By Megan Cuellar, Vice President 

There was a time when brands set the pace. They bought airtime, dropped campaigns, and expected culture to follow. But in 2025, things move differently. The biggest shifts in consumer attention don’t start with media buys, they start in the hands of everyday creators, posted from bedrooms and back seats, powered by TikTok. 

Just look at Dasha. Her song “Austin” was a blip on the radar until it caught fire on TikTok. One video turned into thousands. Then came the Billboard charts. Then a Tonight Show appearance. All without a single traditional ad campaign. What got her there? Earned attention. Unpaid shares. Organic love. In other words, the kind of momentum you can’t buy, but you can build. 

And this is where marketers need to pause and rethink what’s actually driving value. Paid media is no longer the engine, it’s the booster. The real fuel? It’s earned media. It’s PR. It’s creator-led buzz and social proof. And when PR teams and social strategists work together, that’s when the magic happens. 

TikTok Is Where Culture Pops, But PR Is What Gives It Shape 

When a sound takes off on TikTok, it’s not always clear why. Sometimes it’s a dance. Sometimes it’s a lyric. Sometimes it’s a mood. What matters is what happens next. The smart brands let the ride pass them by, they throw some gas in the engine. 

PR teams are the ones who turn virality into velocity. They line up press while the wave is rising. They help craft the story: who is this artist? Why is this product blowing up? Why does it matter? A million views is nice. But a story in Rolling Stone, Variety, or Business Insider about that wave? That’s where credibility kicks in. 

Take Chappell Roan. TikTok made her song “Good Luck, Babe!” a viral queer anthem. But what turned that spike into sustained interest was the earned coverage that followed interviews, op-eds, profiles. It reframed the moment as a movement. That’s the PR engine doing its job and shaping the narrative while it’s hot. 

Social Virality Without Earned Media Is a Party Without an Exit Strategy 

Here’s the thing about viral moments they come fast, and they go even faster. You can have 10 million views on a sound and still vanish by next Tuesday. That’s why earned media isn’t optional. It gives shape and structure to the chaos. It turns a spike into a storyline. 

Brands that show up on TikTok and go viral have a small window to prove they’re not just a fluke. This is where PR teams help pull together the post-viral playbook. Maybe it’s an exclusive feature, maybe it’s a behind-the-scenes story, maybe it’s a thought leadership op-ed. The point is if you’re not steering the narrative, someone else will. 

And it’s not just for artists. Owala water bottles went viral on TikTok thanks to aesthetic-loving creators comparing them to Stanley cups. But the company didn’t let the moment run off the rails. They followed up with press hits and quick-react PR moments that turned TikTok buzz into broader lifestyle brand recognition. Now they’re a top-searched product at Target vs. a passing trend. 

PR and Social Need to Sit at the Same Table 

Too often, PR and social are treated like separate disciplines. One crafts messaging. The other posts memes. But when they’re aligned, they become a cultural force. 

Think about Duolingo. Their TikTok account is wild unhinged owl content, reactive trends, chaotic charm. But it’s backed by PR that knows how to catch the attention of journalists and ride the earned wave. The result? A brand that wins on social and lands in headlines  not because they paid to be there, but because they earned it. 

Marketing execs should be asking: Are our PR and social teams working off the same brief? Are we planning for what happens after a video pops off? Are we building an earned strategy that captures momentum when it counts? 

The New Playbook Is About Momentum — Not Just Media Spend 

Here’s what’s clear: TikTok will continue to produce overnight sensations. But what brands do after that spark determines whether it becomes a flash or a flame. 

That’s where earned media shows up. Not to replace ads. But to give a viral moment a second life. To add weight. To create recall. To build brand trust. 

Because in this era, attention is just the starting point. The real game is earned relevance. And you can’t buy that, you build it.