SwellShark Named PBS’s New Media AOR

Independent full-service media agency SwellShark has been selected as media agency of record for PBS.

Recognised as the most trusted brand in media for the past 20 years, PBS has long enjoyed a sizable audience across all platforms. Yet as viewing habits evolve, PBS looked for an agency partner that would further diversify their audiences as well as introduce new ways for audiences to engage with the content on the PBS app and PBS.org. SwellShark’s audience recognition offering, SONAR, was particularly appealing to PBS.

“What won the day for SwellShark was their persistence and curiosity during the pitch process, their passion for the PBS organisation and mission, and the agency’s strong AI and data-driven approach, guided by their strategic point of view that ‘AI needs a chaperone,’” said Amy Wigler, VP, multi platform marketing at PBS.

SwellShark’s first campaigns for PBS will be in market in September supporting shows such as ‘America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston,’ the new Ken Burns documentary, ‘The American Buffalo’ and season 2 of ‘Native America.’

“PBS is a safe haven for truth, critical thinking, diversity, and, of course, entertainment,” said Mary Perhach, cofounder of SwellShark. “We are thrilled to have been chosen to introduce this important brand to a new generation of streaming-first viewers.”

Last month, PBS received 26 News and Documentary Emmy nominations and six Primetime Emmy nominations. PBS programmes receiving nominations include ‘Frontline’ (9), ‘POV’ (7), ‘NOVA’ (3), ‘Great Performances’ (2), ‘Independent Lens’ (2), ‘American Masters’ (1), ‘The Green Planet’ (1), and ‘The U.S. And The Holocaust’ (1).

SwellShark won the account in a pitch that was run by Lindsey Slaby from Sunday Dinner.