PESO Model
A strategic framework for integrated communications that combines Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned media channels.
Definition
The PESO Model is a modern communications framework developed by Gini Dietrich that organizes media channels into four categories: Paid (advertising), Earned (PR and media coverage), Shared (social media engagement), and Owned (brand-controlled content). This model helps brands develop integrated strategies that leverage all channel types.
Unlike older models that treated these channels separately, PESO emphasizes how they work together. A press release (earned) can be amplified through social sharing (shared), promoted via ads (paid), and archived on a company blog (owned).
Why It Matters
The PESO Model provides a comprehensive framework for modern marketing and PR planning. It ensures brands don't over-rely on any single channel and helps identify gaps in communication strategies.
For agencies and in-house teams, PESO offers a shared vocabulary for discussing integrated campaigns. It also helps demonstrate value by showing how efforts across all four channels contribute to overall brand visibility and business results.
Examples in Practice
A music label launching a new artist uses PESO: Paid Instagram ads target playlist curators, earned media comes from music blog reviews, shared media includes fan posts and TikTok challenges, and owned media features artist interviews on the label's YouTube channel.
A PR agency pitches a client's funding announcement (earned), the client shares coverage on LinkedIn (shared), runs retargeting ads to article readers (paid), and publishes a detailed blog post (owned).