Case Studies > PR > Etnies Backyard Jam

The Challenge

• Soul Sports was appointed to create and implement a high impact PR campaign that would gain cut-through media exposure, attracting maximum audience figures to Etnies Backyard Jam 2005 and firmly position it as the UK's ultimate BMX event.

Our Approach

• Working closely with the event organisers and event sponsors, including Etnies and Snickers, Soul Sports created and implemented an innovative and creative PR campaign that would achieve quality pre and post event coverage, maximising the exposure of the event and its sponsors across all media sectors including national, regional, mainstream and specialist media.
  
  
• Focusing on four key timelines: long lead (pre-event), short lead (pre-event), on-site and post event, the PR campaign used contemporary, effective and hard-hitting exposure tactics, in keeping with the tradition of the sport, to communicate all aspects and features of the show amongst key target publics including BMX followers, enthusiasts, urbanites and young families.
  
  
• Soul Sports was committed to the generation of conceptual PR ideas and the implementation of all PR tactics, including the integration of a headline grabbing world record attempt for the 'World's Highest Bunny Hop' into the competition schedule. The basic and well-known nature of this chosen trick coupled with the incredible achievement of having set a new world record at the event, ensured a mainstream friendly news story, resulting in increased widespread coverage of the stunt and the event.
  
  
• Through the creation of a visual PR campaign, an extremely effective broadcast campaign was realised. Both local and regional TV coverage was achieved through the various PR tactics including the 'World's Highest Bunny Hop' and by encouraging the TV crews to film the stunt purposely staged during the first morning of the event to secure effective pre-promotion. Further tactics such as the 'Etnies High Air comp' and the coordination of exclusive TV interviews with professional UK and International riders also helped secure further broadcast coverage and create buzz around the event.

Results

• The highly creative and tailored PR campaign ensured that the event and its sponsors received extensive media attention with substantial articles appearing in key, lifestyle, national, regional and core publications including Arena, Maxim, Boys Toys, Ride, DIG BMX, BBC Brighton and The Guardian.

• The Back Yard Jam 2005 recorded its highest ever public attendance figures at the event.

• New World Record for the ‘Highest BMX Bunny Hop’ set at the event

• Core Internet and magazine - 40 Titles include Ride magazine, Fat BMX, DIG magazine
• Consumer - 14 Titles include Boys Toys, Maxim, Arena, Blowback
• Nationals - 3 Titles include The Guardian, The Times, Sunday Express
• Regional - 22 Titles include The Argus, Worthing Guardian, Brighton and Hove Life
• Consumer Internet - 16 Titles include MBUK, SCUK, TNT Online, CosmoGirl Online
• TV - 6 Titles include Extreme Sports Channel, ITV Meridian, BBC South Today
• Radio - 3 Titles include Splash FM, Bright 106.4FM

• Total Estimated ADVERTISING Value (EAV) £245,605
  Total Estimated EDITORIAL Vale (EEV = 30% mark up) £319,287

• View 18 samples of exposure

Client Quote

• Stuart Dawkins, Owner of Seventies Distribution, Organisers of the EBYJ "Our decision to appoint Soul Sports was influenced by their heritage and proven track record in the sports and extreme sports field. Through their enthusiasm, pure pro-active aggression and expert media relations, Soul Sports generated excellent, widespread and quality coverage for the Backyard Jam as well as expertly and efficiently managed the on-site press office, ensuring everything ran smoothly during the event. I am certain that their 'over and above expectation' coverage was one of the major factors in the Backyard Jam 2005 event receiving its highest ever audience attendance figures."