful, outgoing, vigorous connotation, whereas the original brand connotes confident, subtley, and perfection, said Henrik Taudorf Lorensen, VP of B&O Play.

The new brand will expose more consumers to the Bang & Olufsen name with an eye toward eventually enticing them to the original brand for larger purchases, he said.

The BeoLit 12 with leather carry strap delivers 120-watt output through a 2.1 speaker system, features USB connection to iPods, iPhones and iPads, and comes with aux in to plug in other portable audio sources.