PR – if you work in the sector, you will be more than familiar with the blank face that greets you when you tell your family and friends what you do for work. “No Mum, I don’t wear roller skates and hand flyers out” must have crossed the lips of many a PR professional.
With this in mind, we’ve recruited the help of our team to shed some light on the age-old profession we call PR… so, if you’re a student wondering what your working day will be like, a professional trying to explain your role to your friends and family or if you’re just interested in having a nosey into what we get up to here at Prohibition – say hello to our day in the life! We hope you enjoy.
This week we speak to Natalie – a seasoned PR Executive and fully-fledged member of the Prohibition PR team here in Leeds.
What is your official job title?
My official job title is Account Executive or a PR and Social Media expert – which sounds much fancier.
Do you have an unofficial job title?
Over the past couple of years I have earned the title of ‘Celebrity Knowledge Guru’ as I seem to know a weird amount of useless information about Z-list celebrities (I blame the Daily Mail’s ‘sidebar of shame’). I’m also pretty nifty when it comes to quizzes – in fact, along with our Account Director Vicky, I’ve scooped the big bucks (usually a bottle of Processco) at our bi-annual staff quiz. Unsure if that is something to be proud of or not…?
Why did you choose to work in PR?
I managed restaurants on and off for ten years and desperately wanted a change. After becoming a mature student – studying Marketing and Advertising Management degree at Leeds Beckett University – I found that I really enjoyed the PR and communication side of things. I decided to look for work experience in this field and came to Prohibition PR after my first-year exams. I loved it, they loved me, and I have been here ever since!
What is a typical day at Prohibition like for you as an Account Executive?
The thing I love about this job is that every day is different. I could be selling in a story to a national newspaper one minute and helping to arrange an event the next. It would be impossible to say what a typical day is like here! But in a nutshell, fun, busy, varied and quiet often unexpected!
How do you consume news?
I watch Sky or BBC news a lot at home and follow what people’s thoughts are on various subjects using social channels such as Twitter and Reddit. I do admit I read the Daily Mail online a lot, but try to ensure a non-biased opinion by reading the BBC online too.
What is your favourite thing about PR and social media?
Most definitely the people. I think you need to be a certain type of person to work in this field and I couldn’t ask for better colleagues. I also love how the industry is constantly changing, which keeps our work interesting and fast paced. I enjoy consumer writing too, which is a huge bonus as you do a lot of that here at Prohibition!
Do you prefer PR or social media?
I enjoy both equally, but if I had to choose it would be social media as it’s a fascinating subject. It has literally transformed the world as we know it, from how we consume news, to how we interact with people. I am always excited to see what technology will be next to take the industry by storm.
What advice would you give to someone looking to work in PR?
Be willing to work hard and ensure you love the work you do. The industry is so fast paced and ever-changing, so you need to stay on top of everything!
What is the best thing about working at Prohibition?
My colleagues who are also great friends. We support each other and have a laugh together. It makes the working day a breeze – no matter how much stress or pressure we are under.
What has been your favourite campaign to work on?
I really enjoyed working on some of the campaigns we rolled out for Leeds based retail and entertainment complex The Light. We’ve launched loads of innovative campaigns for them, such as Student Hub and The Light Lunch. It was great interacting with the people of Leeds and watching everything go live. We really felt like we had accomplished something once it was over.
How many coffees do you need to survive the day?
I am one of those weird people that doesn’t drink tea or coffee. However, I do have a diet coke once a day to see me through.
And finally, the most important question of them all…. Does pineapple belong on pizza?
Always. Although I prefer anchovies, which is even more antisocial of me.
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