If you are reading this Marathon Strategies review, you are likely to deal with a communications challenge that feels bigger than a press release can fix.
You may also need growth-stage PR support that goes beyond earned media. Marathon Strategies are built for exactly that kind of work.
The firm combines political campaign speed, original research, and communications strategy into one integrated approach.
It serves corporations, nonprofits, trade associations, and growth-stage companies facing complex reputational challenges.
This is an independent review. It is not sponsored or affiliated with Marathon Strategies.
You will find verified facts from O’Dwyer’s, Inc. Magazine, PRovoke Media, PRNewswire, and the Financial Times, so you can make an informed decision.
Marathon Strategies Review: Who Founded the Firm and Why It Matters
Phil Singer founded Marathon Strategies in 2008. Before launching the firm, he spent a decade in political communications.
He served as national press secretary for Senator John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign. He then held senior communications roles at Senator Chuck Schumer’s office.
After that, he became national spokesperson and deputy communications director for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.
That political background shapesed how Marathon approaches every client challenge.
Political campaigns operate under enormous time pressure. Messages need to land fast, the opposition is always watching, and research matters as much as storytelling.
Today, Marathon Strategies has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., and in Albany.
The firm has 67 plus employees, with an annual revenue which reached $10.8 million in 2025.
In O’Dwyer’s PR Firms Directory 2025, Marathon ranked #39 on the Top PR Firms list. Its website describes the team as ‘campaign operatives, PR experts, researchers, journalists, digital and data experts, graphic designers, brand managers, government aides, lawyers, and TV producers.’
Raymond Hernandez, who leads Marathon’s investigative research practice, spent two decades as a reporter at The New York Times.
Liz Benjamin, who manages the Albany office, hosted ‘Capital Tonight’ on Spectrum News for years.
Marathon Strategies Review: Services
Marathon describes its mission as delivering ‘influence at speed with intelligence.’ Its core service areas, according to O’Dwyer’s and the firm’s own website, are:
- Public affairs: national, local, and international campaigns that shape legislation and regulatory decisions
- Reputation and issues management: building and protecting brand credibility for companies facing scrutiny
- Research and investigations: original proprietary research used to support campaigns and generate earned media
- Digital advocacy: targeted digital campaigns across paid, owned, and earned channels
- Creative campaigns: video production, graphic design, and branded content from an in-house studio
- Crisis communications vs. 24/7 rapid response for companies facing reputational threats
Core Services for Growth-Stage PR Clients
What separates Marathon from most growth-stage PR firms is its in-house structure. The firm operates with an investigative research team, a newsroom, and a creative studio under one roof.
That means Marathon does not just pitch stories.
It builds the research first, then creates the content, and then places it with journalists and policymakers simultaneously.
According to the firm’s O’Dwyer’s profile, Marathon is ‘not afraid to offer honest, candid counsel and big ideas even if they are outside a client’s comfort zone or may not be the popular opinion.’
Directness is either a strength or a concern, depending on what kind of agency relationship you want.
Additionally, Marathon launched a new practice area called DefendED in early 2024. According to POLITICO, PRovoke Media, and O’Dwyer’s reporting on the launch, DefendED supports higher education institutions facing political scrutiny, campus crises, and reputational challenges.
The practice includes risk assessments, crisis playbooks, plagiarism reviews of academic leadership, and 24/7 communications support.
Phil Singer told POLITICO that colleges are facing ‘a perfect storm of scrutiny’ they have never experienced before.
Marathon Strategies review: Verified Campaign Results
An objective review needs real numbers, not vague claims. Below are three verified Marathon campaigns with independently confirmed outcomes.
The Cleaning Coalition of America
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Marathon built the brand and communications strategy for the Cleaning Coalition of America from scratch.
According to Marathon’s published case study, the campaign raised Coalition’s name recognition by 371 percent.
It drove 40,826 new visitors to the coalition’s website, a 1,200 percent increase in users from the three months before launch.
Additionally, Marathon served 23,284,244 total impressions to target audiences across aviation, commercial real estate, healthcare, and education, exceeding the Coalition’s goal by 20 percent.
The Buy Safe America Coalition
Marathon ran the communications campaign for the Buy Safe America Coalition, which advocated legislation to protect consumers from counterfeit and stolen goods sold through online marketplaces.
According to Marathon’s LinkedIn page and the Buy Safe America Coalition’s own press room, the campaign educated lawmakers, media, and the public about the scale of the problem.
The INFORM Consumers Act was signed into law on December 29, 2022, according to Loss Prevention Magazine.
The law requires online marketplaces to verify the identity of high-volume third-party sellers.
Marathon was nominated for the Innovation SABRE Awards Persuasive Content category for this work, according to their LinkedIn announcement.
Corporate Verdicts Go Thermonuclear Report
Marathon’s original research report, ‘Corporate Verdicts Go Thermonuclear,’ was published in March 2023 via PRNewswire and received independent media coverage from Transport Topics, The Center Square, and state-level outlets across Texas, Illinois, and Louisiana.
PRovoke Media named it one of the standout entries in that year’s top Agency Thought Leadership category.
The report found that the median nuclear verdict against corporate defendants rose from $21.5 million in 2020 to $41.1 million in 2022, a 95% increase, while the number of verdicts doubled.
The 2025 edition found 135 nuclear verdicts in 2024 alone, totalling $31.3 billion.
Marathon Strategies Limitations
An honest review does not stop at strengths. Here is where Marathon may not be the right choice for your brand.
- Consumer lifestyle brands: Marathon is a public affairs and corporate communications firm. If your brand needs coverage in Vogue, Bon Appétit, or TechCrunch’s product reviews, Marathon’s media relationships are not designed for that world. Consumer lifestyle PR requires a very different set of journalist contacts and storytelling approaches.
- Pure product launches without policy or regulatory dimensions: if you are launching a consumer app, a fashion line, or a retail brand with no regulatory context, Marathon’s political infrastructure may feel like overkill and a poor value fit.
- Size fit for very early startups: Marathon’s client roster includes Walmart, DIRECTV, The College Board, and the Motion Picture Association of America. Very early-stage startups with small budgets may struggle to get senior team attention in a firm that works with organizations of that scale.
- Geographic concentration in DC and NY: while Marathon has made the Inc. 5000 list as a nationally growing firm, its deepest relationships are in New York and Washington D.C. Clients in the Midwest, South, or West Coast markets may find the regional reach thinner than a locally focused agency would offer.
Additionally, Marathon does not publish fee schedules or retainer minimums publicly.
Based on the firm’s size, client profile, and the complexity of its work, retainers are likely in the range you would expect for a mid-size agency serving major corporations.
You should request a detailed scope and pricing proposal before any engagement.
One more thing worth noting is that Marathon’s political heritage is a genuine strength for public affairs work, but some corporate clients may prefer a firm with no visible political associations.
Singer’s background with Democratic campaigns is public knowledge.
That is not a problem for most corporate clients, PR firms routinely serve clients across the political spectrum.
However, it is worth raising directly in any initial conversation if political neutrality matters for your brand.
Read Also: Gregory PR Agency Case Study: Bold Thought Leadership for B2B Wins
Growth Stage Brand PR Quick Founder’s Guide
Before you contact Marathon Strategies, use this checklist to decide whether to move forward.
- Your brand faces a complex reputational or regulatory challenge that media relations alone cannot solve.
- You need to reach policymakers, not just journalists, and you want coordinated strategy across both channels.
- You can benefit from original research as part of your communications strategy. Marathon’s team can build the research, write the report, and place it with journalists.
- You are ready for a firm that will give you honest, candid counsel, even if the advice is uncomfortable.
- Your primary need is not consumer lifestyle media, influencer campaigns, or product reviews.
If most of those conditions apply to your situation, Marathon imay be considered. If they do not, your budget and time are better invested in a firm built for the kind of PR you actually need.
Marathon Strategies Review: Who Is This Growth-Stage PR Firm Right For
Marathon is not the right fit for every company. Understanding both the ideal client profile and the real limitations protects you from making an expensive mistake.
This firm is likely a good fit if you match this profile:
- You face a reputational or regulatory challenge that media relations alone cannot fix. Marathon’s political instincts and research team are built for situations where the stakes are high and the opposition is organized.
- You operate in a regulated industry, energy, education, real estate, finance, or healthcare — where public policy intersects with press strategy.
- You are a growth-stage company that needs to reach policymakers and institutional audiences at the same time as journalists. Marathon has relationships in both Washington, D.C., and New York newsrooms.
- You want original research as part of your strategy. The firm’s investigative team, led by a former New York Times journalist, can produce the kind of report that drives its own media cycle.
- You need crisis communications support that can move fast. The firm’s campaign background means it is designed for speed under pressure.
This firm is probably not the right fit if:
- You are a consumer lifestyle brand. Marathon’s media relationships are in corporate, policy, and business press, not consumer media.
- You are a very early-stage startup with a limited budget. Marathon’s client base, according to LegiStorm, includes Walmart, DIRECTV, IBM, and the Motion Picture Association of America. Very small startups may not get senior team attention.
- You want a neutral communications partner. Phil Singer’s public background in Democratic Party campaigns is well documented. Most corporate clients do not matter, but it is worth raising directly if political neutrality is important for your brand.
- You need a global agency. Marathon’s offices are in New York, Washington, D.C., and Albany. International market campaigns would require a different firm or partner network.
Is This Marathon Strategies Review Positive or Negative?
Neither. This Marathon Strategies review is objective. The firm has real strengths and real limitations, and any honest assessment covers both.
On the strength side, the evidence is clear. Marathon ranked #39 on O’Dwyer’s Top PR Firms 2025 list. It made the Inc. 5000 four times in five years.
The Financial Times named it one of America’s fastest-growing companies.
- Its Cleaning Coalition campaign produced a 371% brand recognition increase and a 1,200% website traffic increase, according to the firm’s own published case study.
- Its Buy Safe America work ended with a law being signed by the president.
- Its ‘Corporate Verdicts Go Thermonuclear’ research was named one of PRovoke’s top agencies that produced thought leadership pieces of the year.
Those are verifiable outcomes. But they also reflect a specific type of work, public affairs, policy campaigns, and corporate reputation challenges for large, well-resourced clients.
On the limitation side, the firm is small relative to its client ambitions. Approximately 67 employees serve a roster that has included Walmart and the Motion Picture Association.
That staffing ratio means growth-stage companies need to ask direct questions about who specifically will handle their account and how much senior attention they will receive.
Additionally, the firm does not publish detailed client satisfaction data or third-party audit results.
Most performance evidence comes from Marathon’s own case studies and industry award nominations.
You should request independent client references in your specific sector before you commit.
Overall, if your growth-stage PR challenge involves public affairs, policy, or corporate reputation — and you have the budget to match the firm’s client tier, Marathon Strategies is worth a serious conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Marathon Strategies?
Phil Singer founded Marathon Strategies in 2008. Before starting the firm, he served as national press secretary for Senator John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign, held senior roles in Senator Chuck Schumer’s office, and was deputy communications director and national spokesperson for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign, according to the firm’s own website.
Where do Marathon Strategies rank in the PR industry?
According to O’Dwyer’s Top PR Firms 2025 list, Marathon ranked #39 among U.S. PR firms. The firm has also made the Inc. 5000 four times between 2019 and 2023, and the Financial Times named it one of America’s fastest-growing companies.
What industries does Marathon Strategies serve?
Marathon serves corporations, nonprofits, trade associations, and higher education institutions. Named clients have included Walmart, DIRECTV, IBM, The College Board, and the Motion Picture Association of America. The firm also runs a dedicated higher education crisis practice called DefendED, launched in early 2024.
What are the verified results from Marathon’s campaigns?
The Cleaning Coalition of America campaign produced a 371% brand recognition increase and 23 million-plus targeted impressions, exceeding goals by 20%, according to Marathon’s published case study. The Buy Safe America Coalition campaign helped drive the passage of the INFORM Consumers Act, signed into law on December 29, 2022, by Loss Prevention Magazine. The ‘Corporate Verdicts Go Thermonuclear’ report was named a top agency thought leadership piece by PRovoke Media.
Are Marathon Strategies good for early-stage startups?
That depends on your budget and your challenge. Marathon’s most prominent clients are large corporations and associations. Early-stage startups with limited budgets may not secure senior team attention at this firm. However, if your startup faces a specific public affairs or regulatory challenge, the firm’s expertise in that area may be worth the investment. Ask directly about minimum retainer requirements and who will manage your account before engaging.