A Legacy Broadcaster Meets Gen Z
From Sesame Street to Arthur, PBS has defined American public media. As the nation’s largest public media enterprise, it remains a household staple for news, cultural programming, and science for millions.
Beloved by older audiences, the brand set its sights on evolving its approach to reach younger, digital‑first viewers and support key premieres.
That shift demanded a new kind of presence. Discovery today is platform‑native, creator‑driven, and community‑led, and PBS had to meet it to stay top‑of‑mind with Millennials and Gen Z.
Turning Prestige Programming Into Everyday Discovery
To engage younger, digital‑first audiences and back new premieres, PBS needed to pivot to long‑form storytelling that felt native to TikTok and Instagram.
The bottleneck wasn’t “more creators.” It was finding voices whose tone, audience, and values fit the brand so content felt like genuine recommendations, not ads.
As part of this shift, PBS set out to:
Expand reach and brand relevance with Millennial and Gen Z viewers- Move from sporadic campaign drops to an always‑on creator strategy
- Drive engagement and streaming across priority dramas
- Build a loyal network of creators who could champion PBS consistently across platforms
As part of that move, PBS partnered with Kyra to design and run a scalable, creator-first program built for consistency and cultural fit.
An Always‑On Creator Engine Built Around Editorial Storytelling
Kyra led PBS’ always‑on program, handling casting, briefs, content delivery, and performance tracking. Creators were matched to themes (history, identity, pop culture) and given room to interpret the brief to ensure posts felt like real recommendations.
Our platform centralized onboarding, collaboration, approvals, and performance data. That made this continuous cadence efficient: new creators each month, fresh creative territories by platform, and timely adjustments.
Alongside the tech, our campaigns team focused on cultural fit and consistency with PBS’ voice. Formats ranged from explainers and light reenactments to smart cultural commentary. On feed, that translated to BookTok‑meets‑screen pieces, cozy Instagram storytelling around weekly rituals, mini‑editorials for historical dramas, and trend‑native executions such as carousel moodboards and reel recaps, all built to feel platform‑native and relatable.
Beating Benchmarks and Recasting Perception
The program facilitated PBS’ evolution to a platform‑native, creator‑powered presence that strengthened emotional resonance among younger audiences.
The program delivered:
- 16.9M+ total views across platforms
- $2.1M in EMV
- 3% average engagement rate (above entertainment category norms)
- 91 unique assets
- 90% positive sentiment; 0% negative sentiment
- Noticeable viewership surges tied to content drops around Moonflower Murders and All Creatures Great and Small
With Kyra, PBS shows up with intention, keeps pace with the feed, and earns attention with creator stories people trust.