The custom electronics industry has long been void of marketers, so that’s one reason Tom Campbell stands out. There are very few custom integration companies that have mastered the art of marketing via radio, TV and other means.

Campbell is a fixture in Southern California. Successfully selling stereo equipment requires not only a Midas touch and a golden ear, but also a silver tongue, and Tom Campbell is imbued with all three. Starting out as the motor mouth for Cal Stereo’s radio ads in the 1970s, Campbell became a leading retail executive, technologist and industry evangelist, helping a series of consumer electronics (CE) retailers grow to unprecedented success. His deep baritone voice is instantly recognizable on the Southern California airwaves.

As part of the golden age of independent CE retailing in the late 1960s to the mid-1990s, Campbell was instrumental in the national launch of myriad new products.

The Man Who Was Hardwired for Radio

Born in St. Louis, Campbell became a licensed amateur “ham” radio operator in his teens, buying his first radio with his father’s help and money earned caddying on a golf course. In junior high school, he won a Blue Ribbon at the Greater St. Louis Science Fair for designing and building a relaxation oscillator.

In high school, Campbell built a sub-10-milliwatt local AM radio station and convinced his neighbors to tune into his evening radio show. After pestering the local radio station KATZ, he gave station identification call letters over the air on weekends. He also emceed shows and was a disc jockey. Campbell later enlisted in the Air Force, and received specialized training in advanced electronics, cyphers and cryptography.

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After leaving the service, Campbell worked at several radio stations, ending up in San Francisco in 1968 in the center of its vibrant music scene.

Cultivating an In-Demand Personality Both on and off the Air

Following that stint, Tom Campbell was in demand as a commercial spokesperson during the home stereo craze of the early 1970s when new retailers including DOW Stereo and Cal Stereo found an audience of rock music-loving fans. Campbell announced spots for these retailers and could famously squeeze 90 seconds of ad copy into a 60-second spot, which gave Cal Stereo an extra patina of cool.

Campbell’s exposure to retail marketing through his broadcasting experiences enabled him to execute effective advertising campaigns. Over more than three decades working for Southern California retailers including DOW Stereo & Video, Ken Crane’s, and Video & Audio Center, Campbell collaborated with leading brands to orchestrate the national launches of multiple consumer electronics categories.

While working with DOW, Campbell also served on the Congressional Internet Caucus, the Washington think-tank Icon Solutions and as an advisory board member of KFX Energy. In 2005, he became a corporate director of COMP USA, facilitating the integration of CE products into the computer domain.

Campbell, who served as a technology advisor to the White House in three administrations, received the Presidential Distinguished Service Award in 2001, for his “dedicated service to the White House and the Executive Office of the President.”

In 2011, Campbell joined the retailer Video & Audio Center as corporate director and chief marketing strategist. Today, the company is the largest independent digital electronics dealer in Southern California. He also serves on the faculty of the Georgetown University Technology Management Graduate Program.

This article originally appeared in the December 2022 issue of CE Pro Magazine.

This article is part of the CE Pro Masters series, honoring the best of the best within the custom integration channel. Click here to see other industry pros that have been featured.

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