Brkthru in the News
Tooting Our Own Horn
Retail Dive Hastedt Speaks to Retail Dive About Pride 2025
June 23, 2025
This year, many big brands ditched Pride from an advertising and marketing perspective.
And that’s a shame—but what happens when they want to come back?
Our co-founder Jeff Hastedt spoke with Daphne Howland at Retail Dive about the impact of the pullback.
Room 1903 In the News: Mellinger Speaks to Room 1903
It’s not just about being seen — it’s about being seen by the right people, at the right time, with the right message. If you have a digital media partner like us, we can provide historical data and trends to help refine your audience.
Brkthru President Jonathan Mellinger shares his social media advertising advice for restaurants and other franchise operators with Chris Irby of Room 1903.
Read all of Jonathan’s franchise social media marketing insights HERE
ad exchanger Pride 2025: Different this Year
Marketing and advertising campaigns this Pride Month are different.
In many cases, non-existent.
Most usual brand sponsors are facing a tough economy and criticism from the current administration over LGBTQ-focused marketing.
Our Co-Founder and Managing Director Jeff Hastedt and Rivendell Media CEO Todd Evans spoke to Joanna Gerber at AdExchanger about what’s happening, why, and what’s next.
hospitalitynet VP Client Services Liz Brooks Advises DMOs on Potential Travel Slowdown
Data-Driven Destination Marketing: Smart Digital Tactics to Help DMOs Navigate a Market Correction
After early predictions of a banner year for vacation and travel spending in 2025, more recent economic uncertainty and faltering consumer confidence now have the hospitality and tourism industry bracing for a slowdown.
For Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), this means added pressure on already tight expectations. Often forced to compete with essential municipal services for budget, DMOs now must work harder to lure the determined traveler.
The good news is digital marketing strategies offer extremely flexible and dynamic opportunities to help DMOs build buzz for peak travel season with measurable ROI and provable impact. But because DMOs often answer to many stakeholders, it can be a struggle to make everyone happy. Many of those who are the most vocal about marketing decisions—whether a board of directors, city department, advertising committee, or otherwise—aren’t always well-versed in modern digital marketing.
Here are some do’s and don’ts DMOs can use to navigate the looming tourism market correction with budget and reputations intact.
Green Market Report Brkthru’s Karen Cuce: Stoner stereotype not enough for cannabis marketing
Green Market Report 🍃4/20 is almost here & it’s not too late for #cannabis brands to reach new customers. Karen Cuce, our VP of Strategy, shares tips for diversifying your #ad strategy across streaming TV, music, podcasts and more.
The key? Skip the tired “stoner” stereotypes and connect with the growing base of “canna-curious” consumers. Green Market Report.
Marketing Dive Brkthru weighs in on Super Bowl ads
Our co-founder and Managing Director @Jeff Hastedt shares one of his top #SuperBowl #marketing recommendations with @Chris Kelly of Industry Dive. The story was also on Yahoo News and ariMarketing.
eCampus News Hastedt Shares Higher Ed Predictions for 2025
“Schools are prioritizing long-form digital outlets like streaming video, connected TV, podcasts, and YouTube, alongside short-form platforms like TikTok, which has grown in popularity across all age groups. However, advertising to Gen-Z presents challenges as targeting regulations tighten. This shift makes the adults in students’ lives even more critical for driving interest and enrollment.” Jeff Hastedt, Co-Founder and Managing Director, shares why #HigherEducation institutions must implement a digital media buying strategy across diverse platforms to “get butts in seats” during the upcoming enrollment period.
Authority Magazine Authority Magazine Jeff Hastedt Of Brkthru On The Future Of Adtech
Advertising technology is rapidly evolving, transforming the way brands connect with consumers. From programmatic advertising to data analytics, the adtech industry is driving innovation and efficiency in marketing. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Hastedt.
Jeff Hastedt is a dynamic entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Brkthru, where he leverages his extensive experience in the media and advertising sectors to drive real solutions for clients. With a career spanning notable organizations such as CBS, Clear Channel Radio, and Goodway Group, Jeff has honed his expertise in building strong client relationships grounded in trust.
He is a firm advocate for the belief that fostering trust not only enhances collaboration but also leads to significant returns on investment for businesses.
Highly Capitalized Network Highly Capitalized Network Interviews Brkthru’s Ben Coburn
Highly Capitalized Network tracked down Brkthru Director of Client Success Ben Coburn recently at the cannabis industry trade show MJ Unpacked in St. Louis to talk about how Brkthru uses digital media on behalf of our clients in the cannabis industry.
Recreational use of cannabis is now legal in 24 states and the District of Columbia, and 40 states for medical use, and Brkthru is one of the few media services partners that has deftly maneuvered advertising in this rapidly growing yet highly regulated category.
Brkthru was one of dozens of exhibitors at MJ Unpacked, sharing our success with hundreds of attendees during the three-day event.
Highly Capitalized Network-HCN is a news and information service for the legal cannabis and psilocybin industries.
AdAge Inside Disney, Roku and other streamers’ strategies to attract new advertisers to TV with self-serve platforms
As traditional TV networks shift their focus from linear broadcasting to streaming platforms such as Paramount+, Peacock and Disney+, much of the effort has centered on attracting big-budget advertisers. The next phase of streaming’s growth lies in bringing in small and mid-sized brands—businesses that have traditionally stayed away from TV advertising due to limited budgets, expertise or creative resources.
For media inquiries, please contact brkthru@nextpr.com