Case Study: Elevating a Health Care Startup’s Brand Through Strategic Media Relations
A health care services consulting firm approached MACIAS PR a few months after launching their startup. The founder— an experienced healthcare professional but new to media relations—wanted to introduce her services to social workers and prospective clients.
Challenges
Medicaid Advisory Group was only 3-Months Old when we launched their branding campaign.
The CEO and founder had no previous media experience.
The small leadership team was deeply focused on operations, leaving limited bandwidth for branding or PR.
Medicare and Medicaid as news topics are frequently ignored and overlooked.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
Healthcare startups often ask, “How do we get media coverage?” The better question is, “What do healthcare reporters actually want to cover?”
The difference usually has very little to do with the quality of the product.
Healthcare PR is one of the most exciting industries for innovation, but it’s also one of the hardest sectors in which to earn media coverage. Every week, startups announce new medical technologies, artificial intelligence platforms, digital therapeutics, telehealth solutions and healthcare apps. Only a small percentage of those companies receive meaningful press attention.
Successful healthcare public relations campaigns typically begin with understanding how reporters think. Before founding MACIAS PR, I spent years approving story ideas as an Executive Producer with NBC and CBS in New York. That newsroom experience continues to shape how our agency develops healthcare PR campaigns because journalists evaluate stories much differently than entrepreneurs.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
Healthcare startups solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. They improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, accelerate diagnoses and help physicians deliver better care. Despite those innovations, many healthcare founders struggle to earn meaningful media coverage.
Many founders assume their innovation should naturally attract reporters but healthcare journalists receive hundreds of pitches every week. During my time as Executive Producer with NBC in New York, publicists and founders pitched me all kinds of ideas. Most of them weren’t focused. They missed the payoff and suspense that drives most coverage.
The majority of these pitches focused on the product rather than explaining why the product matters. News organizations and journalists always ask a different question than founders do.
A startup asks: “Why is our technology unique?”
A reporter asks: “Why should my readers care?”
Those are two very different conversations.
The healthcare companies that consistently earn media coverage connect their innovation to larger issues affecting patients, physicians, hospitals or the healthcare system.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
Corporate messaging has a problem. Most companies are still communicating like it’s 2015 with their outdated corporate language.
Open a press release, executive bio, company website, investor presentation, or earnings announcement and you’ll find the same tired phrases repeated over and over again. Organizations describe themselves as innovative, industry-leading, best-in-class, customer-centric, and transformative.
They claim to leverage synergies, drive value, and deliver solutions. The language sounds polished and professional, but it has become so common that it no longer communicates anything meaningful.
The biggest irony is that many executives use these phrases because they believe they make their companies sound more credible. In reality, the opposite often happens. Journalists, investors, and customers have seen this language so many times that they instinctively tune it out. Instead of strengthening a story, corporate jargon buries it.
As a former TV Executive Producer who reviewed thousands of pitches from public relations firms, startups, public companies, and corporate executives, I can tell you that reporters aren’t looking for polished language. They’re looking for information. They want something new, surprising, useful, controversial, or relevant to their audience. Corporate buzzwords rarely accomplish any of those objectives.
The weight loss and wellness company, Noom, had little national name recognition back in 2016, despite being popular with consumers. But all that changed after MACIAS PR took over their media coverage that year.
From the start, Noom faced challenges in the crowded weight loss space, and needed help differentiating itself from the competition. Mark Macias worked closely with the co-founders to create a comprehensive media and publicity strategy to elevate their brand via earned media. Our campaign was nimble and fast as the health tech company didn’t have a Chief Marketing Officer in the early years.
Within the first month of collaboration, MACIAS PR secured its first story came with CBS News. The segment highlighted how Noom’s mobile app was helping pre-diabetics and diabetics manage their conditions. This prominent media coverage continued throughout our PR partnership. You can see a snapshot of the media coverage we secured just in the first seven months.
Our media track record continued throughout our PR partnership with hundreds of stories appearing with major news outlets: NBC Today Show, People Magazine, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, CNBC, PIX 11 in NYC, CNN, Fox News, Forbes, Fortune, TechCrunch, Entrepreneur, New York Post, and more.
MACIAS PR also helped expand Noom’s reach with the Latin community, securing media coverage with Spanish news outlets, including national stories with Telemundo and Univision.
MACIAS PR was founded in 2009 by a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. Journalists and marketing peers consistently rank MACIAS PR as one of the best PR healthcare and tech agencies. City & State Magazine named Mark Macias a Top Political PR Power Player in New York in 2022 and 2024.
We help founders and brands tell stories that get noticed by the media. Our strategy is based on years inside NBC & CBS newsrooms where editorial judgment, timing and credibility are the currency for success.
At MACIAS PR, we turn complex brands into compelling media narratives that secure national headlines, elevate thought leadership, and drive real business outcomes. Links to client case studies for media deliverables are below.
Prominent Clients across Industries
Healthcare and Wellness
Noom, WellRX, Meru Health, Lifesum, Columbia University Medical Center, Kilo Health, Burke Hospital
Consumer Tech
Plenty of Fish, Welt, Abby Connect
Bootstrapped Startups
MDAcne, TopPatch (Cyber Security)
Publicly Traded Companies
Mawson Infrastructure (NASDAQ), Unusual Machines (NYSE), Banle International (NYSE)
Finance
Provident Loan Society, Sag Harbor Advisors, Sansar Capital
Politics
Former UN Executive Secretary on Climate Patricia Espinosa, Rep. Norma Torres (LA)
Our media campaigns helped these brands raise tens of millions of dollars with investors, while improving their name recognition with customers. Click here to review our case studies.
All of our clients always work with an experienced media strategist – regardless of size. And as a boutique PR consulting agency, our communications process is always streamlined, while our execution is hyper-focused.
PR Awards – Earned by MACIAS PR
City & State Magazine named Mark Macias a Top Political PR Power player in New York. Marketing peers have consistently recognized MACIAS PR for Strategic PR Firm of the Year from 2017-2021. Finance Monthly named our agency the 2015-2017 Financial PR Firm of the Year.
Message Mark at the bottom of this screen (green button on the right) if you would like to schedule a call. You can also get a free PR estimate by clicking here.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
If you’re deciding between hiring a PR firm in San Francisco or New York, you might be wondering—does geography still matter in today’s remote-first world?
The short answer is: yes, time zone matters more than ever—especially if you’re targeting national media outlets. While great PR firms can pitch from anywhere, there are strategic advantages to working with a publicist on East Coast time.
📍 Why NYC-Based PR Firms Have a Time Zone Advantage
Let’s break it down. Most major national media outlets—NBC, CBS, CNN, Forbes, The New York Times, Bloomberg, and ABC—are headquartered on the East Coast. And their editorial schedules follow East Coast hours. Even though CNN is in Atlanta and Forbes is in New Jersey, reporters all still work under EST deadlines.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR & Former Executive Producer at NBC
Your PR budget is finally approved. RFPs are out. Now comes the hard part: choosing the right PR firm to elevate your brand.
As a former Executive Producer with NBC in New York, I was pitched stories daily — some compelling, most forgettable. Today, as the founder of a national PR firm, I’m on the other side of that equation. And I’ve learned: most businesses ask the wrong questions when vetting PR partners.
If I were hiring a PR firm today, here are the exact questions I’d ask — and why they matter.
1️⃣ What’s your media strategy — not just your media contacts?
This is the most important question. Too often, potential clients ask: “Who do you know?” But knowing reporters isn’t a strategy — it’s a Rolodex. Without a strong narrative and positioning, even the best connections won’t get you media coverage.
✅ Ask for the strategy behind their placements, not just name-dropping.
Project Focus: This client case study looks at how MACIAS PR helped elevate the brand of an emerging AI and digital infrastructure client.
Overview: MACIAS PR launched a media campaign for Mawson Infrastructure Group, a leader in sustainable digital infrastructure. It is listed on the NASDAQ.
Our media coverage emphasized the company’s role in modernizing America’s industrial heartland and how it is contributing to the AI revolution while addressing environmental challenges.
This case study explores the media exposure secured for Mawson across major publications, including a cover story in Newsweek and expert analysis with the Financial Times, Marketwatch, MIT Review and others.
Case Study: Elevating a Health Care Startup’s Brand Through Strategic Media Relations
Client Overview A health care services consulting firm approached MACIAS PR a few months after launching their startup. The founder— an experienced healthcare professional but new to media relations—wanted to introduce her services to social workers and prospective clients.
Objective Increase brand visibility and generate new revenue streams around the company’s Medicaid and Medicare services.
Challenges
The company was a young startup with limited brand recognition.
The founder had no previous media experience.
The CEO was deeply focused on operations, leaving limited bandwidth for branding or PR.
Media Strategy
MACIAS PR positioned the CEO as a thought leader in the Medicaid and Medicare space. By leveraging her expertise and aligning the brand with timely, relevant topics in health care, the campaign generate media interest and built public trust.
Our PR agency led the campaign from conception to execution, including:
Developing compelling story angles tailored to the media.
Coaching and preparing the CEO for interviews.
Identifying and engaging with key journalists and media outlets.
Crafting and distributing pitches tied to timely health care policy issues.
Managing follow-ups, answering reporter questions, and securing coverage.
Tactics
Created newsworthy media angles related to Medicaid/Medicare services.
Positioned the CEO as a go-to expert on health care access and policy.
Built a targeted media list of high-value local and national outlets.
Tracked all coverage and measured performance metrics.
Media Results Within six months, the campaign secured extensive media coverage, including features in:
The New York Times
US News & World Report
Forbes
New York Post
WABC, WNBC, WCBS, and PIX 11 (New York TV)
This visibility led to significant business growth and service expansion.
Innovation Highlight: The Medicaid App
Midway through the campaign, MACIAS PR conceptualized and created The Medicaid App, a mobile tool designed to help families and patients better understand and access government health care services.
MACIAS PR created the mobile app and content, and got it listed with the App Store and Google Play.
The mobile app was designed as a new digital lead-generation tool for the business.
It also positioned the company as a tech-forward innovator in the health care space, resulting in a second wave of media exposure.
Key Takeaways
Earned media remains a powerful vehicle for building trust and awareness.
A strong PR campaign depends on expert positioning, storytelling, and consistent engagement with the right journalists.
Innovation (such as app development) can open new channels for client acquisition and press coverage.
Even founders without prior media experience can thrive with proper PR guidance and coaching.
Conclusion This campaign demonstrated how strategic, well-executed PR can fast-track growth for early-stage startups. With MACIAS PR’s guidance, the health care firm transitioned from an unknown entity to a recognized leader in Medicaid and Medicare services.
You can see more of these media placements by clicking here.
About MACIAS PR
MACIAS PR was founded in 2009 by Mark Macias – an Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. City & State Magazine named Macias one of the top 50 best PR pros in New York in 2022 and 2024. Finance Monthly named MACIAS PR the 2017-2020 Strategic PR Firm of the Year, and PR Firm of the Year. Message us if you’d like to get a customized strategy.
