Mid-Sized Data Centers Are Winning the Communications Battle While Many Industry Leaders Fall Behind

‍Silence is costing critical vendors business as cooling, networking, and managed services struggle to stay visible in a competitive market
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NEW YORK – (March 20, 2025) – Hot Paper Lantern (HPL), an integrated communications and marketing agency that helps brands build their reputations, create meaningful impact, and generate growth, released its latest data center industry study, "Who's Owning the Conversation?" The study analyzed over 35 companies spanning three key verticals: data center operators, cooling technology vendors, and network service providers.
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The research examines how these companies are shaping the mid-market narrative, identifies key areas for improvement, and offers data-driven strategies to help companies drive meaningful engagement. While some organizations take a proactive approach to their external communications by leveraging social media and media relations, others remain passive and allow third parties to shape their company’s narrative. This contrast sparks critical questions about how key sectors engage with their stakeholders and whether or not they will fully capitalize on the opportunities presented by the data center industry's unprecedented growth.  
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"Data center operators have assumed that by just being active to generate some form of media coverage alone, this will translate to having a strong reputation. Our research proves that this is not the case. If you are not actively shaping your own story, someone else will do it for you, and often not in your favor," said Ed Moed, chief executive officer at Hot Paper Lantern. "The data center industry has grown exponentially in recent years, fueled by massive investments, technological advancement, and industry demand. Many companies have relied on that growth to define their value in the market, but as competition increases, a strong and strategic narrative is what will set organizations apart."  
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Key Insights from the Study:

• Public Perception Doesn't Always Align with Coverage Volume – More coverage does not always translate to a stronger reputation. Nearly 10% of all social media conversations about the data center industry are negative. However, over 80% of that negativity comes from just two companies, and both are among the most active on social media. Their outsized presence has amplified criticism, highlighting the risks of lacking a strategic online narrative.  

• Mid-Tier Operators Punch Above Their Weight in Influence — Despite having smaller budgets, some mid-tier data centers generate outsized impact. Based on revenue, the bottom half of companies analyzed averaged 7x more coverage and 15x more engagement, demonstrating the power of strategic messaging.  

• Cooling Technology Vendors Are Missing Their Storytelling Opportunity — With sustainability and energy efficiency becoming critical topics, cooling providers remain surprisingly underrepresented in industry conversations. Ninety percent of cooling brands generate fewer than 500 media mentions across major platforms, creating a massive opportunity for those willing to participate in the discussion.  

• Network Providers Are Failing to Engage the Data Center Audience — Despite playing a crucial role in data center operations, many network providers struggle to connect with their target audience. Most rely on generic product announcements rather than crafting narratives that will resonate with data center decision-makers. As a result, the top 40% of network providers account for 95% of the industry's digital visibility, leaving the majority with little influence in the conversation.  
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"Cooling and network providers have expanded alongside the data center industry, yet their voice in industry discussions has not kept pace," said Moed. "As artificial intelligence accelerates demand for advanced infrastructure, these sectors must step forward. The companies that fail to establish themselves as industry leaders risk being overlooked, while those that actively shape the conversation will define the next phase of innovation and growth."  
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For more details on the "Who's Owning the Conversation?" study, view the report here. HPL will continue tracking industry trends and key players, releasing quarterly reports about the evolving conversation. To stay informed on the latest findings and updates, scroll down and sign up for future reports.

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ABOUT HOT PAPER LANTERN

Hot Paper Lantern (HPL) is a New York City-based integrated communications and marketing agency that helps brands build their reputations, create meaningful impact, and generate growth. HPL partners with clients to find, engage, and form deeper connections with key audiences and stakeholders. For more information, visit www.hotpaperlantern.com.  

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