SAE International: expanding a North American leader into EMEA
Strengthening SAE's brand presence in the European market
The challenge
As a globally recognised authority in mobility engineering and professional development, SAE International aimed to position itself beyond North America and expand its reach into EMEA markets.
With a diverse audience spanning automotive, aerospace, and commercial vehicle industries, SAE needed a targeted, multi-channel approach to engage professionals across different sectors and regions.
Fragmented brand presence in Europe
Inconsistent messaging and visual identity
Need to drive enrolments in professional training programs
Our solution
SWC Partnership developed and executed a strategic go-to-market plan tailored for SAE’s expansion into EMEA, with a focus on digital-first engagement and event-driven brand activation. Key initiatives included:
- Data-driven digital advertising: launched programmatic, Google Search, LinkedIn, and Meta campaigns, targeting engineers and technical professionals in both North America and EMEA.
- High-impact event marketing: deployed digital OOH advertising (96s and taxi wraps) at major industry events in London, Dubai, and North America to increase booth traffic and brand visibility.
- B2B & B2C campaigns: developed highly targeted messaging to drive course enrolments and position SAE as the go-to source for mobility training.
- Full-funnel strategy & optimisation: provided creative, media planning, campaign management, UX enhancements, and content recommendations to optimise conversions and engagement.
Data-driven advertising
Exhibition and events marketing
B2B and B2C marketing
Full-funnel marketing strategy
The results
- Significant increase in brand awareness across EMEA, successfully positioning SAE as a global leader in mobility education.
- Growth in enrolments for Battery Academy on-demand courses, exceeding initial expectations.
- Expanded scope of partnership—due to campaign success, SWC Partnership now leads marketing for multiple SAE initiatives, including Career Centre, Aerospace Standards, VAS, and additional training courses, with further expansion into the U.S. market.