How We Helped Mark Clayton Turn LIVV Audio Into a Category-Defining Comeback

Client: LIVV Audio (Mark Clayton)

Project Goal: Launch the first high-performance, over-ear sports headphones that don’t compromise sound quality, and position Mark as an innovator in both athletics and audio tech.

Outcome: Media placements across top-tier tech, business, and lifestyle outlets, from Financial Times to iHeartRadio. A breakout launch for LIVV Pro and a powerful repositioning of Clayton’s post-NFL legacy.

Mark’s Backstory

Before he was sketching headphone designs, Mark Clayton was running NFL routes like a machine. Known for his explosive energy and relentless precision, Mark reinvented. LIVV Audio was born out of frustration: every pair of headphones he tried during training either slipped off, shorted out, or couldn’t keep up.

So, like any good wide receiver, he ran his own route.

Mark wanted to build headphones that actually moved with you, engineered for athletes, not just engineered to look athletic. And that mission became personal. He poured over a decade of design sketches, field tests, and hard-earned insight into LIVV Pro: over-ear headphones made for people who sweat hard and still want symphony-level sound.

But to go head-to-head with legacy audio brands, Mark needed more than specs. He needed story, authority, and trust. That’s where we came in.

73.2%

Campaign Open Rate

65

Avg. Domain Authority of Coverages

32

Total Coverages

79.8+ Million

Monthly Outlet Website Visits

THE CHALLENGE

FROM KICKSTARTER TO A CATEGORY FIRST

LIVV Audio wasn’t Mark’s first attempt, and the internet doesn’t forget. Early Kickstarter delays and manufacturing issues had cast a long shadow over the brand’s potential.

Now, with a completely re-engineered product and a fresh round of funding, Mark needed the world to see LIVV not as a celebrity side project… but as the first real category-defining headphone for athletes.

"The team is rock solid. Once you get involved and engaged, you'll see how thorough they are. Especially if it's something they believe in, they get excited as well." - Mark Clayton

OUR STRATEGY

MAKE IT ABOUT MORE THAN SOUND

We built a 360° PR campaign focused on more than just specs. We positioned LIVV as the first true overhead sports headphone that doesn’t compromise quality, and Mark Clayton as the founder who knew what that meant better than anyone. Here's how we tackled it:

Narrative Development & Positioning

We recast Mark’s story from “former athlete” to category inventor. Themes we hit:

  • Athlete-led innovation
  • Reinvention after failure
  • “Built to move with you” vs “built to look sporty”

Editorial Pitching

We pitched LIVV across four core verticals

  • Tech & audio 
  • Business & leadership 
  • Lifestyle & fitness
  • Sports & athlete ventures

Sample & Affiliate Integration

We offered press samples to select high-end outlets and assisted with influencer seeding with a fitness-forward message.

Founder Profile Building

We made Mark the story: pitching him for interviews, podcast spots, and founder features that framed him as a serious entrepreneur, not just a retired name with merch.

THE RESULTS

HEADPHONES BUILT FOR HIGHLIGHT REELS

Persistence, clarity, and a founder who never stopped running his route.

  • The narrative: No longer stuck in early Kickstarter setbacks.
  • The headlines: Replaced with stories of innovation, resilience, and reinvention.
  • The launch: Framed by founder features, gear reviews, and high-authority placements.

The perception: LIVV is a category creator.

Now, when someone Googles Mark Clayton or LIVV Audio, they see an athlete-turned-innovator building the future of performance sound.

MARK’S FINAL THOUGHTS

“Straight up? Don't Be a Little Pitch delivers.

When I was gearing up to launch Live Audio, the first premium athletic headphone on the market, I knew the product was rock solid. But I needed the right team to get the word out, strategically, loudly, unapologetically.

Why Don't Be a Little Pitch? First, the name. It instantly told me they weren’t another cookie-cutter PR agency. Then I met Bryce and the team. They are all efficient, sharp, and genuinely invested in the brand. Their process? Smooth. Transparent. Easy to track. I always knew what was happening, what was coming, and who we were pitching.

The “oh damn, this is actually working” moment? Seeing our product in Forbes, GQ, Digital Trends, Gear Junkie...like 50+ major publications. That’s the kind of exposure tech brands dream about. It wasn’t just fluff, they got Live Audio in front of early adopters and legit tastemakers with real influence.

Working with Don't Be a Little Pitch didn’t just hype me up about PR. It actually pushed me to keep elevating the product. When you know that level of coverage is coming, you want your product to match the buzz.

Would I recommend them? Absolutely. No hesitation. The team is rock solid. They believe in what you’re building, and you feel that. It’s infectious.

If you’re on the fence, here’s my take: Don’t overthink it. Don't Be a Little Pitch isn’t just PR, they’re the spark that makes your brand impossible to ignore.”

Mark Clayton, Founder of LIVV

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