Who really invented the PESO model?

Don Bartholomew, Forrester, and Gini Dietrich all contributed to the idea of paid, earned, shared, and owned media in PR.

In May 2010, the late PR measurement expert Don Bartholomew first developed the acronym PESO for paid, earned, shared, and owned media and referred to it as a model. That’s according to PR Academy (Sept. 16, 2019) and others. PR Academy cites Bartholomew’s May 12, 2010 social media measurement story and a corresponding "The Digitization of Research and Measurement" blog post (with the same date).

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Then, in her June 24, 2013 Spin Sucks blog post, Gini Dietrich published a widely embraced cloverleaf Venn diagram showing how these four important PESO media roles intersect. Still, she does not refer to the diagram as the “PESO model” in this blog post’s body copy. It seems she officially launched her diagram of the PESO model in her Feb. 25, 2014 book, "Spin Sucks.”

Dietrich’s company stated it acquired the PESO model's legal rights before publishing the book “Spin Sucks” by providing documents, including blog posts, internal documents, and videos dating back to 2010. Bartholomew’s blog post, which used the term “PESO model,” was also published in 2010. Bartholomew also spoke with Fresh Served Media about his PESO model at a conference in June 2010.

Dietrich’s company, Arment Dietrich, filed to trademark the PESO model with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on March 9, 2022, and the trademark was officially registered Feb. 14, 2023. Despite the previously mentioned claim from a Spin Sucks blog post that its documentation of the PESO model dates back to 2010, Arment Dietrich claimed in the filing it first used the term on April 1, 2013. That’s almost three years after Bartholomew published his blog post containing the acronym.

Here’s Dietrich’s current version of her PESO model Venn diagram:

From Spin Sucks

Both models resemble the earned, owned, and paid media model Forrester writer Sean Corcoran notably used in December 2009, about five months before Bartholomew’s blog post. 

But Batholomew, who died in 2015, wrote, “Our PESO model predates the similar Forrester model (Paid/Earned/Owned) and is different in an important way” – that his model differentiates earned media strategies as “proactive” and shared media strategies as more “passive or reactive.”

In its earliest form, Dietrich’s PESO model resembled Bartholomew’s model more closely than it does currently. However, the two have always held differences. Bartholomew’s model – shown as a matrix – focuses on the differences between paid, earned, shared, and owned media and describes how audiences interact differently with each type of media. However, Dietrich utilizes the Venn diagram to illustrate the similarities among the forms different media types take. While only Bartholomew’s PESO acronym gained widespread use, Dietrich earned rightful credit for the acronym’s visualization.

One could even argue these two individuals’ PESO presentations fulfill a different function. The media types are the same – paid, earned, shared, and owned – but it doesn't seem like Dietrich just put the information from Bartholomew's model into a Venn diagram. Dietrich's displays different information about each media type than Bartholomew's does.

Here’s Bartholomew’s 2010 PESO model matrix: 

From MetricsMan

As the industry began circling Dietrich’s PESO model Venn diagram, she updated it to reflect current knowledge, from adding the “Reputation” category to the center to revamping it with topics about SEO. Through her Spin Sucks website, she offers advice and coaching on using the PESO model in various situations.

However, despite its widespread usage, many PR professionals, including our PR agency team, didn't know to attribute the diagram to Dietrich, as PR industry associations, public speakers, and professionals frequently presented it without such attribution. So, if you use Dietrich’s PESO model Venn diagram, which she has copyrighted under Spin Sucks, it’s important to give her due consideration by attributing the diagram to Spin Sucks.

Because of the notoriety of Dietrich’s diagram and industry associates advocating, as we are, for proper attribution, it's a common misperception that she was the first to invent the PESO model for paid, earned, shared, and owned media.

In summary, it seems the late Don Bartholomew invented the PESO model. Gini Dietrich turned it into a handy infographic and ultimately developed it into a certification program, which has greatly benefited the public relations industry and profession. 

What’s your take? We welcome your comments below. 

See also: What's the difference between earned, shared, and owned media?

If you need help developing paid, earned, shared, and owned media, also known as news media, social media, and web content strategies, programs, and measurement, we can help you. Book a consultation with us today.

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