Loewe is betting big with its new TVs and speakers. Here’s hoping it works

OPINION: No quarter asked and no quarter given. Loewe is not messing about with its 2024 product launches, telling everyone that it’s not only back, but it’s here to stay.
So far Loewe has announced plans to manufacture its own OLED TVs: jumped into premium hi-fi with floorstanding and standmount speakers, signed Kylian Mbappé as a brand ambassador as well as launched Mbappé-themed We Hear Pro wireless speakers, and its most recent announcement was for its range of premium OLED TVs.
More announcements are in the offing but the crux of it is that Loewe is a resurgent brand after experiencing its share of economic turmoil in the not too distant past. It came close to bankruptcy in 2013 and then went bankrupt in 2019 before being rescued by investment from Skytec in 2020. The last ten years have been a struggle.
And when I went was invited to see Loewe’s upcoming products at an event in Berlin, I was split about what to take from the event. On the one hand there was a lot of ambition with Loewe pushing into new areas you wouldn’t associate it with – but on the other hand I felt concern. From its TV manufacturing plant, to new product areas, is it growing too fast too soon and spreading itself thin?

But Loewe had to do something different as what it was doing before didn’t rescue it from its eventual financial malaise. Diversification would make sense and associating itself with Kylian Mbappé, who has joined Real Madrid, which would link Loewe with a global brand that’s won its 15th (fifteenth!) European Cup can only help its visibility, especially with younger, more affluent customers.
But though this iteration of Loewe carries the history of the 100-year old brand, it is also in essence, a new company. I’d assume it’d need to rebuild or at least think different about how it distributes its products and which dealers can help it best because it not only has to be built up again but be better than before.
That won’t be easy, especially as Loewe positions itself as a premium brand. Just look at pricing for its 32-inch HD HDR TV (available in Currys UK) which is more expensive than a 48-inch LG C3 OLED TV. Value is not what Loewe is going or its strongest suit.
But it’s also worth remembering that its direct competitors aren’t the likes of LG, Samsung, and Sony but Bang & Olufsen. It means a smaller, more premium market to cater to but one impacted by Loewe chiefly being visible in Europe and not worldwide.

Wherever I’ve travelled I’ve seen Bang & Olufsen stores but the Loewe stores I’ve seen are the boutique fashion house. You’d imagine if this version of Loewe is to be a success it has cast it net far and wide in search for new customers.
Its current tactics will help re-establish the brand and show it is more than just an AV brand but Europe also feels a little lacking in premium ‘tech’ brands that can strut their stuff at the higher end of the market. It needs a success story, a powerhouse that combines aesthetics and high performance in a uniquely European way.
Loewe are going full send with their new products, and here’s hoping they can succeed where previously they stumbled.