Bang & Olufsen

Danish consumer electronics company that exemplifies good genes signaling through design constraints. B&O's BeoLab 8000 speakers (1992) fit high-fidelity audio into 4-inch diameter cylinders - a constraint that forced engineering excellence. The speakers cost $4,000 per pair versus $400 for comparable audio quality in conventional enclosures.

The minimalist design functions as honest signaling: only companies with sophisticated acoustic engineering can make thin speakers sound good. B&O developed proprietary Acoustic Lens technology requiring $2M R&D for omnidirectional sound. Their customer base (45% architects, 30% design professionals, 15% engineering executives) self-selects for those who recognize and value the design-engineering integration.