ABOUT BLAST MOTION

Based in San Marcos, California, Blast Motion is defining the future of wearable motion capture technology. By combining the industry’s most complete performance improvement solution and real-time metrics analysis with auto-curated video highlights, Blast Motion has created a contextually rich user experience that enhances the way people capture, analyze, and improve their game.

MISSION

Cliffhanger was tasked with launching a major partnership between Major League Baseball and Blast Motion. Following the launch, there would be additional momentum with the addition of the Houston Astros as the official team for the brand, as well as its first MLB ambassador, 23-year-old rising star, Carlos Correa. The campaign objectives were to raise the profile of Blast Motion as the official swing sensor and also communicate that MLB was integrating the latest in sports data capture into the league.

APPROACH

The agency initiated a strategic and integrated public relations campaign that required approval from Blast Motion, as well as the VP of Corporate Communications for Major League Baseball and the Correa management team. Each party had to align on the strategy, tactics and messaging, which also required legal approval. Working within those confines to generate top tier media coverage for Blast Motion, it was paramount to brief key media within a variety of key vertical markets: sports, business, and technology. Due to Carlos’s multi-million dollar endorsement deal with Adidas, among other sponsors, his availability for press engagements was limited and required precise coordination with the media and his management team.

EXECUTION

The agency coordinated a Men’s Fitness interview that highlighted his workout routine and how the Blast Motion platform seamlessly fit in to give him the results that made him one of the rising stars of the MLB. To capitalize on his appearance in the All-Star game in Miami, the agency worked over a period of 3 months with the editorial team at CNET’s San Francisco headquarters to tell a sports-focused technology story. While the Astros were playing the Oakland A’s, we were able to negotiate time on the field before the game for a camera crew to come and film and do an interview with Correa. The piece was specifically timed to air airing the All-Star game for maximum impact and SEO value. At the same time, the agency continued supporting the newest softball product with key interviews and placements in FloSoftball and espnW and the golf product with additional interviews and leveraging the ambassadors in outlets such as Golf.com.

RESULTS

By working in advance to brief key members and maximize outreach on launch day to reach thousands of journalists, the launch was a resounding success. MLB gained visibility into the tech and business markets with a different type of story than they had previously told, and Blast Motion earned validation in the technology, business and sports vertical markets. At the same time, the exposure the brand gained by leveraging Correa also helped to raise his growing profile in the league. Key interviews with Men’s Fitness and a robust piece with CNET specifically timed around the All-Star game had far-reaching effects within the media. The brand was also able to attribute sales directly from those efforts. The strategic methodology and tactical execution paired with exceptional results garnered the most distinguished award in the PR industry, the Sabre Awards.

Notable highlights from the multi-month campaign includes:

• 735+ million earned media impressions

• Coverage across multiple vertical markets including: sports, daily newspapers, consumer electronics, men’s interest, business, national broadcast

• Leading publications: Sports Illustrated, Fox Business Inc., CNET, Engadget, Inc.,9to5Mac, Dealerscope, Sport Techie, Yahoo! Finance

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