By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
I think there must be a new piece of startup advice circulating among venture capitalists. Three different founders approached me this week with essentially the same request: they didn’t want a PR campaign. They wanted one legitimate media placement. And they all used the same terminology – they wanted to “reverse engineer” it.
Three unrelated founders making nearly the same request in one week makes me wonder whether someone in the VC ecosystem is telling startups that this is how they should approach public relations.
I understand the logic. Startups have limited budgets. Founders are constantly being told to preserve runway. One article in Forbes, Fortune or another recognizable publication seems like a discrete investment with a tangible result. Secure the logo, put it on the website, share the article with investors and customers, and move on.
There’s just one problem. Earned media doesn’t work that way.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
Many startup founders ask the same question: When is the right time to hire a technology PR firm?
The answer is often sooner than they think.
One of the biggest misconceptions about public relations is that companies should wait until they have achieved major success before investing in media visibility. In reality, the most effective technology PR campaigns often begin before a product launch, funding announcement or major growth milestone. Public relations can help create momentum that supports those business objectives rather than simply publicizing them after they occur.
A technology PR agency helps technology companies earn media coverage, increase brand awareness and establish credibility with customers, investors and industry influencers.
The best technology PR firms understand both the technology itself and the editorial process reporters use when evaluating stories.
Tech PR Agency for Startups, SaaS, AI and Technology Companies
MACIAS PR is a technology PR agency that helps startups, SaaS companies, AI businesses and established technology brands earn media coverage with outlets such as CNBC, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Business Insider and leading trade publications.
Founded by a former NBC Executive Producer and CBS Senior Producer in New York, MACIAS PR develops media strategies designed around how newsrooms actually work. We help technology companies secure media coverage, build executive thought leadership, launch products, attract investors and strengthen brand credibility through earned media.
Whether you’re launching a new AI platform, raising venture capital, introducing enterprise software, announcing a funding round or positioning your CEO as an industry expert, our technology PR campaigns are built around stories journalists want to cover.
Technology is a crowded space with lots of competition. Ads only take you so far, and rarely get you into the conversation.
A successful and targeted media campaign will introduce your services, app or technology to consumers and potential investors. And contrary to the misnomer that PR is nebulous, news stories can be measured and targeted down to the individual sector or consumer base in both B2B and B2C.
When measured, it provides a better ROI since your publicity remains on the web long after your campaign ends.
MACIAS PR has worked with tech start-ups as young as 3-months to global tech brands, getting their stories told with the world’s most influential tech and consumer publications.
We work closely with our clients to develop the strongest narrative that is newsworthy and ignites intrigue with journalists and consumers.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
One of the more popular questions I hear from potential clients is: “How many media placements can we expect each month?”
I understand why people ask it. Businesses want measurable results. But if I were in their shoes, I can tell you a better question to ask based on my time as Executive Producer with NBC, CBS and years as a PR agency owner.
The better question is: “What types of media coverage can we expect?”
Why do so many PR campaigns fail with the media? It’s very likely the strategy is off and a generic PR approach from a previous campaign was applied.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
One of the biggest misconceptions people have about PR is the belief that media campaigns operate like a generic transaction.
Build a large enough media list, send enough emails, follow the right “formula,” and eventually coverage will hit. It doesn’t work like that. And unfortunately, it’s not just founders and CMOs that believe PR is as simple as that.
A few weeks ago, I received an email from an international agency asking for PR support with their client. The agency has a strong roster of international clients and corporations. On the surface, I thought this group understood the complexities of PR and the nuance of messaging.
And then I got an email from the account supervisor. She said the client wanted to hear more specifics on the actual deliverables. “For example: How many articles/features would be included? What type of TV placements? Podcast interviews? Estimated timelines? Any guaranteed deliverables?”
But here’s the kicker: she didn’t share any details about the client, their goals from PR, their timeframe, their targeted audience, etc. She treated the campaign like it was another generic PR campaign.
They were asking for a media outcome before defining the actual media challenge. And honestly, that exchange perfectly explains why so many generic PR approaches fail.
Maybe this account executive was young but she should have told the client there is no such thing as guaranteed media coverage. You can’t buy a story on CNBC or the Wall Street Journal. Yes, you can buy an ad, but that’s not the same thing as earned coverage.
(You can read more about the differences of PR and advertising by clicking here).
A closer look at how newsrooms work with editorial meetings, story approvals, deadlines and what happens before a reporter calls you.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
I received a spam email recently from a publicist trying to sell me PR. The sales pitch itself revealed something much bigger about how disconnected many people are from how the media actually works. His email read:
“One proven strategy I’ve used for the last 20 years is to use Editorial Calendars to find out what topics a media outlet is covering and what type of people they are looking to interview…then reach out to them and let them know you are available. We offer guaranteed placements…”
There are several problems with this email.
First, nobody in PR can guarantee media placements. You can’t guarantee earned media because reporters, editors, and producers ultimately control coverage decisions — not publicists. Anyone promising guaranteed placements is usually selling sponsored content, low-level placements, or they simply don’t understand how real newsrooms operate.
But the bigger issue was the simplistic understanding of editorial calendars.
That advice might have worked twenty years ago for long-lead magazines planning holiday gift guides six months in advance. But modern newsrooms — especially national TV, business media, and digital outlets — no longer use editorial calendars.
The media landscape has shifted with the war, and that means your PR and communications team should be adapting with it. Here’s some insight on how to rework your narrative for times like this.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
If you’re pitching feature stories right now, you might feel like you’re speaking into a black hole. That’s because the news cycle has shifted — fast.
Today, a New York Times reporter told me she’s backed up almost entirely on war-related angles tied to Iran. And it’s not an isolated case. Across top-tier media, reporters are being pulled toward hard news — geopolitics, national security, economic fallout, and global risk. Every major Tier One media interview we’ve secured over the last two months has been tied to the Iran War. That’s not a coincidence.
The media doesn’t just adjust — it reorients completely. The best publicists adapt to the news climate.
The Editorial Shift: From Feature Stories to Hard News
When global conflict enters the new cycle, editorial priorities tighten.
Stories that once had momentum — lifestyle, business profiles, trend pieces — get pushed aside. Not because they’re bad stories but because the most urgent stories take priority.
This is the key insight many brands miss. Reporters don’t stop needing sources — they change what they need sources to discuss.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
At some point, every public figure, executive, or athlete will say something they wish they could take back.
So why do some off-the-cuff remarks disappear quickly, while others continue to linger – in some cases years after the remark was made?
It boils down to how you manage it.
NFL Player Makes Fun of Kids with Asthma
Cam Skattebo is an up-and-coming running back for the New York Giants with so much potential for future endorsements. Last week, he made fun of kids with asthma and said a common football head injury, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE, was made up. The story is quickly gaining steam, getting picked up by all kinds of media outlets.
This week, physicians started speaking out about it, criticizing the football player for his comments about asthma. They said his lackadaisical approach to asthma will encourage bullying with kids. Doctors also raised a legitimate concern that kids with asthma might not want to use their inhalers for fear of being viewed as weak – like Cam Skatttebo suggested.
What was Skatttebo’s response? He apologized, calling it a “tasteless joke.”
Apology is not a Strategy
This story isn’t going away anytime soon. I’m predicting it will resurface in August when preseason starts. Reporters will ask him about it during minicamp in July. He might even lose millions of dollars in endorsements if the comments continue to follow him like other athletes.
You don’t make fun of kids with asthma or say your football peers with head injuries are faking it.
When is the best time to pitch reporters or TV producers? There are windows that will increase your chances for media coverage. Media insight based on a career with NBC and CBS in New York.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
If you think about your work week, you might notice some patterns with how you manage your time.
There are likely some hours when your schedule slows down, and other times when you don’t even pick up your cell. The same thing happens inside newsrooms.
Reporters and producers don’t operate on the same rhythm as the rest of the business world. Their calendars revolve around editorial meetings, production cycles, breaking news, special calendars and looming deadlines that outsiders rarely see.
When a reporter is approaching a deadline, their entire focus shifts to execution. During this window, the only priority is finishing their story, segment or script.
If you pitch a reporter during this time, you’re essentially speaking into a black hole.
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.
