Latin PR Rep Romina Magorno on 10 Years of Imagine It Media & Why She Loves Breaking New Acts

After dipping her toes in the Los Angeles fashion industry as a merchandiser and “not really feeling it,” veteran music publicist Romina Magorno discovered her passion for public relations when she got her first big break at D Baron Media in 2006.

“I took the gig as an assistant at a 30K pay cut, which was insane, but it was in my gut. Magorno says that something told her she was meant to be in public relations. She credits D Baron Media CEO Diana Baron as her mentor, and how she learned to be a traditional publicist.

At the agency, Magorno worked on projects like Los Lonely Boys, JoJo, Leann Rimes and All-American Rejects, to name a few. She relocated to Miami in 2010, where she worked at Nevarez Communications and tackled her first Latin projects, including Daddy Yankee, Chyno y Nacho, Elvis Crespo and Amelia Vega. Two years later, in September 2012, she decided to launch her own public relations agency.

She explains that she realized that to really establish myself in this space (Latin at the time), it was necessary to be independent.

Magorno is now the head of Imagine It Media, a boutique public relations and marketing agency. The firm has a foundation in music and entertainment, and communications strategy for Latin America, Mexico, and the U.S. Latin cross-border markets. The agency is based in Miami and specializes in talent management, strategic brand partnerships, and event media management.

In the past 10 years, Imagine It helmed major projects for Camila Cabello, The Spongebob Movie soundtrack, Justin Quiles, and LMFAO‘s Sky Blu, among others. Currently, the company’s roster includes Anitta, Tainy, Farruko, Myke Towers, Piso 21, Jorge Drexler, Steve Aoki, C. Tangana, Yahritza y Su Esencia and newcomer Un Leon Marinero, to name a few, as well as corporate clients NEON16, Sony Music Latin and NTERTAIN.

Find out more about Magorno’s agency.

What were your initial challenges when you opened your first business?

Credibility. I had moved markets and didn’t have very solid relationships. I found that bookers, producers, journalists and journalists had their favorite books and it was a challenge. I persevered and eventually the emails and phone calls were answered. I am a people person so it is hard to say no to these faces. Ha! JK.

In your 16-year career, how do you keep motivated with your business?

Breaking new talent. My platform to help them break into the market. It’s amazing to have a jukebox full of music and artists to choose from. Latin folk music is a popular and growing movement. Un Leon Marinero, a Mexican indie artist, was signed by us recently. He is a talented songwriter and musician, and I am thrilled to share his talent with the world. You must check out his music.

What drives you to work with an artist and why?

This question has many components. Talent is one thing, but I also need to connect with the person behind it. It is something I value very highly. When I started my own business, another component was to retain one client so that I could have leverage. Big artists mean a lot of opportunities, but what drives me is moving things and opening doors to the up-and coming. There are artists who have been with me for years, and the media would close the doors repeatedly at the beginning. I felt so fulfilled when the doors opened eventually.

Who do you go to for business advice?

It’s always good for you to have a few people to turn to. When it comes to advice regarding work-related matters, my Kary Ann Diaz and Nini veras have been solid. Two people have helped me see the big picture and supported me in many ways, Iveliesse Mave and Lex Borrero .. These executives have been my cheerleaders for many years and I am so grateful to have them in my world and to be able to work together on projects.

What is the most important advice you can give to up-and coming publicists?

Focus. Keep an eye on the details. Integrity is key to learning how to offer PR services and also how to understand and implement strategy. Many of the new schools are not really able to understand how to build a strategy. This is something I wish I had learned earlier in my career. But things were different back then.