“Surface to Air” is an original brand documentary created by Altair that proactively confronts skepticism of the targeted B2B engineering community with intelligence, substance and imagination.

The film celebrates the engineering genius of Artemis Racing, Challenger to the 35th America’s Cup, that is revolutionizing the sport of sailing. It is a story of death, design and dedication. Nowhere else does engineering innovation and real world impact collide dramatically like it does in the America’s Cup. Recon masters steal precious design IP. Centuries of sailing techniques are now obsolete, as boats now fly feet above the water. And G-forces created by the maneuvers make it one of the most dangerous sports on the planet.

The goal of the film is simple: to combine emotion, energy and intrigue with high performance engineering at the highest levels of global industry, while associating Altair with the world’s most creative innovations.

Implementation:

We’re not buying an audience; we’re igniting an audience.

Phase 1. Active the Core (Designers & Engineers)

Implementation: Create a worthwhile reason for people to not only use Altair products but to associate the capability with amazing creations.

Media: Distributed content (video shorts, and trailers) seeded through native and programmatic with a primary focus on designers and engineers.

Phase 2. Ignite Cultural Awareness

Implementation: Use the advocacy created in the design group and related press to ignite cultural conversation (in targeted areas) via earned PR and social media impressions

Media: 100% driven by PR and earned media opportunities

Immediately, following the launch of the film, we delivered exponential growth against brand engagement benchmarks against the highly targeted B2B engineering and design communities, In the first month, we saw exponential increases to owned and earned channels, successfully activating the core engineering target:

• 220%+ increase in average social media views per day

• 3MM distributed content views and counting

• 88%+ positive social sentiment

• 66,000 earned social impressions

• 98% net new audience delivered

• Highly efficient $.05 Cost Per Engagement against the targeted B2B audience

More importantly, the highly shareable content fueled earned media and PR that equated to 200% increase in the delivered media budget, while positioning Altair as shoulder to shoulder with the most innovative modern brands.

Blurring the lines between advertising and entertainment, “Surface to Air: Engineering Flight” is an original brand documentary created on behalf of Altair Engineering. We knew that the B2B engineering target required intelligence, substance and imagination to win their affection, and that the category norm of big self-aggrandizing product anthems would not breakthrough. So we executed a documentary film activation to shine a light on the incredible, unfathomable and miraculous strides Altair has enabled in the field of design and engineering. With limited paid media reach, we built an activation plan that included highly contextual B2B targeted distributed video content and email.

“Altair is the active ingredient that unlocks the limitless potential of the world’s greatest creative minds.”

Engineers trust their ability to imaginatively arrive at the best solution. Yet, the engineering category advertising lacks imagination itself, and is riddled with uninspired, product-driven commercials. Our strategy was to buck the category norm of big self-aggrandizing product anthems, taking Engineer’s necessity for intelligence, substance and imagination head on by opening their eyes to the creative genius of the designers and engineers who are conceiving the world’s greatest innovations and their journey with Altair to making them a reality via a highly entertaining documentary film.

In the film, we highlight the breakthroughs, explain the inexplicable, and introduce you to the pioneers who are revolutionizing competitive sailing. And by championing Altair’s partner accomplishments in a creative, sophisticated activation, we generate a positive interaction with the brand, and a lasting bond/preference for the software.

Situation:

Despite the fact that Altair Engineering has helped pioneer some of the world’s most important innovations over the last 30 years, Altair is not widely recognized as a leading modern technology brand.

Brief:

Become recognized as the technology company that is radically changing the way people design products & make decisions.

Objectives:

Maximize Content Engagement amongst the highly targeted B2B Engineer & Designer Community

Generate earned media to drive top of mind brand awareness that outweighs the reach of our media budget

Target Insight:

Engineers know their own intelligence. They steadfastly believe in their ability to solve complex problems. To always think one step ahead. Some interpret their demeanor as standoffish, but they’d tell you, “I’m just right.” They demand evidence and they’re not afraid to call bullshit. Winning their affection requires intelligence, substance and imagination.