Back in 1999, we began working with Helly Hansen for a small, sailing project. As a marine PR agency, this was a natural fit and something the team excelled at. Fast forward 25 years, we’re still working with the iconic brand and today, our remit looks a little bigger than sailing – we still cover this market, alongside outdoor and ski, plus the lifestyle and national sectors, partnerships and ambassadorships. This is all underpinned by an ongoing, proactive press office which raises brand awareness in everything we do – reinforcing the brand’s expert positioning and giving reason to purchase.
So, the challenge is perhaps how to keep our account fresh, new ideas flowing and maximise key partnerships, whilst continuing to shout about the amazing new products and keep the key brand messages front of mind, weaved into natural storytelling and positioning for Helly Hansen as the leader in its core sectors…
First and foremost, our main solution is having the right team. We believe our team acts as an extension of the UK Helly Hansen marketing team of three. Chemistry, understanding and clarity are key here. We have worked closely with our Marketing Manager for more than 20 years – and a lot goes into making that relationship work.
We believe in honesty, transparency and working hard. We treat the brand like our own business. We work hard, we are committed to its success day in and day out and strive to secure outstanding opportunities for the global brand. It’s true, that not everything pans out and sometimes things don’t quite go to plan – as much as we plan for success, we do have a Plan B and often Plan C in our back pocket – and that’s where our honesty comes into play. Our team trusts that we will be transparent about campaign development and results, and as tough as it can be sometimes, if we think we need to tweak plans or messaging, or if there are concerns about the delivery with our key media, we will have that conversation with our team to find the right path forward.
What is key here, is that whilst we work with the UK marketing team, Helly Hansen is a global brand, headquartered in Oslo, Norway. This means that sometimes campaigns and messaging might be interpreted differently, or translations might not always work in the UK… (Humorous nod to the “Backside Pant” about 10 years ago!) And that is part of what makes our relationship work so well – we are trusted and relied on to be honest and solutions-based when something doesn’t quite work.
Emma Russell, Helly Hansen’s Marketing Manager in the UK and Ireland, comments, “I believe the success of our relationship is down to trust, which has been built over two decades. I view the ADPR team as an extension of our internal marketing teams and not just an ‘agency’ that are tasked with short term wins. We work closely together to produce winning outputs and develop creative campaigns, and rely on an honest and transparent relationship, particularly if things don’t go to plan!
“The team are incredibly passionate about what they do, and this really shows through the interactions we have and the results they achieve. We are incredibly lucky to have found such dedicated partners to work with!”
In the same thread, whilst the core HH team at ADPR comprises three superstars, our agency is made up of ten PR professionals. So, when we’re planning, brainstorming or developing new campaigns, we recruit all the wonderfully creative and passionate professionals in our agency… More brains make for better ideas! From TV adverts, social planning, consumer activations, public workshops, interview opportunities, behind-the-scenes experiences and putting the HH kit to the test – we discuss and try it all, backed by the support of our wider HH team, including our MDs and junior or newer members of the team.
Our Client Services Director, Beki – who has worked with the brand for more than 13 years –says, “What a ride it has been! For me personally, I joined ADPR as an apprentice, so having the opportunity to work with such an iconic brand from early in my career has shaped the professional I am today. From sailing in Barbados, skiing in Verbier and meeting HRH Prince Harry to discuss the South Pole Allied Challenge, plus all of the media pitching, sample seeding and campaign planning, it’s an honour! Today, I oversee the strategy and campaign development, working closely with our delivery team and the client. And being able to represent the brand and take media to some of the harshest “playgrounds” with the brand’s professionals, bringing to life Helly’s history of firsts, developments and key messages, I am incredibly proud of the work our team puts in to create such inspirational and powerful coverage and moments for the brand.”
We asked the team for some of their highlights from the last 25 years – an incredibly tough task…
🌟 Walking with The Wounded was a particular highlight for Kate and Beki. Partnering with such an iconic and passionate organisation to support the rehabilitation and development of injured service men and women, alongside HRH Prince Harry – and yes, we got to meet him! Tackling some of the world’s harshest environments, Helly was the perfect clothing partner, kitting out the team, including HRH and HH ambassador, Inge Solheim, who was heading out to the South Pole and the North Pole in consecutive years. This huge campaign required creative media experiences to drive education and inspiration, including exclusive media press trips to Iceland, public training camps in Hyde Park and national press conferences.
🌟 HH Beauty and the Beast – Not the Disney film, but a treacherous trail marathon, held in the stunning Buckinghamshire countryside, dubbed “The UK’s toughest, most rewarding trail marathon.” Inviting athletes and enthusiasts of all ages and abilities, we planned a looped marathon, with every beastly lap offering lung-bursting, soul-destroying, never-ending ascents! We worked closely with HH to develop the brand identity, creatives and social campaigns to drive awareness, excitement and competitions, alongside media participation and kit testing on the day. We even got involved in the running, most enthusiastically…
🌟 Throwback to 2015/16, our On The Horizon campaign – teaching four bloggers to sail, which was very ahead of the times, “influencers” weren’t very common about ten years ago… So, through a carefully designed campaign, we enlisted the help of Helly Hansen’s epic sailing ambassadors and partners, including Team Concise in Barbados, RYA sail racing training in Southampton and yacht club partnerships in the UK and Ireland to support their training. We then put everything to the test by taking the new team to Cowes Week to compete… And they came third! www.adpr.co.uk/work/consumer-public-relations-case-study
🌟Very proudly, we launched the brand’s strategic charity partnership with RNLI in 2018. Since the launch, we have helped to share the news of the partnership, generate inspiration and insight into the role of the RNLI’s volunteers and drive valuable fundraising for the charity. One of the key campaigns saw us dressing iconic coastal statues across the UK with yellow life jackets, promoting the importance and role of life jackets when on or near the sea – we even won a prestigious, Business Charity Award for the campaign! www.adpr.co.uk/work/helly-hansen-5 The partnership and creativity are relied upon year after year, with a stunning “Float to Live” campaign launch in May 2024 at the iconic Sky Pool in London.
Account Manager, Kira has worked with the brand for nearly five years and adds, “In the (nearly) five years of working with the Helly Hansen team, I’ve had more than a few ‘pinch me’ moments when it comes to the PR campaigns… One of many stand-out PR campaigns would have to be our national-award-winning ‘Lifejacket Stories’ campaign, in partnership with Helly Hansen’s strategic partner, RNLI. Our campaign successfully delivered a series of real-life stories from RNLI survivors, amplified with a PR survey of lifejacket habits and a photography stunt by dressing iconic statues with bespoke, yellow Helly Hansen lifejackets around the coastlines of the UK and Ireland – achieving widespread media coverage and winning Third Sector’s 2022 Business Charity Award!”
🌟 Celebrating Christmas in August! In 2019, we invited national, ski and lifestyle media and influencers to a stunning, central London location to celebrate Christmas with HH, hearing from the global team about the inspiration for the new collection and network ahead of the season kicking off. To add the extra sparkle, we gave each of the media a Christmas present from the brand – a fabulous new Winter jacket and accessories, which we then put to the test in a “cool” ice bar “Below Zero”. www.adpr.co.uk/work/helly-hansen-christmas-in-august
🌟 Showcasing the sheer determination, commitment and skill of Helly Hansen’s five mountain rescue guides, we have developed numerous outdoor, “Day in the Life” events and opportunities for the media and influencers over the years. These have been developed to give the attendees an insight into the hard work that goes into being a volunteer and how the professionals save people on the mountains and trails, day in and day out… Alongside their “normal” jobs of being teachers, doctors and retail workers. Through our carefully constructed events, market research to uncover public perception and educate the UK, CIC partnerships to speak directly to urban communities and activities at Kendal Mountain Festival, we have worked hard to educate and inspire the public, giving a deeper understanding of the “Trusted by Professionals” message from the brand. www.adpr.co.uk/work/helly-hansen-9/
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🌟 A recent favourite has to be gearing up and heading to the slopes in Whistler and Verbier… Designed to showcase the powerful and vital roles of the Ski Patrol on the ski slopes, in recent Winter seasons, we have taken a select number of media around the world to some of Helly Hansen’s iconic partner ski resorts, to find out more about the work of the patrollers, including what their roles entail, some of the daily responsibilities, training involved – including with the avalanche dogs – and even participate in a mock rescue! Truly inspiring and teaching our team new skills too, these events have topped the lists for Jasmine and Beki. www.adpr.co.uk/work/helly-hansen-7/
Kate, one of our Joint Managing Directors has worked with Helly Hansen for almost 20 years herself. She says, “It’s hard to believe that we have been working with Helly Hansen for 25 years. It was the first account I worked on when I joined ADPR in 2005, and I’m honoured to still be working with the brand today.
“The success of our ongoing relationship isn’t just about achieving excellent results year after year. It is built on trust, respect and a shared passion for the brand. We work closely together to develop creative solutions and overcome challenges, with our UK team as well as the Global team. We are incredibly proud to still be representing Helly Hansen after all these years, and it is a true testament to the power of great communication, a shared commitment to succeed and a genuine love for the work that we do!”
Here’s to the next 25 years, kicking off with an exciting Winter 2024 season. Watch this space…