You’ve seen them before—the hipster kid on the subway, the chic neighbor in the elevator, the jogger in the park—all with brightly colored, cushioned headphones emblazoned with that unmistakable “b.”

Beats headphones are everywhere, and with good reason.

The company has made great strides since releasing its first headphones in 2008. Backed by Dr. Dre and Interscope Records producer Jimmy Iovine, Beats Electronics caters to a huge global audience, from celebrities to music enthusiasts around the world.

The company introduced its newest creations at a press conference on October 16, which included urBeats™ ear phones, Beats Pill™ speaker and Beats Executive™ headphones. The conference opened with a video clip mash-up of Beats’ many television appearances, set to the bass-heavy thumping of Skrillex’s “Bangarang.”

The video’s message was obvious: These iconic headphones were a pop culture staple.

“People don’t care or don’t know about quality sound—we’re here to change that,” said Dre.

He couldn’t be more right. Beats have become a status symbol in their own right, boasting premium sound and a price tag to match.

Omar Johnson, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Beats Electronics, attributed a large portion of Beats’ success to the incorporation of consumer feedback. By asking for fans’ opinions through social media, Johnson and his team learned something that would change Beats completely. He explained, “Beats were more than just sound. They were about personality and expression.”

Armed with this knowledge, Beats’ marketing team set out to create what would become a wildly popular brand.

“Brand is a gut feeling,” said Robert Brunner, the chief designer of Beats Electronics. “It’s not your logo, or your corporate identity system, your retail environment, your product, your packaging, or even your founder.”

Beats’ emotional appeal has far-reaching effects that go beyond the sale of headphones. Both Dre and Iovine share a common goal of bringing quality products to the music-loving masses.

“What I’m most proud of,” Iovine explained, “is that Beats were able to turn an entire generation on to sound.”

This piece was originally published on inkedmag.com.