Soraya, HARMAN’s manager of product marketing for North America, has been instrumental in the successful launch of the
JBL Authentics line. Winning multiple CES Innovation Awards this year, Soraya reflects on the JBL Authentics journey and the important role she played in it.
The JBL Authentics Line: Where Innovation Meets Sound Excellence
At CES, Soraya introduced the three models of the JBL Authentics line, highlighting their industry-first feature—simultaneous voice assistants with Google Assistant and Alexa running at the same time. The focus, however, remained on the exceptional sound quality, amplifying the overall audio experience for users.
Joining HARMAN 16 years ago as a production manager for company brands like Harman Kardon, JBL, Infinity and AKG, Soraya is a true audiophile at heart.
"My favorite thing about Authentics is just how great they sound," she enthused.
Soraya's journey with the groundbreaking JBL Authentics launch embodies the company’s commitment to innovation and redefining superior sound.
Navigating Challenges and Achieving Success
Bringing Authentics to market wasn't without challenges. Sorya reflected on the hurdles she and her team overcame to bring the product line to life.
"In the past, we've not been very successful in the Wi-Fi speaker market. So, bringing Wi-Fi speakers into a space that we hadn't previously been very successful in was a bit of a challenge."
In her role, Soraya had a direct impact for combatting any negative opinions about JBL bringing a class-leading Wi-Fi speaker to market. “I was responsible for the go-to-market [strategy and execution] for the Authentics speakers. That meant coordinating a bunch of teams for our launch event, our social media activity, media buying, how we showed up in retail from a physical standpoint as well as a digital standpoint."
Reflecting on the journey – with three CES Innovation Awards for the Authentics line, Soraya expressed her satisfaction, "Now to see it here and actually win a bunch of awards is so satisfying, not just for me, but for the entire teams and everyone involved."
Collaboration: The Heartbeat of HARMAN
For Soraya, her favorite aspect of working at HARMAN is the collaboration she experiences. The success of the Authentics launch was attributed to the seamless collaboration between business units and marketing teams. She highlighted the shared effort in selling the product internally and externally, involving conversations, feedback, and approvals from both internal and external partners like Google and Amazon.
As Authentics continues to make waves in the market, Soraya stands proud, knowing that her dedication and collaborative efforts have contributed to the success of this groundbreaking product.
"It really was this great collaborative team effort," she said with a smile. "It was a labor of love, with everyone on board together, exemplifying HARMAN's collaborative ethos."
Soraya's journey with JBL Authentics showcases the power of collaboration, determination, and a shared vision. The success of the product is not just a personal achievement for her but a testament to the collaborative spirit that defines HARMAN as a company.
