President and Founder, John Maroon reflects on 18 years of Maroon PR

As Maroon PR gears up for its 18th anniversary, I’m reflecting on our journey from the beginning to where we are today.

When I started Maroon PR in 2006, (doesn’t feel that long ago, does it?), our industry was a whole different ball game. “PR” solely meant media relations, marketing was pretty much just advertising handled by agencies, and social media, well, that wasn’t really a thing yet.

But as social media and the idea of “content” started to catch fire, we had a light bulb moment (pure genius, right?). We gradually dipped our toes into that world and then dove right in.

Before we knew it, clients were asking us about videographers. At first, we’d just point them to our buddies, but eventually, we took the plunge ourselves. We hired our first full-time videographer in 2010, which was pretty “out there” for a PR firm at the time. It felt like we were onto something big, especially when we saw one of the big PR players bringing video capabilities in-house around the same time.

Then came advertising. We’re clear on who we are and who we’re not—we’re not an ad agency. But thanks to the digital revolution, advertising means a whole bunch of different things to different folks. Nowadays, we whip up media buying plans for clients of all shapes and sizes and cook up content and social media ads with our videographer/editor, graphic designer, and our head of social and digital.

Our universe now operates in the worlds of earned, owned and paid media and this growth, partnered with our ability to adapt and grow with our industry, has allowed us to take on new and exciting clients and projects.

Most recently we decided to lean into the work we believe we do best, and, under the Maroon PR banner, we’ve introduced Maroon Plays (sports), Maroon Cares (nonprofits and health & wellness) and Maroon Gathers (hospitality). Check out our website, maroonpr.com, for more on that.

These exciting shifts in our focus and operations have breathed new life into me and the team, and we’re looking ahead with pure optimism.

For those of you considering starting your own business, first realize that it isn’t for the faint of heart, but it is gratifying and challenging. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes (you will), don’t be afraid to make tough decisions (you must), and surround yourself with people who are smarter than you (I did).

Cheers to the next 18 years!