Introduction
OUTDOOR · PERFORMANCE · MEDIA & FILM
At a critical juncture for North American expansion, Faction selected ECHOS as its Agency of Record. We immediately deployed a strategy built around the brand’s “Collective” philosophy, leveraging the launch of their first feature film, This is Home, to pivot the brand from a niche European label to a dominant independent force in the global freeskiing market.
Services provided:
– Public Relations & Media Relations
– Global Communications Strategy
– Event & Film Tour Management
– Tradeshow Strategy & Support (OR / SIA)
– Athlete Relations & Storytelling
The Challenge:
The goal was to capitalize on a massive content milestone—a feature-length film—to drive hardgoods sales and brand equity. We needed to ensure that the excitement surrounding Faction’s elite athlete team and cinematic output translated directly into media authority and retail demand for their all-new line of technical skis.
Approach
We turned a film premiere into a multi-channel press engine, rallying media around the This is Home tour while simultaneously executing a rigorous hardware PR campaign:
– Film Tour Integration: We managed all media relations surrounding the movie tour, organizing new screenings to extend the brand’s reach and creating local “hype moments” in key ski territories.
– Aggressive Media Engagement: We moved beyond endemic ski titles to secure local TV and radio broadcast spots, ensuring the Faction name reached a broad consumer audience.
– Tradeshow Dominance: At the Outdoor Retailer / SIA show, we led a high-velocity campaign, securing over 30 1-on-1 media meetings to debut the new ski collection to top-tier gear editors.
– The “Collective” Narrative: We elevated the brand’s roster of world-class athletes, positioning them not just as skiers, but as creators and innovators within the Faction ecosystem.
Key results:
– 648 Million digital media reach.
– 6 Million broadcast TV reach, bringing freeskiing culture to mainstream audiences.
– 30+ Tier-1 Media Meetings successfully executed at SIA/Outdoor Retailer.
– Global Recognition: Successfully established Faction as a leading independent freeskiing brand in the North American market.
– Multichannel Success: Reached an aggregate audience of over 650 million across digital, print, TV, and radio.
Highlight coverage:
– Broadcast Breakthrough: Secured rare mainstream TV and radio coverage for a freeskiing brand, highlighting the cultural impact of the film tour.
– Endemic Authority: Dominant print features in every major ski publication, validating the technical performance of the new hardware line.
– Independent Influence: Positioned the “Collective” concept as a unique, community-driven alternative to legacy ski conglomerates.
