Are These the Most Relatable Headphone Ads Ever? Watch 'Em and Weep (and/or Laugh)

JBL teamed up with its agency Doner to create these two very funny TV commercials that show what it's like if you don't own JBL Bluetooth-enabled headphones, and are instead stuck dealing with old-fashioned corded models. "Epic Fail," above, will be sadly familiar to anyone who has ever forgotten they were wearing headphones that were plugged into something, while a sporty alternate version captures how maddening it is to have your cords in a tangle. The dramatic soundtrack choices -- Coppelia's "Act I, No. 1 Valse, Moderato," above, and "Gonna Fly Now" (the theme from "Rocky") for the second spot -- wryly underscore the drama of the "fail" scenarios while hinting at a larger subtext. "The JBL brand is about elevating life at all levels and enjoying music as the backdrop to all the things we do," Ralph Santana, EVP-CMO at JBL parent Harman International, told Creativity. "It's about the experience -- making the everyday epic." "This campaign might as well be a PSA for cord fails," Doner Co-CEO and CCO Rob Strasberg added. "JBL has changed our relationship with headphone cords forever. No more public humiliation!" An integrated social-media campaign with activations on Snapchat, YouTube, Twitter and Vine (centered around Vine star Logan Paul) will encourage consumers to share their #CordFail stories for a chance to win "JBL Epic Experience" prizes.

Are These the Most Relatable Headphone Ads Ever? Watch 'Em and Weep (and/or Laugh)

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