From Beats by Dr. Dre to the Labor Market: Lessons in Marketing and Expectations
In the early years of Beats by Dr. Dre, there were quite a few things that could have been written—and perhaps should have been written—about their headphones. From the beginning, they were stylish and expensive products. At the same time, you could often hear people joking that they worked best as a scarf or necklace, because first, the sound was extremely bass-heavy, and second, they tended to break rather quickly with regular use.
However, the marketing was brilliant from the very first moment and became a masterclass for many others in the industry. AKG later tried a similar approach with Quincy Jones, and several other brands attempted celebrity collaborations for headphones. Yet none of them came close to the success of Beats. For that, they certainly deserve recognition.
The headphones themselves are still not everyone’s preference, but many of the weaknesses from the early years have long since been addressed.
During the same period, another development took place—one that we are beginning to see again today. On the one hand, it is quite amusing; on the other hand, it is also somewhat concerning.
Job interviews.
They have always been an interesting topic and often serve as an early indicator of trends in the labor market.
Many years ago, there was already a strong employee-driven market. Companies were desperately looking for skilled workers—just as they are today. The difference is that the current situation will likely shift back toward employers relatively soon and probably remain that way for a longer period. Back then, however, the situation was reversed for quite some time.
The experiences during that time could easily fill an entire book. I had already decided on the title: “Out There, No One Is Waiting for You.”
University graduates were often the most difficult cases. They had little or no practical experience, average academic results, but expectations that were astonishingly high. In fact, their attitudes sometimes made me consider speaking at universities just to explain how the real business world works. Professors and parents often fueled these expectations so strongly that some graduates believed they could demand almost anything. Today, we call it “work-life balance.” Back then, it was about immediate leadership positions and ambitious salary expectations.
One applicant, for example, answered the question of where she saw herself in one or two years within the company—apparently ignoring the organizational structure of ULTRASONE—by confidently stating:
“Then I will have a management position with ten people reporting to me.”
I thought for a moment and replied:
“So you’ll be doing my job then. I see.”
Other applicants demanded starting salaries they had seen advertised for senior management roles at companies like BMW—without considering that working in a rural region is quite different from working in a major city.
It was a crazy time.
My perspective
In any employment relationship, the goal should always be to find a path that works for both sides. Some of today’s discussions about the labor market—and some of the expectations being voiced—often seem disconnected from reality.
But who knows? Perhaps through digitalization we will eventually reach a point where all manual work is performed by robots and all administrative tasks are handled by artificial intelligence.
One question would remain, however:
What will we still need employees for?
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