STAMFORD, CT – HARMAN, the premium global audio, visual, infotainment and enterprise automation group (NYSE:HAR), announced, that World Cup champion soccer/football player Jerome Boateng will serve as a Global Brand Ambassador for JBL® and other HARMAN audio brands.

Boateng will participate in global marketing and brand awareness programs for HARMAN's portfolio of audio products beginning in 2015, including JBL brand advertising.

An integral part of the German national squad since 2010, Boateng helped lead his team to win the 2014 World Cup. Regarded as a strong, composed and versatile defender on the field, Boateng exemplifies HARMAN’s own commitment to quality and performance.

“Jerome’s career reflects the essence of HARMAN’s brands in many ways. He performs confidently on a global stage and is a leader and fierce competitor on the field. We do the same in audio and technology, always striving to engineer and design the best,” said Ralph Santana, Chief Marketing Officer of HARMAN. “There is a very powerful connection between sports and music that drives cultural relevance, one of our key branding goals. Jerome’s status as a champion, role model, icon and music fan is authentic, and we are excited to develop programs together that will engage those who love sports and music.”

“Music is very important to me and greatly influences my physical and mental preparation so I can perform well on the field,” said Jerome Boateng. “Music motivates me when I am pushing myself during training. It helps me focus prior to matches. HARMAN’s products deliver great audio and are perfect for my lifestyle so I want to help support their efforts to inspire others through music to be their best.”

Boateng joins an impressive roster of global figures serving as HARMAN brand ambassadors, including GRAMMY® Award-winning rock bands Maroon 5 and Linkin Park; global musician, producer, artist and humanitarian Quincy Jones, Indian film composer, record producer, musician, singer and philanthropist AR Rahman; and international piano superstar and United Nations Messenger of Peace Lang Lang.

“Jerome is one of the most popular stars in European sports today and generates excitement wherever he goes,” said Michael Mauser, President of HARMAN Lifestyle Division. “Our marketing program with Jerome was an outstanding success last year, raising the visibility for our JBL brand in particular and driving traffic for our largest retail partner. We look forward to combining the best in audio and the best in sports for football fans everywhere.”

About Jerome Boateng
Jerome Boateng was born on September 3, 1988, in Berlin and is a professional soccer/football player. He is one of the top-ranked players for German side Bayern Munich and for the German National Team. Jerome was part of the 2012 UEFA Euro as well as the 2010 and 2014 World Cup Squads and has one of the highest social media #’s in the game.

About HARMAN

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets premier audio, visual, infotainment and enterprise automation solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® , Mark Levinson ® and Revel®, the Company is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems.  HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 17,600 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $5.9 billion during the last 12 months ended December 31, 2014.