Colorado's Agency of Record: PR and Marketing for the Centennial State's Boldest Brands
When The New York Times first claimed its position as the "newspaper of record" in 1937, it wasn't just about circulation numbers or prestige. It was about establishing a trusted source of truth, a reliable narrator of current events and a steadfast champion of journalistic integrity.
This concept of being "of record" soon transcended journalism to influence the advertising and public relations industries. By the mid-20th century, the agency of record (AOR) designation emerged to identify firms trusted with stewarding a brand's entire marketing and communications presence. Like their journalistic counterparts, these agencies became the keepers of institutional knowledge, crafting and protecting brand narratives while maintaining crucial relationships with media gatekeepers.
The traditional agency of record model is evolving. For decades, the agency of record designation meant a single agency handling all aspects of a brand's marketing and communications. But as digital channels multiply and specialization deepens, many brands are moving away from this approach, preferring to work with multiple specialist agencies for specific needs, from influencer marketing to paid advertising.
From Newsroom to Boardroom: Understanding Colorado's Media Landscape
At Grasslands, we're reimagining what it means to be an agency of record for an entire state. Our vision extends beyond typical agency practices to encompass something more fundamental: deep understanding of Colorado's unique media ecosystem, authentic relationships with its journalists, and genuine connection to the communities we serve.
Many of us on the Grasslands team worked for media outlets as writers and editors, and we understand that effective PR is about building authentic relationships with the people who craft Colorado's daily narrative. This is why we've made it our mission to support and champion the Centennial State’s journalism community, from hosting annual high-level networking events for Colorado journalists to founding initiatives like Buy Colorado Day that celebrate the ongoing contributions of Colorado businesses to our communities.
We certainly see the value in specialization—after all, many of us once had specific beats or verticals we covered for publications like Fortune Magazine and Men’s Health, and Grasslands has long emphasized our unique expertise in cannabis PR and marketing. However, we also take the interdisciplinary perspective that generalism holds value.
In journalism, generalist reporters are often seen as particularly agile, capable of covering a range of topics, spotting trends and contextualizing news within broader historical, cultural and political frameworks. In an era of increasing specialization, generalists are often valued for their ability to translate complex ideas for a wide audience and bridge gaps between disciplines. Global thinking is what’s needed to craft bold, award-winning PR and marketing strategies and become multilingual in complex business languages, from wellness CPG to cannabis and psychedelics to other highly regulated industries.
Why Bold Brands Need a State-Focused AOR
Colorado's diverse communities and media markets—as well as its trendsetting role in the outdoors, music, wellness CPG, cannabis and tech sectors to name a few—demand a comprehensive approach. The state serves as both testing ground and tastemaker where brands prove their mettle before scaling nationally and where national brands come to establish their credibility. Success in the Centennial State requires more than just good PR or marketing tactics; it demands an integrated understanding of how Colorado's business, media and cultural ecosystems intersect.
When a natural products company in Boulder needs crisis communications support, it matters that its agency understands both the local manufacturing landscape and the reporters covering it. When a Denver tech startup wants to announce Series A funding, timing that announcement around Mountain Time zone news cycles can mean the difference between regional coverage and national pickup. And when national brands want to connect with Colorado audiences, authentic local relationships matter more than specialist expertise.
This is why bold brands—whether homegrown or expanding into Colorado—need more than just a specialist agency. They need a true partner who understands how to navigate the state's unique dynamics, who maintains real relationships with its media gatekeepers, and who can translate between local and national narratives. They need an Agency of Record for Colorado.
Reimagining the Agency of Record for a New Era
Many agencies claim Colorado expertise, but true understanding of our state's media landscape comes from living it. Grasslands CEO and Founder Ricardo Baca began his career in the newsroom, and served The Denver Post as the first-ever cannabis editor at a paper of record.
Today, he and other newsroom alumni on the Grasslands team bring that ethos to every client engagement. This journalism-minded approach shapes everything from our proactive pitching strategies to our annual Colorado Journalist Meetups, where we host the region's most influential reporters and editors for meaningful dialogue about the future of Mountain West media.
As Colorado continues to grow in national relevance and visibility, the need for sophisticated communications support only increases. Whether launching a new product, managing crisis communications or building community relationships, success requires more than just good strategy—it requires deep understanding of what makes Coloradans and their communities unique.
Serving as Colorado's Agency of Record means playing the part of both narrator and champion for our state's story. Through strategic communications, thoughtful relationship building and innovative initiatives like Buy Colorado Day, we're helping shape narratives that drive our state forward while supporting the journalists who tell these stories, and the businesses that inspire them.
Being "of record" in 2025 means something different than it did in 1937. While the traditional AOR model emphasized exclusive control over a brand's communications, Grasslands' vision as Colorado's Agency of Record centers on something more essential: the ability to authentically translate between brands and audiences and to step up as a bold, strategic partner in strengthening our state's unique business and media ecosystems.
Our role is to be not just a service provider, but a true steward of Colorado's story—helping shape narratives that celebrate our state's innovation while honoring its traditions, fostering relationships that transcend transactions, and building a future where business success and community benefit go hand in hand.
Learn more about Colorado business PR and marketing—we love to talk shop.
