Launching a startup in a highly competitive space is never easy.
This was the exact challenge Marco Fazio faced as the founder of LITO, an innovative foldable suitcase company built around a clear mission: modernizing the travel industry while reducing the environmental waste caused by traditional suitcase manufacturing.
The product was genuinely different. The mission was compelling. But there was one major roadblock standing between Marco and real traction.
Credibility.
Before discovering Brand Featured, Marco found it extremely difficult to convince potential customers that his startup was legitimate.
"It's just something difficult to do, especially on crowdfunding campaigns," he shared. "When people search for you online, and there are no reviews or articles, it's hard to get them to trust you."
This is a challenge that affects almost every new brand, regardless of how strong the product is. In a crowded market, potential customers have no shortage of options. When they search for a brand they have never heard of and find nothing, the default assumption is skepticism. The absence of third-party coverage creates a credibility gap that neither advertising nor self-promotion can easily close.
How PR helps startups build trust is not about generating buzz. It is about giving potential customers the independent validation they are looking for before they commit to a purchase. That is exactly what Marco needed.
That is when he turned to Brand Featured.
"It was a really cost-effective way of building the social proof that you would normally have through very expensive PR activities," he said.
Marco was also dealing with a challenge familiar to many ecommerce founders at the time: skyrocketing ad costs following the iOS 14 privacy update.
His Facebook ads were becoming more expensive, and without strong trust signals on his site, the traffic he was paying for was not converting the way it should.
"I bought Brand Featured right after the iOS 14 update. My cost per lead on Facebook ads was increasing a lot," he explained. "So I needed to find another way to improve trust in my visitors. That's why I decided to try Brand Featured. It was the perfect solution."
By adding "As Seen On" logos from trusted media outlets to his website, Marco noticed an immediate lift in conversions. The logos did not just look good. They linked directly to his actual press coverage, giving visitors verifiable proof that independent publications had featured his brand.
This is the practical difference between decorative logos and genuine credibility assets. When potential customers can click a logo and read real coverage, doubt is replaced with confidence.
"After adding the 'As Seen On' logos to our site, we experienced a lift in conversion rates," Marco noted.
But the benefits extended beyond the website.
The media features gave LITO valuable PR assets that could be repurposed across other channels including email campaigns, landing pages, and social media content. Every piece of coverage became a reusable credibility signal that reinforced the brand's legitimacy at multiple touchpoints in the customer journey.
This is the compounding nature of earned media. A single placement does not just improve one page. It creates an asset that works across your entire marketing ecosystem. PR for startups and VC firm strategy operates on the same principle: the coverage you earn early becomes the foundation that supports every subsequent growth effort.
With stronger credibility signals in place and a growing media presence behind the brand, Marco launched LITO on Kickstarter.
The results were immediate and measurable.
"We were funded on Kickstarter in just 15 minutes. And after 72 hours, we made roughly $40,000."
For a startup that had struggled to build trust just months earlier, this was a significant milestone. The combination of a genuinely innovative product and visible media credibility gave backers the confidence they needed to commit quickly.
Crowdfunding campaigns live and die on trust. Backers are being asked to support a product that does not yet exist at scale, from a brand they may never have heard of.
Media coverage from recognized outlets addresses that trust gap directly and gives potential backers a reason to believe before the product is in their hands.
The momentum built through the Kickstarter campaign continued well beyond the initial launch period.
LITO went on to generate over $100,000 through its campaign and shipped its eco-friendly travel cases to customers across more than 30 countries. The brand's reach extended far beyond what a startup with limited marketing resources would typically achieve in its early stages.
And the growth did not stop there. LITO became an Official Partner of Lufthansa, one of the world's largest and most recognized airlines. That kind of partnership validates both the product and the brand at a level that few startups achieve.
The credibility that media coverage helped establish early on created the conditions for each of these subsequent milestones. Trust compounds when it is built consistently and displayed in the right places. PR for long-term growth delivers exactly this: a foundation that supports bigger opportunities as the brand grows.
When asked what he would tell other entrepreneurs struggling to build credibility online, Marco was direct.
"It's difficult to trust all the services that are sold online because you never know if something is legit or not," he said. "At the same time, you need to think about what budget you have and how cost-effective Brand Featured could be for your business."
"For us, Brand Featured was a really cost-effective way of building the social proof we needed."
His experience reflects a reality that many founders face: the choice is not between expensive PR and no PR. It is between smart, structured investment in credibility and allowing the trust gap to limit your growth indefinitely.
Credibility is one of the biggest barriers new businesses face. It affects conversions, ad performance, partnership opportunities, and the ability to compete against more established brands.
But as Marco's story demonstrates, it does not have to cost thousands of dollars a month or require a long-term agency retainer. A single investment in earned media coverage can generate assets that work across your entire marketing strategy for months and years after the initial placement.
Visit Brand Featured to learn how media placements can help your brand build the credibility it needs to grow. Browse our frequently asked questions to understand how the process works, or contact us to talk through your options.
How did media coverage help Marco's startup get funded on Kickstarter?
Media coverage gave LITO the third-party credibility that crowdfunding backers look for before committing to an unknown brand. When potential backers could see that independent publications had featured the product, the hesitation that typically slows early campaign momentum was significantly reduced.
Can a small startup afford PR?
Yes. Marco's experience demonstrates that cost-effective PR options exist well below the price point of traditional agency retainers. Brand Featured's package-based model is specifically designed to make media coverage accessible for brands at the growth stage.
How long does it take to see results from media coverage?
Marco saw an immediate lift in conversion rates after adding media logos to his site. The broader business outcomes, including Kickstarter funding and international growth, followed over the subsequent months as the credibility foundation continued to support his marketing efforts.
Can press coverage be used across multiple marketing channels?
Yes. As Marco found, media placements create reusable assets that can be deployed in email campaigns, landing pages, social media content, and paid advertising. A single placement can strengthen your brand presence across every channel you use.
What type of businesses does Brand Featured work with?
Brand Featured works with startups, ecommerce brands, consultants, agencies, and growing businesses across a wide range of industries. If building credibility and earning media visibility are priorities for your brand, the model is designed to deliver those outcomes without long-term commitments.
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