Q&A with Michael MacDonald

Earlier this year, Harman Pro Group announced the return of former JBL President Michael MacDonald in a newly-created strategic marketing position focused on integrated systems and coordinating multi-brand communications. The Music & Sound Retailer sat down with MacDonald to find out what brought him back into the Harman fold and what his return means for the company.

The Music & Sound Retailer: Why did you come back to Harman?
Michael MacDonald: I came back because the opportunity that presented itself here was simply too great to pass up. Blake Augsburger has a very powerful vision of what he wants the Harman Pro Group to achieve over the next couple of years. We now have the individual brand product development programs integrated with Harman’s revolutionary HiQnet network and communications protocol. This convergence of product with network communications is opening the door to some very exciting systems packages that are custom designed for specific market applications. As a result, the group will be moving in new directions that require marketing leadership that can simultaneously strengthen the individual brands while promoting the unique benefits that only this group can offer. I have been tasked to lead this effort and I am honored to do so. It’s going to be a very exciting couple of years!

M&SR: What was going on at Harman that led to the creation of this position?
MacDonald: The development of the remarkable HiQnet network and communications protocol is allowing each of the individual nine Harman Pro Group companies to collaborate on joint systems solutions like never before. This reality has created the need for a group level marketing position that can oversee the development of these systems, managing everything from concept development, market identification and development, system prioritization, customer interface, and all of the required “go to market” support programs. This new position is effectively responsible for managing all of these areas.

M&SR: What hopes do you have for growing systems marketing at Harman?
MacDonald: I have very high hopes! Look, the reality of what’s happening in the world today offers us some truly amazing opportunities. Sound surrounds us wherever we go in life: at the mall, within stores, in restaurants, in the gym, the hotels we stay at. Sound is everywhere and it is being used to create mood, sell a product or service, or entice people to stay longer within the environment. Harman is unique in that it is the only company that offers these vertical market customers a networked, best-in-class, customized, end-to-end solution that brings sound to life in a way that increases our customers’ business. The future for systems marketing at the Harman Pro Group has never been better and I am not even sure we fully appreciate how large the opportunity will be. But we’re going after it!

M&SR: What can we expect in the future?
MacDonald: I’ve just given you a very broad peek into the future. We believe the future will be largely defined by traditional and new customers alike who want the very best sound performance from customized system solutions that have been configured for their specific vertical market application. The era of “one size fits all” is over.
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