Jawbone Jambox

JAMBOX is about cutting the wires that literally bind conventional devices together with the ability to seamlessly stream and share music, movies, games, phone and conference calls with freedom. You can bring JAMBOX with you anywhere.

strategy

In 2010, Jawbone was an established leader in the Bluetooth headset category, but it was time to conquer a new space. A natural segue within the field of audio directed us to speakers. Enough time had passed since its inception that the category had become stale and inefficient—compromised sound, wires, docks, and batteries all created an underwhelming experience. It was time to mix things up. We needed the right metaphor that would inspire the creation of a new category. One that could make music exciting again. We found our answer in the 80’s pop culture phenomenon, the boombox, because it was loud, it was portable, and it was social. Our strategy became clear: to set music free again and make it beautiful.

brand

Jambox’s name pays homage to its inspiration, the boombox, carrying a descriptive, yet aspirational and fun tone. The design language builds on Jawbone’s core brand pillar: to elevate lifestyle aesthetics with a fashion-forward attitude. In order to ensure a strong and consistent design language, materials, textures and colors were seen as equally important as designing the most advanced, compact technology that fits effortlessly into people’s lives. Framing the Jambox brand around this core tenet allowed us to drive and expand Jawbone’s equity. To celebrate the uniqueness of Jambox’s personality, we infused a healthy dose of fun in all brand applications—from in-store packaging to communications.

We also designed the communications around the JAMBOX. With simple sneaker-box packaging that romanticizes the original boombox : “that was then”, with new modes of consuming and sharing music, “this is NOW”.

product

Using principles of minimalist design, fewer parts and simpler assembly, we designed the JAMBOX to be portable, robust and have maximum sound output integrity. With its aluminum extrusion construction and industrial-weight molded rubber casing, it is built differently from other typical speakers: All four sides of JAMBOX are wrapped in a single grill to cut down on moving parts. The perforated metal sheaths are textured to reduce vibration, and bear four distinct patterns that visually reflect sound in the form of geometric patterns, this brings an artisan quality to the JAMBOX’s pure box aesthetic.

Recognition

Awards

  • IDEA Awards

    • Bronze - Jawbone JAMBOX Packaging, 2013
  • GOOD Design Awards

    • Jawbone JAMBOX, 2011
    • Jawbone JAMBOX Packaging, 2011
  • Spark! Awards

    • Gold - Jawbone JAMBOX, 2011
    • Gold - Jawbone JAMBOX packaging, 2011
  • Wallpaper* Design Awards

    • Reader's Choice Award Winner - Jawbone JAMBOX, 2011
  • Core77 Design Awards

    • Notable, Product Design - Jawbone JAMBOX, 2011
  • The Dieline Awards

    • 1st Place in Electronics - Jawbone JAMBOX packaging, 2011
  • IDEA Award

    • Gold - Jawbone JAMBOX, 2011
  • Creative Review Annual

    • Jawbone JAMBOX packaging, 2011
  • CES Innovation Awards

    • Jawbone JAMBOX, 2011
  • iF Award

    • JAMBOX, 2011

Exhibits

  • Art Institute of Chicago

    • JAMBOX by Jawbone
    • Permanent Collection, 2012
    • Chicago, IL
  • Salone del Mobile

    • JAMSCAPE
    • Milan
    • 2011

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