CASE STUDIES:
Rick Alden, founder of Skullcandy, first came up with his business idea in 2003 on a chairlift in Park City, Utah – he was listening to music when his phone rang. The existing technology required that he take off the earphones and turn off the MP3 player, find his phone and answer it in order to talk. Rick decided that there must be a better way and Skullcandy was born with a spliced earphone jack that could be used for a phone and an MP3 player at the same time and a switch to go between the two. Since then Skullcandy has been a leading audio brand that reflects the collision of the music, fashion and action sports lifestyles. Their brand and distinctive logo symbolizes youth and rebellion, and embodies their motto, “Every revolution needs a soundtrack.” Skullcandy products are sold in the United States and in more than 70 other countries around the world. They pioneered the distribution of headphones in specialty retailers focused on action sports and the youth lifestyle. Through this channel they reach consumer influencers, individuals who help establish and maintain the credibility and authenticity of their brand. Building on this foundation, they have successfully expanded their distribution to select consumer electronics, mass, sporting goods and mobile phone retailers.