| Diversifying the Orange brand in the early 1970s |
| Drum
kits were only a part of the Orange brand’s development. Other
products included electric guitars “aimed at the market gap
between Japanese copies and American originals”; guitar strings;
Hypercondenser microphones, and disco systems made famous by another
high-profile friend of ‘Mr Orange’. Namely, the Radio One deejay Emperor Rosko. Rosko’s keen endorsement of Orange disco sound systems led to an exclusive contract between Orange and the BBC which meant that they were used on the Radio One Roadshow. |
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Meanwhile, a fleet of Orange trucks cruised around the country during the summer rock festival season transporting a 4,000-watt PA system to the next open-air event. And in the capital Londoners on occasion could clock an Orange beach-buggy brightening up the streets. This was brand-building on the move. The Orange Records label had already been established in late-1969 with singles by a band called Influence and a duo named Contrast. Orange Records was promoted by Orange Agency and Orange Design. John Miles would be the label’s biggest-selling artist in the mid-1970s. Next |
