Why Earned Media is Marketing’s True Superpower in 2025

Yesterday’s Uncomfortable Conversation in partnership with The Marketing Society brought together brilliant minds from easyJet, Coty, Taylor Herring, and MSL UK to tackle the question: How can brands truly connect with audiences in our sea of content and shrinking attention spans?

The standout insight highlighted authenticity isn’t just nice-to-have – it’s make-or-break.
As Luca Rovere from Coty put it: “In today’s consumer landscape, consumers have so many choices that make a difference through earned media is essential. When we select our influences, creators, and consumers, we tend to select people that are reflecting the values of the brands that we work for.”

Five key takeaways that are reshaping how we think about earned media:
• Join conversations, don’t force them – Meet audiences where they’re already talking about what matters to them
• Data must drive every decision – From social listening to post-campaign analysis, let insights lead the way
• Comfort is the enemy of cut-through – The brands breaking through noise are willing to stretch outside their comfort zones
• Focus on truth over trends – Authentic brand stories outlast fleeting viral moments
• Think long-term ROI – Earned media plants seeds for future growth, especially with Gen Z

The landscape is shifting fast, from AI-driven search to creator partnerships, but the fundamentals remain: authentic storytelling that creates genuine value for audiences.

A huge thank you to our panellists Holly Mitchell, Lora Martyr, Luca Rovere and Laura Watts for sharing their expertise, and to Rebecca Grant for setting the scene brilliantly.