A PR colab with Apple, AJ Hackett Bungy NZ and Scope Communications

The challenge

The development of EpicShot software by AJHBNZ crew is a true innovation story steeped in the brand’s pioneering spirit and values. What made this story even more special is that it attracted the attention of tech giant Apple. With Apple already on board and keen to support this story through PR, our challenge was to work with them, alongside AJHBNZ, to tell stories that met Apple’s brief as well as our client’s brief. Conceptualised by AJHBNZ, EpicShot is a cutting-edge digital platform capturing shareable video and photo content powered by iPhone. The system utilises a series of iPhone devices strategically placed to capture every angle and every emotion of a customer’s experience. Whether it’s still shots, video or zoom capability, The final product is primed for social platforms like TikTok and Instagram. In the backend, the smart technology automates final production without the need for staff getting stuck behind the computer screen.

The consumer PR approach was important, but our brief also included a B2B element – to raise awareness to drive enquiry and sales among other tourism businesses, who would potentially become EpicShot customers.

The approach

Working collaboratively with Apple’s PR teams and AJHBNZ, we devised a launch plan that involved a media famil at the Sky Tower. Together we curated a list of key mainstream and industry media, content creators and tourism stakeholders to invite for the exclusive launch – straddling consumer PR, tourism industry and business/tech media and tourism partners Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and Tourism NZ. It was agreed that only attending guests would receive the media release under embargo. AJHBNZ co-founder Henry van Asch welcomed journalists and content creators before an informative presentation, then the opportunity to experience both the SkyJump and SkyWalk while using iPhone and EpicShot to capture their own content.

We also ensured AJHBNZ’s key messages and narrative were maintained for Apple’s content, which was published to their internal comms Newsroom (a written article co-authored by Scope), plus their public-facing Apple at Work / Small Business section, where a video case study is published. To ensure consistency of message, we produced a media kit that helped explain the details of the software and how it worked.

Results

The embargo meant media were able to put their stories together without the rush to be first. The next day, stories were published, producing epic results.

Coverage Links
New Zealand Herald – AJ Hackett Bungy NZ takes iPhone leap, looks to sell new social media-friendly system to other adventure tourism operators
NZ Herald Focus (YouTube): AJ Hackett Bungy NZ takes iPhone leap
BusinessDesk – AJ Hackett Bungy spins out tech startup EpicShot
Newshub – AJ Hackett Bungy using own iPhone system to capture videos, photos of SkyJump and SkyWalk
Tourism Ticker: AJ Hackett Bungy NZ, Apple, launch EpicShot to industry

The collective media coverage from these five outlets received a potential reach of more than 280,000.

Social
Lilia Alexander TikTok (52.3K)
Lilia Alexander Instagram (32.2K)
Tourism New Zealand TikTok (64.5K)
Tourism New Zealand Instagram Story (1.1M)
Hannah Koumakis TikTok (162.4K)
Hannah Koumakis Instagram Story (11.5K)

The total combined potential reach across the content creators and Tourism NZ’s platforms was 279,200 (TikTok) and 1,143,700 (Instagram).

Importantly, EpicShot received a spike in enquiry immediately from the media coverage which resulted in new business!

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