The PESO model (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned) is a strong tactic that categorizes media into four types in order to plan how exactly to campaign for specific organizations. While paid, shared, and owned media are crucial to PR in their own ways, earned media is stands to be the most important due to the fact that it provides credibility and organic reach. This approach is valuable because it fosters trust from audiences by leveraging external, respected sources.
Why Earned Media is the Most Crucial
Although earned media is argued to be the most important for PR professionals to use, it works best whenever paired with any other part of the PESO model. According to the Spin Sucks podcast, earned media requires cultivating relationships with journalists and influencers. The podcast emphasizes that PR professionals need to be strategic with their pitches by targeting media outlets that align with their brand’s message, which ensures that the coverage resonates with the intended audience. This process of identifying relevant media and crafting compelling pitches is essential for securing earned media (Gini Dietrich, Host, ep-130, Spin Sucks 130: A PESO Model Primer for 2021). The Spin Sucks podcast also says that earned media is invaluable because it comes from third-party sources, such as journalists or influencers, which makes it more trustworthy to audiences. This trust factor is particularly important because consumers are more likely to trust an endorsement or story from a neutral source than from a direct advertisement (Gini Dietrich, Host, ep-130, Spin Sucks 130: A PESO Model Primer for 2021).
Recent Earned Media Success: Smile 2
A strong example of successful earned media in 2024 was the recent Smile 2 film campaign. Paramount Pictures blended earned and shared media tactics to create organic buzz around the movie’s release. The studio planted actors with eerie, exaggerated smiles in the audience of MLB games and public places, which led to extensive media coverage and social media chatter (McArdle, 2024). This brilliant PR work made different people around the world want to see this movie, including myself. This tactic tapped into earned media’s strength by prompting genuine public interest and media coverage across mainstream outlets and social platforms, leading to a successful viral campaign.
Another standout of earned media success in 2023 was the campaign around the Super Mario Bros. Movie. The film’s promotional efforts were heavily supported by organic social media activity, nostalgia-driven conversations, and word-of-mouth excitement, resulting in substantial unpaid media coverage. One particular moment that went viral was the “Peaches” song performed by Jack Black (as the character Bowser), which became a social media sensation. The song sparked a flood of user-generated content on TikTok and YouTube, leading to massive, earned media as fans shared and remixed the song across platforms. Black’s in-character interviews also contributed to the buzz, making it a prominent example of earned media success (Chayka, 2023).
In conclusion, earned media remains vital for PR professionals, as it combines reach, credibility, and engagement. For brands aiming to stand out, earned media offers a way to influence audiences authentically, turning third-party validation into powerful promotional momentum that can drive both visibility and success without the high costs of traditional advertising.
References:
Chayka, K. (2023, May 4). The stupefying success of “The super mario bros.. movie.” The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/the-stupefying-success-of-the-super-mario-bros-movie
Dietrich, G. (2021, January 5). Spin sucks 130: A peso model primer for 2021. FIR Podcast Network. https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/spin-sucks-130-a-peso-model-primer-for-2021/
McArdle, T. (2024, October 15). Creepy smiling people spook major league baseball fans ahead of horror sequel smile 2’s release. People.com. https://people.com/smile-2-marketing-campaign-creepy-smiling-people-mlb-8728163
Microsoft. (n.d.-a). Bing. https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=jack%2Bblack%2Binterview%2Bsinging%2Bpeaches&mid=48E046BC55ACBDFE30C348E046BC55ACBDFE30C3&FORM=VIRE
