Circumnavigating the world: winging it beneath the waves! Teledyne Marine’s Sentinel Mission

The Process

The Challenge

To raise awareness of the mission to enhance Teledyne Marine’s reputation as a world leader in Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV); specifically, its long mission endurance, unmanned subsea gliders.

To achieve this, we needed to convey the scale and importance of the 5-year ‘Redwing’ glider’s circumnavigation of the globe. 

This included, highlighting its vital role: 

• in advancing marine science by gathering data from rarely visited parts of the world’s oceans 

• in building a better understanding of the impact of ocean currents on global weather systems and patterns   

• in establishing the feasibility and importance of long-range, endurance, subsea glider monitoring missions 

• in educating and informing schools, and universities  

• in helping, scientists, meteorologist and academics build new ocean models through access to open-source data from the mission  

Additionally, we needed to coordinate the release of news and messaging around the mission working in close collaboration with Rutgers University and Teledyne Marine’s team in the US.  

Finally, with the launch ceremony taking place at Woods Hole Institute in Massachusetts, followed by the ocean launch the following morning from the edge of the Continental Shelf, we needed coordinate news and the delivery of supporting media materials, film and footage across different time zones and territories around the world.  

Our Solution

Recognising that this world-first mission had the potential to resonate with the media internationally, we worked with Rutgers University and Teledyne Marine to identify local angles linked to the key stop-off points during the five-year mission. This covered audiences in North and South America, North and South Africa, and Australasia.

We believed that building anticipation was key and so originated forward media briefing notices under embargo to secure demand for interviews, giving key freelance writers the opportunity to pitch to publications, securing commissions in advance.

Next, we layered our stories with embargoed launch announcements, allowing the media to develop articles ready to go live as soon as the embargo was lifted. This was followed by a post-launch release, supported by launch imagery and film footage from the moment Redwing descended into the depths.

This approach was further enhanced with the provision of media kits and tailored trade and consumer versions of the release aimed at international news desks, specialist technology, science, meteorology, marine, AUV and maritime writers/publications.

As part of this process we:  

• Crafted individual releases for North West Africa, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and The Falkland Islands 

• Coordinated interviews with Rutgers University and Teledyne Marine spokespeople, giving media outlets their own take on the story 

• Originated teaser social media copy ahead of the launch for the dedicated Sentinel Mission Instagram, as well as for Teledyne Marine’s Facebook and LinkedIn platforms, building anticipation and engagement  

• Originated an infographic to explain how Redwing glides across the oceans using buoyancy to traverse subsea currents 

What We Achieved

Coverage broke with a piece in the highly regarded New Scientist, enhancing the reputation of the mission with other titles, many of which name-checked it in their coverage.  

Pieces, including video news items using footage from the launch appeared in over 30 countries.  

Hero pieces included a feature on BBC World Service’s Tech Life, pieces on Politico, MSN, Yahoo, BBC Wildlife Magazine, USA Today and extensive write ups in key trade titles during and following the launch, with front-page features including Ocean Robotics Planet.  

Reaching key audiences across multiple sectors of importance to Teledyne Marine, we secured pieces with angles for marine science, marine technology, environmental research, defence and finance. 

As a result, in the space of just over a month we secured 350 pieces of international digital, print and broadcast coverage, with over 200 pieces appearing in the week following Redwing’s landmark launch.  

Generating international awareness and excitement, this is the first chapter of the Redwing Sentinel Mission. Its legacy will continue as Redwing completes its mission over the coming years followed by thousands monitoring its progress across the remote oceans of the planet. 

Full Customer Testimonial

“I am pleased to share our experience working with Absolute Marketing on the Sentinel Mission project, a collaboration that has exceeded expectations in every way. Their strategic approach and creative execution played a pivotal role in amplifying the visibility of our mission launch.

“Thanks to their efforts, the Sentinel Mission has achieved remarkable results:

• Over 350 media mentions across global outlets
• Coverage in leading publications such as Reuters, BBC, Popular Mechanics, Ocean News & Technology, New Scientist, and Hydro International
• Regional coverage spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, including Marineforum (Germany), VN Express (Vietnam), and local press on Cape Cod

“As I reflect on this partnership, I want to emphasize the value Absolute Marketing brought to the table:

“Working with Absolute Marketing was a game-changer for the Sentinel Mission. Their ability to translate complex technology into engaging stories captured global attention and reinforced Teledyne Marine’s leadership in ocean technology.

“We look forward to continuing this successful relationship and building on the momentum created by this project.”

— Kimberlee McHugh, Marketing Manager, Teledyne Marine