Communication and marketing strategists are facing a defining challenge in today’s environment: the battle for attention. In his book The Attention Merchants, Tim Wu explains how human attention has become the most valuable resource in modern business—and how entire industries now compete to capture it, retain it, and, in some cases, monetize it.
Broadly speaking, the challenge is ensuring that all our strategies are audience-centric, while operating in a landscape where competition no longer happens only on store shelves, advertising blocks, traditional media, or social platforms, but also within the overwhelming “attention spam” people may—or may not—be willing to give us.
Seth Godin reinforces this idea in This Is Marketing through a powerful concept: the so-called “sonder effect.” People already carry enough noise in their own minds for us to naïvely assume they will make time to pay attention to brand messages.
This context has opened up a new scenario—one that redefines what we have traditionally understood as Earned Media, the cornerstone of communication and public relations for more than a century.
We call it “earned media” because mentions aren’t paid for.
They are earned through relationships, compelling stories, high-quality content, and well-targeted messaging.
It’s no secret that, in many cases, brand communication and PR efforts have historically focused on media relations as a core part of their value proposition.
However, brands are now increasingly required to rethink the entire universe of what we consider earned media.
The question today is no longer just how to generate media coverage. Instead, expanding a brand’s earned media ecosystem requires asking new questions:
How do we generate ideas people actually want to share?
Which new media are our audiences connected to?
Which creators inspire trust?
What visibility platforms do our leaders have?
And who is truly worth meeting with?
Ideas People Want to ShareIn this “battle for attention,” earned media is no longer driven solely by relationships or coverage, but by Big PR Ideas—creative concepts capable of standing out in a crowded media environment and driving meaningful impact on public attitudes and opinions.
A Big Idea doesn’t happen by accident. It requires risk-taking, impact, originality, and—above all—relevance to the audience. To function as an earned-media engine, it must be rooted in a clear strategic direction, built on insights, and articulated in an inspiring way (because creativity is what allows brands to compete with thousands of messages).
When executed well, a Big Idea becomes the kind of creative work that builds trust and activates third parties—media, creators, and communities—primarily through earned channels, shaping public conversation and ultimately influencing perceptions and behaviors.
New Media Where Our Audiences Are Connected
B2B marketing expert Corey Haynes refers to the concept of “borrowed audiences”: spaces where brands need to be present, but which were built by others. These platforms already have established audiences and communities that generate conversation or share content with their followers.
In many cases, podcasts are the clearest example of these new media formats, offering brands an opportunity to expand the reach of their earned media strategies.
Creators Who Inspire Trust
Today, beyond traditional influencers, a true creator economy is taking shape. Many creators are not focused on fashion or lifestyle, but on highly specific niches—often closely aligned with brand conversation territories.
These creators have built smaller, highly engaged audiences on platforms such as LinkedIn, TikTok, X, or Instagram. Their content is not always superficial; in many cases, they share information they genuinely believe is valuable to their communities.
Earned media strategies must take them into account. More importantly, brands must consider how they can help creators grow and deliver meaningful messages to their audiences by providing real value. One thing is clear: creators always prioritize value creation for their followers.
Visibility Platforms for Leaders
Executive presence plays a critical role in building a more robust earned media ecosystem. Leadership can be expressed across multiple stages: conferences, forums, keynote speeches, panels, talks, and other platforms that allow leaders not only to tell the company’s story, but to convey its values and culture.
These platforms should be integrated more decisively into earned media strategies, as they significantly expand the number of spaces where brand narratives can be shared.
Goodwill Meetings That Truly Matter
One-to-one relationships and the opportunity to connect—between brands and their stakeholders—are an old mechanism that will never lose relevance. They act as icebreakers and door-openers, helping brands build closer relationships with those who can amplify their message, culture, and values.
This is a strategy that should be revived or strengthened to support the growth—or reinforcement—of earned media efforts.
In Summary
Earned Media is not disappearing—it’s expanding. It is evolving from a coverage-focused discipline into an ecosystem that combines creativity (Big Ideas), smart distribution (borrowed audiences), trust (creators), leadership (executive platforms), and meaningful relationships (goodwill meetings).
In the age of attention, earning media is not just about showing up—it’s about earning the conversation.
By Roger Trelles, Partner & Director, AXON Marketing + Communications