CASE STUDY / HARVEST HOSTS
Harvest Hosts
Apps & Marketplaces | Travel & Hospitality
Harvest Hosts, a membership club for RVers, offers unique overnight stays at 2,500+ farms, wineries, breweries, distilleries, golf courses, museums, and other scenic small businesses across North America. The company's mission is to help people get off the couch and onto the open road while supporting the small businesses that are the backbone of America. 5W was tasked with a multi-pronged media relations strategy spanning funding announcements, host location expansion, small-business partnerships, company milestones, an acquisition, and consumer surveys gauging sentiment around travel and the rising popularity of RVing.
5W's campaign focused on raising brand awareness through strategic positioning, thought leadership, and spotlighting local regional hosts as third-party spokespeople. Incorporating hosts gave reporters a real-life look into the story and validated claims made by the CEO. It also showcased the variety of host locations available, helping recruit new hosts and members and drive signups. CEO Joel Holland was positioned to speak on the future of travel, road safety, and the small-business stories Harvest Hosts is enabling - extending the brand into both consumer mainstream media and valuable industry trades like RVIA.
STRATEGY
RESULTS
- 350+ placements
- 900M+ media impressions
- Coverage in Business Insider, VentureBeat, Inc., the New York Times, Forbes, the TODAY Show, Thrillist, RVIA, NASDAQ, Yahoo! Finance, the Washington Post, Informa, and more
- Brand evolution from travel membership site to RV travel category authority
FAQ
What is membership marketplace PR—
Membership marketplace PR builds visibility for two-sided platforms - driving member acquisition while recruiting hosts, providers, or sellers on the supply side. The Harvest Hosts program ran both motions simultaneously, generating 350+ placements and 900M+ impressions.
How does 5W support travel and hospitality brands—
5W combines travel media relations, executive thought leadership, third-party spokespersons (hosts, guides, operators), and consumer survey programs - designed to build category authority and drive both consumer and supply-side acquisition.
Why do third-party spokespersons drive PR results—
Third-party spokespersons (in this case, regional Harvest Hosts) deliver authentic, on-the-ground stories that validate corporate claims and give reporters varied geographic and human-interest angles. They also showcase the marketplace's breadth.
What outlets cover RV and road travel—
Top outlets include Business Insider, the New York Times, Forbes, TODAY, Thrillist, the Washington Post, Yahoo! Finance, plus industry trades including RVIA and Informa.
How do you measure brand evolution in PR—
Brand evolution is measured through changes in coverage themes, share of voice in adjacent categories, addition of new media verticals (from travel to small business to lifestyle), and outlet tier mix over time.
