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Insider tips

Public Relations by Samantha Maskill

 

• 1. Get experience
• 2. Practise your writing
• 3. Match your skills and interests
• 4. Have genuine passion
• 5. Know your topic

 

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Samantha Maskill can trace the origins of her career in PR back to an early interest in sustainability, developed when studying for her degree in Ancient History focusing on the survival and fall of civilisations. Travelling after graduation, she saw the impact of climate change first hand which fuelled her interest in the ethical agenda and eventually led to her joining sustainability and marketing consultancy Clownfish.

 

What was your career path into the industry?

Firstly I worked in sales and marketing to gain experience and get a feel for all aspects of marketing. After a couple of years I decided that I wanted to focus on consumer PR, which I found that I enjoyed immensely. After gaining solid work experience and extensive knowledge of PR, I joined Clownfish to finally realise my passion for sustainability.

 

What kind of personality do you need to do your job and succeed in PR?

First and foremost you need to be determined and believe that you can do anything! PR is a stressful, results-based job in which you have to work relentlessly to make things happen.

 

This business can be disheartening at times but when you see results and achieve your aims it can be truly exhilarating.

 

Secondly, you need to have an eye for the story that will best achieve the desired results of your client. It is important to recognise what is of interest to a journalist and how you can get them to take notice of your story, so that you do not end up wasting yours and the journalist’s time. Speaking with journalists, finding out what they’re working on and putting ideas to them is a great way to gauge interest.

 

How have ethical issues affected the business/clients of the PR industry?

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of companies that do not walk the talk and that are not transparent about business practices. Companies that make claims that they cannot substantiate are at risk of accusations of greenwash, which is damaging to brand reputation.

 

We live in a time where stories, good and bad, can be replicated time and time again on the internet, which is potentially damaging to clients.

 

I think that transparency is the key to avoiding this. If a business holds its hands up and recognises that it’s not perfect but is taking steps to change this, a consumer will respect them far more than one that says they are doing a million wonderful things when the truth is they are doing nothing.

 

What has been your career highlight?

My career highlight so far has been working on a project with Tesco and Cath Kidston to produce eco shopping bags to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care. It has been fantastic to see the way that these bags have been embraced by the consumer, as not only have they sold well and raised money for charity but also made consumers think about the issue of disposable plastic bags, helping to reduced the amount used in store. Also, being made of recycled PET plastic they are diverting waste from landfill, which has highlighted the fact that innovative technology can be utilised to reduce waste.

 

How will sustainability issues affect the future of the UK’s PR industry?

The future of the industry in this context means that PRs will have to advise their clients carefully on their messaging to ensure transparency and avoid making false claims. PRs will have to be up-to-speed with the changing attitudes of the consumer, more now than ever, to protect their clients from potentially damaging greenwashing accusations.

 

www.clownfishmarketing.co.uk

 

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