CRT/tanaka and Martin Aircraft Win Silver SABRE Award

RICHMOND, Va. (June 2, 2009) - CRT/tanaka, an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for creative solutions and workplace culture, and New Zealand-based Martin Aircraft, creator of the world’s first practical jetpack, recently earned a Silver SABRE Award presented by The Holmes Report, one of the PR industry’s leading trade publications.

CRT/tanaka and Martin Aircraft earned top honors in the technology (hardware) category for the international launch of the Martin Jetpack at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual AirVenture convention in Oshkosh, Wis. in July 2008. For 27 years, Martin Aircraft was cloaked in secrecy as founder Glenn Martin and a team of engineers quietly created the first practical jetpack. The company engaged CRT/tanaka to create both “buzz” and sales leads for the new product using traditional and social media strategies.

“The SABRE Awards are among the most coveted honors in the public relations industry.

To receive this honor is a testament to the incredible talent and ingenuity of Glenn Martin and his team at Martin Aircraft,” said Mark Raper, CRT/tanaka chairman and CEO. “This honor also recognized the strategic thinking and creative execution of our account team who worked with Martin Aircraft to launch this amazing new product.”

CRT/tanaka’s efforts for the Martin Jetpack launch achieved more than 1,000 broadcast hits across the United States, including all major U.S. networks and seven of the top 20 markets. International news coverage appeared in New Zealand, England, Russia, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Portugal, India, Australia, Ireland, China and Japan. 

A Web-based viral campaign executed by the agency generated more than 3,600 different mentions by bloggers and 250,000 views of online video segments across a dozen different channels.

Because of CRT/tanaka’s efforts, several individuals placed orders on the spot after the first public demonstration of the product, and the sales team generated more than 40 leads at the show. Media exposure created a pipeline of parties across the globe interested in serving as regional sales distributors in their respective countries.

A panel of judges selected the SABRE winners based on programs that demonstrate solutions to business problems, strategic public relations thinking, use of research, creative public relations tools and effective results. For more information about the SABRE Awards, visit The Holmes Report at www.holmesreport.com.

About CRT/tanaka                                  

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe^SM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties - Consumer, Health, Corporate and Interactive/Social. The agency has been recognized with nearly 300 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare, Inc., Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Environmental Defense Fund, Girl Scouts of the USA, Goodwill Industries International, GlaxoSmithKline, Network Solutions, Next Wave Pharmaceuticals, Performance Food Group, Sprint Nextel, Quebec Maple Syrup, United Way, VHA Inc. and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.