Story before spin
We earn coverage with substance and a genuine angle, never hype that can't survive a second question.
Our story
Founded by people who used to chase the story
Spotlight PR was started in 2012 by two former journalists who were tired of receiving press releases that buried the story. They believed the best PR didn't shout louder — it understood what made something genuinely newsworthy, and earned coverage on merit.
That instinct still runs through everything we do. We've grown from a two-person practice into a team of 30 strategists, ex-reporters, and creators, but we've kept the founding rule: a senior practitioner leads every account, and we only pitch stories we'd want to read ourselves.
Today we work with category-defining startups, challenger brands, and established names navigating change. What unites them is the ambition to be talked about for the right reasons.
What we believe
Values that keep our work honest
We exist to earn ambitious brands the attention they deserve — without ever trading away their credibility. These principles guide how we get there.
Relationships matter
We protect our credibility with journalists as fiercely as we protect our clients' reputations.
Move at news speed
Opportunities and crises don't wait. We respond in hours, not days, and never miss the moment.
Measure what matters
We report on share of voice, sentiment, and business impact — not a stack of clippings nobody reads.
Radical candor
We tell clients when a story isn't there yet, and what it would take to make it land.
Build lasting reputation
We play the long game, building authority and trust that outlast any single campaign.
A decade-plus, measured in attention earned
2012Year founded
30Strategists & ex-reporters
180+Brands launched
2,400+Placements secured
The team
Meet the people behind the headlines
Former journalists, strategists, and creators who stay hands-on with every account we run.
Mara Reyes
Founder & CEO
Former national news editor. Leads brand strategy and our biggest launches.
Daniel Cho
Co-Founder, Media
Ex-business reporter with deep contacts across tech and finance press.
Amara Okafor
Director, Crisis
Spent a decade in corporate affairs steering brands through their hardest moments.
Liam Foster
Head of Influence
Built creator programs for some of the most talked-about consumer launches.
Our approach
How we work alongside your team
Every brand is different, but our method stays the same: understand the story, build the right relationships, and stay accountable for coverage you can actually feel in the business.
Embed in your brand
We learn your audience, market, and ambitions before we shape a single message.
Find the real angle
We pressure-test the story against the news agenda so it lands when we pitch it.
Stay accountable
We report on outcomes and keep iterating until the coverage moves the needle.
Let's earn your brand the spotlight
Tell us what you're building or protecting. We'll bring the strategy, the relationships, and the hands to make the right people care.