In 2012, BMW of North America accepted a challenge from the U.S. Bobsled team. How could we help this team, which hadn’t won an Olympic medal in two-man bobsled since 1952, compete in Sochi?

Showing us 20-year-old equipment held together with duct tape, the ask was simple: build them a new sled.

As renowned as BMW designers were, could we really gamble their credentials so publicly, attempting to build such a highly-specialized vehicle? Against designers with decades of experience? In just two years?

Thus unfolded a 24-month race against the clock – and an incredible communications challenge – where the risk of failure was as real for the brand as it was for the athletes.

With no guarantee of medal success, we created a strategic communications program (led by PR, with consumer marketing, social media, advertising and documentary film activations building the story) to amplify BMW’s performance leadership as successes mounted, while limiting damage if their bobsleds failed.

Everything centered on an authentic, determined, but uncertain narrative following the design journey. The human drama would grow with each passing milestone as our efforts shared BMW’s progress with the world.

When the finish line was crossed in Sochi, BMW had sent a remarkable message about design excellence through every channel imaginable. Prime media placements, social media, commercials, a documentary aired on NBC – even Olympic commentators sung their praises live.

But the key measure of success? One silver and two bronze medals for the U.S. Bobsled teams – a historical performance.

Executions followed the bobsled creation, testing and release cycle:

Project Unveiling: Announced BMW’s redesign project with conceptual drawings.

Igls World Cup, Austria: Announced first trial of prototype in a competition setting.

BMW Group DesignworksUSA Visits: 1:1 and group visits with head designer.

Bobsled Rides – Utah Olympic Park: Gave 20 media the athlete’s experience while illustrating design challenges.

‘Driving on Ice’ Documentary Pre-Screening: For select media with Team USA pilot Steve Holcomb.

NBC Announcer Relations: Seeded talking points with commentators.

Drive for Team USA: Promoted national fundraising campaign matching test drives with Team USA donations.

Documentary Airing: NBC television event.

Olympic Bobsled ‘Uniform’ Unveil: Previewed BMW sled wraps for Team USA.

BMW Olympic Ad/Marketing Campaign: Exclusive NY Times launch followed by wider outreach, including television commercials in prime media.

Social/Sharable Content: Created to highlight BMW bobsled innovations.

In-Games Media Activation: Onsite media relations, events, coach/athlete interviews, issues management, victory tours.

The bobsled project was an Olympic sensation. Beyond becoming a true “story at the games,” pervasive Olympic coverage lauded the design accomplishment, and the redesigned sled became a feature story for all major networks and newspapers.

BMW nabbed Olympic headlines in Wired, Fortune, NYT, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, LA Times, USA Today, Autoweek, USA Today and Sports Illustrated. All connected the new design to BMW’s legendary commitment to performance.

But whether or not BMW had built the Ultimate Sledding Machine was truly decided in real time, as Team USA won three Olympic medals at the Sochi Winter Games.