Why didn’t Bang & Olufsen call its new all-white collection “White Noise”? Surely they missed a trick. Then again, being world-class experts in hi-fidelity audio, maybe not. Such experts would know only too well the connotations “white noise” has, that it contains all the audible frequencies in the visible range. And that, of all the noise types named for a loose analogy to the colours of light – pink noise, brown noise, red noise – white noise is the harshest, comparable to television static or a hissing radiator. Furthermore, that the word “noise” is itself derived from the Latin word for “nausea”. And no one wants that.
Better, perhaps to focus on more positive connotation with the colour. Being world-class experts in hi-fidelity audio marketing, Bang & Olufsen would also know only too well that, just as orange is associated with the informal and the affordable (welcome aboard Easyjet!) and red with impulse buys (red backgrounds sell better on eBay), white promotes positivity and cleanliness. Much more like it, when it comes to launching a six-piece collection of its most beloved products, from premium wireless earbuds (which are rather excellent, we must say) to the towering 15kg circular A9 speaker.
Add in a nod to the company’s Scandi design heritage and remind people what time of year it is (the time to buy new stuff) and you have the “Bang & Olufsen Festive Nordic Ice Collection”. So much better than “White Noise”. Which is why Bang & Olufsen is, and remains, the world-class expert.