Integrated PR and Social Media Drives $1 Million in Pre-Orders
“We partnered with Technica to coordinate the launch of our Xpanse Solar Awning for the RV market. I trusted the team with the challenge of securing media coverage and establishing our social media presence and ongoing strategy. Their knowledge of the market and media landscape provided a strategy we had not considered. By the end of the campaign, we had secured $1 million in customer pre-orders and entered into discussions with several RV OEMs and auto dealerships. We were so pleased with the results of our launch campaign that we decided to work with Technica again to plan and facilitate a social media influencer trip to leverage our momentum further.”
-Rohini Raghunathan, Founder and CEO of Xponent
The Results
THE COMPANY
Xponent Power is a disruptive renewable energy startup enabling widespread solar adoption in markets underserved by traditional solar solutions. In 2021 the company finalized research and development on its first product: the Xpanse, the world’s first retractable solar awning for RVs.
THE CHALLENGE
With revolutionary technology poised to disrupt this landscape and unlock the untapped potential of solar energy in the RV space, Xponent Power was in stealth in 2021. This lack of brand awareness hindered the company’s ability to secure investment to scale up manufacturing and early customers. Additionally, the startup did need to build brand awareness with both business leaders for investment and average people for pre-orders, all with the understanding that the product would not be available to customers until a year into the future. As such, Xponent needed a comprehensive launch strategy that attracted two separate audience targets efficiently and effectively.
THE STRATEGY
To successfully launch Xpanse, Technica developed a cohesive launch strategy to build brand recognition and drive engagement with both investor and customer audiences. Starting with messaging angles to attract two disparate audiences, Technica advised Xponent on how to establish their new brand in a strong and comprehensive way via a new logo and website. In tandem, Technica took the lead in establishing a social media strategy and setting up new social media accounts. Early posts organically built followership and seeded customer intrigue with launch teasers and product features heavy on video.
To gain the media attention Xponent needed for broader brand awareness, Technica conducted in-depth research on RV-related influencers, industry events, and critical media outlets to target during the launch, as well as employed proven techniques to secure early reporter commitments to cover the news. Along with integrating messaging, comprehensive measurement and tracking, media relations, digital advertising, and social media management.
THE RESULTS
The launch campaign was so successful for Xponent that it secured $1 million in customer pre-orders, as well as interest from several RV OEMs and auto dealerships.
Through a three-prong approach of media relations, social media, and attendance at key industry events, Technica secured a media coverage equivalent to over $1.2 million in advertising value and generated over 450K unique impressions on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.
The press release campaign generated a total potential reach of 136,489,270 with exclusive articles in Car & Driver and RV News and additional placements in publications such as MSN, Gear Patrol, Motor1, Yahoo, Cleantechnica, PV Magazine, Interesting Engineering, RV Business, and Uncrate.
Cross Section of Media Coverage
