If you see how much energy headwind can take,

you can appreciate how much it can generate.

Eneco is a 100% Dutch company that generates energy from 100% Dutch wind.

In order to create awareness and sympathy for Eneco, we created an event with a very Dutch character.

The Eneco Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships is an official time-trial race, held on the storm surge barrier on the coast.

Right where the typical south-westerly wind comes in full frontal, the 8 kilometers in the opposite direction had to be covered on traditional Dutch city bikes without gears.

To get as much news coverage as possible, the event required heavy winds of at least 8 bft.

Consequently, the event had no fixed date: nature would determine the moment.

The dramatic character of the battle and its heroic contestants would provide images that make interesting content for Dutch national media.

Implementation and timeline

1. 20th September: Kick-off

First day of autumn - the season known for its storms - we officially announced the start of the headwind season via a press release and trailer.

2. 20th September - 17 November - Waiting Phase

Facebook was used to communicate with press and potential participants about the storm and event forecasts.

3. 17th November: IT’S ON: A STORM IS COMING!

Press release announcing a southwesterly storm is coming and that the event will take place on Sunday 20th November. Tailored PR approach offering our key media pillars (sport, entertainment, news).

4. 20th November: Event day

Servicing press: special press bikes, event cars, warm up booths for participants so they can be interviewed easily etc.

5. 21st November: PR Aftercare

Sharing event trailer

Scale

100K budget (including costs for event production) - max of 250 participants - one day event - massive results.

Media outputs

1. Over 1500 publications (online, TV, radio, newspaper). Source ANP.

2. Earning over 3.3 million in free publicity for the event. Source ANP.

3. Dominating front-page news in all the top media titles on the day of the event and the day after (online, TV, radio, newspaper). Source ANP.

4. Reaching millions and millions of Dutch people.

5. In 100% of the items, the story was about heroic Dutch cyclists battling with the incredible wind.

6. International coverage in UK, Germany, Australia and Canada by large cycling magazines and cycling blog.

Target audience outcome

1. Free publicity value with a direct relation to the brand Eneco: 1.5 million. Source ANP.

2. 60% of Dutch people heard about the event. Source Mindtrack.

3. 23% of Dutch people knew Eneco was the sponsor of the event*. Source Mindtrack.

4. 70% of people appreciated Eneco's initiative and understood the relationship with sustainable energy. Source Mindtrack.

5. Almost no negative sentiment (1%) about Eneco sponsoring this event. Source Mindtrack.

* By comparison, KPN (the biggest Dutch Telecom provider) have been sponsoring national ice skating in The Netherlands, a hugely popular live and TV spectator sport with the Dutch, for many years. KPN has a way larger budget for sponsoring and activating its sponsorship than Eneco has for this event. 17% of Dutch people cite KPN as the sponsor.