Success Stories

BlendJet 2: A Consumer Product Launch that Broke the Mold – and Won

A consumer product beloved on Instagram was not getting love from the press. How an innovative PR approach turned skeptical reviewers into the biggest fans.

BlendJet CEO Ryan Pamplin at the GreatFinds Expo in March 2022.

The Challenge

It’s a common issue: a client has a phenomenal consumer product, yet it’s not getting the press attention it deserves.

When BlendJet was preparing for the launch of the second version of their handheld blender, BlendJet 2, they were determined to have better media success than with its predecessor, BlendJet 1.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t determine where their strategy had gone wrong. After all, BlendJet 1 earned popularity across social media (it was Instagram’s #1 blender brand). But that success never translated into reviews by leading tech and lifestyle publications. To make matters more frustrating, among the few reporters who did cover BlendJet 1, several had given it a negative review.

Our Solution

Rise above the noise of other products

With our expertise in consumer electronics, the Lightspeed PR/M team knew we had a great product to promote.

As the first portable blender, BlendJet had built-in appeal for people with active lifestyles, and it’s bright colors and ease of use helped it stand out from competitors. We knew the conventional PR approach wouldn’t work, and we knew why.

The only way to avoid the problems of the original launch was to rise above the noise of other consumer products with a strategy that was memorable, differentiating and willing to break the rules. But the client still needed convincing. So we rolled out our stepped approach.

1

“From the Countertop to the Mountain top”

With the goal of getting BlendJet 2 the recognition it deserved, first we had to create a campaign that would make it stand out. After all, dozens of new consumer products are launched every year. Leveraging competitive research, we devised the winning angle: this top-performing blender can go anywhere. Leading with our slogan, “From the Countertop to the Mountaintop,” we had a compelling pitch that made reporters sit up and take notice. We were on their radar, now we had to give them something they couldn’t ignore.

2

Guerilla Marketing

Our media experts knew that reporters often don’t respond to the traditional method of simply sending a press release. We also knew that the uniqueness of BlendJet 2 could only be appreciated through hands-on experience. To succeed in making reporters love our product the way our Instagram followers did would require something different – and creative. We opted to break the rules.

Using a “white glove” approach, we sent the BlendJet 2 out to target media in specially designed premium packaging. But, we didn’t get their permission first. This “guerilla” strategy solved the problem of trying to convey the complexity of the product over email. Instead, reporters got the full suite of BlendJet 2 offerings: the new blender, its signature JetPack smoothies, a tote bag, and an insulated carrying sleeve. To keep the conversation going, we then emailed everyone a BlendJet recipe ebook.

3

The Power of Personality

Good products can sell themselves, but only if they get in front of the right people. In the months before the launch, our team arranged for BlendJet’s CEO, Ryan Pamplin, to present it at a virtual product expo. It was an ideal opportunity for Ryan to show hundreds of journalists and influencers all of the product’s features – live and in person. To keep up the excitement, we then offered a BlendJet 2, as a private preview, to everyone who saw Ryan’s presentation.

4

Keep it Going

Continuing to build on the great media coverage we’d earned was our full focus. After the immensely successful launch, it was time to shift our strategy toward expanding on what we had started. That meant creating new angles for pitching using the growing line of JetPack smoothies, recipes, partnerships with other brands, and the innovative ways BlendJet can be used for outdoor activities.

The Results

A strategy with measurable success

In just 18 months, the Lightspeed PR/M team secured almost 9 billion impressions for BlendJet 2. Within 60 days of launch, we secured coverage in gift guides of major publications, including: Forbes, VegNews, MyRecipes, StarTribune, Essence, and Eat This, Not That!

Influencer engagement
9 Billion
Impressions generated
Glowing Reviews
110K+
views across 7 YouTube videos
Wide coverage within 60 days
500k+
views on Freakin’ Reviews YouTube
The Conclusion

Continuing our relationship with influencers

We also built on our success at the virtual product expo by continuing our relationship with influencers who saw Ryan’s presentation. This led to seven high-quality Youtube videos released during the week of launch. Not only did those videos garner over 110,000 views, BlendJet was able to repurpose clips from them to enhance its marketing materials.

In 2022, BlendJet 2 had another successful presentation at the Great Finds Expo where the all-media audience was excited to learn more. Ryan’s demonstrations of the product captured interest from reporters representing top-tier publications, including People, Buzzfeed, Self, Real Simple, and Good Housekeeping.

What the press say...

Click the publications below to see more of what we have done for BlendJet 2