Larry Secreto’s current journey with Harman was an unexpected one. In 2014, he had just opted for early retirement from his 20-year journey with another consumer electronics company. Just as he was ready to kick back and relax, he was approached by Harman International to head the brand’s local representation in the country.
Gadgets Magazine interviewed Secreto to learn more about Harman and himself.
GOALS
Harman’s International is one of the world’s leading audio-electronic companies. It’s the parent company of audio brands such as Harman Kardon, JBL, Infinity, and AKG, among many others. This broad portfolio of audio solutions is what Secreto aims to bring to more Filipinos when he joined the company.
“I had a very simple goal when I joined Harman. To bring out the best products and reach as many Filipino consumers as possible. In 2014, not many local consumers were aware of the fully packed, superb sound quality, and very durable products we carried. So I made sure that it became very visible in both online and offline stores.”
ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTH
As the Country Lead for Harman International, Secreto believes that the strength of Harman comes from its vast engineer pool internationally. They’re able to bring out the best products by combining their learning from consumer preferences.
“Our company is very determined to advance the technology of consumer audio. Our engineers are making sure to bring out the best products by combining and synchronizing the different consumer preferences all over the world.”
CHALLENGES
Like other brands and products, Secreto and Harman have faced various challenges. But for him two particular challenges stand out.
“There are several challenges along the way. Primarily, we have to adjust to the change in target market. We used to target the millennials 6-7 years ago, but there’s been a growing market for Gen Z in the last couple of years, and their preferences are slightly different, so we had to adjust quickly as we see this as the future market for us.
Another big challenge, which I see as very common here, is similar to that of other brands. As the products become more popular, the number of counterfeits are growing large enough that many consumers get fooled into thinking they look like the original products. We have done many campaigns for consumer education, but it seems like there are tons of these products free-flowing inside the country.”
FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY
As for the future of the industry in the country, Secreto sees that more Filipinos will embrace better audio solutions, especially as these become more accessible and affordable.
“The audio industry in the Philippines is on the upswing. With the advent of technology, people easily adapt to changes. With the availability and affordability of audio streaming platforms as well as movie streaming, more and more Filipinos will demand better-quality audio equipment. Moving forward, as music features and platforms advance, such as Dolby Atmos, many consumers will adopt and switch to audio products that are capable of playing on such platforms.”
MESSAGE
Finally, Secreto has a special message for consumers of JBL and other Harman audio products.
“Very simple, products keep evolving. In the future, some products will come back in a new form with new technology, but the basics will remain. JBL will always strive to achieve the best audio quality for consumers, no matter what form, factor, or change in platform. Audio quality has been in our DNA for the last 70 years, and we will continue to do so for many more years.”