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PR agency wins national award for Slingshot launch

Skyya Communications, a public relations agency with offices in Minneapolis and New York City, announced it was honored with a Big Apple Award at the 26th annual Big Apple Awards ceremony held on May 28 at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City.

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New York chapter recognized Skyya in the “Marketing Consumer Products — Non-Packaged Goods” category for its outstanding launching and marketing the all-new Polaris Slingshot three-wheeled roadster on behalf of Polaris Industries, Inc.

Skyya Communications won an award for its role in the Slingshot launch.
Skyya Communications won an award for its role in the Slingshot launch.

The win follows a 2014 Big Apple Award recognizing Skyya for its global PR campaign relaunching Indian Motorcycle, America’s first and most iconic motorcycle.

Polaris Industries celebrated its 60th anniversary in July 2014 under the theme “60 Years of Innovation,” and Skyya’s launch of the radically innovative Polaris Slingshot was timed to coincide with this event. The 2015 Slingshot roared onto the global automotive scene sporting a radical three-wheeled stance and an open cockpit with no doors or roof, instantly creating a new automotive industry category. With a minimal advertising budget to support the launch, Skyya was tasked with defining this new category and generating massive media exposure and brand awareness via earned and shared media.

During the six-month span following the product launch, the Skyya team secured 340 stories representing 2.3 billion impressions in virtually every major business, men’s, lifestyle and automotive outlet in North America. The team also orchestrated numerous events across the country including press rides, press conferences, a highly successful NYC press tour, automotive shows and participation at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Reception from the media and consumers alike was overwhelmingly positive and far exceeded client expectations to such an extent that company executives proclaimed during their Q3 earnings call on
Oct. 22 that the launch of the Slingshot was “… the most well-received launch in the company’s 60-year history.”

“We are incredibly honored to be recognized by the PRSA New York chapter for our work on behalf of arguably the most unique and exciting brand on the road today,” said Susan Donahue, managing partner, Skyya Communications – New York. “To receive top honors in competition with some of the world’s largest and most recognizable PR agencies proves yet again that strategic thinking, passion and persistence are the keys to a game-changing public relations campaign. Following last year’s award for our relaunch campaign for Indian Motorcycle, our results in launching the Slingshot further demonstrates our capacity to represent the country’s leading automotive and consumer-facing brands.”

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