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Public relations (PR) has been seduced by metrics. Open rates, impressions, and cost per click are numbers that dazzle in reports and boardrooms. Yet Brauch Owens, Partner at Ascend Agency, argues that the essence of PR has not changed. The industry may be digital-first, but the heart of the work is as old as rhetoric itself: persuasion.
The Core of PR Hasn’t Changed
“People think PR is about technology or algorithms. It’s not. It’s about influence,” Owens says. “You can have the best data dashboards in the world, but if you can’t persuade an audience that your client matters, the numbers are meaningless.”
That belief grounds Ascend’s approach. Despite leading one of the fastest-growing PR firms in America with over $20 million in revenue and a 7,534% two-year growth rate, Owens is not distracted by vanity stats. He insists that business is still about where a story is told and who tells it.
Where You Place the Story Matters
Owens doesn’t mince words about credibility. “It’s not just what is said, but where it’s said. A feature in a respected outlet is worth more than a hundred blog posts no one reads. Placement is persuasion.”
That perspective has shaped Ascend’s aggressive strategy of securing guaranteed placements in premium media. For Owens, this isn’t about chasing prestige for its own sake. “It’s about making sure clients are positioned that actually shift perception. Every audience has its gatekeepers. If you’re not showing up in the publications they trust, you’re invisible.”
Balancing Storytelling and Data
Ascend operates in a digital ecosystem where campaigns must be both artful and accountable. Owens acknowledges the tension. “The danger in PR right now is thinking data replaces storytelling. But data’s purpose is to sharpen the story. It doesn’t write it.”
That mindset has allowed Ascend to thrive in digital-first PR while avoiding the trap of reducing campaigns to spreadsheets. Their model combines storytelling with measurable results, giving clients both visibility and validation
Persuasion Anchored in Trust
Owens believes that persuasion without trust is empty theater. “You can win attention with shock value, but it doesn’t last. Influence that sticks comes from trust, and trust is earned when the message and the medium align.”
This is where Ascend’s partnership-first strategy comes back into play. By collaborating with other agencies and publishers, they create more consistent and credible placements. For Owens, this isn’t just smart business; it’s also how persuasion scales. “You build influence by being the voice people expect to hear in the right places.”
What Brands Should Know
Owens sees persuasion as a universal entrepreneurial skill. “Whether you’re raising capital, hiring top talent, or selling a product, you’re persuading someone to believe in your story. If you can’t do that, nothing else matters.”
That perspective cuts against the prevailing obsession with growth hacks and automation. Entrepreneurs who over-invest in tools at the expense of narrative risk building businesses no one remembers.
The Enduring Power of Persuasion
Ascend’s meteoric rise proves that persuasion, anchored in trust and delivered through credible channels, still drives growth in PR. The industry will continue to digitize, automate, and innovate. But for Owens, the constant remains clear. “At the end of the day, PR is about changing minds. And that will always come down to persuasion.”
For seasoned founders and executives, Owens’s advice is worth heeding: technology may expand reach, but persuasion still wins the room.
