Bang & Olufsen invites music lovers to 'see themselves in sound'

Bang & Olufsen has released a website that enables music lovers to discover their own interactive avatars based on their individual music taste.

Created in partnership with Hello Monday/Dept, “See yourself in sound” invites people to link their Spotify accounts to create a 3D shareable avatar.

The website generates a result that considers “mood, energy and groove” by analysing that person’s prevalent songs, albums and playlists.

This analysis produces the bespoke body, limbs and accessories of each avatar, with the brand claiming that “no two will look the same”.

This avatar can then be downloaded in motion and shared across social media platforms.

For those without a Spotify account, participants can complete a questionnaire on the website.

“See yourself in sound” marks the launch of a visual identity for the brand, targeting a younger generation with a tone of voice that is “a little bit more playful [and] a little bit more bold”.

“The next part of the equation was looking at talking with a younger audience,” Paul Collins, Bang & Olufsen’s creative director, told Campaign. “Historically, we've been talking to people that are obviously skewing a little bit older.”

Collins said the brand took inspiration from Spotify Wrapped and didn’t want to talk about the product, instead choosing to focus on what music does.

The brand was also inspired by the metaverse with its use of avatars. “We wanted to [create] a community; something that portrays people in a way that no one else has done before,” Collins said.

“We also wanted to push the whole aspect of: what does an avatar look like? Because I think avatars look like humans, and it's not really that interesting. So we wanted to make it into something that is quirky and very different.”

The work will launch across owned social media channels and in-store alongside a global influencer marketing campaign.

Kamel Ouadi, chief marketing officer at Bang & Olufsen, said: “Our products have been considered the best way to hear music for almost a century – something we’re very proud of.

“In a world that is centred on digital interaction, creativity and exploring, it was essential to me that Bang & Olufsen makes a space where our community can visualise their passion for music, alongside the process of curating, listening and enjoying it.”