Client

Windshear, Inc., headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, operates the only commercially available full-scale, single-belt, rolling road wind tunnel in the world.

Challenge

This advanced facility faced several challenges when opening in 2008. First and foremost, it was tied to a NASCAR team through its ownership structure. In the highly competitive racing industry, trust and security in data are paramount. The corporate tie presented a major hurdle for the launch of the wind tunnel.

Secondly, the price point for Windshear is much higher than existing – albeit inferior – facilities. Proving the value of the facility and its impact on results would be critical for a successful launch.

Lastly, a competitive facility was on the drawing board a few miles from the Windshear site. Because of limited market demand for two identical wind tunnels, it was important for Windshear to come out of the gate strong in the local business press and build an immediate brand.

Solution

Walker PR took a multi-pronged approach, launching an aggressive trade and metro-business media relations program for Windshear. While extensive market research dictated that the actual universe of customers was very small and highly technical, it was important to build the Windshear brand within the regional business community.

With the market research, Walker developed key messages for the trade audience and focused on a few key publications read by aerodynamicists – the key target audience.

For the local business community, Walker made strategic choices on which publications and news outlets to work with from a media relations standpoint. Because of the local importance of the motorsports industry, balancing the media demand with the best interest of the client was critical.

Results

Walker PR was able to secure several articles in trade publications for Windshear. Most notably, Automotive Engineering International published a multi-page report on the new facility. This magazine is written for automotive engineers, providing a perfect hit for Windshear.

Additionally, Walker PR worked with business publications in North Carolina including the Charlotte Business Journal, The Charlotte Observer, Greater Charlotte Biz, and North Carolina Magazine to build the local brand for the firm.