Beats has introduced the Beats 360, an over-ear headphone that pushes customisation beyond fixed colorways. The model launched online at apple.com on Sept. 22 and will reach stores from Sept. 24. Its defining feature is swappable ear cushions, allowing wearers to change colors and styles for different moments of the day.
The launch campaign
To sell that idea, Beats tapped Kendall Jenner for a campaign created by Uncommon Creative Studio and directed by Ariel Fisher through Magna Studios. The film is soundtracked by Gary Numan & The Tubeway Army’s “Are Friends Electric?” and introduces the tagline “One headphone. Every version of you.”
Jenner appears as every character in the ad: a gym-goer, a barista, someone reading a book, a person on the phone, and even faces in wall photos at a restaurant named Kendall’s. In the opening scene, she swaps to Volt ear cushions and begins seeing versions of herself everywhere. The visual device reinforces Beats’ message that the 360 adapts to whatever a user is doing.
Product lineup and positioning
The initial lineup has four core headphone colors: black, cloud, pink and sky. Beats also launched six Performance Knit cushion colors, designed for gym use and longer wear, and UltraPlush cushions in black and cloud for added comfort. Beats says this is its first headphone model that lets people change colors and styles based on daily activities.
Jenner framed the appeal around her own routine. “I’m always on the go and switching between so many different looks,” she said in a statement. “So Beats 360 fits my lifestyle.”
Beats CMO Chris Thorne positioned the creative as a reflection of that flexibility. “Kendall tailors her looks to fit every moment, so she needs a headphone that can change with her,” he said in a statement.
Why this matters for marketing teams
Beats is using a celebrity campaign to sell utility, not just fashion or status. The spot centers a product feature—swappable cushions—by dramatising how one person shifts across contexts. For marketers, it is a useful reminder that product-led storytelling can still carry an emotional hook when the benefit is shown rather than explained.
- Customisation is the core message, supported by a visual metaphor of multiple selves.
- Beats is extending its celebrity playbook after Kim Kardashian’s 2024 monochromatic campaign.
- The launch pairs a direct online release with a retail rollout two days later.
The campaign also signals continuity for Beats, which has built a long line of celebrity partnerships. The Jenner spot follows the brand’s 2024 collaboration with Kim Kardashian, which promoted headphones in three monochromatic nude colors. Now the Beats 360 collection reintroduces some pastel shades in its cushion and headphone range.
For India’s audio accessories and D2C electronics brands, the takeaway is to watch how Beats ties modular product features to identity and occasion. The risk is that customisation campaigns can become gimmicky; Beats tries to avoid that by making the swap the story, not just a feature list.
Source: Adweek
