The Authority Game: Turning PR Actions into Digital Impact - Search ‘n Stuff Antalya Conference 2026 - Clara Soteras

Workshop delivered by Clara Soteras at Search'n Stuff, titled “The Authority Game – Turning PR Actions into Digital Impact,” in Antalya, Turkey. Search'n Stuff is a leading international conference specializing in SEO, artificial intelligence, and digital marketing. Over three days, the event moves beyond the usual industry noise to focus on hands-on learning, collaboration, and long-term growth through discussions and workshops in an immersive environment.

Transcript

1. The Authority Game Turning PR Actions into Digital Impact A 60-minute hands-on workshop. Learn how to transform PR actions into lasting digital authority — not just visibility.
2. Workshop Overview What We'll Cover Today 01 02 Warm-up & Conceptual Anchor The Card Game Rules Visibility vs. Authority — and why the difference Understanding the mechanics and forming your teams matters 03 04 The Authority Brief Challenge Lightning Pitches & Takeaways 20 minutes of focused team strategy work Present under pressure — then leave with a framework
3. I am Clara Soteras. SEO Consultant and Digital Strategy for Media Founder PingCraft Collective Advisory Board member – Future Audiences Initiative – WAN-IFRA Associate professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona Collaborator of international journalism organizations such as WANIFRA, Online News Association (ONA), and LION Publishers. I have been Head of Innovation and Digital Strategy at AMIC. I have been the SEO and Product Director at El Nacional. You can find me at: clarasoteras.com & hello@clarasoteras.com
4. My latest book
5. My new project: pingcraftcollective.co m
6. NEW YORK, LONDON, MADRID…
7. Visibility vs. Authority There's a crucial difference between being seen and being trusted. Visibility means getting media coverage. Authority means building lasting relevance and credibility that compounds over time in the minds of your audience, in search engines, and even in AIgenerated answers. Visibility Authority A one-time spike. A mention today, forgotten tomorrow. Measured in impressions and reach. A strategic asset. Built through consistent, credible actions that make you the go-to source in your space. Measured in trust, citations, and influence.
8. The Core Formula PR Action + Digital Impact = Authority Every great PR campaign that builds lasting authority follows this equation. Today, you'll learn to engineer it deliberately — and practice it in real time.
9. Chapter 1 — Inspiration Cases Before We Play, Let's Get Inspired These six real-world campaigns show how bold PR actions — executed with strategic intent — generate authority that outlasts the news cycle. They span different industries, budgets, and tactics. But they all follow the same formula. 🩸 Liquid Death 💊 CeraVe 🍔 Burger King 🦉 Duolingo 📊 LinkedIn ⚠️ Sony PSP Absurdism as brand identity Guerrilla geo-targeting Data-driven thought leadership Manufactured viral mystery Chaotic mascot authority A cautionary tale
10. CASE 1 — DISRUPTION Liquid Death: Absurdism as Brand Authority Liquid Death sells canned water. But it looks, feels, and talks like a heavy metal band. Their slogan? "Murder your thirst." Instead of competing on product features, they built a ferocious community through outrageous PR — including a vinyl record made entirely from their haters' 1-star reviews.
11. CASE 1 — DISRUPTION Liquid Death: Absurdism as Brand Authority
12. Liquid Death — Why It Works The PR Hook The Digital Authority Play A commodity product (water) transformed into a By generating coverage in both niche metal media cultural symbol through extreme brand personality AND mainstream marketing press, they built an and relentless shock-value campaigns. authority footprint far beyond their ad budget. Key Lesson: A commodity can become a cultural identity when PR actions are bold, consistent, and community-driven. You don't need a massive budget — you need a distinctive point of view.
13. YouTube YETI x Liquid Death - Casket Cooler (Case Study) | Cam… YETI x Liquid Death - Casket Cooler (Case Study) | Campaign Background: YETI, renowned for high-quality coolers that keep… 02:01
15. CASE 2 — ALGORITHMIC VIRALITY CeraVe: The Engineered TikTok Mystery For months, TikTok creators spread a theory: actor Michael Cera was the secret founder of CeraVe. The brand stayed strategically silent — fuelling speculation — until revealing the whole thing was an orchestrated campaign at the Super Bowl. A masterclass in manufactured suspense.
16. CeraVe — Why It Works Social Listening as Strategy The Reveal as the Climax By seeding the narrative and letting the organic speculation into a high-stakes community run with it, CeraVe dominated media moment. Every outlet that had TikTok trends, Google News summaries, covered the rumour now had to cover the and AI overview results — without a truth — doubling the earned media single forced press release. impact. The Super Bowl reveal turned months of Key insight: The algorithm rewards sustained narrative arcs, not one-off press releases. Engineer the story, not just the announcement.
17. YouTube CeraVe (ft. Michael CeraVe) Super Bowl LVIII (58) Comm… CeraVe (ft. Michael CeraVe) Super Bowl LVIII (58) Commercial The CeraVe Super Bowl LVIII commercial featuring Michael Cer… 01:16
18. CASE 3 — GUERRILLA TECH Burger King: Whopper Detour Burger King offered their iconic Whopper for just 1 cent — but only if you were physically within 600 metres of a McDonald's. Their app would geolocate you near a competitor, unlock the deal, and then route you to the nearest BK. They turned their rival's own infrastructure into a PR weapon.
19. Burger King — Why It Works Tactical Genius Generated massive app downloads in days The Authority Equation Earned headlines in tech, marketing, and general press worldwide The stunt didn't just sell burgers. It positioned BK as the smart, audacious underdog. Their brand authority in the "bold marketing" conversation was cemented for years. Created a social media debate that extended reach organically This is technology-enabled PR: using digital infrastructure to create a physical, shareable experience. Made the competitor's physical presence work for them Key Lesson: This ingenious use of geofencing technology turned over 14,000 McDonald's locations into promotional sites for Burger King. The campaign generated massive buzz, drove an unprecedented number of app downloads, and created countless shareable moments as customers.
20. YouTube Burger King Whopper Detour Campaign 01:47
21. CASE 4 — CONSISTENT ENTERTAINMENT Duolingo: The Chaotic Mascot Strategy Duolingo transformed their green owl mascot Duo into an internet anti-hero — passive-aggressive, obsessive, and delightfully unhinged. When they "killed" Duo in a fake announcement, the internet mourned. When they "resurrected" him, everyone cheered. An education app became a pop culture phenomenon.
22. Duolingo — Why It Works 🎭Content Brand as 📰 Media Magnet 🔁 The Flywheel When journalists write Each viral moment Duolingo stopped making about social media generates press, which ads and started making strategy, they cite Duolingo. generates followers, which entertainment. The mascot They have become the gold generates the next viral generates endless organic standard reference for moment. Authority content that others share digital brand relevance — a compounds because the without being asked. form of pure authority. source of content is the brand itself.
23. Duolingo — Why It Works 🎭 Brand as Content 📰 Media Magnet Duolingo stopped making ads and started making When journalists write about social media strategy, entertainment. The mascot generates endless organic content that others share without being asked. they cite Duolingo. They have become the gold standard reference for digital brand relevance, a form of pure authority. Key Lesson: Each viral moment generates press, which generates followers, which generates the next viral moment. Authority compounds because the source of content is the brand itself.
25. CASE 5 — COMMUNITY AUTHORITY LinkedIn: Top Voices — Engineering Desire for Recognition LinkedIn created the Top Voices badge program — a curated list of influential creators and professionals recognized as leading voices in their field. The genius: LinkedIn doesn't just reward influence, it manufactures the desire to be recognized. LinkedIn turned its own users into a PR machine. Every Top Voice becomes a brand ambassador who publicly promotes LinkedIn as the platform where authority is built.
26. LinkedIn — Why It Works The Psychological Hook LinkedIn weaponizes status anxiety. Professionals don't just want to be good at their job. They want to be seen as the authority in their field. Top Voices gives them a public, verifiable signal of that status. The Platform Authority Blueprint Users generate content to earn recognition → LinkedIn gets free, high-quality content Top Voices promote the badge publicly → LinkedIn gets organic brand amplification The badge becomes a career asset → LinkedIn becomes indispensable Key Lesson: This is gamified authority at scale. LinkedIn didn't just build a product — it built a status economy where the currency is influence, and the only bank is LinkedIn itself.
27. CASE 6 — ⚠️ THE CAUTIONARY TALE Sony PSP: When Fake Authenticity Destroys Authority In 2006, Sony hired agency Zipatoni to create a fake "fan blog" called All I Want For XMas Is A PSP, supposedly written by two real teens trying to convince their dad to buy them the console. The gaming community uncovered the fraud in days. What followed was a masterclass in reputational destruction.
28. Sony PSP — What Went Wrong 1 2 3 The Plan The Discovery The Collapse Create fake organic "word-of-mouth" through actors posing as real fans. Appear grassroots without being transparent. Gamers traced the blog's domain registration directly to Zipatoni — Sony's hired agency. The community erupted in outrage within 48 hours. Every tech and gaming outlet pivoted from covering the product launch to dissecting the deception. Sony was forced into a public apology. Key Lesson: The algorithm and the community punish fake trust with the same speed you hoped to go viral. There are no shortcuts to authority.
29. The Lesson from Sony "Authority cannot be manufactured through deception. The internet has a long memory and a short tolerance for inauthenticity. When trust breaks, it breaks loudly — and permanently." ❌ Fake Trust ✅ Real Authority Astroturfing, fake personas, manufactured Radical transparency, genuine creativity, grassroots. Short-term tactic, long-term earned media. Built slowly — but impossible catastrophe. to tear down overnight.
30. CASE 6 — INFLUENCER MISALIGNMENT Aitana × McDonald's: When the Collab Contradicts the Brand In September 2021, McDonald's Spain launched the "McAitana", a limited-edition menu designed by pop star Aitana Ocaña (OT 2017), one of Spain's most beloved young artists. The menu: a double-cheese CBO burger, McNuggets with BBQ sauce, fries with ketchup, Coca-Cola Zero, and a mini McFlurry Oreo. Price: €9.90. Total calories: over 1,500 kcal.
31. Aitana × McDonald's — What Went Wrong AITANA — WHY IT BACKFIRED The Double Contradiction Aitana had built her public image around fitness, health, and authenticity. Promoting a 1,500 kcal fast food menu was already a stretch, but promoting one she couldn't even eat herself (gluten intolerant) made the inauthenticity impossible to ignore. Fans felt deceived. Critics piled on. The Social Media Fallout Twitter flooded with mockery and memes within hours of the announcement Users accused her of "promoting junk food" and being irresponsible The gluten contradiction became the main story, overshadowing the campaign McDonald's gained coverage, but Aitana absorbed all the reputational damage. The lesson: influencer authority is fragile. When a collaboration contradicts the influencer's established identity — especially on something as personal as diet and health — the audience doesn't just disengage. They turn the campaign into a punchline.
32. Chapter 2 — The Game Begins Let's Play: The Authority Brief Now it's time to put theory into practice. You'll be split into teams of 4–5 people. Each team will draw two cards — one defining your Brand, one defining your PR Action — and build a strategy brief from scratch. You have 20 minutes. Make them count.
33. The Rules of the Game How It Works 1 2 Form Your Team Draw Two Cards Groups of 4–5 people. Sit together at your table and choose a team spokesperson now. One Brand Card (your starting point) and one PR Action Card (your strategic trigger — mandatory to use). 3 4 Fill the Canvas Pitch It Use the Authority Brief canvas at your table to structure your strategy in 20 minutes. Each team has 2-3 minutes seconds to present. No slides. No notes. Just your idea.
34. Deck A — The Brands 🟢 These are your starting points. Each brand has a unique challenge and context. You must work within the reality of this brand — its sector, its audience, its limitations. Traditional EV Brand Regional Media Outlet Established automaker pivoting to electric. Needs to prove genuine sustainability credentials against greenwashing accusations. A local or regional newspaper. Needs to attract younger audiences who never read print or visit traditional news sites. B2B Cybersecurity Software A "boring" but essential sector. Needs to build thought leadership and trust without a recognisable consumer face.
35. Deck A — The Brands 🟢 Sustainable Footwear Brand Boutique Hotel Chain A values-driven challenger brand competing against A collection of design-led hotels. Wants to become giants with marketing budgets 100x larger. Must a cultural reference point in each city where it punch above its weight. operates — not just a place to sleep.
36. Deck B — The PR Actions 🔵 These are your strategic triggers. You must use your assigned action — the challenge is adapting it creatively to your brand reality. These are proven PR strategies with documented digital authority impact. The Anti-Campaign Unexpected Alliance Data-Driven PR Radical transparency: expose an internal failure or industry problem with brutal honesty and Partner with a brand or sector completely unrelated to yours to create a hybrid cultural product Publish a proprietary industry study that media outlets and AI algorithms must cite in order to humour. or piece of content. discuss the topic.
37. Deck B — The PR Actions The Social Experiment 🔵 Challenge a deeply held cultural belief or sector Proprietary Event / Closed Community bias. Change the narrative. Turn your clients or brand advocates into an exclusive club that generates its own organic content — a self-sustaining authority engine.
38. Chapter 3 — The Canvas The Authority Brief Canvas Your team canvas has three sections. Fill them in order. Don't skip the KPI — it's the hardest part and the most important. If you can't measure it, you haven't really thought it through. 1 🎣 The PR Hook How do you adapt the PR Action from Card B to the specific reality of the Brand from Card A? Be concrete. Name the campaign. 📡 Digital 2 Amplification How does this action generate digital authority? Think SEO, earned media, AI Overview mentions, UGC, backlinks from authoritative sources. 📊 The KPI 3 How do you measure authority — not just noise? Define one primary metric that proves this worked beyond reach and impressions.
39. 🎣 The PR Hook: Crafting the Action Canvas Deep Dive — Block 1 The hook is where creativity meets strategy. It's not enough to say "we'll be transparent" — you need to articulate the specific action, the format, and the narrative angle. Name Your Campaign Give it a title. If you can't name it, it's not a campaign — it's a vague idea. Define the Trigger Moment Identify the Narrative Tension What happens first? A press release? A stunt? A social media post? A report launch? A live event? What's surprising, provocative, or counterintuitive about this? That tension is what generates organic sharing and earned media.
40. 📊 The KPI: Measuring Authority, Not Noise Canvas Deep Dive — Block 3 This is the hardest question — and the most important one. Impressions measure visibility. Authority requires different metrics. ❌ Noise Metrics Total reach, impressions, follower growth, likes. These measure attention — not trust or lasting relevance. ✅ Authority Metrics Branded search volume increase, quality backlinks from Tier-1 media, citations in AI Overviews, share of voice in industry conversations, direct media requests (journalists reaching out to you).
41. ⚡ Lightning Pitches: Chapter 4 — Pitch Time Now You Present Each team has a maximum 2-3 minutes to pitch their Authority Brief to the room. No slides. Just your idea, your strategy, and your conviction. The Brand The Action Which brand were you assigned? What's their core challenge? What PR strategy did you use? How did you adapt it? The Impact How does this generate lasting digital authority? What's the KPI?
42. 🏆 Most Disruptive NOW. WE VOTE. Pitch Award "Disruptive" doesn't mean shocking for shock's sake. It means a strategy that would genuinely change how the market perceives the brand — one that builds authority, not just attention.
43. Key Conclusions What We Learned Today 1 Visibility ≠ Authority Getting coverage is not the goal. Becoming the source others reference — in media, in search, in AI — is the goal. 3 Fake Trust Is the Fastest Route to Zero The Sony PSP case is not an exception — it is a permanent rule. Authenticity is the only durable foundation for digital authority. 2 The Action Must Earn the Amplification The PR hook has to be genuinely newsworthy, bold, or data-backed. Then the digital channels do the work of converting it into lasting authority. 4 Measure Authority, Not Noise Pick one authority metric that proves lasting impact. Reach is not enough. Make branded search, media quality, and AI citations your north star.
44. Thank You The Authority Game: Turning PR Actions into Digital Impact Questions, reflections, or ideas? Let's keep the conversation going 🎯Formula Remember the ⚡ Be Bold, Be Real 📈 Measure What Matters Keep in touch: clarasoteras.com hello@clarasoteras.com