Tag: Marketing

Don’t Let Good PR Go to Waste: How to Repurpose Earned Media

Posted on by Ryan

Don’t Let Good PR Go to Waste: How to Repurpose Earned Media

Repurposing Earned Media
September 22, 2026

Getting meaningful media coverage is rarely a quick process. It takes research, story development, pitching, relationship building, interviews and follow-up to secure a single placement. 

Yet once the story runs, many companies give it one social media post and move on. 

That is a missed opportunity. 

Earned media can continue working long after an article is published, particularly when companies know how to repurpose earned media across their broader communications and marketing efforts. A strong media placement can provide material for social content, thought leadership, email campaigns, sales materials and future PR outreach. 

The relationship works in the other direction, too. The content a company already owns, from original research to executive insights, can give a PR team stronger material to bring to reporters. 

The result is a more connected approach to communications, where earned and owned media support one another rather than operating as separate efforts.

What Is Earned Media and How Does It Work With Owned Media? 

Earned media is coverage a company receives from an independent third-party source, such as a newspaper, magazine, trade publication, broadcast outlet, podcast or digital news site. Unlike advertising or sponsored content, the company does not control the final story or how the publication presents it. In other words, it’s earned through “reputation, word-of-mouth, and public relations efforts.”

That distinction can make earned media particularly useful for establishing credibility. A reporter, editor or producer has independently determined that a company, executive, trend or issue is worth covering.

Owned media, by comparison, consists of channels a company controls, including its website, blog, email newsletter and social media accounts. 

The two channels serve different purposes, but they can work together. 

Earned media can introduce an organization or executive to a new audience. Owned media gives the company a place to expand on the subject, provide additional information and continue the conversation. 

That creates a cycle: 

Owned content → PR opportunity → Earned media → Repurposed content → Continued engagement 

The objective is not to publish the same message everywhere. It is to take a useful idea and adapt it for the audience and purpose of each channel.

How Do You Repurpose Earned Media? 

The simplest way to start is to look beyond the finished article. 

Ask what made the story interesting in the first place. Was an executive commenting on an industry trend? Did the story include original research or data? Did the interview reveal a question that customers frequently ask? Did the reporter’s questions uncover an issue worth exploring in greater depth? 

Those elements can become the foundation for additional content. 

Expand an Executive’s Point of View 

A reporter may use only one or two sentences from a much longer interview. The rest of the executive’s perspective does not have to disappear when the article is published. 

An executive’s comment in a trade publication could become the starting point for a company blog post, LinkedIn article or other thought leadership. The executive can expand on the original idea, provide additional context or explain what the trend means for customers and other businesses. 

This also creates a connection between media relations and executive thought leadership. 

Rather than treating each interview as an isolated PR activity, companies can look for recurring themes in their executives’ commentary. Those themes can become the foundation for a longer-term thought leadership program. 

This is one way to think about what a PR agency does beyond securing a media placement. The value is not simply in getting an executive quoted. It can also come from identifying the ideas worth developing, positioning the executive around those areas of expertise and finding additional ways to put that expertise to work. 

Turn Coverage Into Social Content 

A media placement does not always need to be promoted with a post that simply says, “We were featured.” 

Instead, identify the most useful takeaway from the coverage. 

If an executive was quoted in a story about a change affecting the industry, a LinkedIn post could highlight the insight, explain why it matters and direct readers to the full article. 

A particularly strong quote could become a social graphic. Several related quotes from different interviews could support a recurring series around an executive’s perspective. 

The media placement provides the third-party validation. The company’s social channels provide the additional context. 

Create Content From the Questions the Story Raises 

Good media coverage often raises questions that the original article does not have room to answer. 

Those questions can become new owned content. 

For example, a story about changing consumer behavior could lead to a deeper article about what businesses should consider next. A story about a new technology could lead to a practical guide addressing common implementation questions. A story based on original research could lead to additional analysis of the findings. 

The goal is not to rewrite the reporter’s story and publish it on the company website. 

Instead, use the coverage as a starting point and give the audience something new. 

That distinction is important. Effective content repurposing adds value rather than simply reproducing information that already exists elsewhere.

How Can You Maximize Earned Media Coverage? 

Repurposing coverage is only one part of a broader earned media strategy. Companies can also make their media efforts more productive by thinking about potential content assets before a story is ever pitched. 

One useful question for PR and marketing teams is: What can we create from this story if we earn the coverage? 

That question can influence how a story is developed from the beginning. 

If an executive is being positioned as an expert on a particular industry trend, for example, the team can identify related data, customer questions, existing blog content and other resources that could support the story. 

Planning this way makes it easier to extend the value of coverage after publication. The value of earned media doesn’t end when the story publishes. Cision outlines several ways organizations can extend the impact of earned coverage, including incorporating it into owned channels and sharing it with customers and prospects.

Start With Original Data 

Reporters need information that helps them explain what is happening in an industry. 

Original surveys, research and company data can provide that information when they reveal a meaningful trend. 

A company does not necessarily need a large national study. A focused survey of customers or analysis of relevant company data may uncover a useful finding, provided the methodology and limitations are clear. 

That finding can then serve two purposes. 

The company can publish the research as an owned asset while the PR team uses the findings as the basis for media outreach. A specific finding gives reporters something more useful than a broad claim about what is happening in the market. 

The resulting media coverage can then point audiences back to the original research, creating another connection between earned and owned media. 

Develop a Clear Executive Point of View 

Original research is not the only owned asset that can support PR. 

An executive who regularly addresses meaningful industry issues through a company blog, LinkedIn or other channels is building a body of thought leadership that a PR team can draw from when identifying media opportunities. 

That matters because a reporter looking for an expert source needs more than a person’s job title. They need a reason to believe the person can contribute something useful to the story. 

Consistent, substantive content can help demonstrate that expertise. 

It can also make PR outreach more specific. Instead of pitching an executive simply as the CEO of a company, a PR team can point to the issues the executive regularly addresses and explain why that perspective is relevant to the reporter’s audience. 

Give Your PR Team More to Work With 

The same principle applies to case studies, company reports, customer insights and other content. 

Not everything will become a media story, and it should not. 

The PR team’s job is to identify what has genuine news value and what is better suited to owned channels. 

That distinction is important. A company’s marketing content should not automatically become a press pitch. But a piece of owned content may contain a statistic, trend or point of view that becomes much more compelling when viewed through a news lens. 

This is where close coordination between marketing and PR can improve both functions. 

Build an Online Newsroom 

An online newsroom can provide a practical home for the connection between earned and owned media. 

A useful newsroom might include recent news releases, media coverage, executive biographies, company background information, photography and other resources relevant to journalists. 

It can also give the company a central place to showcase meaningful media coverage. 

That serves two audiences. 

For journalists, the newsroom creates an accessible source of background information when researching a future story. For customers, prospects and other stakeholders, this page provides an independent record of where the company and its executives have been featured. 

The newsroom does not need to become a comprehensive archive of every mention. Prioritize relevant coverage that demonstrates expertise, highlights significant company news or supports the organization’s broader positioning. 

Make Earned Media Part of Your Digital PR Strategy 

Earned media also has a place within a broader digital PR strategy. 

A media placement may generate referral traffic when a publication links to a company’s website. Coverage can also increase awareness of a company’s name, executives, products or areas of expertise. 

That does not mean every media mention will directly improve search rankings. Earned media should not be treated as an SEO shortcut, and search performance depends on many factors. 

The larger opportunity is to build a consistent digital presence around credible third-party coverage and useful first-party content. 

For example, a company might earn coverage about an emerging industry trend and then publish a more detailed article on its website addressing the issue. This piece can answer related questions, provide additional context and link readers to relevant resources. 

Both media coverage and owned content now serve different purposes while reinforcing the same area of expertise. 

Look for Unlinked Mentions 

PR teams can also monitor coverage that mentions a company without linking to its website. 

When appropriate, the company can contact the publication and ask whether a relevant link can be added. There is no guarantee the publication will make the change, but identifying unlinked mentions can be a useful part of a digital PR program. 

More broadly, monitoring media mentions can help a company understand where it is appearing online and which topics are generating attention. 

That information can also inform future PR and content decisions.

How Do You Turn Earned Media Into Content? 

The answer is not to copy the coverage. 

Instead, break the story down into its component parts and determine what each audience needs. 

A single executive interview, for example, might produce: 

  • A social post focused on the strongest takeaway 
  • A blog article expanding on the executive’s perspective 
  • An email newsletter featuring the media coverage 
  • A sales presentation using the placement as a third-party proof point 
  • A thought leadership article exploring a broader industry issue 
  • An internal communication recognizing the team’s work 

The underlying message can remain consistent, but the format and emphasis should change. 

A reporter needs a newsworthy story. A prospective customer may want practical information. An employee may appreciate recognition. A social audience may respond to a concise observation. 

Repurposing works when the content is adapted to those different needs.

What Does a PR Agency Do After a Story Runs? 

This is where the role of PR can extend well beyond media relations. 

Securing coverage is an important part of the job, but it should not necessarily be the end of the process. 

A PR team can help identify the most useful elements of the coverage, determine where those elements can be repurposed and coordinate with marketing, content and sales teams to put them to work. 

That might include developing follow-up content, identifying additional media angles, connecting an executive’s comments to a broader thought leadership strategy or finding opportunities to extend the conversation through the company’s owned channels. 

In other words, the question should not only be, “Did we get coverage?” 

It should also be, “What can we do with it now?” 

That shift can make PR a more integrated part of a company’s overall communications strategy. 

Measure What Happens After the Coverage Runs 

Traditional PR reporting often emphasizes placements, reach and impressions. Those metrics can help show the scale of a campaign, but they do not tell the entire story. 

If the goal is to maximize the value of earned media, companies should also look at what happens after publication. 

Depending on the campaign, useful measurements may include: 

  • Referral traffic from media placements 
  • Engagement with social posts featuring coverage 
  • Traffic to related owned content 
  • Downloads of reports or other resources 
  • Form submissions and inquiries 
  • Leads that reference a media placement 
  • Sales conversations influenced by coverage 
  • Engagement with executive thought leadership 
  • Searches for the company or executive 

The right measurements depend on the campaign’s objective. 

For instance, a thought leadership effort may be designed primarily to increase visibility and establish an executive as a source. In contrast, lead-generation campaigns may be focused more directly on website traffic or prospect conversion. 

The important thing is to connect media activity to what happens afterward. 

Build a Repeatable Earned Media Strategy 

Companies do not need to reinvent their content strategy every time they earn a media placement. 

A simple process can make repurposing part of the normal PR workflow: 

  • Capture: Save the coverage in a central media library. 
  • Identify: Pull out useful quotes, data, insights and questions. 
  • Adapt: Determine which elements can become social posts, blogs, newsletters, sales materials or thought leadership. 
  • Distribute: Tailor each piece to the audience and channel. 
  • Measure: Track engagement, traffic and other outcomes tied to the campaign. 
  • Refine: Use the results to inform future PR and content efforts. 

This creates a repeatable system rather than relying on someone to remember to share an article after it publishes. 

It also gives marketing teams a clearer view of the content already being generated through PR. 

Make Every Media Placement Work Harder 

Good PR takes time. Companies should get as much value as possible from the coverage they earn. 

That does not mean turning one article into a dozen versions of the same social post. It means looking at the ideas, expertise, data and questions behind the coverage and finding additional ways to make those elements useful. 

The same principle applies before a story ever runs. A company’s existing research, data and thought leadership can give a PR team stronger material to bring to reporters. 

That is ultimately what a connected earned-and-owned media strategy accomplishes. PR generates third-party visibility and validation, while owned channels provide a place to expand the conversation. 

For companies investing in PR agency services or building an internal communications program, the goal should not be simply to count media placements. 

It should be to make those placements work harder. 

When earned media and owned content support one another, one story can become the starting point for many more conversations.

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The Future of TV Advertising: From Buying Ratings to Building Audience-First Strategies

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The Future of TV Advertising: From Buying Ratings to Building Audience-First Strategies

The Future of TV Advertising: From Buying Ratings to Building Audience-First Strategies
August 24, 2026

We are living in the age of innovation. Traditional advertising mediums like linear TV are certainly being impacted, but that doesn’t mean that those mediums are disappearing. How we use them is evolving. 

That was one of the central themes of a recent fireside chat our Media Director, Kristen Carter, participated in with Kevin Maloy, VP of Advanced TV Solutions at Nexxen, during the Las Vegas Innovation Marketing Association’s Digital Technology & Planning Day. 

For agencies and brands, the evolution of video content and how people consume it has fundamentally changed the way we think about television. TV is no longer a one-size-fits-all medium. The future is about understanding who the audience is, how they consume content, and using data and technology to reach them with the right message at the right time – and ultimately understanding how those investments contribute to business results. 

 

TV Has Evolved – So Has the Way We Plan It 

At MassMedia, we still rely on tried-and-true tools to plan linear TV buys. Resources like SQAD help establish market-specific planning costs and negotiate efficient rates, while Nielsen and Comscore help us understand ratings, audience delivery, and forecast reach.  

The introduction of CTV and online video has made audience intelligence tools and client first-party data an absolute necessity, replacing the ratings and demo-based buying strategies of the past. 

First-party data and audience intelligence tools help us understand who a brand’s best customers are, how they behave, what they value, and most importantly, how they consume media. That intelligence is ultimately what determines the media mix. 

 

Determining The Right Video Mix  

Determining the right video mix starts with two questions: Who are we trying to reach, and what business outcome are we trying to achieve? 

Budget is equally important. Linear television can still be cost-prohibitive in certain markets, particularly for advertisers with limited budgets. CTV has made premium television environments much more accessible, allowing brands to enter the video ecosystem without necessarily making the same investment required for a traditional linear schedule. 

But when the audience and budget support it, linear can still be extremely powerful. 

We saw this firsthand with one of our clients, who was focused on growing singular transactions of $25,000 or more. First-party customer profiles showed that these high-value customers tended to be older and more affluent audience that was still consuming linear TV, so we built a strategy around how that audience watched television. The plan combined addressable cable and streaming with linear programming that over-indexed for the target audience, including premium tentpole environments. 

TV was part of a broader marketing ecosystem, but the markets where the strategy ran consistently experienced growth in $25K+ sales. This campaign served as a powerful reminder that innovation doesn’t always mean replacing traditional channels. Sometimes, it means using better data to make traditional channels work harder. 

 

Fragmentation Makes Integrated Media More Important, Not Less 

The proliferation of media platforms has created tremendous opportunity for advertisers, but it has also created one of the industry’s biggest challenges: fragmentation. Consumers don’t think about whether they’re watching “linear TV,” “CTV” or “digital video.” They simply watch content. 

Media planning and measurement, however, often still operate within those individual channel silos. That makes it difficult to understand true unduplicated reach and frequency across screens, and even more difficult to determine how all those exposures ultimately influence a business result. 

The solution isn’t to retreat into the channels that are easiest to measure. It’s to create a full funnel integrated strategy and measure success based on each channel’s role in driving business results – not simply driving impressions.  

A simple case study from a casino partner provides a great example. The brand’s media mix had historically been concentrated in Google and Meta, so we recommended adding CTV and YouTube to build awareness and support the performance of the bottom funnel channels. Since expanding the mix, website sessions and revenue have consistently increased proportionally to the increased paid media investment and channel mix. 

 

Measuring What Matters 

As the media mix becomes more complex, reporting has to evolve with it. 

Rarely is the booking or the purchase the result of a single touchpoint; rather, it’s the cumulative effect of an integrated media strategy. Yet, one of the reasons brands can be hesitant to invest in upper-funnel channels like TV and CTV is that the impact isn’t always as easy to attribute as a click, lead, or booking from a lower-funnel channel. 

That’s why measurement needs to look beyond last-click attribution. We evaluate upper-funnel channels through signals like website traffic, branded search lift, and overall business performance. Our reporting platform brings those insights together, with media performance, website analytics, CRM, sales, bookings and other first-party data in one view to create a more complete picture of media’s impact. 

Reporting is one of the most important ways we demonstrate success to brands.  The goal is never more data – it’s actionable data that helps all parties understand what happened, why it happened and what we should do next. 

 

So Where Does TV Go Next? 

AI and automation will continue to change how agencies plan, buy and optimize television, but technology alone isn’t the strategy. 

The opportunity is using better technology alongside first-party data and audience intelligence to make smarter decisions about who to reach, where to reach them and how each channel contributes to the business objective. 

The future of television isn’t linear versus streaming. It’s an audience-first video strategy where every channel has a role, and success is ultimately measured by business impact, not impressions.

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Influencer Partnerships That Go Beyond Checking a Box

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Influencer Partnerships That Go Beyond Checking a Box

Thought Leadership - Matthew Swope, Vice President of Public Relations, MassMedia
August 18, 2026

This post originally appeared on the blog of the Las Vegas chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

 

It’s easy to take an order: we need 10 influencers at this next venue launch in two weeks.

Teams mobilize. Ten creators attend. Content goes live over a two-day period. The box has been checked.

But did that approach actually produce the desired outcome? And what was the audience experience—scrolling through a sea of nearly identical content on their For You Page?

As communicators, how can we move PR teams out of being order takers, arms and legs if you will, and into strategic partners, peeling back the layers to get to the heart of the ask—and the real why of it all?

That lesson feels especially relevant in hospitality and food and beverage influencer partnerships today.

Most influencer campaigns follow a familiar checklist: build a creator list, negotiate deliverables, host an event, generate posts and calculate reach. But completing the checklist does not necessarily mean the work moved the needle.

Here’s how to reframe influencer partnerships by asking our favorite question: why?


The Initial Request Is Not Always the Real Objective

Clients or internal leaders may communicate their needs through tactics, asking for an influencer event, a certain number of posts, a TikTok campaign or creators above a specific follower threshold.

But those requests are often only the surface expression of a deeper goal.

Maybe the priority is filling reservations during a slower period, creating momentum around an opening, reaching a younger audience or rebuilding excitement about an already established venue.

Our role is to get beneath the request and understand the outcome behind it.

It typically starts with “why?” and is followed with: What does success actually look like? Can we achieve this by hosting an event or one-offs? What would make leadership feel genuinely excited about the investment? What would make the campaign feel bigger than a collection of contracted posts? How will the wider marketing organization be engaging with and utilizing this content?

Influencer strategies tend to be much stronger once those questions are answered.


Start With the Desired Action & Message

The best influencer content should capture attention and inspire action. Whether that’s by clicking out to make a reservation, attending an event, trying a new menu, booking a stay or reconsidering how someone views the brand.

Not every campaign needs to drive an immediate transaction, and oftentimes they won’t, but every campaign should have a clear purpose.

Once the purpose is identified and agreed upon, communicators can determine who the end target is, which platform makes the most sense, and the appropriate influencer to act as a conduit.


Give Creators the Destination, Not Every Turn

Brands should be clear about the message and desired outcomes, but they should not dictate every creative choice. Creators understand the formats, hooks, humor and storylines that resonate with their audiences. That knowledge is part of what the brand is leveraging by engaging in a paid or trade partnership.

The role of a comms team is to provide the strategic foundation: the audience, objective, key message, required facts and brand guardrails. Their job is to translate these baselines into content people will actually choose to watch and engage with.

Creative freedom does not mean operating without direction. It means trusting the creator to find the strongest route to the intended destination.

And, frankly, it’s time for brands to stop nitpicking every frame of influencer content and allow it to reflect the authentic style and voice of the creator.


Sometimes Less Creates More Impact

More creators do not automatically produce more influence.

When dozens of people attend the same preview, capture the same dishes and publish similar content at the same time, audiences quickly recognize the campaign–and they are calling it out. Instead of creating discovery, the volume can make the experience feel manufactured.

Smaller, more bespoke hostings can often produce stronger results. And influencers more and more are asking for one-off experiences, not only to create higher quality content, but to lean into exclusivity and first-looks.

A thoughtfully curated dinner, bespoke itinerary or meaningful access to a chef, founder or creative leader gives influencers a stronger story to experience and tell. It also gives the creator room to find a distinct POV and theme for their content.

The goal should not be to occupy as much of the feed as possible. It should be to give the right storytellers something meaningful enough that their audiences want to act on it.

Did we merely deliver what was requested, or did we peel back the layers to uncover what the stakeholder truly wanted? Did we generate content, or did we create something capable of changing perceptions and moving people to action?

Going beyond checking boxes does not require a bigger campaign or larger budget. It requires a more intentional one.


Follow Matthew Swope on LinkedIn

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Building Brand Conversation: DoorDash’s World Cup Playbook

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Building Brand Conversation: DoorDash’s World Cup Playbook

Food delivery during the World Cup
July 15, 2026
Taste is the new social currency. In an age of mass ads fed to viewers every few posts and overused trends that rarely feel unique, original content is vital to stand out in everyday moments, let alone during culture-driven moments like the World Cup.
 
That’s why major brands like DoorDash are willing to go big on the moment. This year’s tournament brought millions of eyes to the screen and for the delivery app, that meant playing its part. The team had a simple brief: “DoorDash fuels the frenzy in the background for the avid World Cup fan.” Their goal as a team was loftier. According to Head of Social Zaria Parvez, it was to have “#1 SOV against World Cup sponsors that spend 600x more than DoorDash.” A goal like that demands the brand come to play. One of the most effective ways to do that is by creating friction and tension meant to spark conversation.
 
For DoorDash, that started early in the tournament with a campaign led by Zlatan Ibrahimović and a call to all DashPass members to get their share of $5 million in-app credits. While the $5 million was nothing to ignore, what followed the announcement is what really got people talking about DoorDash.
 
Next, a World Cup ticket giveaway with a direct tie-in to the game and a great opportunity for their audiences. But, what got people talking was whether the message it helped amplify was cheeky or a bit tone-deaf. The campaign was led by Brooklyn Beckham, yes, the eldest son of famous footballer David Beckham, who made it painfully clear that there’s tension in the family when he said, “You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the FIFA World Cup from home…It’s a long story.” DoorDash took a risk. Whether or not it was in good taste it got people talking and motivated their audience to open the app to redeem tickets.
 
But, what if a brand tries to tell a story that clearly blurs the lines or even violates FTC rules? Well, DoorDash wasn’t done yet. What started as a “fun” coincidence turned out to be a fully-staged stunt and an undisclosed ad. DoorDash had been live-tweeting moments on X/Twitter and in an attempt to celebrate a New Zealand game, tweeted @TPAIN which at first appeared to be an “honest” mix-up between the famous rapper and the team’s Tim Payne. One tweet could be an accident, but another, and then another, started to look intentional, as seen in the back-and-forth between the rapper and the brand account.
 
The stunt got a ton of coverage across social and PR. Following the exchange, a “reveal” from T-Pain as a #doordashpartner drew nearly 50 million views across their own social platforms.
 
Some praised it. Some called it out. But, at the end of the day it got people talking about the brand and how it was showing up for its audience in big-game moments.

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Trendspotting: Summer 2026 Travel

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Trendspotting: Summer 2026 Travel

Summer Travel
July 8, 2026
Summer has historically been the busiest travel season of the year. While many travelers are keeping a closer eye on their budgets this year, they aren’t giving up vacations entirely. Instead, they’re traveling smarter, prioritizing meaningful experiences, opting for road trips and shorter getaways, seeking out hidden gems, and making every dollar count.
 
To see what summer trends look like beyond the headlines, we asked the MassMedia team to weigh in. Here’s what’s capturing our attention.
 
TREND #1: Investing in Memories
“I’ve noticed that travel has become more of a priority than buying material things. I just returned from a trip to the United Kingdom to visit my sister who lives in northern Scotland, which allowed me to finally see a place that’s been on my bucket list for years. We have family living in Europe during summer, so we turned it into a bigger trip by meeting up in London to explore. I feel like more people are treating travel as an investment in memories and experiences rather than possessions, and I totally get it!” – Alyssa Grock, Senior Account Executive, Integrated Marketing
 
TREND #2: Zara Larsson’s Euro-Summer
“Zara Larsson is the soundtrack of summer and her aesthetic is the ultimate hot girl European vacation. Her pop songs celebrate girls coming together for sun-soaked adventures, seaside cocktails, late-night dancing, and making memories. It’s a celebration of friendship, confidence, freedom, and the kind of summer that feels straight out of a dream.” – Jacki Doroshow, Paid Media Intern
 
TREND #3: Sporting Vacations
“I’m traveling this summer with some friends to see my favorite WNBA team play at their field house. Just like FIFA World Cup travelers visiting the Americas from around the world, many are using sporting events as the centerpiece to build their vacations around.” – Mariana Weber, Senior Social Media Strategist
 
TREND #4: Music-Focused Travel
“I tend to base my summer travel plans around not only seeing family and friends but attending some great shows. This summer, I went to the Kilby Block Party in Salt Lake City to see some of my favorite bands and later this summer I’ll be traveling to Minneapolis and St. Paul for the Minnesota Yacht Club music festival.” – Sean Kenny, Assistant Account Executive, PR
 
TREND #5: The Relaxing Staycation
“I recently took a trip to a tiny mountain town in California called Idyllwild. It is a super small town with one grocery store and one gas station. I can safely say it was one the best trips I’ve taken in years. I’m drawn to environments where I can relax and have a laid back experience that is  close to home, because who can afford insane airfare prices in this economy?” – Mikayla Corgan, Media Coordinator
 
TREND #6: The Multi-Generational Family Reunion
“Earlier this summer I attended a family reunion in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. Not only was it amazing getting out of the heat and enjoying the stunning mountain setting, but it was so much fun getting to spend time with my extended family and reconnect with people I haven’t seen in years. Multi-generational travel has continued to trend in recent years and I understand why, it’s great getting to visit someplace new with people you don’t get to see everyday.” – Jenn Smulo, Director of Consumer Public Relations
 
TREND #7: Grocery Store Tourism
“An interesting new travel trend I’ve noticed is grocery store tourism. People are planning trips, or detours, to check out unique places to shop. Buc-ees has become a social media phenomenon in the United States. Eataly has long been a destination people sought out. Japan’s 7-Eleven’s have a cult following. But, I’ve started visiting unique destinations like Cincinnati’s Jungle Jim’s International Marketplace and Stew Leonard’s in the Northeast, which combine a grocery store with an attraction.” – Alexis Cordell, Account Supervisor, Integrated Marketing

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Celebrating Summer with the Las Vegas Women’s Marketing Collective

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Celebrating Summer with the Las Vegas Women’s Marketing Collective

LVWMC Crafted, Curated, Connections event
July 1, 2026

In June 2026, MassMedia and co-sponsor D/Cipher, hosted Crafted, Curated, Connections, a professional networking event by the Las Vegas Women’s Marketing Collective. This special evening brought together executive women in marketing, media, hospitality, tech, and entrepreneurship from the Las Vegas area and provided an opportunity to network, mingle, and spend time together.

No panels. No presentations. Just a gathering of successful businesswomen finding a refined setting to connect with like-minded professionals, expand their circles, explore new opportunities, and invest in their communities.

Kicking Off Summer

To celebrate the changing seasons, attendees learned how to make refreshing cocktails from the talented bartenders at Nocturno. Those with an eye for floral arranging had a chance to visit the build-a-bouquet station and take home their beautiful creation.

Designed with Connection in Mind

When planning this event, our team thoughtfully designed a comfortable environment where local professional women could be themselves. We aimed to create a setting where guests could have elevated conversations, spark new collaborations or partnerships, and develop friendships, all while crafting an exquisite cocktail, curating a beautiful bouquet, and connecting with an inspired group of their peers.

Women Supporting Women

As a women-owned and WBE-certified marketing agency, MassMedia prides itself on supporting professional women. Hosting this event and partnering with Dress for Success Southern Nevada afforded our team another opportunity to uplift women in our community.

The next Las Vegas Women’s Marketing Collective event, an expert panel discussion, will be held in October 2026. We hope to see you there!

>60

Attendees

74

Clothing donations

>50

Cocktails crafted

>40

Bouquets built

Watch the recap video below.

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Bold Women Leaders Build the Rooms They Once Needed

Posted on by jguffey@massmediacc.com

Bold Women Leaders Build the Rooms They Once Needed

Paula Yakubik, CEO and Founding Partner of MassMedia
March 8, 2026

When I was 25 years old, I started MassMedia with more belief than experience. I didn’t have a deep bench of investors. I didn’t have a legacy name attached to mine. What I had was passion for my craft, a belief in myself and a conviction and willingness to walk into rooms that scared me to death.

Twenty-eight years later, I learned something that no MBA program could have taught me: rooms change everything.

In the early years of building MassMedia in Las Vegas, I spent more time asking for meetings and pushing my way into rooms than being invited to them. I walked into boardrooms filled mostly with men, pitching marketing, advertising and PR with burning ambition and a thick skin I had to grow quickly.

Some rooms felt welcoming. Some scared me to death.

Some rooms felt transactional.  Some rooms were collaborative and life changing.

Some were testing me. Some changed my life forever.

But every room taught me something.

Rooms are where:

Partnerships are formed.

Capital is allocated.

Narratives are shaped.

Confidence is either built or broken.

As a young female founder in the late 1990s I learned quickly that if I wanted to get in the room and have a seat at the table I had to be prepared, sharper, more strategic, and relentlessly results driven. There was no margin for mediocracy.

Over the past three decades MassMedia has grown from a small Las Vegas start-up into an integrated marketing and PR agency with 30 employees and more than $15 million in annual revenue serving major brands nationwide.   But the growth that matters most to me today is not for myself, it is for people.  

It’s the young account executive who found her voice presenting to a very important client. It’s a media buyer, who crafted a buy that delivered results beyond our wildest expectation. It’s the women in my community who are just starting out and the women who I grew up with who now run divisions, departments and companies of their own.

When I started to think about almost 30 years in this business and how I wanted to cross the finish line, it wasn’t about more material possessions, or a profit number. It was about creating a deliberate rooms for women.

This is why I founded the Las Vegas Women’s Marketing Collective. It’s not just an event series; it’s a deliberate room.

A room where:

  • Women at the top of their industry share the truth about leadership.
  • Emerging professionals see what’s possible.
  • Next generation students find access.
  • Collaboration replaces competition.

Because when ambitious women come together, not as rivals but as peers, something shifts. Ideas form. Courage grows stronger. Businesses expand and confidence compounds.

For years, I focused on building rooms for clients: strategic planning sessions, campaign launches, crisis planning rooms.  Today I am equally focused on building rooms for women marketing leaders.

At 25 years old I was trying to prove that I belonged in the room. At 54, I am intentional on who I bring into it. This is the power of experience and the responsibility of leadership. Founding MassMedia taught me resilience and some failures taught me discipline. Building the women’s collective has reminded me of something deeper.

Success is not just about building a company; it is about building people.

Rooms are where that happens.

So, on this International Women’s Day, my message is this:

If you don’t see the room, you need to build it.

If you’re already in the room, widen it.

Rooms shape careers, rooms shape companies and rooms shape communities.

And when women gather with intention, rooms can become movements.

Paula Yakubik is the Founder & CEO of MassMedia and the Founder of the Las Vegas Women’s Marketing Collective.

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The Biggest Paid Media Takeaways from 2025: A Year of Clarifying Signals

Posted on by Ryan

The Biggest Paid Media Takeaways from 2025: A Year of Clarifying Signals

Social media icons
December 29, 2025

As 2025 draws to a close, paid media seems more like a maturing discipline than a rapidly evolving trend cycle.

We have collaborated with companies in a variety of sectors, platforms, and stages of development over the course of the last year to plan, test, improve, and scale paid media initiatives in real time. The most significant changes weren’t connected to specific platform updates, even though strategies kept changing. They had to do with how brands viewed strategy, creativity, data, and measurement as interconnected systems.

In retrospect, 2025 provided several clarifying indicators. These are the key lessons from paid media that we found most noteworthy in our work, and we think they will continue to influence performance in the future.

1. Platform Growth Invited More Intentional Decision-Making

In 2025, advertisers had more paid media options than ever before. Platforms expanded placements, formats, and discovery surfaces, while retail media networks continued to gain relevance within broader media mixes.

What became increasingly clear is that opportunity alone isn’t the driver of performance. Intentionality is.

Brands saw the most momentum when platform expansion was guided by clear objectives, realistic expectations, and a thoughtful understanding of where the audience already engaged. Rather than feeling pressure to show up everywhere, many teams found success by deepening investment in channels that were already working and expanding selectively when the right conditions were in place. 

2. Creative Emerged as the Most Reliable Performance Signal

Throughout 2025, creative consistently proved to be one of the strongest indicators of paid media success.

As targeting continued to broaden, ads themselves carried more responsibility. Messaging, pacing, format, and authenticity all played a greater role in how campaigns performed. Creative that clearly articulated value, addressed real customer needs, and felt native to the platform often outperformed more polished, but less relevant assets.

Strong creative didn’t come from one perfect concept. It came from building systems that allowed teams to test, learn, and iterate quickly. Over time, these feedback loops became one of the most dependable ways to improve efficiency.

3. First-Party Data Continued to Strengthen Performance Foundations

Another pattern that became increasingly visible in 2025 was the role of first-party data in creating stability and consistency.

Brands that invested in clean data infrastructure—through CRM connections, server-side tracking, and thoughtful event design—gave platforms clearer signals to work with. This didn’t eliminate volatility, but it often made performance more predictable and learning periods more efficient.

At the same time, these investments helped teams better understand their audiences beyond platform dashboards, supporting stronger alignment between paid media, lifecycle marketing, and overall growth strategy.

4. Paid Media Naturally Moved Further Up the Funnel

In 2025, paid media continued to play a broader role across the customer journey.

Many brands observed that conversion-focused campaigns performed best when supported by earlier touchpoints — ads designed to educate, introduce, and build familiarity over time. Rather than viewing awareness and consideration as separate initiatives, teams began to see them as essential inputs to conversion efficiency.

This shift was especially evident on platforms like Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, where audiences often discover brands before actively searching for them.

5. Measurement Became More About Direction Than Certainty

Measurement conversations evolved noticeably in 2025.

As attribution remains imperfect, teams spent less time searching for precision and more time looking for consistency and directional insight. Blended metrics, trend analysis, and incrementality testing helped provide context that single-channel reports could not.

This shift encouraged stronger collaboration between marketing, analytics, and leadership—and helped align paid media decisions with broader business outcomes.

6. Rising Costs Reinforced the Importance of Fundamentals

Costs continued to rise across most paid media platforms in 2025, but this trend also brought an important realization into focus: paid media reflects the strength of what it’s built on.

Brands with clear positioning, compelling offers, cohesive messaging, and strong on-site experiences often found that paid media remained an effective growth lever, even in a more competitive environment.

Rather than being a standalone solution, paid media functioned best as an amplifier of solid fundamentals already in place.

Looking Ahead

2025 wasn’t defined by a single platform shift or tactical breakthrough. It was defined by a growing sense of alignment between creative and media, data and strategy, short-term performance and long-term brand building.

As we look toward 2026, the most successful paid media programs will continue to be those built with intention: grounded in strong fundamentals, guided by learning, and flexible enough to evolve alongside changing platforms and consumer behavior.

That’s the lens we bring to our work, and the one we believe will continue to serve brands well in the years ahead.

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Our Top 9 PR Successes of 2025

Posted on by Ryan

Our Top 9 PR Successes of 2025

Our Top 9 PR Successes in 2025
December 9, 2025

How We Humanize Brands by Creating Moments of Influence 

Public relations is a different beast than traditional marketing or social media. While marketing pushes messages out, PR pulls people in. We humanize your brand by creating moments of influence – the stories, voices, and personalities that help audiences connect on an emotional level. 

Here are some of our favorite PR successes from 2025 that show how powerful human-centered storytelling can be. 

1. Circus Circus Las Vegas: Introducing Fear Zone

Circus Circus Las Vegas celebrated spooky season by presenting Fear Zone in the Adventuredome. Fear Zone combined terrifying haunted houses, scare zones, live scare actors and a one-of-a-kind coaster experience in the dark for the ultimate fear-filled scream park. We worked with Circus Circus Las Vegas and South of Heaven Productions to secure local press coverage and influencer content highlighting the limited run production. 

Our PR team invited media to Fear Zone previews and VIP tours inside the Adventuredome, as well as offered interview opportunities with Circus Circus leadership and Fear Zone creators. 

The result: Extensive local media coverage and high-impact influencer content positioned Fear Zone as a must-visit Halloween experience at Circus Circus Las Vegas. 

2. Ellis Island Casino & Hotel: Unveiling Phase One of a $35M Expansion

As Ellis Island Casino began working on its $35 million expansion, they approached MassMedia to help announce the first phase. The new space doubles the casino floor, which includes a new casino bar, high-limit gaming area, and the recently announced Boomer’s Sportsbook. The expansion also includes a new rooftop bar, The Deck, with views of Las Vegas Boulevard and seasonal craft cocktails.  

Our PR team announced the expansion by highlighting how the new space would both elevate the property and maintain the history surrounding Las Vegas local’s favorite off-Strip property, securing coverage locally and across industry publications. Additionally, we hosted a variety of influencers at The Deck to highlight the new addition.  

The result: The announcement brought forth both local and national coverage, as well as influencer content, which drove widespread awareness in Ellis Island’s continued expansion.  

3. IndiCap’s “The Ranch”: Telling the Human Side of a Large-Scale Industrial Development

Industrial developments don’t often get associated with people, but that’s exactly where we saw an opportunity. 

When IndiCap and its partners announced The Ranch, a first-of-its-kind industrial-anchored mixed-use development in Gilbert, AZ, we focused on the project’s human impact: 

  • What it means for the community 
  • How it will serve as a gathering place 
  • Its mix of shopping, dining, housing, and an 18-acre green space 

Coverage spanned consumer, trade, and business media, with IndiCap’s Regional VP of Development highlighting how the project was intentionally designed to benefit local residents, not just businesses. 

The result: An industrial development turned into a community story. 

 

4. Launching Kenerator with Ken Goodrich: Introducing a Leader to New Markets

Ken Goodrich, chairman of Goettl Air Conditioning & Plumbing, is a well-known business leader in the Southwest. But when he launched his newest venture, Kenerator whole-home standby generators, in multiple Sunbelt markets, including Texas and Florida, our goal was to introduce the man behind the brand to audiences who had never met him. 

Our PR team coordinated a mix of media and podcast interviews that allowed Ken to share his personal and professional journey, including his successes, challenges, and reputation for trusted leadership. 

The result: Three successful market launches, each already operating profitably, supported by meaningful storytelling that built familiarity and credibility from day one. 

 

5. MAC.BID: How Savvy Shoppers are Saving Big

MAC.BID, a liquidation auction site with thirty locations across the country, tasked MassMedia with developing a public relations campaign to raise brand awareness nationally as well as in local markets.  

The campaign focused on value, highlighting MAC.BID’s ability to help shoppers save on everything from toys to home decor to tools and more as American’s struggled with tariffs and inflation. The multipronged approach included paid influencer partnerships, national outreach, and highlighting new openings in local markets.  

The result: A major feature in USA Today highlighting the brand, which was syndicated across multiple local publications, as well as coverage highlighting openings in Macon, Davenport, Hamilton, and more.  

 

6. Nocturno Cocktail Bar: Bringing a Taste of Mexico City to the Arts District

Nocturno Cocktail Bar opened in the Las Vegas Arts District and sought to stand out from competitors by positioning itself as a leader in the craft cocktail movement. MassMedia was tasked with developing a campaign that helps Nocturno build a national presence and earn World’s 50 Best Bars recognition.  

The kickoff the campaign, MassMedia connected Nocturno with Mexico City’s Rayo, named #87 on World’s 50 Best Bars 2024 and #5 on North America’s 50 Best Bars 2024. Nocturno hosted the Rayo team for a one night pop up event, inviting the Las Vegas community to enjoy a taste of Mexico City.  

The result: A sold-out event introducing Las Vegas to Rayo’s award-winning mixology, cementing Nocturno as a destination for craft cocktails while pairing Nocturno’s name with an internationally recognized cocktail destination.  

 

7. Organizers Direct Industries: Humanizing a Brand to Grow a National Dealer Network

When Organizers Direct Industries (ODI) partnered with MassMedia to expand brand awareness and recruit new dealers, we built a multi-pillar strategy centered on people, not products. 

First, we positioned the company’s president, Alicia Barker, as the face and voice of ODI. By sharing her background, leadership philosophy, and vision for stylish, high-quality home storage solutions, we secured coverage with national outlets including Bloomberg, NBC News Now, Real Simple, and more. 

Next, we amplified the stories of ODI’s top dealers. Through industry podcasts, trade outlets, and vertical media, we showcased real entrepreneurs reflecting on their partnership with ODI. 

The result: Human storytelling that drove both brand growth and dealer interest. 

 

8. Primak Construction Group: Bringing a New Brand Name to Life

When longtime client Lou Primak approached us about renaming his construction company after himself, we knew the rebrand needed to do more than change a logo – it needed to reaffirm trust. 

Our PR team built a launch strategy that positioned Lou as the heart of the company, emphasizing that while the name was evolving, the craftsmanship, reputation, and reliability remained the same. 

We delivered widespread coverage across local business, industry, and trade media, with Lou front and center in interviews and podcasts. 

The result: a smooth, confidence-building transition to a new name backed by human credibility. 

 

9. Sam & Ash Injury Law: Influencing Teens Through Safe-Driving Stories

Sam Mirejovsky and Ash Watkins have always aimed to differentiate themselves by focusing on community impact. This year, we helped bring that mission to life with a campaign centered on teen driver safety. 

Local students were invited to submit short essays on “What Safe Driving Means to Me” for a chance to win prizes, including a brand-new Volkswagen Jetta as the grand prize. 

Our PR strategy highlighted both the emotional and educational benefits of the campaign: 

  • The importance of safe driving for teens 
  • The personal story of the student who received the car 
  • Sam & Ash’s commitment to protecting young drivers 

The result: A feel-good, purpose-driven campaign that positioned Sam & Ash as trusted community advocates.  

 

Human Stories Create Human Brands 

The common thread in each of these successes is simple but powerful: people connect with people. By weaving the human stories behind the brands and businesses we represent, we create campaigns that resonate, influence, and endure. 

If 2025 has shown us anything, it’s that PR doesn’t just build awareness, it builds relationships. 

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A Thankful Look Back: 2025 Trends That Make Us Better Marketers

Posted on by Ryan

A Thankful Look Back: 2025 Trends That Make Us Better Marketers

Trends that make us better marketers
November 26, 2025

A Thankful Look Back: 2025 Trends That Make Us Better Marketers 

Every year brings a new wave of predictions, but 2025 was defined by smarter, more intentional marketing that made stronger connections to audiences. Campaigns were stronger and more thoughtful, and shifted tactics across the board. 

As we wrap up this year, here’s a look at the trends we are grateful for; the ones that raised the bar for brands and made all of us better at what we do. 

Quality over quantity 

There was a time where content was pushed out by the day, or even the hour. Posting for the sake of posting was the standard, even if the content was lower level and not as engaging. It was the routine, and still is on some platforms. Audiences have made it clear throughout 2025 that the days of posting for the sake of posting are over. According to a study on HubSpot, brands that reduced posting and focused on high value content saw… 

  • A 27% increase in engagement when shifting from content volume to the value of content.
  • 62% more saves and shares after reducing weekly posts and increasing depth. 
  • There is a longer post lifespan and healthier audience sentiment overall.
  • Brands that put thought behind what will grab their audience’s attention earned more of it. 

This shift has weight. The production treadmill is easy to step onto, but this allows brands to free themselves from getting tired. 

Attributions got smarter, budgets stronger 

Tools such as Google Analytics, Meta Ads Attribution, and Marketing Mix Modeling platforms grew in their sophistication and processes, meaning that brands could finally see the paths audiences followed to drive outcomes, vs lying on the last click. This showed us marketers that there was purpose being the spend, and decision-making was based on results, not educated guesses. Meta for Business and Nielson noted the following regarding 2025 ROI performance: 

  • There was a 21% improvement in ROAS on brands that used advanced attribution in 2025. 
  • Up to 55% reduction in wasted spend when budgets were adjusted based on insight. 
  • Attribution models offered clear visibility into role-playing across channels. 

AI is meant to support creativity instead of threatening it 

If 2024 was the year everyone was scared of AI, 2025 is the year that marketers made peace with it and learned how to use it for good. While there are still very fine lines between using too much AI (and for the wrong reason) and using it just the right amount, there has been more structure and learnings around using it for the heavy lifting. Adobe showcased that eight to twelve hours a week are saved per week using AI for research, organization, and structuring making campaign timelines 30-40% faster across all workflows. This does not necessarily apply to creative or strategy. AI can guide and offer competitive insights, but the drive is still very much in human hands. 

Communities are leading marketing 

Consumers continued to move away from traditional brand messaging and were drawn to real people, and real experiences. Real is the keyword. While influencers also have blown up exponentially, audiences want to feel like there is a reliability to the content, and person, they are choosing to watch. TikTok and Instagram analytics showcase that community-first content delivered 2-4x stronger engagement, further showing that brands who lean into micro-moments and creator partnerships gained more meaningful reach. The 2025 Instagram trends report noted the following differentiators: 

  • Instagram had a 28% higher share rate for posts that reflect community stories. 
  • On Meta as a whole, community-driven messaging saw a 37% lift in ad recall. 

Cultural knowledge is still an expectation 

There is no recognition for simply “trying” to be tapped into culture in 2025, it’s a requirement. Accurate audience/consumer recognition, language/DMA appropriate content, and cultural understanding are not non-negotiables and have become the differentiators between campaigns that worked, and ones that missed the mark. 

Social listening provides an advantage 

The brands/companies who listened to their audiences took first place. Why? They caught on to needs, they adjusted messaging in real time, and were tapped into the reality of what people were looking for. Sprout Social shared data insights from audience listening tools and found that…

  • Social listening produced 42% more accurate insights than self-reported data. 
  • Brands who responded quickly to community responses saw higher conversion rates AND sentiment, and easily avoided missing the mark. 

We’re grateful 

These shifts we saw in 2025 showcased a maturity in the market. Pushing the industry in the direction of connection, clarity, and building a community of people who genuinely care about the content that is reaching audiences. 

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