We see a lot of weird things at the Consumer Electronics Show (it is Las Vegas, after all) and we usually take it in stride, but when one of us picks up on a trend that goes a little too far, we feel the need to comment.
Now, Monster launched a fine and game-changing array of headphones under their Beats by Dr. Dre brand, and before long, that success gave way to the company's Miles Davis Tribute headphones, an ultra-deluxe package with a lot of classy touches that sought to honor the deceased trumpeteer, as we would expect for such a hefty price tag. Other manufacturers sought to emulate this lucrative business model, and other musicians like Ludacris have recently announced their own branded audio gear.
This is all well and good, I suppose, but this week I stumbled upon two proposed audio product lines carrying the names of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. But the real kicker came when I found myself at an elaborate booth dedicated to electronics bearing the name, image, and "spirit" of Bob Marley.
Now, I seem to recall stumbling upon a colorful can of a Marley-inspired relaxation beverage, possibly herb-infused, at my local Wegman's a week before the show, and that was ironic enough to be amusing. But this growing trend of esteemed performers hawking electronics doesn't sit well with me.
Celebrity endorsements remain a slippery slope, with modern stars from various media appearing foreign TV commercials but not in the U.S. so as not to diminish their stature in the eyes of the public. Should dead celebrities be denied that discretion? I feel the same way about Fred Astaire posthumously pushing vacuum cleaners, or Cary Grant pitching for Diet Coke. What's worse, these are audio products; Marley's in particular is a broad catalog of stylized ear-speakers, portables and more; and so the sub-text seems to be, "If he was actually alive, and he listened to these, he'd probably like them. So you should buy them."
Why pricey headphones? Why now? Would Tupac, Biggie and Bob Marley really copycat Dr. Dre if given the chance? We'll never know. But someone already made the decision for them.
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