One of the reasons I enjoy working on the HARMAN team is that we’re always coming up with exciting ways to engage with our customers. For instance, the “Design My JBL” contest let us get to know some of our users a little better through the designs they submitted. The winning design was just unveiled and announced at the 2019 Winter NAMM Show, and Elliott Baker, a 31-year-old musician and illustrator from Los Angeles took home the honors. His colorful, artistically-detailed and unique design was a true original and we were fascinated to learn how it came about.
Elliot Baker’s winning design.
“Dreams have always fascinated me, and this work came from a series of them where I met beings called ‘Dream Transportation Ghosts.’ They bring us our dreams and live in a layer of reality behind our own subconscious,” said Baker. “I’m honored that my original artwork was selected to appear on these special-edition monitors, and I would like to thank JBL for the amazing opportunity,” said Baker. “Much of my art is inspired by my dreams, and I can’t wait to see them set up in my home studio.”
The “Design My JBL” contest, which ran from November 1 through December 17, 2018 and was only available in the continental United States, provided a blank canvas for customers to create unique skins for the JBL Professional 305P MkII studio monitors. Participants entered the contest on Amazon, where they could choose a color for the front and customize the sides and top of the speakers. JBL received hundreds of entries, but ultimately, Baker’s dream-inspired submission was victorious.
Baker, who writes down or sketches the visualizations after he wakes up from a dream to avoid forgetting the ‘DTG’ characters he interacted with, said it felt surreal to know the drawings he produced in his bedroom would appear on JBL speakers.
Along with winning a pair of the monitors he designed, Baker also received a $1,000 Amazon gift card and a free trip to the NAMM show. The custom-designed and limited-edition JBL 305P MkII studio monitors will be available for purchase through Amazon in the summer of 2019 with a portion of sales proceeds donated to the NAMM Foundation to support musical education.
Elliot Baker’s winning design on and the JBL 305P MkII Powered Studio Monitor
“The Design My JBL contest was a resounding success, and we would like to thank all the participants for their incredible entries,” said Mohit Parasher, Executive Vice President and President, HARMAN Professional Solutions. “We’re also proud to donate five percent of the proceeds to the NAMM Foundation, which will help advance active participation in music making by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs.”
“On behalf of the NAMM Foundation, we are honored and grateful for this donation to the NAMM Foundation from JBL,” said Mary Luehrsen, Executive Director of the NAMM Foundation. “JBL’s ongoing support of the NAMM Show and this wonderful donation combine to advance the work of the foundation to support the musical and creative energies and ambitions of all people everywhere.”
Limited quantities are being produced, so don’t miss your chance to purchase the custom-designed 30P MkII studio monitors before they sell out.
