Many brands simply add a celebrity’s image when working with artists.
But Olivia Rodrigo joined forces twice with Sony to make custom headphones. After developing a pair of earbuds called the LinkBuds S last year, Rodrigo and Sony launched two new earbuds in October priced at $200: LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open..
Jordy Freed, director, head of brand, business development, partner marketing and strategy at Sony, said the headphones specifically target Gen Z based on price, size and features. Freed said the partnership is about more than just Rodrigo being a phenomenon among Gen Z: she’s also a creator.
“We work with creators who have a strong creative vision, and we knew she had a new album coming and a tour, and we wanted to dig in over several years to determine how her vision would align with what we do. ” Freed said. “We also quickly discovered afterward that she was a big user and supporter of some of our professional audio equipment, and so it was the perfect fit.”
The first meeting with Rodrigo took place in February 2023. Sony had products for Rodrigo to test, and over several months she tweaked the packaging, color and other physical properties.
“She could have easily just said, ‘Okay,’ or we could have easily said, ‘Okay, we’ll just take care of the cosmetic, the color, the packaging’… but our product can deliver well more. fans who bring more meaning,” Freed said.
When the LinkBuds S were released in September 2023, fans used the Custom EQ feature, a sound adjustment feature that Rodrigo and his producer Dan Nigro came up with so listeners could better hear his albums Sour and Guts. “You can definitely use headphones to listen to it, but if you can integrate that music into the product experience itself, well, it just transforms in different ways,” Freed says.
To promote the launch of the Olivia Rodrigo x LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open models in October, Sony ran a four-week campaign that appeared on 636 buses, 260 two-sheet posters, 570 branded trains and two large wallscapes. The campaign generated more than 160 million impressions, according to the company. On social media, the campaign reached over 36 million impressions across TikTok, Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.
ADWEEK spoke with Rodrigo about her partnership with Sony and how she added her creativity to the products.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
ADWEEK: How did your partnership with Sony come about?
Olivia Rodrigo: I originally teamed up with Sony last year when we collaborated on the release of LinkBuds S x Olivia Rodrigo. These custom headphones are super cool and I worked with the team to design and tune the product.
We joined forces again this year to release my versions of two other Sony products – LinkBuds Open and LinkBuds Fit – in my favorite purple color. And for the launch of LinkBuds Fit, we shot a stunning advertising campaign at the MTA Transit Museum in New York.
Working with Sony was great because they brought my creative vision to the forefront. I love New York and it was my idea to shoot the campaign here. It was also exciting to have my LinkBuds Fit campaign photo on one of the latest physical MetroCards— a must-see in the city!
What was the inspiration behind the design?
It’s no secret that purple is my favorite color. This really makes me happy, so when it came to choosing the colorway, I knew we had to go with something in the purple family. My LinkBuds S featured a unique purple marble pattern and Fit & Open are in a darker purple colorway. There are several different options to choose from.
Design-wise, I wanted to ensure my LinkBuds were sustainably created from reclaimed and recycled plastics. I also wanted my fans to be able to hear Guts and Sour in the best audio quality possible with the LinkBuds, so Dan [Nigro] and I sat down to customize all the songs on my two albums.
Why was sustainability a priority for you?
Sustainability and helping the planet are important to me. LinkBuds S x Olivia Rodrigo has an eco-friendly design using factory-recovered plastic, reclaimed water bottles, and recycled plastics from automotive parts. Fit and Open were also created from recycled plastic.
How did you work with your producer Daniel Nigro on these headphones?
Dan and I thought about how to make the fan listening experience with my LinkBuds as special as possible. We worked directly with Sony and played around with the different audio levels, adjusting them to make each song sound its best: treble, bass, etc. I’m happy that my fans can hear my music in this new innovative way.
You went to Sony headquarters in Tokyo. How was this experience?
It was incredible! Tokyo is one of the coolest places I’ve ever visited. The Sony team was very kind and showed me all the different earphone models and color options. I was able to try all the products and make my creative decisions from there. I worked collaboratively with Sony throughout this two-year process to develop my custom versions of the LinkBuds. I’m grateful that they trusted my vision and kept it at the forefront.
This partnership lasts two years. How has it evolved and what excites you most about its future?
It’s been an incredible partnership with Sony over the last two years. LinkBuds S was released right after Guts came out, and we’re still collaborating over a year later.
Something I’m excited about and coming soon is an immersive experience in New York that Sony put together to celebrate and bring the LinkBuds partnership to life. It connects perfectly to the campaign creation in a cool way. I don’t want to give too much away, but I think my fans will love it.
The fact that we were able to expand my product line from one to three headphones is something I’m proud of. I love that future generations of fans will be able to connect to Guts and Sour through the distinct listening experience we created together.
