From Associates to Advocates: Gibson’s Market Expansion
200+
more units sold
$200K+
in additional revenue
100%+
increase in dealer engagement
Join Bill Howe, In-Store Experience & Activation Manager at Gibson, on August 19 as he shares how Gibson is building brand trust at the frontlines and why it’s become a key part of their go-to-market playbook.
Background: Gibson’s Legacy and a Modern Challenge
Building instruments since 1894 and formally founded in 1902, Gibson has become one of the most iconic guitar manufacturers in the world. Known for its legendary models like the Les Paul and SG, favored by rock greats like Slash, Jimmy Page, and Adam Jones, the brand has held deep emotional value for musicians for decades. But despite its strong heritage, Gibson faced headwinds. In 2018, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, grappling with declining sales, a changing retail landscape, and the challenge of maintaining relevance in a crowded market.
Under the leadership of James “JC” Curleigh and Cesar Gueikian, the company began a transformation focused on product quality, storytelling, and customer engagement. A key piece of this strategy: regaining in-store momentum through retail partner advocacy.
The Challenge: Driving Advocacy in Specialty Retail
Gibson guitars are premium products, with most prices ranging from $1,500 to over $10,000, and require knowledgeable sales associates to guide customers through complex product specs and emotional buying decisions.
“We were 100% reliant on in-person training,” said Bill Howe, In-Store Experience & Activation Manager at Gibson. We’re a limited team with a limited scope of how far we can go out into the field, but keeping that information pipeline flowing to our dealers is critical.”
This was compounded by:
- Limited reach of in-person visits
- High associate turnover and competing training priorities
- A product line too nuanced for generic training formats
Gibson needed a scalable, targeted solution to deliver the same passion and technical depth in a digital format – and to keep Gibson top of mind in stores.
The Solution: Myagi as a Scalable Advocacy Engine
Gibson partnered with Myagi to evolve their training from occasional, in-person touchpoints to a continuously available, mobile-first experience.
Product-Launch Synced Training: Every new core guitar model launch can be supported with a corresponding Myagi module, timed to go live alongside dealer availability.
Short-Form, High-Impact Content: Training videos under two minutes let busy associates absorb key selling points on the fly, even while on the floor with a customer.
Depth for Enthusiasts: Factory tour series and detailed breakdowns of pickup configurations and tonewoods give tech-savvy staff a deeper dive.
Feedback Loop: Biannual surveys drive content optimization – shorter videos, clearer product comparisons, and more sales-focused framing.
Dealer Enablement at Scale: Myagi has allowed Gibson to reach partners they previously only saw once or twice a year.
“Associates love to show us what they’ve learned through Myagi. It generates excitement in-store and it’s really cool to see,” Howe shared.
Results: Performance Gains and Brand Revitalization
The results have been powerful across engagement, education, and business impact:
- Increased Market Share: While the broader musical instrument industry contracted post-COVID, Gibson and Epiphone gained ground.
- $200K in Sell-Through from One Dealer: A Myagi-integrated sales contest targeting slower-moving SKUs led to nearly 200 units sold in one quarter.
- Surging Training Adoption: A shift to shorter content formats drove a spike in positive feedback and platform usage.
- Sales and Confidence: Store staff now use Myagi as a clienteling tool – showing demo clips and influencer content in real time to guide high-ticket sales and deliver a consistent brand message on the floor.
- Retail Relationship Strengthening: Myagi has become a key relationship-builder.
“Myagi is a really important tool for us to just keep Gibson at top of mind with the shop pros. It really does keep us as one of their main focuses and store teams have another touch point with us,” said Howe.
Outcome: A Brand Comeback Built on Education and Advocacy
In an era where brand trust and knowledge drive premium sales, Gibson proves that content, not giveaways, can fuel lasting advocacy. With Myagi, the brand built a learning engine that scales, inspires, and empowers the people closest to the customer.
“If you’re confident, your product speaks for itself, you don’t need to rely on swag,” said Howe. “Myagi helps us tell our story and make it stick.”
Key Takeaways:
- 200 units sold and $200K in additional revenue from one Myagi-integrated sales initiative in one quarter
- Myagi now supports product launches with coordinated video training
- Associates access content on their phones, some even during live customer interactions
- Gibson doubled its dealer engagement goal for 2025
This is how an iconic brand reclaimed its space – by investing not just in what it sells, but in how it’s sold.
