earned, owned, paid media

These three channel categories generally complement each other in a through-the-line strategy.

Earned media is unsolicited positive coverage by third parties. Examples include word of mouth, news reports, social media influencers and testimonials.

Owned media are channels controlled by the brand or organisation. Examples include websites, social media channels and flyers.

Paid media describes messages that involve a paid-for component. Examples include advertising, sponsored influencer posts, product placement and event sponsorship.