Skip to content
The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryAgency & IndustryEarned Media

Agency & Industry

Earned Media

Publicity a brand gains without paying for placement, such as press coverage, reviews, mentions and shares.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Earned media is publicity a brand gains without paying for placement, such as press coverage, customer reviews, social mentions and shares. It is one part of the paid, owned and earned media framework. Because it comes from independent third parties, earned media often carries more credibility with audiences than advertising does.