Bring it On HOme
World-beating guitar amps will always be a Marshall mainstay. But in modern times, the company has grown organically into a 360-degree music brand
Live for music. It’s not just a catchy slogan: it’s a fiercely held philosophy that has helped the Marshall brand evolve before our eyes in modern times. The British firm’s reputation as the most respected global amp-builder isn’t going anywhere: the focus on that side of the operation should be obvious from the starburst of new models that includes Studio, CODE and Origin. But in the post-millennium, amps are just one part of a bigger picture. “Marshall is a music brand,” nods Managing Director Jon Ellery. “Everything that we do is about creating, consuming and enjoying music.”
A passion for music isn’t something you can just switch off at the end of a gig, rehearsal or studio session, then get out again the next time you need it. Music is an obsession that drives your existence and inspires your everyday choices, from the T-shirt on your back to the drink in your hand and the headphones around your neck. So it makes sense that wherever you find music and those who love it, you’ll also find Marshall, inspiring musicians and non-players alike with products that accompany the lifestyle.
“It’s not just about amps for us any more,” says Sales Director Craig Glover. “The Marshall consumer products are as
important as everything else. It all goes hand in hand with things like the Marshall record label and our live event. It’s all about the experience of music.”
Modern marketing is a cynical machine. Cast an eye across the corporate landscape, and you’ll see a thousand firms trying to hitch their brands to the rebel image of rock ’n’ roll. “A few years ago,” remembers Ellery, “I could see that there were so many companies all trying to get into the music industry. There were soft drinks companies, beer companies. But those sort of firms don’t have a valid place in music. We do. Because we are Marshall. We enable music. We always have done, and we always will.
“For some time, we’d been thinking about the possibility of Marshall headphones and active loudspeakers, talking about developing a product that would allow people to hear the music we help create. And they’ve been great for us.”
The unveiling of Marshall’s consumer product range caused a whirlwind of opinion across the planet. The consensus – in cyberspace, at bricks-and-mortar music stores, and among the crowds at music venues – was an emphatic thumbs-up to this new development. But, as with any institution that dares to move with the times, there were pockets of resistance. Dip into the countless musician-led web forums, and among the buzz of excitement generated by open-minded fans, there were dissenting voices who argued that by growing beyond its amp-building roots of the 60s, the firm was somehow selling out. “The history can be a help and a hindrance,” considers Ellery. “It’s a very fine line that we walk. The internet is a great thing, but you can have 2,000 people who like a product – and two people who complain.”
Granted, this was a major leap into the unknown for a brand that was still synonymous with classic amps such as the JTM45, the JCM800 and the 1959 SLP. But the closer you analysed Marshall’s emerging range of consumer products, the clearer it became that this was no opportunistic cash-grab. Rather than a scattershot attempt to stick the Marshall logo onto anything that might sell, there was a well-considered logic behind the range, with each release tied to music and its extended universe. These were products to make music-obsessed hearts beat a little faster, whether the buyer was stood on stage, listening in their bedroom or propping up a festival bar.
“Jim’s philosophy was always to give the customer what they want,” reasons Glover. “He was always open to ideas, and he’d
never delete a product. Someone asked me the other day if Jim would think we’d sold out with the Marshall speakers and headphones. But, actually, I think he’d absolutely love them. It follows exactly the same path that he started. It all connects back to music. I think Jim would be very proud of what he sees now at Marshall.”
With most Marshall consumer products, the musical link is a no-brainer, and the benefits for players are right there in black and white. Take the voice-activated speaker range – a stylish line-up that could help modern bands in a hundred different scenarios, whether that’s warming up backstage by streaming a backing track through the thumping Woburn II, or using the portable Kilburn II to play their demo to an A&R person who visits after the gig. But, equally, these products could simply be enjoyed by a group of friends who put down their smartphones and video games for the night to bond over a new album. “Speakers were just the obvious thing to do,” says Ellery. “And they’ve really been adopted by people. One of our biggest competitors is phones and gaming. So we’re thinking about how as an industry we can encourage people to play music together, to enjoy it as a social event.”
Then there are the ever-popular Marshall headphones, thrilling modern music fans with pro features that include cushion-soft microfibre, anodised metal detailing, pinsharp clarity through custom-tuned drivers, noise-cancelling tech and up to 30 hours of wireless playtime. “The headphones are great for musicians,” says Product Director Luke Green. “You can link them together, daisy-chain them. So for a band that wants to listen to a mix through their computer, they can all listen through the same phones, so they’re all hearing the same thing. So there’s lots of little nuances within the products for the musician. But they’re not just for musicians. Maybe the headphones will be bought by someone who tried playing guitar and didn’t get on with it – but they love music and the Marshall brand, and what it stands for.
“We support music. That’s what we do. Maybe we make music that has already been recorded come into the room through our speakers. Maybe it’s music coming into your ears through our headphones. Maybe it’s the amp that you’re playing guitar through. Or it could even be the Marshall record label that helps you create, produce and curate music. Whatever form it takes, it’s all about music.”
Scan the Marshall website today and you’ll find everything you need to enhance a 24/7 musical lifestyle. There are three branded beers and a 92-litre amp-styled fridge, plus a full range of T-shirts, caps, wallets, along with festival-inspired items such as bags, lanyards and even a poncho for those inevitable festival rainstorms. It’s an eclectic range, but every product can be justified by the Marshall team.
“Everything that we do and everything that we license has that music influence,” stresses Ellery. “Why a fridge? Because music and a cold beer go together so
well. So then we went into making Marshall beer to go in the fridge. The only odd one out is the Marshall watches – my personal passion.”
“From the fridge to the beer, everything is really carefully considered,” picks up Glover. “And I get such a buzz walking through an airport or somewhere and seeing all this stuff. Because nobody else can do this. Other brands just haven’t got that magic dust.”
As for the theory that the consumer range distracts the Marshall team from the everyday business of amp-building, purists can rest assured that the two worlds never collide. The core work of the amp designers and builders at the Milton Keynes and Vietnam factories is entirely separate to the consumer products, which are entrusted to specialists in their respective fields. Take the Amped Up Lager, Full Stack IPA and Jim’s Treble beers: all developed by the respected Williams Bros Brewing Company of Clackmannanshire. “Some people think our licensed products have an effect on our core amp product,” says Ellery, “but it’s a separate team. And with all the consumer stuff, we quality-control what’s released. It all goes through an approval process – and that’s really important to us.”
Just as important is the sense of inclusivity. Some instrument firms leave non-players out in the cold. But in an elitist industry, Marshall’s consumer products are a shining example of the firm’s open-armed philosophy: just because you don’t play an instrument, that doesn’t mean you can’t be part of the family.
“We don’t just want to make products for the four people on the stage,” says Ellery. “We also want to make them for the 20,000 people in the crowd. People go and see their heroes live. Maybe they don’t play guitar and they’re never going to buy an amp. But they love the Marshall brand and they want to be associated with it. So if we can touch more people with different elements of our brand, then all the better.”
“We don’t just want to make products for the four people on the stage: we also want to make them for the 20,000 people in the crowd... They love the Marshall brand”