In September 2018, the founder of a Korean-based health tech startup approached MACIAS PR for help promoting his smart belt wearable.
The founder had hired a different PR agency earlier in the year to promote their wearable at CES 2018 but didn’t get any traction. He was hoping our agency could promote the exact same wearable at CES 2019. He heard about our agency from another Korean entrepreneur who had worked with us.
But we’ve also run targeted media campaigns for practicing physicians too. I never realized this before working with Columbia University Medical Center, but physicians and hospital groups need to develop new business too.
In July 2021, a physician reached out to MACIAS PR, asking for help promoting his medical practice built around the microbiome. He explained to me over the phone how the gut has healthy and bad bacteria, which has a direct impact on how we feel, and our health.
I hadn’t really heard of the gut microbiome movement before our conversation, but I quickly realized this was an area of practice that was going to spread to the larger population quickly. When I asked the physician why I hadn’t heard of it, he was very candid.
“No one is talking about how the gut impacts our health but it’s real.”
MACIAS PR led the PR & media campaign for MBS & Accounting Technology & Advisory firm in 2017. The accounting firm approached us for help in growing their business, generating new leads and promoting their annual tech conference. The Senior VP of MBSATA said our media and digital marketing campaigns had a direct impact on their business growth.
Challenge: Accounting is not an interesting topic to reporters. It’s perceived as being systematically boring with few fresh angles. It’s also in a vaguely defined market that includes bookkeeping and accounting. Our PR team had to find interesting, creative and timely topics to position this accounting firm in the news.
Solution: MACIAS PR developed targeted and timely stories that appealed to their targeted business base: nonprofit and tech startups. We simplified the message and communicated the story to reporters in a way reporters would understand. In addition to our thought leadership ideas, our PR team also ghost-wrote editorials on the CEO’s name, including several prominent pieces that were published in Forbes and ValueWalk – one of the most prominent tech publications that reaches young entrepreneurs. Our messaging was designed to drive new business.
The article in Forbes was also picked by their editors under their “Editor’s Choice” section, bringing even more exposure to the story. The article was titled, “5 Red Flags That Inexperienced Entrepreneurs Must Avoid To Attract Investors.”
Closer Look at Media Coverage
Results: MACIAS PR helped raise the profile of MBSATA in the nonprofit and tech space. We also helped sell tickets to their annual tech summit, bringing in the largest number of attendees in the history of their organized event. Our coverage helped drive more than 1500 people to their event in Manhattan.
Our PR team secured prominent and targeted news stories that positioned the firm as a leader in accounting technology. We conceptualized campaigns and executed media campaigns that introduced the firm to their ideal client base: nonprofits, tech startups and accountants. Our media coverage included stories with Forbes, Accounting Today, Asea, Valuewalk, Nonprofit Information, NonProfitPro, Bitcoin.com, MedCityNews, CoinDesk, YoungUpStarts and BizEdge.
You can see more of this media coverage on our document below the client testimonial.
In addition to securing these news stories, MACIAS PR also promoted their annual tech summit, MBS CalculTech with the local tech community. If you are looking for a PR firm to help you with your B2B campaign, we encourage you to contact us. We would be happy to discuss your needs and provide you with a free consultation.
Client Testimonial
“MACIAS PR promoted our business and annual tech event in 2017. I couldn’t be happier with the media coverage and online publicity they secured for our firm. Their PR strategy had a direct relationship to our business growth. Mark is also easy to work with and comes up with his own angles that get coverage. Highly recommend MACIAS PR.”
~ Michael Jones, Senior VP of Sales and Partnerships
Finance Monthly and ACQ5 5 – an international industry award – named MACIAS PR the 2017-2020 Strategic PR Firm of the Year, and PR Firm of the Year. This was the third year in a row that Finance Monthly recognized our firm. The founder – Mark Macias – is a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. He is also a PR contributor with Entrepreneur and Forbes, providing media analysis, insight and crisis advice on timely business topics.
Back in 2016, the weight loss program Noom had little national name recognition despite being popular with consumers. However, the media tide shifted when MACIAS PR took over their publicity after their previous PR agency failed to deliver.
This case study delves into how MACIAS PR successfully elevated Noom’s presence in the media as a digital health coach.
From the start, our team faced challenges, including the need to differentiate Noom in a crowded weight loss market. Mark Macias, the founder, devised a comprehensive strategy outlining the stories to be told and the media outlets to target.
Within the first month of collaboration, MACIAS PR secured a story with CBS News, highlighting how Noom’s mobile app helped pre-diabetics and diabetics manage their conditions. Over the next three years, this success was followed by hundreds of stories appearing on various major platforms, including NBC Today Show, People Magazine, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, CNBC, PIX 11 in NYC, CNN, Fortune, TechCrunch, Entrepreneur, New York Post, and more.
MACIAS PR also helped expand Noom’s reach with Spanish consumers by placing stories with Telemundo and Univision.
B2B and B2C Media Campaign
Besides the B2C focus, Noom also had a B2B service targeting HR and providers. MACIAS PR developed a tailored B2B strategy that secured features in outlets like MobiHealthNews, The American Journal of Managed Care, Fierce Biotech, FW Pharma, Med City News, among others. All of these stories emphasized how Noom as an employee benefit was saving the companies money from a health care spend perspective.
Measurable Results from Media and Branding Campaign
In 2018 and 2019, Google named Noom one of the top-trending diet terms in their annual “Year in Search Report.” This increased search exposure was a direct result of our media coverage.
Fast Company Magazine also recognized Noom as one of the Interbrand Breakthrough Brands in 2017. Most notable, Noom did not have a Chief Marketing Officer during the entire time we worked together. Our media and branding strategy came from our time working directly with the founders.
Media Exposure Helps with Fundraising
Our media campaign also helped support Noom’s fundraising goals. MACIAS PR conceptualized angles that resonated with reporters and investors, showcasing the digital health company as a top disruptor in health tech.
Despite the challenges of obtaining media coverage for investment rounds, MACIAS PR successfully navigated and ensured Noom received extensive and positive exposure. Our PR team secured media coverage for Noom’s $58 million investment round with outlets like TechCrunch, Fortune, Entrepreneur, and AlleyWatch in 2019.
Media Trained Founders and Spokespeople
Throughout the partnership, Mark Macias media trained the C-suite for all media interviews.
For a more detailed case study, please reach out to us. We can share a more in-depth case study that reveals even more successes from our 3+ year relationship with Noom. You can also get a PR estimate by clicking here.
Finance Monthly and ACQ5 5 – an international industry award – named MACIAS PR the 2017-2020 Strategic PR Firm of the Year, and PR Firm of the Year. This was the third year in a row that Finance Monthly recognized our firm. The founder – Mark Macias – is a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. He is also a PR contributor with Entrepreneur and Forbes, providing media analysis, insight and crisis advice on timely business topics.
In 2018, the founder of MACIAS PR – Mark Macias – wrote and produced an Off-Broadway play on the final hours of Elvis Presley’s time on earth. The King, The Final Hours was an artistic look at what went through Elvis’ mind as he realized he was dying.
This agency led the entire publicity and marketing campaign for the play, and it had a direct impact on ticket sales. The King, The Final Hours received local, national and international media attention and sold out 50 percent of its shows. More than 50 independent theaters across the country expressed interest in the play before COVID hit. The first syndicated play was scheduled to open in May 2020 in Portland, Oregon. COVID put that on hold.
Media Coverage for the Play
Local TV, community newspapers, radio, national and international online publications all published features on The King, The Final Hours. Here’s a look at some of the mentions from those news stories.
New York Post – “The King, The Final Hours, Macias’ debut play that imagines Elvis Presley’s sad last hours on this earth, had a well-received reading… with an eye towards enticing more investors.”
Broadway Box – “The King, The Final Hours will take baby boomers back to their youth and introduce a new generation to the powerful entertainer who became the most famous man on Earth.”
NY1 – “While many story tellers focus on what made Elvis so successful, this play examines the singer’s struggles.”
PIX 11 – The play looks at how his life ended and finds themes we can all explore in our lives.
Rock & Roll Globe Magazine – “This story explores some of those personal failures that he had as a human. If a play is going to succeed, it has to be a great story, a new story, something that hasn’t been told. And I believe this does have that.”
Brooklyn Reader – “The play doesn’t shy away from the truth about Elvis.”
Brooklyn Paper – “Macias’ show imagines Elvis realizing something very strange is happening, and calling out to the three most important women in his life: His mama, his first wife, and the woman he loved but didn’t marry.”
Media Partnerships
In addition to securing media placements and creating content for social media, MACIAS PR also partnered with sponsors from different industries. We created experience packages for hotels. This included a Meet & Greet with the cast, seats in the front row and a private Q&A with the producer following the show.
You can see more of our media coverage in the case study below. Interested in hearing how MACIAS PR can help promote your show or play? Click here to get a free PR estimate. We learned a lot from producing and promoting this play, and can share more of this knowledge with your creators.
ABOUT MACIAS PR
Marketing peers named MACIAS PR the 2017-2020 Strategic PR Firm of the Year. In 2015, 2016 and 2017, Finance Monthly named MACIAS PR the Financial PR Firm of the Year. The founder – Mark Macias – is a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. City & State Magazine named him a PR Political Power Player in New York
MACIAS PR led the media campaign for Congressional candidate Vangie Williams, from the First District of Virginia in 2018. The District encompasses three media markets – Washington DC, Norfolk and Richmond, requiring a complex strategy that appealed to reporters in both small and large markets.
Our media strategy led to prominent placements with targeted news organizations in all three media markets.
The publicity we generated helped the challenger come within single digits of beating the Republican incumbent in a solidly Red District. Our campaign had no financial support from the DNC yet we continued to make local and national waves on the media front with the DNC taking notice.
Media Campaign
MACIAS PR created the media strategy, led the entire execution, coordinated all interviews with reporters and media trained the client. We were on a boot-strapped budget yet we still managed to run a publicity campaign securing media attention in all three media markets.
Media coverage included stories with: The Washington Post, The Daily Press, Richmond Times, Prince William Times, Fauquier Times, Digital Journal, The Blue & Gray Press, Blue Virginia, Virginia Gazette, Fredericksburg.com, Bustle, Inside Nova, Potomac Local, WTVR.com, Essence, WTOP, Virginia Mercury, Gazette-Journal, People’s World, Deutsche Welle and Radio IQ.
Recommendations
“I worked closely with Mark Macias throughout the general election campaign for Congressional can- didate Vangie Williams. Our resources were small, yet Mark and his team were able to get our story in the local news throughout our congressional district, which spans three different media markets. Our weekly strategy calls and quick adaption to the news cycle helped us get exposure with local TV, newspapers and national media outlets – a major feat during a popular midterm election with compet- ing healines. Overall, we had a higher media placement than our opponent, leading several political observers to note that we were running the most organized and competitive campaign for the district in quite some time. I highly recommend Mark for any political communications campaign. He under- stands the public sphere and knows how to shape messaging that’s authentic to the candidate and influential for the overall campaign.”
Sheri Shannon, Campaign Manager
You can see more of media coverage in the document below. If you’d like to schedule a call with Mark Macias, feel free to message him here and schedule a call. You can also get a free PR estimate by clicking here and answering a few quick questions.
MACIAS PR led the rebranding and media campaign for the world’s largest online dating site, Plenty Of Fish from 2013 to 2015. Our media campaign re-introduced the lifestyle brand to singles between the ages of 20 to 45 in the US, UK and Canada.
The dating site approached MACIAS PR after Tinder and other dating apps started to steal its market share. The founder said he also wanted to reposition his dating website for an acquisition.
Our initial goal was to grow the user base among females. Within six months, our team achieved their female acquisition goals and broadened our campaign to reach all singles. Six months into our launch, the founder told Business Insider his app was growing its use-monthly base by 15 percent.
Our creative media strategy used editorial and programming campaigns that led prominent news stories (not mere mentions) with some of the most influential publications around the world. Media coverage included features with: Time Magazine, The NBC Today Show, The Daily Mail in the UK, Yahoo Finance!, Business Insider, Glamour Magazine, Cosmo Magazine, Women’s Health Magazine, as well as local TV and radio stations in the USA. In 2016, the company was named one of the “Best of the Web” by Time magazine.
Many potential clients assume MACIAS PR only works with large health care brands. Yes, we have run media and branding campaigns for large tech and health care companies, but we’ve also launched publicity campaigns for boot-strapped startups.
Find Your Trainer is a mobile app that matches consumers with physical trainers. The boot-strapped startup was only 5-months old when MACIAS PR launched their publicity campaign.
Goal: To increase app downloads and bookings for their physical trainers during the holiday shopping season. We positioned Find Your Trainer as a unique start-up that was reinventing the fitness industry – just as Uber and Seamless had reinvented their industries.
Challenges: Find Your Trainer had no media coverage or messaging in place when MACIAS PR took over their publicity campaign. Our team had to identify editorial angles to pitch to the media with little help from the founder. In addition, the mobile app was only in NYC, limiting our media exposure to primarily one media market. MACIAS PR had less than a month to identify the message and get the timely story out to consumers.
Strategy: Position the mobile app as a great gift idea for couples. Messaging: Here’s a gift to help your out-of-shape partner lose weight. We also highlighted how this mobile app enabled consumers to try out the best gyms without pricy membership plans. The founder also gave fitness advice to targeted health sites.
Results: This publicity campaign succeeded with local and national media, securing media coverage with targeted TV, newspapers, magazines and influential lifestyle websites. The founder of Find Your Trainer told a reporter in January that he saw a 400-percent increase in sign-ups from December to January, largely based on our organic media coverage.
Media campaigns for politicians can be some of the most difficult campaigns to run. Journalists are skeptical of politicians, knowing they are pushing an agenda. No reporter wants to be a tool for propaganda.
This is why every political campaign must have a solid news angle. Not a marketing message or campaign narrative, but an editorial angle.
MACIAS PR has run media campaigns for Congressional candidates across New York, Virginia, Arizona, Illinois, Oregon and California. With all of these campaigns, we secured local and national media coverage for these candidates by identifying news angles that were timely and topical.
A health care services consulting firm approached MACIAS PR a few months after they launched their startup. The founder wanted help elevating her brand and introducing her services to social workers and new clients.
Our team developed and executed this publicity campaign from conception to execution. We identified story angles of interest; positioned the CEO as as a leading health care expert; coordinated interviews; prepped the founder for all media interviews; and identified reporter and media outlets of interest.
Goal: To increase brand awareness and generate revenue around the company’s health care services.
Challenges: The health care startup was only a few months old with a founder who was extremely busy building a company. The CEO had no experience dealing with the media, coming from the health care sector.
Strategy: Position the CEO with the media as the health care expert on everything related to Medicaid and Medicare.
Tactics:
Identify solid news angles that resulted in coverage.
Position CEO as strategic thought leader in health care.
Identify key media contacts at relevant publications.
Pitch stories that were timely, newsworthy, and of interest to the targeted audience.
Follow up with reporters, answer their questions, and continue to push relevant new topics for coverage.
Track coverage and measure results
Media Results
This PR campaign resulted in local and national media coverage, including stories with The New York Times, US News & World Report, Forbes, New York Post, CBS 2 and PIX 11 TV in New York. This coverage helped generate growth and services expansion within the first 6 months of working together.
A few months into the campaign, MACIAS PR created a mobile app for the company – The Medicaid app. This new digital tool created a new pipeline for potential clients. MACIAS PR conceptualized the mobile app and created the content that helped families and patients navigate through the complicated government services.
The Medicaid App also enabled us to position the health care services as a tech player, which generated additional media exposure.
Key Takeaways:
Securing stories in the media is an effective way to increase brand awareness and generate positive buzz around a product or service.
To be successful, PR campaigns should be well-planned and executed, with a focus on targeting the right media outlets and pitching stories that are timely, newsworthy, and of interest to the target audience.
Following up with media contacts and tracking coverage is essential to ensure that a PR campaign is successful.
You can see more of the media coverage below. Click here if you’d like to get a PR estimate, or contact us to schedule a call.