Pioneer Presents New KURO Brand Campaign That Embodies Transformation

Pioneer Electronics Inc. today unveils a new brand campaign tied to the launch of its second generation KURO ™ televisions and complete line of audio-video products. The campaign is based on the idea that discerning consumers, who seek premium brands at the same time they pack sports, movies, music and more into every moment of their lives, can be transformed by the power and emotion of great entertainment. This is the second campaign in a multi-year initiative designed to cement Pioneer® as a premium entertainment brand.

Created and brought to life by TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles, the integrated advertising campaign follows a year when the introduction of KURO was heralded as the world’s best television technology as well as one of the most disruptive advertising campaigns. Both were designed to break Pioneer away from the commoditized flat-panel television market and reposition the company as a premium brand, connecting with the human emotion that is associated with experiencing home entertainment.

Pioneer KURO

“Pioneer has embraced the 360 degree approach to its business and the theme of transformation could not be more appropriate at this time,” said Lee Clow, chairman and chief creative officer, TBWA\Chiat\Day. “Our goal this year is to take the brand from merely connecting people’s senses and emotions to their favorite entertainment, and illuminate the concept that great entertainment literally changes people and engulfs them in a world where technology drops away and only the wonder, beauty and thrill of entertainment remains. The power of this home theater experience is literally being woven into the campaign.”

The rest of the flat-panel TV category is either still selling technology based on specifications, confusing consumers with acronyms or pushing the idea that their technology delivers an experience that is “realer than real life.” Pioneer believes instead that the viewing and listening experiences with their award winning home theater products are so emotionally powerful that you will literally feel transformed.

“We know that what people are ultimately looking for is not a list of technical specifications but instead, the ultimate home entertainment experience in which we as viewers sit breathless, entranced and truly moved by what we are seeing, hearing and feeling,” said Russ Johnston, executive vice president of marketing and product planning for the Home Entertainment and Business Solutions Group at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “For this reason, we are continuing our whole-hearted pursuit of experiential cinematic perfection to produce the most accurate replication of Hollywood artists’ creative intentions.”

Pioneer’s new multi-media campaign evolved from the current themeline, Seeing and Hearing Like Never Before. The campaign includes four print images that illustrate men and women literally being transformed by the beauty of what they see on screen - a rose, a butterfly, a trumpet and a race car. These unique, graphic black and white images were captured and manipulated by TBWA\Chiat\Day, with most of the photography shot by award-winning David Fields and morphing completed by SuperFad.

In this campaign, Pioneer ventures beyond its KURO televisions, now blacker than ever, and begins to incorporate the entire line of home audio video products. The print advertisements will highlight the second generation KURO televisions, as well as the industry reference receiver, code named Susano, Pioneer’s EX speakers and the world’s best Blu-ray Disc® players.

“Pioneer has been transforming as a business at the same time we evolve our brand. This year we fully embraced our passion for engineering advancements that are revolutionary and game changing,” Johnston continues. “Expect to continue to see changes in the future throughout our business designed to engage in the KURO fervor and build on the already powerful community of passionate Pioneer customers.”

Pioneer’s new ad campaign consists of television, print and online. Media choices reflect the interests and preferences of “discerning entertainment junkies,” who prioritize great entertainment in their upscale lifestyles. Television includes cable and ESPN college football; print includes Esquire, Men’s Health and WIRED; online include enthusiast sites as well as Google and Yahoo. The campaign will also be incorporated into the KURO dealer promotions and unique flash animations of the transformations will be added to the Pioneer corporate website.