Many brands simply add a celebrity’s branding when working with artists.
But Olivia Rodrigio has partnered twice with Sony to make custom headphones. After developing a pair of earphones called LinkBud S last year, Rodrigo and Sony launched two new earphones in October that retail for $200: LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open.
Jordy Freed, director, head of brand, business development, partner marketing, and strategy at Sony, said that the headphones specifically target Gen Z based on price point, size, and functionality. Freed said that the partnership is about more than Rodrigo being a phenomenon amongst Gen Z—she’s also a creator.
“We work with creators that have strong creative vision, and we knew that she had a new album coming and a tour, and we wanted to dig in over the course of several years to chart how her vision would align with what we’re doing,” said Freed. “We also found out quickly thereafter that she’s a …