The Predictive Index (PI), a talent optimization platform, partnered with PANBlast in 2025 as its SaaS PR agency to shift perception from “an assessment tool” to a strategic workforce optimization partner. PI sought to increase consistent media coverage, establish itself as a thought leader in talent optimization and leverage proprietary research to drive meaningful conversations with HR leaders.
Challenge
The HR software space is crowded and competitive, with many companies positioning themselves as solutions for employee engagement and performance, similar to PI. Additionally, the company aimed to demonstrate that it could address a critical pain point for organizations: employees feeling misunderstood by their managers and peers. The goal was to create external commentary through earned and owned media that reinforced PI’s expertise and positioned its executives as trusted commentators on workplace trends.
Strategy
PANBlast turned to original research to provide data-backed commentary to the market, which included PANBlast ideating and executing third-party research, pairing executive thought leadership to amplify the survey themes, and targeted media outreach to national and trade media:
- Proprietary survey research: PANBlast designed and executed a survey, The Workplace Perception Gap: How Well Do You Think Your Boss and Colleagues Understand You?, uncovering key insights such as 44% of employees feeling overlooked for opportunities due to misperceptions and 62% of Gen Z reporting higher rates of being misunderstood.
- Executive positioning: PI’s leadership team was positioned as experts on HR trends, generational workforce shifts and employee experience. This included interviews, contributed content and thought leadership articles citing the data.
- Cohesive storytelling: The survey results informed blog content, an eBook, a press release and LinkedIn posts, ensuring all messaging reinforced PI’s positioning as a talent optimization platform.
- Targeted media outreach: PANBlast focused on HR and business media outlets reaching PI’s ideal buyers, leveraging embargoed pitches and one-on-one relationships to secure high-impact coverage.
Campaign Results
PANBlast’s original research strategy delivered measurable impact in both media reach and authority-building for The Predictive Index:
- 14 pieces of coverage citing the data, including CNBC, HR Dive, Yahoo Finance, MSN, Inc., Training Industry and Quartz, which had the potential audience reach of 300+ million
- 7 backlinks to PI’s website, driving inbound traffic and visibility
- Average domain authority of coverage: 79 (compared to PI’s website DA of 53)
- Headlines showcasing the impact of PI’s insights:
- Nearly half of workers say their boss doesn’t understand them, survey shows
- Empathetic leadership has ROI for employee retention, report indicates
- Frustrated Employees Can Hurt Your Business. Here’s How to Fix It
- The Hidden Cost of Manager Misperception — and How to Fix It
- Survey findings reinforced messaging that PI is more than an assessment tool: a platform that helps organizations understand employees, address misperceptions and optimize team performance.
Through this research-driven SaaS PR approach, PANBlast positioned The Predictive Index as a thought leader in talent optimization, amplifying its voice in the HR software industry and creating actionable insights for organizations seeking to better understand and support their employees.
From Steve Messina, Director of Brand Marketing at The Predictive Index:
“PANBlast has been instrumental in building a steady flow of meaningful media coverage that perfectly fits our direction. They also helped us level up our reports, turning them into stories that fuel that coverage and strengthen our position in the market.”
The PANBlast team that worked on this campaign included: Director Kelsey Sowder, SAE Annie Cumming, SAS Abby Lewis and SCS Gizzelle Sandoval.