Entry

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Category / Wining Level

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PR & Communications - Best Media Relations Strategy
(Platinum Winner)

PO#

#TBA05111

Payment Status

Paid

PO Created Date

2025-07-15 14:09:34

Paid Date

2025-07-15 14:12:20

Competition

2025

Season

Entry ID

TBE105652

Entry Submission Date

2025-07-15 14:03:50

Member's Name

Nikki Bertran

Member's Email

laura.moreno@oxeancross.com

Entry Level

PR & Communications

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Published

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Yes

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PF25015 - Best Media Relations Strategy

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Project Description

Project Description for Judges

Question 1 : Provide a brief description / background of your nominated organizational, departmental, team, or individual circumstance. (Your response to this question will be used for public display if your entry is awarded.)

For the 13th edition of Mastercard’s Innovation Forum—the company’s flagship event in Latin America—the External Communications team in LAC set out to elevate the media strategy with a renewed focus on credibility, storytelling, and brand alignment. The goal was to move beyond traditional coverage and spark meaningful conversations that reinforce the company’s leadership in innovation and trust. The 2024 Media Program blended high-level journalism with digital influence, creating a more focused, high-impact narrative around the Forum. A select group of journalists and tech creators engaged in exclusive sessions, executive interviews, and immersive brand moments—each designed to generate premium content and lasting engagement. By integrating earned, owned, and paid media into one cohesive approach, the program extended Mastercard’s reach far beyond the event itself. It didn’t just amplify visibility—it strengthened the brand’s voice across the region, proving the power of intentional storytelling, strategic relationships, and editorial focus to deliver lasting reputational value.

Question 2 : Outline your nominated organizational, departmental, team, or individual achievements, dated 1-3 years prior, based on your selected categories.

The Mastercard Innovation Forum is Latin America’s most influential private-sector event on payment innovation—and the largest of its kind across Mastercard globally. Held each December in Miami, it convenes top leaders from payments and tech to explore the future of commerce, inclusion, and digital transformation. Now in its 13th year, the Forum has become Mastercard’s premier customer engagement platform in the region.

In 2024, the External Communications team in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) redefined Mastercard’s approach to media with a bold, strategic shift: prioritizing influence over reach, message depth over volume, and long-term brand equity over short-term visibility.

The new Media Program was built around two pillars: a curated engagement strategy and a high-touch, on-site experience for 15 top-tier journalists and 3 tech influencers from 14 strategic markets. Their participation brought a digital-first lens to coverage, expanding impact through platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok. This marked the first time influencers were integrated into the Forum’s media experience.

Attendees had access to exclusive Forum content, including key announcements like the Payment Passkey launch, the Nubank partnership, and the Digital Trust Index. They joined immersive demos, thematic roundtables on AI, cybersecurity, and SME digitization, and 1:1 interviews with Mastercard executives. Priceless networking experiences and brand activations rounded out the program.

Content was strategically amplified via Mastercard’s LinkedIn, Newsroom, and a paid partnership with Agencia EFE. Influencers generated real-time, peer-to-peer storytelling that resonated with digital-native audiences.

The results exceeded expectations: 126 media articles, 65% in top-tier outlets; 34 interviews, 25 with executive quotes; 39% Share of Voice (8+ points above competitors); and a 46% Media Reputation Score—surpassing Visa, PayPal, and Amex. Message alignment reached 78%, with 99% positive tone and 69% exclusivity. LinkedIn campaigns hit 11.2% CTR and 14.4% engagement. Influencer posts reached 280.5K followers. Paid media efforts drove 42 earned pickups and 148.7M in estimated reach.

Mastercard’s 2024 Media Program set a new benchmark—proving that smart, integrated storytelling builds lasting reputation and drives leadership across the region.

Question 3 : Provide examples of the strategies / plans you have introduced, in order to attain your nominated organizational, departmental, team, or individual achievements. Explain why the highlighted achievements are significant / unique.

To achieve these results, the team rethought not just what the Media Program should deliver—but how. Drawing on past learnings and the evolving media landscape, the strategy intentionally prioritized depth, credibility, and strategic alignment.

Key to this transformation was the move from mass outreach to selective influence. Instead of maximizing volume, the team developed a high-precision plan grounded in audience quality, message control, and channel relevance. Exclusive roundtables were designed to generate focused discussion around Mastercard’s innovation pillars, while 1:1 interviews helped secure high-value quotes from senior leadership, positioning them as trusted experts in the region.

The integration of influencers wasn’t an add-on, but a strategic decision to extend reach in a more authentic way, bringing Mastercard’s message to digital-native audiences through trusted voices.

What makes these achievements unique is the shift in mindset: from chasing coverage to building reputation. By orchestrating every touchpoint—from story framing to post-event amplification—the team elevated Mastercard’s media presence from visible to influential, creating a replicable model for future flagship moments.

Optional Context for Judges (Not for publication. This section is solely for judges' evaluation.)

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Link List

Actions	Link	Password Protected	Password	Display (Winner Info)	Display Checked
	https://oxeanfiles.com.ar/mastercard/Awards2025/Mastercard_InnovationForum_2025_Awards_v2.mp4	No		Display

Credit List

Actions	Name	Title Organization
	Janet Rivera-Hernandez	SVP Communications, LAC, Mastercard
	Andrea Denadai	Director, Corporate Communications & Reputation, LAC, Mastercard
	Marilyn Luna	Manager, Communications, LAC, Mastercard
	Rob Vila	Manager, Communications, LAC, Mastercard

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File Link	File Size	File Link (System Resize)	File Size (System Resize)	Display(Winner Page)
upload/entry/files/TBE105652/30891752588257.pdf	4.00MB	upload/entry/files/TBE105652/30891752588257.pdf	4.00MB	Hide
upload/entry/files/TBE105652/24191752588294.pdf	4.12MB	upload/entry/files/TBE105652/24191752588294.pdf	4.12MB	Hide
upload/entry/files/TBE105652/1752640159file_10475.jpg	336.23KB	upload/entry/files/TBE105652/1752640159file_10475.jpg	336.23KB	Hide

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