Laura’s First Six Months at Impact / Working in PR
When I was six, I dressed up as a princess for World Book Day at school. “Can I be a princess when I grow up?” I asked my mum. She smiled, ‘Laura’, handing me my tiara, ‘You can be anything you want’. Well, mother of mine, with your boundless love and assured affirmations – oh boy, did you set me up for a fall from my castle. Bang in my early twenties, I can confidently declare that I am not a princess, nor have I been living in the magical kingdom I had anticipated, with flying unicorns and magical powers.
Instead, I found myself in a faraway land, in that familiar post-university haze – part excitement, part confusion – trying to figure out what comes next. Like a lot of graduates, I didn’t have a fully-fledged idea of what I wanted to do after university – I flirted with the idea of an English Literature doctorate, briefly considered legal qualifications, and then was drawn back to where I had a little bit of experience in, and a lot of love for, communication.
And just like that…six months ago, I entered the world of PR, marketing and comms. I had no clue how much I didn’t know. This isn’t a guide, nor am I here to teach your how to get started, or which strategies to adopt, as I’m still working it out myself. But I can tell you what I’ve learned and been up to for the past six months.
I think PR, marketing and comms is a fairly misunderstood industry. Each time I tell someone I work in the industry, they aren’t quite sure what my daily tasks entail. Yes, they have heard of PR, but it’s almost treated like an ambiguous buzzword or used as a point of reference for TV characters like Edina Monsoon from Absolutely Fabulous, or Samantha Jones from Sex and The City. And I don’t blame them, because I don’t think I fully understand what it was all about until I was submerged in it.
So, what is PR & Marketing all about?
Birthday wishes from my bank, via email. A trusted influencer encouraging me to buy a product from a particular site. The text messages I receive from my favourite clothing brand stating ‘You’d look great in this. Here’s what you left in your basket’. I really thought that was all pure love. So, I’m not that special after all?
You should have seen the shock on my face when I realised that all these little things are a small part of PR & Marketing strategies; planned and executed to make you and me develop affinities for certain brands, all through carefully crafted copy that sparks connection.
And then, in week one at Impact, I was allowed - encouraged even - to step into that world and start writing copy. Up until then, I’d written plenty before: two dissertations, multiple blogs, the odd poem, and my own social media captions. Writing on behalf of a business by capturing their tone, their audience, their purpose, felt like a leap; and suddenly, the words weren’t just my own, but instead I was shaping someone else’s. Still, I sharpened my metaphorical pencil (and got typing).
And that’s part and parcel of what I’ve learnt so far, copy isn’t just about arranging words so they sound nice or read well, it moves people too. Creative and clear copy nudges individuals closer to a product, service, brand, etc. And to do that, I had to draw on something beyond the brand guidelines. From the lyricism of Elizabeth Bishop to the wry observations of Wallace Stevens, from the narrative architecture of Pride and Prejudice to the pulse of Joni Mitchell, storytelling, in all forms, shapes how we connect with one another.
Events Management: Cinderella goes to go the ball event
Within my first few months, I had my first opportunities to support client events; and working alongside the team, I realised that organising and managing events is like orchestrating a live story. Whether the event be a formal anniversary dinner, or a video shoot, every detail contributes to its success, where the goal is to make it seamless, memorable, and impactful. There are some skills that can’t be taught, and you can’t get them with a degree either, and they would be patience, common sense, an ability to anticipate the needs of others, and the ability to remain calm and collected when there are numerous plates spinning at any given time. From assisting on two events, I have worked out that the key abilities for event management are a level head for when things don’t map out, a stomach for unprecedented organisation, and some very comfortable shoes.
Brand Projects: Adding a little bit of sparkle
In the space of six months, I have been given the opportunity to collaborate on a variety of brand development projects across numerous industries, each one bringing a completely different thing to the table. From gathering insights and research to shape the strategy, to the magical moment when the first printed designs arrive, there’s a huge sense of transformation, watching all the ideas, conversations, and collaboration evolve into something tangible, and beautiful. From what I have gauged from the last few months assisting on brand projects, there is brilliance in making meaning visible and shaping a brand’s look, feel, tone of voice, and structure in a way that evokes a response along the lines of “This is us”.
I love people, I love connecting people. I love crafting the perfect message, and positioning. I love the kindness that comes along with clarity. I love amplifying other people’s genius into the world and helping put it in front of the right people. I love helping build cultures around people or brands, that allow them to cut through the crux of relevance.
No tiara, no castle, and no unicorn, but there’s a quiet kind of magic in storytelling, in bringing real stories to life – and for now, that’s more than enough princess sparkle for me.