How To Gain Earned Media Through Pop-Ups
How do you go about gaining earned media in media channels saturated to the brim with information? How do you capture customers' attention in an attention economy?

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We are in the midst of a media revolution - where the prominent role of traditional media channels is shifting with the emergence of new platforms. Information is now more accessible, and saturated, than ever before. On average people are exposed to between 6,000 to 10,000 advertisements a day. Marketers are thus facing the challenge of how to reach customers in the information overload that characterizes our current media landscape.
In considering how to make your brand stand out in an attention economy, a strategy that many companies have put into practice is to focus on earned media in addition to paid media. Let us break these marketing concepts down for you.

According to a report by McKinsey, paid media refers to traditional advertising, where a company pays for media space or for a third party to promote its products. Commonly through tv-commercials, magazine and newspaper ads, billboards, and SEO marketing. Earned media, on the other hand, refers to how consumers create and share information regarding your company’s product offering through their own channels. An information-sharing process that incentivises new customer segments to invest in your product.
So, how is earned media actually earned?
Well, word-of-mouth (WOM) would be an easy way to sum up the process. A customer who is enamored with your product will generate earned media by promoting your product to their followers - at no cost to your company. By forwarding your ads, sharing product recommendations through their own channels, and creating ratings and reviews in community groups, they build buzz for your brand’s part.
By establishing spokespeople within your customer group, you can go beyond paid media to build buzz among new segments. But how do you go about convincing people to promote your product or services?
One way of action is to set up a pop-up activation for your brand. Pop-up activations are the perfect tool to craft engaging brand experiences for your target audience - to encourage people to get talking about your brand and product offering. Let us give you some examples.

Hedvig's Goods Pop-Up At Grev Turegatan © xNomad
xNomad teamed up with the Swedish insurance company Hedvig, to set up a unique pop-up concept in a space located at Grev Turegatan to build brand awareness and reach out to new customer segments. The ‘Goods’ activation allowed visitors to pick one out of a hundred designer objects in exchange for signing up for a one-year insurance policy with Hedvig.
Hedvig’s activation was a staggering success and new customers crammed the store to partake in the unique pop-up concept. With the innovative nature of the activation, Hedvig was not only able to build hype regarding the activation and their offering on their own social media handles - but additionally got people to talk within their own channels.

xNomad x Nelly ‘TikTok house’ © xNomad
xNomad also collaborated with the Swedish fashion brand Nelly to set up a ‘TikTok house’ in central Stockholm. The logic behind the activation was to create a space in which Nelly could shift the direction of its current influencer marketing strategy - by steering away from long-term partnerships with macro-influencers and instead focusing on TikTok as a platform.
Throughout the duration of the event, Nelly invited a number of TikTok influencers to get a touch-and-feel of their latest collection and the eye-catching pop-up for creating content.

TikTok influencers like Maral Takian, Annie Samuelsson, and Alma Persson attended Nelly’s activation © xNomad
The Nelly TikTok House activation was a complete success in terms of generating earned media. The influencers who attended the pop-up created content within their own channels and promoted the TikTok house experience and a selection of Nelly’s product range to their following. Which in turn helped Nelly in boosting its brand awareness, showcasing its products, and to build hype around its offering toward a new target audience.
All in all, pop-up activations are a reliable way of getting your audience to talk about your brand in order to promote earned media. By offering rewards, engaging brand experiences, and aesthetically pleasing store spaces you can create the perfect setup to engage your audience.
The Role of Pop-Up Stores in Modern Marketing
- Pop-up stores create a sense of urgency and exclusivity among customers, as their temporary nature encourages immediate engagement with the brands offerings.
- Brands like Glossier utilize pop-up shops in key cities for no more than three months to maintain control over the shopping experience and connect directly with their consumers.
- The global pop-up retail industry is projected to reach $50 billion by 2025, indicating its growing significance in modern marketing strategies.
- The combination of immersive storytelling and interactive experiences in pop-up stores enhances customer engagement, transforming ordinary retail into entertaining adventures.
- Collaborations with popular franchises in themed pop-up activations not only offer exclusive merchandise but also create memorable experiences that draw in fans and drive brand awareness.
Understanding Earned Media
- Earned media is publicity gained through promotional efforts other than paid media advertising, and it is published by a third party, differentiating it from owned media branding efforts.
- This type of media is created organically through trust and credibility, evidenced by actions like consumers creating and sharing product information without any paid incentives.
- Unpaid, candid reviews from real consumers can be particularly effective in influencing potential customers, as they reflect honest opinions and experiences regarding products.
- The PESO model categorizes earned media as one of the key types of media—alongside paid, shared, and owned media—that businesses can integrate to enhance their marketing and PR strategies.
- Word-of-mouth (WOM) is a fundamental mechanism of earned media, where enthusiastic customers promote a company’s products voluntarily, thus generating buzz without any cost to the brand.
Definition of Earned Media
- Earned media is defined as publicity gained through promotional efforts other than paid media advertising, distinguishing it from owned media efforts.
- Unlike owned media, which is created and published by a company, earned media is produced and disseminated by third parties, reflecting organic trust and credibility.
- Earned media arises from consumers generating and sharing information about a companys products through their own channels, often leading to word-of-mouth promotion.
- The impact of earned media is amplified through customer advocacy, where satisfied customers actively promote a brand to their followers without any cost incurred by the company.
- Strategies to leverage earned media include sharing the content on owned channels, using it in marketing materials, and distributing it in hard copy at events.
Difference Between Earned, Owned, and Paid Media
- Earned media is defined as publicity obtained through promotional efforts other than paid media advertising, differentiating it from owned and paid media.
- Unlike owned and paid media, where brands control the content and spending, earned media is created and published by third parties without payment.
- Earned media provides social proof to potential customers, which can alleviate their anxiety compared to other forms of media exposure.
- Attracting the interest of gatekeepers, such as influencers and media brands, is essential for achieving earned media, as they determine the dissemination of information about the brand.
- While paid media involves purchasing visibility through ads and campaigns, earned media relies on the voluntary publication of information by third parties, making it a distinct form of media exposure.
The Effectiveness of Pop-Up Stores
- Pop-up stores can significantly enhance brand awareness by creating engaging experiences that encourage influencers and customers to share content across their social media channels, as evidenced by Nellys TikTok House activation.
- The global pop-up retail industry is projected to grow to $50 billion by 2025, indicating a strong market potential driven by consumer demand for unique and immersive shopping experiences.
- Retailtainment, which combines elements of entertainment with retail experiences, helps transform ordinary shopping into memorable adventures, making pop-ups attractive to consumers.
- Pop-up stores can create a sense of urgency and exclusivity for customers, as seen with Glossier’s temporary locations, leading to increased foot traffic and sales.
- The immersive themes and unique offerings at pop-up stores, such as those linked to popular media franchises, effectively draw consumers in, enhancing their engagement with the brand.
Engagement with Target Audiences
- Shein utilizes pop-up stores in various cities to enhance direct engagement with customers, allowing shoppers to experience a blend of in-person interaction and digital focuses in environments designed for social media sharing.
- The global pop-up retail industry is projected to reach a market size of $50 billion by 2025, highlighting the growing significance of experiential marketing in fostering consumer engagement.
- Themed pop-up activations, such as those linked to popular film franchises, generate buzz and drive audience engagement by providing exclusive content and immersive experiences that resonate with fans.
- Engaging brand experiences like pop-up activations effectively encourage customers to promote products through word-of-mouth, amplifying earned media without additional advertising costs.
- Targeted social media campaigns in conjunction with experiential marketing strategies are vital for ensuring pop-up activations attract diverse global audiences and create memorable customer experiences.
Creating Unique Brand Experiences
- Pop-up activations can significantly enhance brand awareness and promote products by engaging influencers to create and share content within their own channels.
- Engaging brand experiences, such as aesthetically pleasing pop-up store designs, can foster audience interaction and drive discussions about the brand.
- The growth of the global pop-up retail industry, projected to reach $50 billion by 2025, underscores the effectiveness of unique retail experiences in attracting consumers.
- Integrating immersive storytelling with retailtainment transforms typical shopping trips into memorable adventures, further captivating consumers.
- Collaborating on themed pop-up stores linked to major franchises can create exclusive content and immersive scenes that drive consumer engagement and boost revenue.
Case Study: Shein's Approach
- Shein has demonstrated agility and high responsiveness to fashion trends, enabling them to quickly adapt their offerings to evolving consumer preferences, which is crucial for competing in international markets.
- The brand maintains diverse and affordable product offerings, often featuring lower prices than Western fast fashion counterparts, allowing Shein to attract a broad customer base.
- Sheins ability to produce items in large quantities helps reduce overall costs, facilitating faster growth and an expanded market share.
- The fast fashion retailer serves as a testing ground for Chinese brands seeking to understand effective market strategies when expanding abroad.
- Swift adaptation in supply chain, production, and decision-making processes provides Shein with a significant competitive edge, especially when targeting the increasingly influential Gen-Z demographic.
Blending Digital and Physical Realms
- The pop-up retail industry is projected to grow to a market size of $50 billion by 2025, indicating a significant demand for experiential shopping that merges digital and physical elements.
- Retailtainment enhances physical retail by creating immersive shopping experiences that resonate with consumers, making the shopping environment more engaging and entertaining.
- Major film studios leverage pop-up stores to transform cinematic experiences into tangible interactions, effectively blending storytelling with retail in a way that captivates audiences.
- Collaborations, such as the multi-city pop-up stores for Paramounts South Park Snow Day game, exemplify how physical experiences can engage fans and create community around brands and their products.
- Nellys TikTok House activation highlights the effectiveness of using social media influencers to drive engagement at physical pop-up events, successfully merging digital platforms with in-person experiences to boost brand awareness.
Targeting Gen Z through Micro-Influencers
- Gen Z consumers are primarily price-sensitive, with 55% citing price as the most important factor when shopping for fashion, highlighting the need for brands to engage with cost-effective marketing strategies.
- Brands like Shein experience frequent purchases from Gen Z, predominantly women, which emphasizes the importance of tailored marketing approaches to capture this demographics attention.
- Glossier has successfully built a brand that resonates with young women by creating a relatable image focused on real beauty and community, rather than traditional marketing, which can attract Gen Z consumers.
- Influencer marketing plays a crucial role in Glossiers strategy, resulting in a unique experience for clients and fostering community among diverse women, demonstrating the effectiveness of micro-influencers in targeting Gen Z.
- Engaging with social networks and leveraging customer data are key components of Glossiers marketing strategy, allowing the brand to connect authentically with Gen Z audiences.
Examples of Successful Earned Media Campaigns
- Glossier has effectively utilized earned media by featuring user reviews and tutorials from real customers, enhancing authenticity and connection with their target audience without spending on traditional advertising.
- The focus on creating shareable content and experiences has been central to Recesss strategy, resulting in significant earned media coverage and brand awareness.
- Successful earned media campaigns leverage creativity and cost-efficiency to garner public attention, as seen in the marketing strategies of various brands during high-visibility events like the Super Bowl.
- Companies can enhance their earned media effectiveness by measuring their share of voice compared to competitors, providing insights into their media presence and overall brand strategy.
- Engaging with local and national news outlets for coverage of events or campaigns can significantly boost a brands visibility and recognition in the marketplace.
Highlighting Brand Engagement and Community Involvement
- Pop-up activations serve as an effective tool for creating engaging brand experiences, encouraging conversations around a brand and its product offerings.
- By establishing spokespeople within customer groups, brands can leverage word-of-mouth promotion to extend their reach beyond paid media channels.
- Temporary pop-up stores enable online retailers like Shein to connect with customers through unique in-person experiences, tailored to cities with high online shopping populations.
- Engaging with event-goers through social media before and during events can significantly increase brand visibility and facilitate earned media opportunities.
- Responding to influencers and media who share content related to your brand strengthens community ties and enhances credibility through third-party validation.
Viral Marketing through Pop-Up Events
- Pop-up events serve as an effective strategy for generating earned media by encouraging customers to share their positive experiences and product recommendations with their networks.
- Through engaging brand experiences in pop-up stores, companies can stimulate word-of-mouth promotion, leveraging the enthusiasm of enamored customers to generate buzz.
- The collaboration between brands and unique pop-up concepts, such as Hedvig’s exchange of designer objects for insurance sign-ups, illustrates how these activations can effectively build brand awareness.
- The rise of retailtainment emphasizes the potential of pop-up events to create immersive shopping experiences that resonate with consumers and enhance brand recall.
- The global pop-up retail industry is projected to reach $50 billion by 2025, highlighting the growing popularity and effectiveness of this marketing approach in driving consumer engagement.
Strategies for Creating Impactful Earned Media
- Earned media is an effective way to garner attention and increase sales through various platforms, including online, print, and social media.
- Reprinting earned media content for distribution at events or using it as mailers can help leverage the benefits of previously gained publicity.
- Sharing earned media with sales teams allows for incorporation into sales presentations, enhancing the credibility of the pitch through third-party validation.
- Real customer experiences shared on social media, rather than just paid influencer promotions, can serve as powerful endorsements and significantly influence potential buyers.
- Analyzing earned media can provide valuable insights for competitive benchmarking and measuring the success of marketing campaigns, aiding in informed strategic decisions.
Planning and Designing Experience-Driven Pop-Ups
- Pop-up activations create engaging brand experiences that encourage consumer dialogue about the brand and product offerings.
- Successful pop-up concepts can significantly increase brand awareness and attract new customer segments, as demonstrated by Hedvigs unique activation.
- The global pop-up retail industry is projected to reach a market size of $50 billion by 2025, highlighting the growing trend of experiential retail.
- Themed pop-up stores, particularly those associated with film franchises, are a major driver of growth in the pop-up retail market.
- Combining retail with entertainment, or retailtainment, transforms ordinary stores into immersive experiences that captivate and engage consumers.
Leveraging Social Media for Maximum Reach
- Highlighting the importance of connecting with event-goers, brands can utilize social media platforms to enhance engagement by sharing insights or quotes during events, effectively leveraging user-generated content for increased visibility.
- Using an omnichannel approach, companies can collaborate with micro-influencers on platforms like TikTok and YouTube to effectively reach Gen Z consumers and maximize engagement across multiple touchpoints.
- The strategic incorporation of social media into marketing campaigns can boost reach and engagement, with shared media allowing brands to connect with audiences and amplify their message organically.
- Responding to influencers and media after an event can enhance brand credibility, as engaging with those who share content relating to the brand fosters a positive dialogue and builds relationships.
- The PESO model emphasizes that effective integration of owned media (such as a brand’s own content) into social media strategies can provide a content foundation that drives audience engagement and increases brand awareness.
Tips for Measuring the Impact of Pop-Up Stores
- The global pop-up retail industry is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 23.1%, reaching a market size of $50 billion by 2025, indicating a significant opportunity for brands to gauge performance through this channel.
- Case studies, such as the collaboration with Paramount for the South Park Snow Day game, illustrate that multi-city pop-up activations can successfully create immersive experiences that engage audiences and enhance brand visibility.
- Targeted social media campaigns during pop-up events can effectively drive foot traffic and increase audience engagement, culminating in greater earned media exposure for brands.
- By leveraging influencer marketing at pop-up events, brands can boost their awareness and create buzz around their products, as demonstrated by Nellys successful activation involving TikTok influencers.
- The sense of urgency and exclusivity created by temporary pop-up stores can enhance consumer motivation to visit and engage with the brand, offering valuable insights into consumer behavior and preferences.
Tracking Engagement and Media Coverage
- Tracking engagement should include analyzing website analytics for traffic spikes coinciding with media placements to demonstrate the impact of earned media on business performance.
- It is crucial to measure both the quantity and quality of media coverage to fully assess competitive performance in earned media.
- Ongoing measurement is essential for understanding campaign performance and adapting strategies according to trends and shifts in the competitive landscape.
- Earned media value can be quantified, as illustrated by the significant earned media impressions and value generated by pop-up store initiatives, showcasing their effectiveness in gaining visibility.
- Engaging fans and advocates can amplify earned media efforts, as these relationships may lead to increased sharing and interaction with brand content.
Analyzing Brand Sentiment and Community Feedback
- Earned media is generated through word-of-mouth (WOM), where satisfied customers organically promote products to their followers without any cost to the company.
- Establishing spokespeople within the customer group can enhance the process of building brand buzz, encouraging more engagement with new consumer segments.
- Pop-up activations can serve as effective tools to create engaging brand experiences, prompting attendees to discuss the brand and its offerings.
- Engaging with the audience during events via social media can help generate earned media by encouraging attendees to share content and participate in conversations.
- Responding to influencers and media who mention your brand on social platforms post-event can foster valuable relationships and encourage further community engagement.
Earned Media Examples
- Companies can generate earned media by creating shareable content and experiences that attract attention from local news outlets and national publications.
- The retail strategy of opening pop-up shops can serve as a cost-efficient method for brands to capture media interest and raise awareness among consumers.
- Effective earned media tactics include encouraging unpaid, candid reviews from consumers, which can significantly influence potential new customers.
- Utilizing diverse content on social media, such as user reviews and relatable imagery, enhances brand connections with target audiences while promoting products indirectly.
- Finding creative ways to engage customers and encourage them to share their experiences can yield substantial earned media without incurring advertising costs.
1. Oreo Steals the Spotlight With Super Bowl Tweet
- During Super Bowl XLVII, a power outage led to a significant delay, providing an unexpected opportunity for creative marketing.
- Oreos tweet during the outage, which cleverly stated, You can still dunk in the dark, quickly gained traction and went viral.
- The tweet was widely shared, leading to thousands of social media interactions and commentary.
- Major media outlets, including HuffPost and Wired, recognized Oreos marketing efforts, suggesting it won the Marketing Super Bowl.
- The initiative exemplified the power of real-time marketing and the potential for brands to capitalize on current events to enhance visibility.
2. Ocean Spray Capitalizes on Viral TikTok Video
- Ocean Spray did not pay for or plan the viral TikTok video featuring Nathan Apodaca but quickly capitalized on its unexpected success.
- The TikTok video showed Apodaca sipping from a bottle of Ocean Spray while skateboarding to Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams, which contributed to the videos viral status.
- To express gratitude for the viral exposure, Ocean Spray gifted Nathan Apodaca a new truck, further enhancing their brand image.
- Following the success of the original TikTok, Ocean Spray created its own viral video featuring the companys CEO, which paid homage to Apodacas performance.
- Ocean Spray successfully leveraged the social media momentum from the TikTok video to generate additional headlines and engage audiences.
3. Porch Shares Original Research
- Porch utilized internal data to identify which ZIP codes in each state had the highest spending on home maintenance and determined the most expensive home repairs.
- The findings from Porchs research were presented in the form of an infographic, making the information visually appealing and easy to digest.
- Porch actively pitched its research findings to various publications, aiming to create interest and attract media coverage.
- As a result of this effort, Porch secured 188 pieces of coverage across notable media outlets, including the Washington Post.
- The companys data-driven approach has established Porch as a reliable reference source for publications such as The Balance.
4. Home Depot Sells a Giant Skeleton
- Home Depot created and promoted a 12-foot-tall skeleton sculpture in the lead-up to Halloween 2020, which became a highly sought-after decorative item.
- The giant skeleton sold out quickly, demonstrating its immense popularity among customers.
- The item went viral on social media, significantly increasing its visibility and engagement.
- The surge in organic search for the skeleton indicates strong consumer interest and demand.
- Home Depot executives reported that Halloween 2020 was their strongest Halloween season to date, showcasing the commercial benefits of launching highly memeable products.
5. Ahrefs Lands Guest Podcast Appearances
- Ahrefs CMO, Tim Soulo, set a goal in 2019 to appear as a guest on 20 podcasts to enhance brand visibility and exposure.
- The time commitment for each podcast appearance was approximately two hours, yielding significant promotional benefits.
- By participating in podcasting, Soulo aimed to present himself, his ideas, and his products to thousands of potential customers.
- Podcast guest appearances are leveraged as a strategic medium for brand exposure and engagement in digital marketing.
- Utilizing guest podcasting aligns with modern marketing strategies focused on authentic communication and relationship building with audiences.
6. Burger King Likes Old Tweets to Celebrate a Product's Return
- In 2019, Burger Kings Twitter account engaged in a unique marketing strategy by liking decade-old tweets from celebrities and influencers without initially revealing the reason behind this action.
- The unusual liking of old tweets from 2010 sparked curiosity and speculation among users, leading to significant social media engagement and discussion.
- Burger King eventually clarified its intentions by tweeting, Some things from 2010 are worth revisiting, linking the nostalgic engagement to the promotion of their funnel cake fries.
- This campaign effectively utilized social media interactions to create buzz around the return of a product, highlighting the effectiveness of engaging with past content to draw attention.
- By incorporating humor and nostalgia, Burger Kings approach exemplifies a creative method to celebrate product returns and connect with audiences on social media platforms.
7. Simulate Sends Limited-Edition Nuggets to a Supermodel
- Simulate, a maker of plant-based nuggets, successfully sold out its limited-edition spicy nuggs shortly after they were released for sale.
- The company took notice of supermodel Bella Hadids disappointment expressed in Instagram comments regarding missing out on the spicy nuggets.
- In response to Hadids comments, Simulate promptly sent her boxes of the limited-edition nuggets.
- Bella Hadid shared her excitement about the spicy nuggets through an Instagram story, reaching her 44.4 million followers.
- The interaction between Simulate and Bella Hadid highlights the impact of influencer engagement on brand visibility and earned media.
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