Partnerships and Campaign Amplification
The power of a strong partnership.
Partnering with a leader in the space in an authentic way with multiple touch points amplifies a product launch.
GTM Partnership Activation
“Jessica jumped in to a high pressure product launch, pulling a reviewer and influencer program together within a tight deadline. She also helped me stay on top of a number of communications issues arising from product delays and competitor litigation. I would not hesitate to work with Jess in the future. She is willing to dive in and get the job done with minimal resources and direction, and has great tactical and strategic instincts.”
— John Linney, VP Marketing
As part of the GTM strategy for Yuneec’s flagship product, I partnered with Intel’s PR team for a press release about our partnership with the National Geographic Filmmaker of the Year. This included a video by Andy Mann with two other North Face climbers, and an article about his creative process, along with an engaging social media campaign.
The article (below) appeared in Intel’s digital magazine. I managed the interview with the talent and the story from the perspective of my client, providing content to Intel. I ensured the brand was well represented and digitally optimized for conversion .
I complemented this campaign with a social media activation. Users from all over the world submitted their entries for their movie ideas to Andy, who picked the winner. It promoted customer engagement, content, and user base growth. It also solidified Yuneec as a top drone company and fierce competitor to DJI.
Drones Push Limits of Vertical Adventure Photography
Andy Mann’s passion for daredevil climbing and multimedia storytelling is reaching new heights since using a Yuneec Typhoon H with Intel RealSense technology, a drone that can see.
Ken Kaplan, Executive Editor
Being stuck between a rock and hard place is when Andy Mann is at his best. For kicks, he climbs barehanded, wedging fingers and feet into nooks and crannies to scale some of the sheerest cliffs Mother Nature has to offer. There are few things the 36-year-old rock climber, diver and arctic explorer likes more than defying gravity and even death…except capturing and creating visual stories about the thrill of vertical conquests.
He seeks out remote summits with spectacular views, often only seen from the sky. Once only able to capture images from the ground or clinging to a rock alongside other climbers, Mann’s creativity was unleashed when he bought his first camera-equipped drone.
“Drones are a game changer for my line of work…To be able to give that sense of exposure within the mountains is incredible.”
Drones expand his poetic range, giving him more evocative elements for telling compelling stories. He likes having a drone pace behind, to the side or in front of a subject at eye-level, especially through tight environments. It gives viewers a floating feeling and an authentic, human-eye perspective on the wonders of nature.
“I love the ability to back out from a story with an aerial shot and reveal my character within a larger landscape.”
Mann’s photography has appeared in National Geographic Magazine, NG Adventure, Outside and the New York Times. From his home near Boulder, Colorado, Mann travels the world as executive director at 3 Strings Productions, producing videos and documentary films about human pursuits of extreme outdoor adventures.
His fascination with visual arts started with he was a kid, flipping through photography books in the graphic arts office where his mother worked.
“It wasn’t until age 26 that I hit the road with a camera full time and never looked back,” said Mann.
This summer, Mann agreed to test out the Yuneec Typhoon H Pro, which has state-of-the-art Intel RealSense 3D camera technology that allows the drone to see and avoid obstacles. In partnership with Yuneec and Intel, Mann created a video to inspire drone enthusiasts to enter their idea for a drone video for a chance to win a free drone.
“It is super easy to use,” he said of the Typhoon H Pro. “It only requires the flip of a switch (to activate RealSense vision). You see the robot thinking as it scans its environment, and then it figures out the best path around an object.” He said with RealSense activated, the Typhoon not only reacts but it actually remembers its environment. “If it avoids an obstacle once, it will remember the location of the obstacle and automatically know to avoid it in the future. It is especially valuable for me, as I often find myself filming in narrow rock canyons.”
“Jon was topping out a 5.14 (very difficult rating) climb right as the last kiss of sunlight was hitting the top of the wall.”
Mann requires a reliable drone that he can take into the deep backcountry, places like Greenland, Antarctica, Africa and Peru. “I need something light, reliable, safe and 4K,” he said. “I feel comfortable with the Typhoon.”
After visiting The Monastery, a climbing site near Boulder, recently with professional rock climber, Jon Cardwell, Mann knew it was the place to capture footage for his narrated video, “Upward Places.” “It’s this granite ridge with spires rising 100 feet into the air, overlooking Long’s Peak (14,000) in the background, but you just don’t get a sense of where you are when you’re in the canyons.” The planning, good weather and excellent execution all lined up to made for a memorable experience.
Mann told us that his good friend, world champion climber Sasha DiGiulian would like pizza delivery on top of a mountain after a hard day climbing. While he hasn’t yet used a drone for that, Mann uses one to scout new rock climbs and navigate cliffs to find paths of least resistance.
“I do think search and rescue is one of the biggest benefits of drone technology,” he said.
He has advice for any artist who wants to add a drone to their tool kit: Use a model that’s most comfortable in order to focus on executing creative vision rather than fumbling with unfamiliar gear. “Don’t be afraid to crash,” he advised. “It’s going to happen when you’re a beginner pilot. Luckily, most of the time, all that needs repairing are the blades, then you’re back in the sky within moments.” While new technology technologies like RealSense make drones easier and safer to fly, Mann believes even the most advanced drones aren’t silver bullets for making great videos.
“If you want to be a good storyteller, be good on the ground. It all starts with an interesting script, and then move into picture. The Drone should be one arrow in a large quiver (of filmmaking skills and tools).”
Drones have evolved a lot since then Mann starting using one a few years ago. “Drone technology seems to advance with every generation, and that is certainly true with the addition of RealSense,” he said.
“My dream drone would probably combine the current features of the Typhoon H Pro with a small, proprietary camera that has the dynamic range of a RED camera.”