What Hot Paper Lantern does

Hot Paper Lantern (HPL) is a privately held, integrated B2B marketing communications agency headquartered in New York and founded in 2018 by Ed Moed after 23 years at another communications firm. The agency delivers five core service pillars — Strategic Communications, Growth Marketing, Design + Development, Analytics, and Specialty Markets & Advisory — alongside two proprietary assets: the HPL Blueprint, a five-step methodology for international companies entering the US market, and the HPL Digital Sport sub-brand focused on sports technology, iGaming, and sports betting communications.

HPL's service delivery is built on a CommTech platform ecosystem that integrates third-party technology partnerships with Ketch (data privacy), Muck Rack (media relations), Qwoted (expert network), HubSpot (marketing automation), and Talkwalker (social listening and analytics). Revenue is generated through project-based engagements, retainer arrangements, and ongoing consulting relationships with enterprise and mid-market B2B clients, with no publicly disclosed standardized pricing. The firm's client base spans Fortune 500 enterprises (Meta, EY, Nikon, Advantage Solutions, Barnes Aerospace, LuxConnect, Alibaba.com) across seven verticals, with data centers/energy/infrastructure identified as the primary vertical practice.

HPL operates as an independent, founder-controlled boutique consultancy with no external institutional investment, venture capital, or private equity backing disclosed. The firm has been recognized with 16+ industry awards since 2019, including Sabre Awards, PR Daily Content Marketing Awards, and inclusion in the PRNEWS Agency Elite Top 100 (2023). Reported scale signals include 11-50 employees and case study outcomes such as growing Advantage Solutions' media placements from fewer than 40 to 400+ annually and contributing to Monkey Knife Fight's $90 million acquisition by Bally's.

Name

Hot Paper Lantern

Legal name

Hot Paper Lantern

Website

https://hotpaperlantern.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hot Paper Lantern is a privately held, integrated B2B marketing communications agency that delivers strategic communications, growth marketing, design, analytics, and specialty advisory services to enterprise clients across data centers, financial services, sports technology, manufacturing, retail, and technology verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marketing Communications Services

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Other Services Related to Advertising (541890)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Lead Generation & List Building Services (Prospecting, Data Sourcing) (BPAFAKAE)

Keywords

• Marketing communications agency
• Public relations services
• Growth marketing services
• Brand strategy consulting
• B2b marketing agency

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communications Services: Core agency services including media relations, social media management, executive communications, and reputation management. Delivered through project engagements, retainers, and ongoing consulting arrangements with B2B clients.
2. Growth Marketing Services: Performance marketing, paid social campaigns, content marketing, SEO/SEM, and analytics services. Billed through project fees, retainer arrangements, and potentially performance-based components.
3. Design and Development Services: Website design/development, brand identity creation, visual design, UX/UI services. Delivered as discrete projects or as part of integrated brand development engagements.
4. Specialty Markets Advisory: Category expertise consulting for sports technology, igaming, and sports betting markets through HPL Digital Sport division. Includes strategic advisory and business consulting services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hot Paper Lantern is an integrated B2B marketing communications agency that helps brands build and protect their reputations and drive measurable growth through five service pillars: Strategic Communications, Growth Marketing, Design + Development, Analytics, and Specialty Markets & Advisory. Services span media relations, social media campaigns, brand identity creation, website design/development, performance marketing, and analytics, delivered via retainer and project engagements to enterprise and mid-market clients across data centers, financial services, sports technology, manufacturing, retail, and professional services. The firm additionally operates the HPL Digital Sport sub-brand serving sports technology, iGaming, and sports betting markets and offers the HPL Blueprint framework for international companies entering the US market.

Product overview

Hot Paper Lantern (HPL) is an integrated B2B marketing communications agency operating as a unified service offering rather than a software platform. The portfolio spans five core service pillars—Strategic Communications, Growth Marketing, Design + Development, Analytics, and Specialty Markets & Advisory—alongside a specialized sub-brand, HPL Digital Sport, focused on sports technology, sports betting, and iGaming. The HPL Blueprint framework structures international market entry engagements. Together, these services are delivered through integrated campaigns tailored to each client, with no modular software licensing or standalone product architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Digital Sport by HPL: A specialist agency focusing on building brands and helping companies grow in the interconnected world of sports leagues, brands, technologies, and iGaming/sports betting.

Products and services

• Strategic Communications Building and protecting brand reputations through earned and social media campaigns that simplify complex topics and help brands gain mind share, build awareness, and influence vital stakeholders. Core practice area for B2B clients across regulated and complex markets.
• Growth Marketing Growth marketing campaigns blending strategy and creativity to help brands acquire and retain customers through audience-led SEO, social media, content marketing, and data analytics strategies. Includes performance marketing, paid social campaigns, and analytics-driven optimization.
• Design + Development Website and brand design and development services including visual design, brand identity, logo development, UX/UI, and website redesigns using WordPress and Webflow platforms. Includes brand transformation work for large organizations.
• Analytics Data and analytics solutions including media monitoring, social media analytics, website analytics, competitive analysis, SEO analytics, PPC analytics, email marketing analytics, and content marketing analytics to guide optimization.
• Specialty Markets & Advisory Strategic communications and growth marketing services tailored for niche markets including sports, sports technology, sports betting, and iGaming sectors, with category expertise to secure partnerships, funding, and customers.
• HPL Digital Sport A specialist agency brand under Hot Paper Lantern focused on building brands and helping companies grow in the interconnected world of sports leagues, brands, technologies, and iGaming/sports betting. Led by Ed Moed, it serves as a strategic advisor and mentor to emerging company CEOs and founders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400+ media placements achieved in 18 months for Advantage Solutions, up from fewer than 40
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• KetchsupportingTechnology or IntegrationData privacy platform partnership providing privacy and consent management capabilities integrated into HPL's technology stack for client campaigns
• Muck RacksupportingTechnology or IntegrationMedia relations platform partnership enabling PR team to manage media contacts, track coverage, and optimize press release distribution for clients
• QwotedsupportingTechnology or IntegrationExpert network platform connecting HPL's subject matter experts with media opportunities and speaking engagements
• HubSpotcoreTechnology or IntegrationMarketing automation platform partnership for inbound marketing, lead nurturing, email campaigns, and analytics for HPL and client initiatives
• TalkwalkercoreTechnology or IntegrationSocial listening and analytics platform partnership enabling real-time monitoring of social media, brand sentiment, and campaign performance across client accounts

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hot-paper-lantern
• Instagraminstagram.com/hot_paper_lantern
• Xx.com/HotPaperLantern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hot Paper Lantern