Hi! Emma here, junior account executive at Clementine Com. Since joining the agency, it’s been a fast, hard but most of all rewarding foray into the world of luxury lifestyle PR. If you want to get to know me a little better, head here for my Q&A. For those who want to start their PR careers here are five things I’ve learned since starting out:
- Media relations isn’t just the bread and butter of PR, but the key to almost every aspect of what we do:
- PR relies so heavily on contact with journalists, influencers and other figures, that it is more than just a single building block of what we do. Instead it matters across all aspects of work at Clementine. For example, as an agency we host regular events for our clients, and taking events digital hasn’t reduced the importance of media relations when finalising the guest list. We also have a growing social media division, which still relies strongly on relationships with both journalists and social influencers; media relations is by far the most crucial strand in the tapestry that is PR.
- PR is a wonderful career, but being interested in the clients you represent makes it infinitely more enjoyable
- Whilst I’m sure most areas of PR are great to work in, there’s nothing quite like finding yourself chatting about a client on the weekend to prove how lucky we are at Clementine to truly care about the brands we represent. Whether it’s discussing fine wine over dinner, or debating the merits of wellness trends, working with our clients continues to have the added bonus of educating me on topics that are interesting to me both in and out of office hours. Whether it’s decades old brands with established heritage that we’re honoured to represent, or newly launched products that it’s a privilege to help grow, luxury lifestyle PR is an area that’s incredibly easy to be attracted to, and that makes it great fun to work in.
- Organisation is key
- Whilst organisation is likely the underpinning of almost every job in the world, PR works across so many areas that knowing exactly what you have going on is crucial. We’re lucky to work across a large number of diverse clients at Clementine, which allows us to work on numerous campaigns simultaneously, but it is hugely important to keep on top of this at all times, so that we can continue to make our clients proud. We use a tool called Basecamp to keep all of our work logged and ensure we don’t forget anything, and I know we often wonder where we’d be without it!
- When working in PR, you need to act like a sponge
- Especially in an office environment, there are constantly conversations amongst the team that could impact your work, and you need to pay attention at all times to benefit from this. Whether it’s new journalists that your colleagues have befriended, a piece they might have read that could affect your pitching, or, as is often the case right now, a tale of a media title that has been affected by the pandemic. Keeping an ear out for tips and tricks not only helps us avoid potholes, but allows us to collaborate successfully across clients and campaigns.
- Finally, I have learned that nothing compares to being in an office
- Whilst trading the commute for a lie-in might seem like an easy choice, nothing can replace bouncing ideas of your colleagues, or a quick chat over the coffee machine. It is of course important that we continue to follow guidelines, but after starting at Clementine during a lull in the pandemic when we were lucky enough to be in the office 5 days a week, I’m excited to go back in the office. I miss my desktop and being surrounded by colleagues, taking meetings in person, and of course, team drinks!
Get in touch with us if you want to get some work experience at one of the top PR agencies in London for luxury and lifestyle brands. It’s a great opportunity to start your career in a public relations agency, you’ll get loads of hands-on experience that’ll carry you through your career in PR and social media.
