NorthStar Earth & Space

NorthStar Earth & Space (NorthStar) is a Montreal-based company specializing in advanced space data processing using proprietary artificial intelligence technologies. NorthStar was born out of a desire to improve our knowledge of the planet and to protect it through a new technology for fusing data from hyperspectral sensors in orbit. Before these satellites could be positioned, another environmental problem had to be addressed: traffic, congestion and debris management in orbit.

With this in mind, NorthStar mandated our team to create and execute a public relations strategy for the announcement of their first satellite constellation, Skylark, a reference to the third nation in space, Alouette, Canada’s first satellite.

We quickly realized through the Press Test™ that in order to give the news maximum impact, we needed to focus primarily on the ultimate impact of the project. Not the construction of the satellites, but rather its ability to become a vital component in the control and management of a healthy space environment. It is important to remember that in the summer of 2020, the topic of space debris had not gained the prominence it has now. 

An analysis of external and internal factors of influence was conducted by the team to identify key drivers of awareness for the amplification campaign:

• Pillar 1: The issue of space sustainability and why it matters.
• Pillar 2: The causes of the issue.
• Pillar 3: The technology solutions to fix the problem. 
• Pillar 4: How Skylark can help solve the issue.

Our 4-pillar approach allowed us to leverage the appropriate channels for greater reach and impact. This allowed us to reach a total of half a billion impressions in 140 media outlets around the world. The first phase created a highly customized story based on the project’s societal impact on a global scale with Reuters, generating over 188M impressions in 75 international publications. In the 2nd regional phase, we secured coverage in The Guardian, WIRED Japan, CBC, R-C, SpaceNews, Science Illustrated, Le Figaro, Les Echos, The Hindu, The Wire, Il Sole 24 Ore, etc. generating over 210M impressions in 18 media outlets. Finally, in the third phase, the deployment of the press release added 67 M impressions, in 47 media.

Needless to say, this campaign greatly increased NorthStar’s awareness and gave them an impressive calling card in attracting customers and investors. This initiative propelled the launch of their social media and website, generating the first notable engagements on a channel that had been little used before. The project positioned NorthStar as a specialist in the space debris field. This positioning allowed them to be featured at C2 Montreal, SXSW 2022 and to be covered in The Economist recently. This notoriety has given the organization a boost that has established them into the upper echelons of the field.