Monster an iconic tech brand is set to be distributed by Sydney based Tempo who is also set to introduce an extensive new Monster audio brand that will take on the likes of Blue Ant, JBL, and Sony in the portable speaker market.
Distributed at one stage by Convoy International, then Harvey Norman distribution Company Arisit, the brand is Internationally renounced for their premium cables and power management products, they are also the Company that bought us Beats headphones.
Now the Company has transitioned to a new model with Temp appointed as a key global partner.
The Tempo business will be managed by Gary Brown a 22-year veteran at Harvey Norman who joined Tempo last month.
Executives at San Francisco based Monster told ChannelNews that the introduction of their new business model that is built around value added licencing was proving highly successful.
The Company said, “Monster first implemented this model in the United States and Canada, and it has been working exceedingly well”.
The move has allowed the Company who is well known, for running some of the biggest parties at CES including live performances by Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, Fleetwood Mac and George Benson to expand their brand and the products they offer across several key categories.
Monster is legendary in the consumer technology industry not only for Beats By Dr Dre which is now owned by Apple but their founder Noel Lee.
He founded Monster in 1979 after working as both a professional drummer and a laser-fusion design engineer for a nuclear weapons research outfit.
There, according to Lee, he was exposed to toxic doses of radiation that led to the development of a nerve disorder that prevents him from walking—hence the Segway which he uses when he appears on stage at CES.
The greatest breakthrough of his career came when, frustrated that most stereo systems were wired with the same cables used for household lamps, he designed a high-performance cable that enabled crisper, stronger sound.
Monster still peddles these trademark cables along with speakers and headphones.
The company does not disclose its financial performance.
In the past he has teamed up to create a range of products, including Monster DNA with Swizz Beatz, ROC headphones and speakers (no relation to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation) with soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, and, most famously, Beats by Dr. Dre.
These experiences taught Lee lessons he claims that could never have learned in engineering school.
Tempo who has the rights to Australia and New Zealand is already introducing new Monster branded products to retailers and will have the rights to sell products in several markets.In Australia, the brand will sell lighting, smart IoT devices, gaming, mobility products, connected car, automotive, in addition to the next generation for cables, power/surge protection, screen clean, TV mounts, professional/musician cables, headphones, and speakers.
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Recently Australian and New Zealand retailers were shown the new Monster product range at a Tempo event which showcase hundreds of products from Asian manufacturers. Described as a local ‘Hong Kong Fair’ the event was a ‘smash success” with millions in orders taken for Tempo distributed products including the new Monster range.
Kevin Lee, Monster’s SVP of Brand and Corporate Development. “We were extremely excited when we found Tempo and their ability to serve our partnerships, globally.”
“The combination of Monster’s product vision, wide range of categories, and innovative technologies along with Tempo’s trailblazing speed to market, global social compliance, and strong retail relationships is set to deliver a great relationship”.
He added “Finding the right partner for every territory is extremely challenging. We are not just looking for normal licensees that just do traditional sourcing. Monster is looking for companies that understand the brand and share the same passion that we have for design, innovation and delivering new categories to serve retailers and consumers.”
A Tempo spokesperson said “For decades Monster has been innovating in these categories. We have been huge fans of the brand and are now excited to get closer to the brand by partnering with them in the development, distribution, and marketing of new products for this market.”
They added Monster’s collaboration with Tempo will allow multiple new categories to better serve and reach more consumers than ever before in Australia and New Zealand.
The Head Monster Noel Lee concludes: “Tempo is the absolute best at what they do and truly embodies Monster’s product-vision strategy of “You Deserve Better” for retailers and consumers.”
ChannelNews understands that the brand could make a return to retailers such as JB Hi Fi and The Good Guys.
