In celebration of Helly Hansen’s Open Mountain Month (every June), we took a group of specialist and national media to Norway for an immersive experience in the mountains. The home of Helly Hansen, Norway is well-loved for its stunning backdrops, dramatic mountains and high energy activities, such as hiking, skiing and fishing.
Outfitted in the latest HH kit for the Summer season, we hiked Bruviknipa – a mountain on Osterøy island in Bergen, some 2,717 feet / 820+ metres above sea level. A popular hiking destination with some mildly challenging terrain, it helped our journalists put their new kit to the test alongside some of the brand’s professional, rewarded with magnificent views at the top.
So, did we learn any PR lessons?
Consider your storytelling
For me, some of the most powerful and deep-rooted storytelling happens in social situations and more relaxed environments (even at 800+ metres above sea level), especially as you spend more and more time in the same group’s company. Having worked with Helly Hansen for more than 25 years – 14 years for me personally – I am pretty well versed in discussing the brand, it’s Vision, Mission and Purpose, and the key messages across the season, which means these are naturally weaved throughout our discussions. Nothing is ever off the record, however casually the questions will come into conversation, so it’s important to ensure your full team are briefed and anything confidential is flagged as topics not to be discussed or commented on.
How can you position your brand
As a brand trusted by more than 55,000 professionals around the world, Helly Hansen works closely with some of the most extreme athletes in their sports. This includes Mountain Guides and Mountain Rescue Teams. And for this outdoor event, we were joined by Helly Hansen’s partner, the Norway Mountain Guides, who are the professionals for knowing the area, the terrain and being able to manage the expedition from start to finish. This ensured our group had the best possible local knowledge and expertise, particularly as we summited, answering questions around the mountain’s history, usual walking patters, challenges experienced by the public and expected call outs. They were also on hand if any of our group experienced any issues or emergencies – which we didn’t, but you can never plan for these!
What is your Plan B and Plan C…?
For us, weather was a huge factor in the event – despite the brand’s kit being designed for even the toughest of conditions and we planned to trek forward, even if it was raining or poor conditions. But this wasn’t the only item on our risk assessment – it’s important to consider factors such as like accidents, people becoming ill, extreme changes in the weather as you climb, as well as participants not wanting the continue or getting separated from the main group and travel issues before and after.
You cannot predict how different people with act under pressure (such as extended exercising) or in new dynamics. So, with this in mind, it’s always good practice to brainstorm all of these possibilities and put extra steps in place to help mitigate these.
Think about your group dynamics
We brought together journalists from eight different countries, all with varying needs and angles from the trip and they gelled beautifully. However, it’s not always the case – so consider who is attending, what they need from the trip and how feasible these requests will be, on a wider scale.
Do also consider changes in the group throughout the trip, especially if it’s planned over a few days. Fatigue, lack of sleep and reducing tolerance levels can all come into play here, so ensure whoever you have running your event is on alert for these and has tools for mitigating any unexpected behaviour – such as pivoting on the itinerary or giving them some extra downtime.
What’s the point?
I can confirm it was a stunning hike and as far as I’m told, everyone has the most incredible experiences in Norway. But we always need to ask, “So, what?”
Any event costs money and takes up valuable resources, so you need to set clear targets and KPIs right from the very beginning. For us, the event had a multi-faceted approach – aiming to give journalists a VIP experience, immersing them in the HH lifestyle and giving them the opportunity to really test the new kit in varying conditions. It also provided a platform for our media to interview senior members of the HH team and the brand’s professionals, securing valuable content and comments for their forthcoming articles.
It was also bloomin’ good fun – and when the media are happy, this comes across in their articles! Fortunately for us, the Weather Gods were also on our side and we had glorious sunshine, meaning the views throughout the entire event were fully appreciated. Result.
If you need any advice or support with an upcoming event, please get in touch with our expert team, via hello@adpr.co.uk or check out www.adpr.co.uk/connect.
Photo credits to M Creative Studio/Helly Hansen.