01 January 2019
ROYAL MALTA YACHT CLUB
As the Rolex Middle Sea Race celebrates its 50th anniversary, Quinag assists the organising yacht club with its communication and media deliverables.
01 January 2019
As the Rolex Middle Sea Race celebrates its 50th anniversary, Quinag assists the organising yacht club with its communication and media deliverables.
One of the world’s most famous 600-nm offshore races – the Rolex Middle Sea Race – celebrated its golden anniversary in 2018. Quinag supported the Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC) in its preparations for this historic occasion, notably social media management, media team strategy, press release creation and organisational support for the 50th Anniversary Sub-Committee.
Quinag was instructed to:
Quinag worked closely with the RMYC’s Sub-Committee for the 50th anniversary from early 2019. This included exchanging ideas regarding special media opportunities, approaches to entice more entrants and creating content which embraced and uncovered the race’s proud history.
Quinag worked with the RMYC to ensure synchronisation of tools, human resources and programme of activity. In doing this Quinag helped establish the core event messages, its unique characteristics, and target audiences.
A communication programme designed to fit the rhythm of the event was defined early in 2019 building to a crescendo for the race start and continuing during the course of the race.
Quinag identified media opportunities and delivered attractive, compelling packages of material, streamlining the social media output using Instagram and Facebook to build and lock in audience ahead of event.
Quinag ran a special project on Instagram working with a race ambassador, renowned Maltese yachtsman Christian Ripard to offer a compelling 8-week series profiling the complex junctures of the 606-nm race course. Ripard, who has completed the race over 25 times, offered his unique insights. Furthermore, Quinag created a countdown series of 50 posts to mark the golden anniversary, a process which required meticulous and extensive research. This same material was used in the official race programme.
Finally, post event Quinag tracked selected media return using media intelligence software.
The 2018 RMYC was an undoubted success with a record-breaking fleet of 129 yachts taking part. International media coverage was significant with print and digital articles in nearly 28 countries. Media return rose some 25% compared to the same period last year.
Through its six month management of the specific race Instagram handle, Quinag helped to more than triple the fanbase from 2,000 followers to in excess of 7,500. This purely with organic means and through the creation of original content. As well as its ambassador and countdown posts, during the event Quinag helped push competitor-generated content, interviews, polls, race updates and video clips.
186,000
Overall
reach during
the event
27,000
Views on
Christian Ripard
story
10,200
Likes on 50
post countdown
series
+500
Interactions on
six posts
+400
Interactions on
18 posts
“We have been delighted to count on Quinag’s support during the past few editions of the Rolex Middle Sea Race and especially throughout the preparations for, and during the, 50th anniversary. Their knowledge of the international sailing industry, expertise in producing interesting and engaging content has helped raise the profile of the race.’
Georges Bonello Du Puis,
Rear Commodore, RMYC
