THE 14TH ANNUAL SHORTY AWARDS

The Shorty Awards honor the best of social media and digital. View this season's finalists!

Industry

See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Auto See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Beauty See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Business to Business See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Consumer Brand See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Education See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Entertainment See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Financial Services See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Fitness, Health, & Wellness
<br>See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Food & Beverage
See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Gaming See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Government & Politics See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Hospitality See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Insurance See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Live Events See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> News & Media See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Non-Profit See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Pets & Animals See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Pharma & Healthcare See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Real Estate See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Restaurants See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Retail & E-Commerce See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Social Activism See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Sports See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Technology See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Television See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Travel & Tourism See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Wine, Beer & Spirits

Strategy & Engagement

See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Brand Partnership See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Call to Action See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Community Management See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Creative Use of Technology See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> CTV/OTT See previous winners and honorees for Insights and Trends here.</a> <a href=https://shortyawards.com/17th/"https://shortyawards.com/category/16th/data-visualization">See previous winners and honorees for Data Visualization here.</a>"> Data & Insights See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Earned Media See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Event & Experiential See previous winners and honorees here.</a>""> Gamification See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Humor See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Innovative Media Buying Strategy See previous winners and honorees here.</a>""> Integration with Traditional Media See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Internal Communications See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> LGBTQ Community Engagement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Micro-Influencer Strategy See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Multicultural Community Engagement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Music & Dance See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> On a Shoestring See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Organic Promotion See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Paid & Amplification See previous winner and honorees here.</a>"> Physical and Digital Convergence See previous winner and honorees here.</a>"> Public Service Announcement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Real Time Response See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> SEO & SEM See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Social Commerce See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Storytelling

The Made It Out Podcast

Finalist in LGBTQ Community Engagement

Objective

After facing setbacks from major networks, Mal, alongside her partner Mathilde Jourdan, launched Made It Out in November 2023, determined to create the quality-driven content she wished she had found as a "late-in-life lesbian." Mal discovered her true calling after leaving a director-level role in the tech industry, where she realized that staying closeted wasn't the only way she was living inauthentically.

Strategy

Transitioning from the corporate world to LA’s nightlife, Mal built an online following by sharing her experiences and quickly discovered a passionate community hungry for connection and representation. When traditional networks failed to see the value in her vision, Mal harnessed her community’s support to create Made It Out, which skyrocketed to the top of the podcast charts, drawing over 305K dedicated fans across platforms. Each week, Mal offers her unfiltered insights as a recovering closeted lesbian, diving into deep conversations on queerness, religion, sex, culture, and her personal battles, including her history with binge eating disorder.

Results

The podcast has become a vital hub for the LGBTQ+ community, consistently ranking in Spotify's Top 20 Society & Culture US Chart, and earning a Webby Award Honoree for Best Video Podcast Series within six months of launching. Her candid discussions have featured prominent guests like E.R. Fightmaster, Tayla Parx, Robby Hoffman, Alyson Stoner, and Becca Tilley. Beyond the podcast, Mal has made her mark as a presenter at LA’s Pride in the Park and as a host at GLAAD’s Tidings event, solidifying her status as a rising star and trusted voice in the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.

Media

Entrant Company / Organization Name

The Made It Out Podcast

Links

Entry Credits