Beats by Dre

Celebrating the joy of cutting loose.

In 2016, the industry was shifting. Smartphones were dropping headphone jacks. Wireless was no longer a nice-to-have. Beats had the products, but we needed to own the moment and position the brand as the leader in wireless audio.

The insight came from a simple truth: people didn’t just want wireless headphones. They wanted what wireless represented. Freedom. Movement. A life untethered. That feeling already had a perfect soundtrack: “I’ve Got No Strings” from Disney’s Pinocchio. Nostalgic, joyful, and exactly the vibe we were going for.

Working closely with the CMO and creative team, we brought that vision to life with a star-studded lineup of 20 global icons. Nicki Minaj. DJ Khaled. Karlie Kloss. Travis Scott. Pharrell. Each one living untethered, each one wearing Beats. We showcased the full wireless lineup across TV, digital, and social, making the case that Beats wasn’t just keeping up with the shift to wireless. Beats was leading it.

The film was viewed over 900 million times. 15.2 million site visits. And Beats had its best fiscal quarter of all time. Not bad for a song from 1940.

The “Got No Strings” campaign set the stage for a larger cultural conversation that culminated in the “Don’t Be a Puppet” campaign. By celebrating the freedom and joy of a wireless lifestyle through the iconic Disney tune “I’ve Got No Strings,” Beats established a powerful narrative around independence and liberation. This narrative seamlessly evolved into “Don’t Be a Puppet,” which transcended traditional marketing to achieve cultural relevance by tapping into the zeitgeist of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. When Hillary Clinton accused Donald Trump of being a “puppet” during a nationally televised debate—a moment that quickly went viral—Beats responded in real time with sharp, culturally attuned content. The synergy between these campaigns reinforced Beats as a brand that doesn’t just adapt to cultural moments but actively shapes them, amplifying its message of individuality and independence while deeply resonating with global audiences.