Listen Up!

One of the most common traps we see is treating the entire audio market as a single entity. It’s not. In reality, it’s split into two categories. The first is the hypervolatile world of personal audio. Here, trends in wireless earbuds and portable speakers move like fast fashion; a feature like AI-powered noise cancellation or spatial audio can go from a differentiator to a baseline expectation in a single generation of product releases.

The second is the considered purchase, high-investment world of hi-fi. This is a marathon, not a sprint. The customer journey is longer, driven by a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, acoustic heritage, and demonstrable performance. Here, trust is the primary currency. A retailer’s authority is built over years, not months, and a single misguided product choice can damage a carefully curated reputation. Trying to apply the same strategy to both is a recipe for failure — you’ll either exhaust your hi-fi customers with fleeting trends or appear ancient to the earbud crowd.

First up is the Headphone (1), Nothing’s first-ever pair of over-ear headphones. It’s a significant move for the brand, taking them into the premium audio space to compete with established giants. True to their style, the headphones feature a distinctive transparent design but also add practical, tactile controls
(a roller and paddle) instead of relying only on touch. To ensure high-quality sound. Nothing entered into a major Partnership with KEF, the highly respected British brand, co-engineering the acoustics for the Headphone (1).

To read the published article by Rupert Cook, Marketing Director, please visit ERT