The PR industry is constantly evolving. To thrive, companies need to be aware of what is changing and seek new avenues to generate the right type of press. PR agencies faced their greatest test of this keen ability when COVID-19 hit the world.
In 2008, Shana Starr started an agency in Irvine, California. After working with various partners for 10 years, she bought the agency and continued making her mark among Southern California’s top PR firms. Her reputation caught the attention of Bastion Collective, a worldwide firm in which she could continue her work while expanding under the scope of a larger agency. She rebranded her firm as Bastion Elevate and sold 80 percent of the business to the collective. “It’s been a great experience. The ability to tap into some of the best marketing minds out there makes our firm better, and our clients appreciate the strong marketing depth that I couldn’t offer as a solo act,” asserts Shana Starr, CEO at Bastion Elevate.
Multi-faceted Marketing Solutions
Bastion Elevate is a PR, social media and digital marketing firm dedicated to providing clients with rockstar talent and results-driven strategies for businesses around the world. Alongside PR and social media marketing, it produces dynamic content and marketing collateral such as videos and photography. The company boasts a wealth of experience in crisis communications and its digital team consists of experts in ad targeting, producing some of the best returns on investment through social media advertising than even before COVID-19.
Social media advertising and digital engagement became such a prominent cornerstone of Bastion Elevate that the company joined forces the Huntington Pacific Media, a prominent digital agency founded by Jordan Dahlquist. With more social-savvy leaders under the Bastion Elevate roof, the firm was well-positioned to help clients with the growing online engagement needs that arose during the COVID-19 era.
Helping Clients Stay Visible
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. in March, many businesses were forced to reduce and operate with leaner teams and resources. Bastion Elevate’s client base was no exception, and many partners scaled back or paused all PR and/or social media work. Over time, companies realized that staying inactive wasn’t a prudent choice, and Bastion Elevate was called upon to craft and execute PR strategies that adapted to the sensitive times. As seasoned media professionals, the company found creative ways to continue to achieve results and position its clients in the news during a time when almost everything was covering the pandemic.
Bastion Elevate’s relationship with its clients is a key differentiator. The team jumped in and performed high quality work, provided strategic advice on messaging, and counseled the clients to quickly adapt to the new environment. Despite the initial drop off at the start of the pandemic, Bastion Elevate is now experiencing a resurgence of growth and client inquiries to work with its award-winning team.
The Secret Ingredients to Bastion Elevate’s Success
When faced with uncertainty and an everchanging environment, it’s crucial for agencies to keep producing high quality work, motivate the team to be passionate about the work, and brainstorm new strategies that will move the needle for all clients. “I have been part of so many new business meetings where people talk about how they have been burned by an agency, and it can be hard to move past a bad experience, we never want to be that type of agency.” adds Shana.
Bastion Elevate prides itself on its commitment to employee satisfaction and has worked hard to keep the employees’ morale high throughout the crisis. Although being remote, the team is organized. A team call is held every morning to go through client deliverables in order to stay on track and abreast of key initiatives. Bastion Elevate’s talented media team scours diverse media outlets to research the industries that are at the top of the news. This is one of the company’s specialties and a secret ingredient to its expertise that gets the clients into national narratives and mainstream press. Bastion Elevate also provides data insights and reporting for its clients, so they can understand what and how the team is working at any given moment. “Audience targeting is important to not only get press, but get the right type of press that will impact your client growth. It’s a key element to PR,” she added.
What’s Next for Bastion Elevate
Businesses across the world have altered their operations due to the pandemic and the change is expected to be long-lasting. Bastion Elevate is looking at its clients’ industries and offering predictions and insights into how they fit within the new way of doing business. “At the end of the day, people are still consuming and businesses are still growing –they just need strategic PR and social media to reach each other,” said Shana.
Planning for the future, Bastion Elevate has started working with MerchSource to prepare for the popular holiday gift guide season, in support of its Sharper Image brand. The company recently secured a five-year contract with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and finished an impactful project with Unispace, announcing new executive changes. Bastion Elevate has several projects in the works and strives to continue to tap into every major industry with its team of media specialists. The company is excited for the future and is looking forward to helping many new brands and organizations in the years to come.
Read Full Magazine: Elite PR Companies Overcoming the Pandemic
