SwellShark, an independent full-service media agency, has been chosen as the new media agency of record (AOR) for PBS, the most trusted brand in media for two decades.
PBS selected SwellShark with the aim of diversifying their audience base and enhancing engagement on their app and website, PBS.org. A key selling point for PBS was SwellShark's SONAR, an audience recognition offering.
Amy Wigler, VP of Multiplatform Marketing at PBS, noted that SwellShark’s "persistence and curiosity during the pitch process," coupled with their "strong AI and data-driven approach," were deciding factors.
The first campaigns, set to launch in September, will support shows like "America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston," Ken Burns’s documentary "The American Buffalo," and the second season of "Native America."
Last month, PBS garnered 26 News and Documentary Emmy nominations, including nominations for well-known programs like "Frontline," "POV," and "NOVA."
The account was won in a pitch orchestrated by Lindsey Slaby from Sunday Dinner.
Mary Perhach, cofounder of SwellShark, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, “PBS is a safe haven for truth, critical thinking, diversity, and, of course, entertainment. We are thrilled to introduce this important brand to a new generation of streaming-first viewers."
The collaboration aims to capitalize on SwellShark's strengths in AI and data analysis to refresh and expand PBS's audience, a move that aligns with PBS’s history of innovation and trust.
