SAE International
Bringing Human Stories to an Engineering Giant
SAE International is a global leader in mobility standards and engineering. Outside the industry, few people knew its name or understood its reach.
Its first-ever brand campaign, "Meet SAE," set out to change that by telling stories centered on the people whose lives SAE's work quietly shapes rather than the technical standards behind it.
Deep Varnish was brought in to lead landing page copy, review scripts and creative direction, and keep the narrative consistent as the campaign moved across formats and production teams.
Services provided:
Brand Storytelling
Website Optimization
Creative Direction
Creating Connection Through Story
The campaign introduced three characters, Pete, Skylar, and Violet, each representing a different audience and a different way SAE shows up in the world. We developed landing page content that gave each character a clear narrative arc, what they care about, what they're up against, and how SAE supports them without them ever knowing it. The three stories covered electric vehicle standards, aviation safety, and early STEM education.
Throughout production we reviewed video scripts and creative direction, asking whether each piece connected to its audience, struck the right technical register, and honored SAE's expertise without losing people in jargon. That pressure-testing kept the campaign coherent as it grew.
What the Landing Pages Did After the Campaign Launched
The landing pages gave SAE a way to continue the campaign conversation after someone's first contact with it. New visitors and returning members landed in different places depending on where they stood in their relationship with the organization, and the messaging reflected that.
The campaign earned recognition from the Pittsburgh Chapter of PRSA.
The results:
80 million+ impressions
85% brand lift in targeted audiences
Over 2,500 new engaged accounts in Salesforce
Award-winning campaign, recognized by the Pittsburgh Chapter of PRSA
“The ‘Meet SAE’ campaign is an important effort for the organization as we look to reaffirm our value proposition with existing members and, in many cases, introduce ourselves to new audiences who are making these new realities possible.”