TourWrist Media Coverage and Press Releases
September 2, 1011 – Atlanta, GA USA – Since its commercial launch January 2011, TourWrist (Executive Summary, Presentation Deck) continues to be reviewed by consumer and trade press.

Free TourWrist App on an iPad. Here are links to the TourWrist platform (mobile, web and social) consumer and trade media coverage, press releases and video.
[This list below was last updated 1/31/12.]
The free TourWrist app is frequently among the Top 200 Great Free Apps in the Apple iTunes App Store, according to TopAppCharts.com, plus:
- #6 in iPad Travel Apps (8/3/11)
- #9 in iPad Entertainment Apps (4/14/11)
- #36 in iPhone Travel Apps (9/9/11)
TourWrist Media Releases
- Panoramic Photography Goes Mainstream in 2012; Powered by Apple, Google, Microsoft and TourWrist (1/26/12)
- Tourwrist: Soldiers ‘Teleport Home’ for “Gather Round Your Troops for the Holidays” Immersive 360º Experiences (12/1/11)
- TourWrist 360º Panoramic Virtual Tour Hosting Company Surpasses 20,000 Virtual Tour Scenes; Launches API & 8 White Label Apps (7/18/11)
- Eckerd College iPhone/iPad Apps Take Users on 360-degree Panoramic Virtual Tour (7/21/11)
- TourWrist 360º Panoramic Virtual Tour Hosting Company to Make Its “Publish to TourWrist” API Available in June 2011 (4/27/11)
- International Real Estate Leader, RE/MAX, Looks to Tech Pioneer to Revolutionize Its Virtual Tours (3/14/11)
TourWrist Media Coverage (Consumer)
- CNN – [TourWrist Among] 50 New Tech Tools You Should Know About (1/25/12)
- Macworld – Macworld Best of Show Winners [Includes TourWrist] (1/27/12)
- MacLife – Macworld 2012: 6 Awesome Apps on the Show Floor [Includes TourWrist] (1/27/12)
- AppAdvice – MacWorld 2012: TourWrist Makes It Easy To Share 360 Degree Panorama (1/27/12)
- San Francisco Chronicle – [TourWrist Among] Macworld Vendors Have Apps Worth a Look (1/26/12)
- TUAW – Daily iPad App: TourWrist (1/16/12)
- TrendHunter Tech – TourWrist Panoramic Photo Tour Apps (1/10/12)
- ChipChick – TourWrist iPhone App Gives Free 360 Tours of Whatever (1/10/12)
- The Monthly Computer Chronicle (MCC) – [TourWrist helping Re-Imagining Everyday Life] Start-Up Debut-Part 3 (1/9/12)
- World Inhabit – TourWrist Among The Top 5 Travel Apps of 2011 (1/9/12)
- Global Cool – TourWrist Among Six Awesome Travel Apps for Your Next Traincation … and they’re all FREE! (12/20/11)
- TheAppsJunction – TourWrist – The Next Big Thing in 360º Experience (12/10/11)
- AppSplit – TourWrist Brings Life to Panoramic Photos (12/3/11)
- Talk Free Blog – Mobile & iPad Teleportation-3D-AR Virtual Armchair Travel, 360 Degrees (12/1/11)
- AppAnalyst – TourWrist: The World’s Best Virtual Tour Platform (10/27/11)
- The Kim Komando Show – Today’s Pick: Vacation From Your Desk (10/17/11)
- MakeUseOf.com– Use TourWrist To View 360 Degree Tours From A Web Browser Or An iPhone (10/13/11)
- Fodor’s Travel Intelligence – 5 Best Free Travel Apps [includes TourWrist] (10/6/11)
- FreeWareGenius.com – View 360º Photographs From Across the World in Your Browser or iPhone/iPad with TourWrist (9/29/11)
- App-Score – TourWrist Review (8/30/11)
- SocialTimes – TourWrist for iPhone/iPad: Find and Share 360 Panoramas from Around the World (8/29/11)
- YouSpin360º – TourWrist App: 360-Degree Real Estate Experience (8/22/11)
- iPadn’Gravy – TourWrist is a Travel App Like No Other (8/19/11)
- PadGadget – TourWrist: Travel Around The Globe In The Comfort Of Your Living Room (8/18/11)
- App Advice – TourWrist Brings The World To You (8/17/11)
- UpUpANDaGay – Become a TourWrist (7/21/11)
- Appolicious– Virtually Explore the World for Business and Pleasure with TourWrist (7/10/11)
- Tampa Bay Business Journal – Mobile Apps: TourWrist ‘Made For Tourism’ (6/17/11)
- iZine – TourWrist App Review (5/20/11)
- Skyscanner.com – TourWrist: Check Out Your Destination in 360 Degree Before You Travel (5/4/11)
- Fresh Apps for iPhone – TourWrist (4/22/11)
- AmericanBridal.com – Use TourWrist to Plan Your Big Day (4/19/11)
- The Fancy – TourWrist
TourWrist Media Coverage (Consumer – Short Items)
- TechCrunch DISRUPT by John Evans – [TourWrist Among] Disruptive Tendencies (9/17/11)
- PC Pro – The 48 best iPad Apps [TourWrist is #1] (9/2/11)
- Department of Health – Patient Virtual Tours or Patient Journeys [idea for using TourWrist in hospitals] (8/36/11)
- App-O-Plectic – #57 – TourWrist Scores 5/5 (5/26/11)
- App Comments – TourWrist: Comments by Apple iTunes App Store User Reviewers (always current)
TourWrist Media Coverage (Business Trade Press)
- Cynopsis DIGITAL – Gadgets & Apps: TourWrist (1/26/12)
- Ad Age DIGITAL – Ten Digital Trends Set to Go Mass-Market In 2012 (12/19/11) [See TourWrist in Location-based Discovery trend #9]
- One Big Internet – TourWrist Panoramic Photo Tours Transforms Your Website (12/7/11)
- Killer Startups – TourWrist – Create Panoramic Images (12/5/11)
- Erich Radstake – Today’s Startup: TourWrist (12/1/11)
- Cynopsis DIGITAL – TourWrist: Website of the Day (12/1/11)
- Out & About Marketing – Cool Brand New App for the Tourism Industry – TourWrist (11/30/11)
- Technology Reviews – TourWrist: Create, Upload, and Embed Panoramic Videos (11/29/11)
- Mashable Business: Add Panoramic Photo Tours To Any Website With TourWrist (11/28/11)
- Pervasive Entertainment Times (via Scoop.it) – 360 Transmedia Investigation Using TourWrist 360-Degre Panoramic Virtual iApp Tours (10/21/11)
- WIRED – Change Accelerators: Through Rose-Tinted 5D Glasses – Situated Augmented Reality Entertainment (10/20/11)
- ARTiSTiK: The Magazine of Art & Design – TourWrist Rated 10 out of 10 (Spring 2011)
- Tampa Bay Business Journal – With TourWrist, Madera: Win Some, Lose Some in the Tech Game (9/23/11)
- Tampa Bay Online – Tampa Losing [TourWrist] Flashy Start-Up Tech Company to California (9/22/11)
- Tampabay.com Venture – Photo Tour: At TBTFs cool TECH Expo, TourWrist Wins Coolest of the Cool (6/13/11)
- TechCrunchTV (Video at DISRUPT) – TourWrist News Coverage Begins at 9:15 minutes into the Report (9/12/11)
- Business2Community – Shoot A 360º Panorama With TourWrist for iPhone and iPad (8/25/11)
- Fast Company Design – TourWrist Uses Augmented Reality to Teleport You Into a Foreign Land (7/5/11)
- WIRED Insider – [TourWrist] Apps For the Augmented Reality Traveler (7/7/11)
- WIRED – Augmented Reality: TourWrist (7/5/11)
- Cynopsis: DIGITAL – TourWrist: App of the Day (7/26/11)
- Scarlet Strategic – TourWrist: Almost Something Great, But Not There Yet … (5/5/11)
- The Next Web (TNW) Video – Silicon Valley Uncovered: TourWrist (12/4/11) (originally posted by The Next Week 2/28/11)
- Communications Arts – TourWrist (March/April 2011)
- 83 Degrees – Q&A: Charles Armstrong, Spark Labs [TourWrist] Tampa, FL (11/30/10)
TourWrist Media Coverage (Photography Trade Press)
- Photo Plan Blog – Virtual Tours Offer Armed Forces Personnel the Chance to see Home This Christmas (12/2/11)
- Photo Plan Blog – TourWrist iPad App Offers Truly Interactive 360-Degree Virtual Tours (7/7/11)
- Photography Blog – TourWrist 2.0 – (9/28/10)
TourWrist Coverage (Retail Trade Press)
- Kanga360 Virtual Tours: (Video) How to Make Your Tours Stand Out – TourWrist Platform Discussion (8/30/11)
- Retail Customer Experience – Mobile Retail Monday: The TourWrist App (7/18/11)
- Mobile Payments Today – Retail TourWrist App Shows Possibilities for Augmented Mobile Commerce (6/3/11)
- Mike Wittenstein (Authority on Customer Experience) – TourWrist Is Retail’s New Killer App (5/9/11)
TourWrist Coverage (Real Estate Sales/Leasing)
- Southeastern Business Intermediaries – [TourWrist] Exciting 360 Panoramic Viewing (9/6/11)
- 83 Degree – [TourWrist] Virtual Tour Assists in Record Home Sale [$9 Million], St. Pete (8/16/11) [Virtual Tour of $9 Million Home] [MLS Version]
TourWrist Media Coverage (Travel Trade Press)
- Gawaya Travel Blog – Travel App Review: TourWrist For iPhone & iPad (1/31/12)
- Lonely Planet – [TourWrist Among] “eye-catching apps for this year” (12/22/11)
- Out & About Marketing – Cool Brand New App for the Tourism Industry – TourWrist (11/30/11)
- Cal-Am Resorts – An Interactive Panorama View of The Grand Canyon (11/30/11)
- 83 Degree – [TourWrist] Virtual Tour Assists in Record Home Sale [$9 million], St. Pete (8/16/11)
- PC Mike’s Tech and Gadget Blog – Travel the World with TourWrist Panoramic App for Web, iPad or iPhone (5/13/11)
- Skyscanner Tips and Advice – App of the Week – TourWrist: Check Out Your Destination in 360º Before You Travel (5/4/11)
- Talking Travel Tech (TNOOZ) TLabs Showcase: TourWrist (9/9/10)
TourWrist Media Coverage (Education)
- Pearson Online Learning Exchange (OLE) – History – As We Know It (12/13/11)
- Classroom Oven – App Review: TourWrist (11/29/11)
- BlogTalkRadio – TourWrist Among Surprising Educational Apps (11/17/11) [Start: 6:26 - End: 733:]
- Edutopia – Teaching and Learning: Using iPads in the Classroom (10/31/11)
- Dalelopez’s Weblog – TourWrist in Education (10/10/11)
- Mis Musicuentos (Spanish Teacher Blog) – App Review: TourWrist (9/12/11)
- iPadDiction – TourWrist App in the Classroom (9/3/11)
- TourWrist Media Coverage and Press Releases (9/2/11) [updated weekly]
- Predictions: Apple’s New Mobile OS to Include Shoot & Share 360º Virtual Tour Photography; 2011 is the Year of 360º Virtual Tour Photography (7/19/11)
- TourWrist 360-Degree Panoramic Virtual Tour Hosting Company Surpasses 20,000 Virtual Tour Scenes; Launches API & 8 White Label Apps (7/18/11)
- TourWrist 360-Degree Panoramic Virtual Tour Hosting Company Engages GREAT! Agency for Strategic Alliance and Business Development (5/9/11)
- Summer TourWrist: Seamlessly Shoot, Upload, View, Search and Share 360-Degreee Spherical Virtual Tour Photos and Videos via Searchable Map of the World; Facebook; Twitter; and Email – Free! (4/27/11)
- Two-Screen Marketing: TV and Movie Marketing Meets ‘TourWrist’ Mobile Experience (2/21/11)
TourWrist Custom White Label Apps (Articles, Webpages and Videos)
- Pervasive Entertainment Times via (Scoop.it) – 360 Transmedia Investigations Using TourWrist 360-Degree Panoramic Virtual iApp Tours (10/21/11) [CrimeSeen 360 app]
- Tampa Bay Business Journal – Private Colleges Invest in Tool For Touring (9/16/11) [Eckerd College TourWrist app]
- Kanga360 (Video) – Virtual Tours: How to Make Your Tours Stand Out: TourWrist Platform Discussion (8/30/11)
- Web Page: Eckerd College iPhone/iPad Apps Take Users on 360-degree Panoramic Virtual Tour (7/24/11)
- Media Release: Eckerd College iPhone/iPad Apps Take Users on 360-degree Panoramic Virtual Tour (7/21/11)
- Eckerd College App (TourWrist White Label (7/21/11)
TourWrist Video Coverage
- MelbourneGeek – Interview with TourWrist CEO & Founder Charles Armstrong at Macworld Mobile Apps Showcase (1/26/12)
- Kanga360 – [TourWrist Advanced] Tutorial on Virtual Tour Custon Patch Design with Pano2VR (8/30/11)
- Glens Castle – Interview with TourWrist VR Photographer Paul Lang (1/5/12)
- ABC15, Arizona (Sonora Living) – Enviropix Offers TourWrist 360-Degree Virtual Tours: Gather ‘Round Your Troops for the Holidays (12/26/11)
- CNBC Tech Check – Tech Check: Party Robot, TourWrist & Tweaker (9/16/11)
- CNBC – TourWrist on Tech Trek (Wrap-up of TechCrunch’s DISRUPT Conference) (9/16/11)
- TechCrunchTV (Video at DISRUPT) – TourWrist News Coverage Begins at 9:15 minutes into the Report (9/12/11)
- iFoneYou – TourWrist iPad 2+ App Review (8/11/11)
- Digital Summit 2011 – TourWrist CEO Charles Armstrong at Digital Summit 2011 (5/19/11) [SlideShare Presentation]
- TourWrist – TourWrist Photographer Tutorial: Photographer Shoots, Stitches, Preps, Uploads and Shares (5/11/11)
- Tom Zhangus – TourWrist Official App for iPad / iPad 2 / iPhone / iPod Touch HD (5/8/11)
- TourWrist – TourWrist: Virtual Tours of Hotels & Real Estate (5/5/11)
- Kana360 – 2011 Wake Games Gets Virtual with Kana360 and 360-Degree Virtual Tour Photos (5/2/11)
- iTechCrunch – TourWrist Among Top 5 Free iPad Apps (4/27/11)
- Pizza Footbal Channel – Teleport Using Your iPhone – TourWrist App First Look (4/13/11)
- LAUNCH – TourWrist CEO & Founder Charles Armstrong Presents TourWrist (3/23/11)
- The Next Web – Silicon Valley Uncovered: TourWrist (2/28/11)
- PhillinGrubby – Top 5 Free iPod/iPhone Applications of All time [TourWrist is #1] (12/21/10)
- Technology Gadgets – TourWrist – Best iPod App? (12/19/10)
TourWrist and Crime Scenes (Media Coverage)
- Pervasive Entertainment Times (via Scoop.it) – 360 Transmedia Investigation Using TourWrist 360-Degree Panoramic Virtual Tour iApp Tours (10/21/11)
- The Director’s Desk – Panoramic Crime Scenes (10/6/11)
TourWrist Honors
- Jerry Rizzo – 5 Startups That Will Rock In 2012 (list includes TourWrist) (9/15/11)
- The Washington Post with Bloomberg – Going Crazy With A Camera In TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Alley (TourWrist called out) (9/14/11)
- Cynopsis: DIGITAL – TourWrist: App of the Day (7/26/11)
- Tampa Bay Technology Forum – TourWrist Takes The Award at coolTech (6/13/11)
- University of Michigan – Cool Toys Pic of the Day – TourWrist (6/11)
- BostInnovation – [TourWrist among] Top 5 New iPhone Apps for Spring (4/25/11)
- Thrill List – TourWrist: The Only Way to See Paris From Your Couch (9/30/10)
TourWrist Media Coverage (International) [Google Translate -->English]
- Travel Valley – TourWrist: Discover the World in an App (2/3/12)
- iPadClub – TourWrist for iPad 360º Look Around at Your Holiday (1/22/12) [Dutch]
- Video: iCulture Weekly #17: TourWrist: App of the Week (1/18/12) [Dutch] CES 2012 Coverage
- El Comercio.pe – Know the Applications for Mobile Devices of 2011 [includes TourWrist] (12/28/11)
- Wystartowali – TourWrist.com – Create Your Own Skyline! (12/8/11) [Polish]
- Dziennik Turystyczny – TourWrist.com – Create Your Own Skyline! (12/8/11) [Polish]
- What’s Your Idea? – TourWrist: Enjoy Ultra High-Quality Virtual Trip (12/6/11) [Japanese]
- MacDac.ru – TourWrist Review: Panoramic Tourism (11/6/11) [Russian]
- Chip Online – TourWrist with Panoramic World Travel (10/20/11) [Turkish]
- Journalist and Tech Blogger MacKozer Blog – TourWrist App on an iPad Review (8/19/11) [Polish]
- iZine – TourWrist App Review (5/20/11) [Serbian] (Then search “Tour Wrist” and Google Translate)
- TrendOn – TourWrist: Austria Tourism Global Trends and Innovations in Tourism video podcast at ITB 2011) (3/21/11) [German]
TourWrist Websites (Official)
- TourWrist (web)
- TourWrist (Free) App (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch)
- TourWrist Press Kit
- How to Shoot and Share 360 Panos with the free TourWrist iOS app
- TourWrist YouTube Channel
- TourWrist Facebook
- TourWrist Twitter
- TourWrist Blog [Gather 'Round Your Troops for the Holidays]
- TourWrist Digital Assets for Media and Bloggers
- Publish to TourWrist API (for developers: code, documentation)
- Create Your Own TourWrist Tours With 360º Shooting Apps
- TourWrist Custom App Development (White Label “Re-Skinned” Apps)
- Panoguide.com powered by TourWrist (forum for professional virtual tour photographers)
- CrunchBase: TourWrist Profile
- LinkedIn: TourWrist Profile
- AngelList: TourWrist
- Video: TourWrist interviews 360 Pano Pro Photographer Paul Lang about using Using TourWrist
- TourWrist Executive Summary – Public (12/1/11)
- TourWrist Presentation Deck – Public (12/8/11)
TourWrist Custom White Label Apps
- Eckerd College
- TSB 360
- Florida Land For Sale
- CrimeSeen 360
- Drink Wine 360
- ProTours360
- Tour Homes 360
- 360iTours
- City of Redlands (California)
- Redlands PD (private)
TourWrist Attending Events/Trade Shows/Conferences
- San Francisco – Macworld Conference & Expo (1/26-28/12)
- Las Vegas – Consumer Electronics Show (CES) – Startup Debut (1/8/12) [Startup Debut]
- San Francisco – TechCrunch Disrupt – Monday, September 12-Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011
- San Francisco – SF Beta / Video & Photography – Tuesday, September 13, 2011 5-9 pm
- Tampa Bay – Tampa Bay Technology Forum – TourWrist Takes The Award at coolTech (6/13/11)
- Atlanta – Digital Summit 2011 – TourWrist CEO Charles Armstrong at Digital Summit 2011 (5/19/11) [SlideShare Presentation]
- San Francisco – LAUNCH – TourWrist CEO & Founder Charles Armstrong Presents TourWrist (3/23/11)
- Atlanta Startup Riot 2011 – Video: TourWrist CEO & Founder Charles Armstrong (2/15/11)
TourWrist Embed Virtual Tour Scene Examples (Using TourWrist Embed Code)
- TourWrist Facebook Embed Example – Fresco’s Bakery and Bistro
- TourWrist Facebook Embed Example – Downtown Lakeland
- TourWrist WordPress Blog Example – Gather ‘Round Your Troops for the Holidays
- Discover Hawaii Tours
- City of Lynn, Massachusetts – About Lynn
- Retail Customer Experience – Mobile Retail Monday: The TourWrist App (7/18/11)
- Paint Along Studios – TourWrist Embedded On the Welcome Screen
- Mike Wittenstein (Authority on Customer Experience) – TourWrist Is Retail’s New Killer App (5/9/11)
- Visit Colorado 360 – TourWrist Embed Code Demo (Two Kinds of Embed Code)
- Paul Lang Photography – TourWrist: 360 Panorama of McWay Falls in Big Sur (10/28/11)
- Greenovative Homes – Sneak Peak
- MFG: Al-jon – Virtual Tour
- Kanga Marketing – 360 Virtual Tours for Business powered by TourWrist
- TourWrist Embed Code – How To Instructions
- Fresco’s Bakery and Bistro – TourWrist Pano ( Testing new TourWrist Facebook embedding solution)
If you find a TourWrist article that belong here, please let Dan Smigrod know.
Short URL Link To This TourWrist Post
Disclosure: GREAT! CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dan Smigrod is also a TourWrist Marketing and Public Relations Consultant (via his agency, GREAT!). In addition, Dan is an Atlanta-based TourWrist photographer. Here are some examples of his TourWrist 360º virtual tour scenes: St. Simons Island Lighthouse (look for the satellite); Fashion and Glamour Photo Shoot; and a TourWrist microsite for Fire Mountain Inn near Highlands, GA USA.
Categories: Entertainment Marketing, Ideation, Tour Wrist Tags: 360, 360 photo, 360-degree, 360º, Atlanta, big idea, Charles Armstrong, dan smigrod, Entertainment Marketing, experiential, GREAT!, idea, IDEAologist, ideas, Ideation, Integrated Marketing, integrated marketing campaign, panorama, panoramic, photography, real estate, Realtor, SmartPhone, smigrod, spherical, technology, Tour Wrist, TourWrist, Travel, virtual tour
GREAT! Agency Retained As Exclusive Marketing Agent for the 400 MPH Rocket Car at Air Shows
June 1, 2011 – Atlanta, GA USA – Would you like your marketing campaign to take-off like a rocket in 2012?
Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Shows (Braack Motorsports, Inc.) has retained Atlanta-based GREAT! agency as the exclusive marketing agent for integrated marketing sponsorship packages for Braack’s 400 mph Rocket Car performances at 20 Air Shows in 2012.
More than 7 million Air Show enthusiasts annually experience the Rocket Car accelerating its more than 10,000 horse power J34 jet engine (from a T-2A Buckeye military aircraft) to a crowd-pleasing 400 mph (without leaving the ground) – in just nine seconds – racing (and often beating) an aircraft (that has a heads start).
Then, a 14′ double-ringed military-style Rocket Car parachute deploys – producing up to 14g’s of negative force to the pilot – brings the Rocket Car to an abrupt stop to cheering crowds. The Rocket Car 2012 sponsorship opportunity is unique: the Rocket Car is the only land performer at the 20 Air Shows it performs in annually.
Air Show attendance continues to soar above other national sporting events with 10-12 million spectators attending Air Shows in the United States annually: shows that are often free.
Braack Motorsports President and Rocket Car Pilot Bill Braack (retired Air Force 20-year C-130 and C-141 Air Force and Air Force Reserve Veteran) works the revved-up crowd – prior to each Rocket Car versus aircraft race – from his Rocket Car cockpit commanding all eyes on the Rocket Car as he slowly drives the Air Show flight line, generating:
- a roar of multiple near-sonic boom thunder-claps;
- three-story billowing clouds of smoke; and
- 30′ shooting flames from the Rocket Car’s afterburner.
“America loves the thrill of racing meets Air Shows. And I’m thrilled that GREAT! is the exclusive marketing agent for the Rocket Car performances at Air Shows across America,” says Braack. “We seek A-List brands – and their agencies – brands that can benefit from sponsoring the 2012 Rocket Car tour at 20 Air Shows to reach more than 7 million engaged fans,” said Braack.
In contrast, USA Today estimated that all annual NASCAR races combined in 2010 would be 3.6 million: that’s 1 million less than in 2003. NASCAR race attendance is nearly half the estimated annual attend of a 20-market annual Rocket Car Air Show tour. And, unlike NASCAR with 40+ cars on the track at one time; all eyes (and ears) are exclusively devoted to the Rocket Car. [The attendance for the entire National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) season attendance equals about two Rocket Car Air Shows, according to Braack.]
“The sky’s the limit for creating and marketing efficient on-brand; adrenaline pumping experiential; integrated entertainment sponsorship packages leveraging the Rocket Car at U.S. Air Shows,” said GREAT! CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dan Smigrod. “There are many terrific opportunities – such as product sales, sampling, lead generation and social media on steroids – that the Rocket Car can help sponsors activate and engage consumers; while firing-up marketing plans at near super-sonic speed in support the brand’s distribution channels such as – retailers, grocery stores and drug stores. With hundreds of Air Shows annually in North America, the title sponsor can pick and choose Air Show markets strategically.”
“We also include VIP money-can’t-buy-experiences. For example, Sponsor’s VIP guests get to flag-start the race between the Rocket Car and an aircraft racing just 100 feet above the Rocket Car. It’s a heart-pounding experience as the Rocket Car accelerates to 400 mph and an aircraft with 180 mph head start – rockets past the VIP just yards from their whirling green flags to signal the start of the race,” said Smigrod.
“Flag starting the race on the runway starting line is an over-the-top, unique, thrilling and exciting experience to offer a VIP client guest or winner of an internal sales contest. With 20 Air Shows annually, 120 VIPs get to flag-start a race and 360 guests annually experience the adrenaline rush just feet from the flag-starter. Plus, new in 2012, thousands of VIPs will get to experience the Air Show from the Sponsor’s Rocket Car chalet,” said Braack.
With 6,500 pounds of 3:1 thrust-to-weight ratio at 4.5 g’s, the Rocket Car accelerates faster than any jet in an Air Show; including U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds jets. If the 2,250 lb. Rocket Car was stood on its tail, it has enough raw-power thrust to take-off like a rocket, according to Braack.
Integrated sponsorship marketing opportunities to activate and engage audiences experiences during the typical three-day, eight-hour-per-day experience include:
- Social Media
- Experiential
- Sampling
- Lead Generation
- Product Selling
- Publicity
- VIP Experience
- Military Activation
- Pro-Social
Specific Rocket Car marketing legs include:
- Exclusive performer re-branding naming rights
- Sampling; couponing (and product selling)
- VIP Chalet shaded seating on-the-flight-line
- One-on-one experiences with the Rocket Car Pilot
- VIP flag-start the race (and accompany the flag-starter)
- VIP fly-alongs on media/rehearsal day
- Trade and consumer TV/print/radio media interviews (fly-alongs for media on media day to film the Rocket Car from the air)
- Pro-Social (at Sponsor’s option: Air Shows at military bases only)
- Air Show enthusiasts photos and videos of the Rocket Car for their Facebook, YouTube and flickr accounts
- Social media engagement with Rocket Car Pilot Bill Braack
- Media interviews with Rocket Car Pilot Bill Braack
- Retailer, drug store and grocery marketing extension opportunities
- Media buy integration opportunities
- Unique contest and sweepstakes prizing opportunities
- Internal and external sales incentive (with money-can’t-buy VIP experiences)
- Eco-green/sustainability integration – the Rocket Car can run on biodiesel B20 fuel (20 percent recycled cooking oil) [when/where available]
- Rocket Car-Cams – video showing the Sponsor’s branding: including inside the 14′ parachute
- Public Address (PA) announcements during the Rocket Car Air show performance, in particular, and through-out the day
- Official Air Show program
- Official Air Show map
- Official Air Show poster
- Official Air Show advertising
- Official Air Show Welcome Party for Performers (and their guests) – and other private events
“Rocket Car Pilot Bill Braack is the ultimate media-savvy spokesperson: well spoken; articulate; a 20-year (retired) airman veteran that can integrate client ‘talking points’ into his media interviews,” says Smigrod. “The Discovery Channel Daily Planet six-minute (11/1/10) segment is an excellent example of Bill and his Rocket Car generating TV coverage.”
In 2012, local market TV coverage – and newspaper and social media coverage – will leverage all Sponsor branding, including the:
- Rocket Car (including inside the cockpit leveraging Rocket Car pencil-cams)
- Rocket Car 80′ tractor-trailer transporter (including an interior lounge)
- Rocket Car towing truck
- Rocket Car Pilot and Rocket Car team apparel
- Rocket Car 14′ military-style parachute (including inside the parachute with a Rocket Car pencil-cam in reverse)
- Rocket Car Flag-Starter green flags
- Rocket Car jump suit
- Rocket Car Pilot helmet
- Rocket Car tented pit area exhibition pavilion featuring the Rocket Car (and client-supplied products)
- Rocket Car VIP Chalet tent top and food and beverage related items
“Between our decades of Air Show and military expertise – and the nearly 25 years of GREAT! agency entertainment marketing experience – our combined teamwork creates a win-win-win opportunity for brands – and their agencies – with the Rocket Car (presently doing business as the Smoke-N-Thunder Jet Car Shows) and Air Shows across North America,” says Braack.
The International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) estimates that 10 to 12 million people annually attend one or more of the 325-350 Air Shows in the U.S. and Canada. ICAS reports a 20 percent spectator growth trend during the 2008 and 2009 Air Show seasons and that this trend is forecasted to continue in annual Air Shows in the next couple of years.
The Rocket Car typically participates in the larger Air Shows – often at military bases – that are frequented by:
- U.S. Navy Blue Angels
- U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
- Canadian Snowbirds
- U.S. Army Parachuting Team the Golden Knights
“After more than 4,000 performances since 1980, the Rocket Car has a 100 percent safety record,” says Braack. “Plus, since current safety procedures have been put in place, no spectators fatalities have happened at a North American Air Show since 1960: an enviable safety-record for any business.”
For Rocket Car sponsorship opportunities – including an exclusive Rocket Car “buy out” for the 2012 Air Show season – please contact GREAT! CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dan Smigrod:
- Office: 404-303-7311
- Skype Video: dansmigrod
- Email: dan@GREATtv.com
For the 2011 Rocket Car performance tour schedule, please visit the Smoke-N-Thinder Jet Car Shows official website: www.smoke-n-thunder.com/ The 2012 Rocket Car performance tour schedule will be determined in conjunction with the 2012 title sponsor of the Rocket Car.
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Video: Six Jets Flying in Tight Formation – flying just fee above the runway — race the Rocket Car at 350 mph in this :45 video shot at the Oregon International Air Show on Friday, August 19, 2011.
http://www.vimeo.com/28642645Video: PencilCam video of the Rocket Car at NAS Patuxent River, MD [Rocket Car racing the airplane starts at 3:40 into the video]
Video: Rocket Car at JBLM Air Expo 2010
Categories: Entertainment Marketing, Ideation, Rocket Car Tags: 2012 Air Shows, Air Show, Air Shows, Atlanta, big idea, Braack Motorsports, dan smigrod, Energy Drink, Energy Drink Marketing, Entertainment Marketing, experiential, GREAT!, idea, IDEAologist, ideas, Ideation, Integrated Marketing, integrated marketing campaign, Rocket Car, smigrod, Smoke-n-Thunder, Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Shows, sponsorship, sports marketing








