Meet the PRofessionals | Marcel Klebba, Metia

Welcome to the fifth and final (for now!) instalment of the 'Meet the PRofessionals' series over on this blog! I've had the best time interviewing some incredible PR professionals from around the country, sharing their experience and advice. My PRofessional in the spotlight this time round is a well-known name, especially in the PR blogging community, it's the amazing Marcel Klebba!

Meet the PRofessional: Marcel Klebba

I first came across Marcel through the PR student blogging community and his journey has inspired a number of students, including myself. Marcel is an account executive at Metia in London, he graduated two years ago from the University of Westminster and stayed in London to launch his career in PR. Alongside his job, Marcel runs his award winning blog and has been doing for over two years now, and this year was named as a top 10 PR blog by Vuelio. As an established PR practitioner with plenty of blogging experience you can tell that Marcel really knows his stuff, so let's find out a little more about him...

1. How did you get started in PR? 

My way to the industry was pretty straightforward. I studied a BA in Public Relations and Advertising at the University of Westminster. Throughout the course, I landed a few work experience placements and then got my first comms job in the tech/corporate role a few weeks before graduating.

2. Have you found that having a successful PR blog has been beneficial to you in the industry? 

Absolutely. Blogging connects you with others, helps you explore the industry and teaches you a lot about it. It also makes you write regularly. Writing is an essential skill in PR, so it automatically makes you more employable. Having a blog can also be a good talking point during job interviews.

3. What was the reason for you setting up your PR blog?

I wanted to sharpen up my writing skills and showcase my passion to the industry. 

4. What is your current job title and what do you love about your job?

I'm a PR account executive at a global comms agency Metia. I work across the variety of fintech, tech and corporate clients. The fact it's so varied is what I like the most about my role. I also love learning and there's a lot to learn from my clients' industries. 

5. Why did you choose a career in PR?

Working in public relations is always interesting. You keep developing your skills on a daily basis and constantly learn new things.

6. What does your daily routine look like?

There's a lot to my role. I'd talk to media across the different sectors and across the globe, prepare briefing documents, and do reporting. I also make sure the media lists are up-to-date and monitor relevant media publications. But these are only some of the tasks that keep me busy.

7. Can you describe your job in three words?

Challenging, creative, exciting.

8. Who has been your biggest role model in your career so far and why?

I won't make the justice to the lengthy list of people that helped me in my career, but just to name a few, Sam Howard gave me my first proper PR job and taught me the basics, Stephen Waddington inspired me to start blogging and Ella Minty has always been there with some sound advice.

9. What are three must-haves that are crucial for you to get the job done?

Attention to detail, organisation skills and enthusiasm. 

10. What is the most memorable or meaningful moment in your career so far?

It has to be being recognised by Vuelio in 2017 as UK's best PR blogger. Landing coverage and media engagements with some of the leading trade and national publications has always been rewarding, too.

11. What do you wish more people understood about the PR industry?

It's slightly different than depicted in 'The Thick of It' or 'Absolutely Fabulous'. 

12. What advice would you give to a PR student like myself that is looking for a foot in the door in the PR industry?

Start blogging and get content out there. Meet people and learn about the industry as much as possible. Land some work experience.

Be sure to follow Marcel on Twitter, and definitely check out his blog. If you're reading this and want to get PR blogging, be sure to join the #CommsSchool community and have a go at writing yourself!

Thank you so much for your time Marcel! 

HOW TO | Build your social media 'portfolio'

Social media has become such an important factor in how professionals live their every day lives, mastering it can mean improving not only your connections with other PR professionals and agencies, but also your ability to get a job in the field. It's more than just promoting yourself to others; it can also be the perfect way to build your portfolio by expressing yourself and what you are interested in, if done properly!

There are so many social media sites out there now, how are you meant to know which is the best for you? Here are my top choices for building a social media 'portfolio' and how to use them properly to network and promote your personal brand:

Twitter: Twitter is one of the most powerful tools when it comes to developing yourself as a PR professional and connecting with the PR community because you can tailor your Twitter feed to suit you by following, retweeting and liking posts that are to your interest. Twitter is great for engaging in PR conversation whether it be through the #PRStudent hashtag while at uni or #PRTips, #PRAdvice conversations as well as engaging with agencies and professionals you're interested in. One think I'm so guilty of at the minute is following people with my dream job, they're only people! Your Twitter profile can also be used as a portfolio as it's showing your interest in a certain community or topic and shows clearly how up to date you are on what's going on in that field.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn is the obvious one when it comes to using social media professionally and networking. It's the perfect platform for finding out industry news and easily connecting with industry professionals. You can use this platform to connect with new professionals and keep in touch with old ones. Your profile on LinkedIn is like your online CV/portfolio - add all your best bits to it, both work experience and links to your existing work, you never know what role it could land you! It's the perfect platform to show how professionally connected you are to the community.

Instagram: Instagram is perfect for those who want to get a involved in a career that has a visual aspect, such as the fashion industry or working across social media graphics. Instagram is a great way to show your personality through style and passion for any specific industry. It's the perfect outlet to show yourself doing what you love and your interests!

KEEP THESE 3 TIPS IN MIND WHEN TRYING TO PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD!

1. Read over your social posts before you send them - if you're going for say a copywriter role and your socials are full of grammatical mistakes it won't look great.

2. Things you post about on social media stay with you forever (think Jack Maynard, I'm a celeb situation) nothing is ever 100% private online, so make sure you think before posting a rant about that bad day at work or posting that inappropriate photo.

3. Use your social media to make a positive change!

Why is networking important as a PR student?

One of the first thing most PR professionals state when sharing advice for people looking to get into the field is to network, network and then network some more. It was only after attending the annual student/practitioner networking event last week that I realised just how important networking is both as a student and as a PR professional.

It may seem a bit awkward and forced at first, but getting out there and surrounding yourself with people industry is so important, but try and do it in a way that works for you! As cliché as it sounds the PR industry is sometimes all about who you know! It was through work experience that I first began to realise how fundamentally social the industry is. Alongside the fact you're always working as part of a wider team, networking is a core function of the profession, and occurs not only in the work environment, but at industry events, gatherings and nights out!

PR professionals tend to build up relationships with journalists and stakeholders over time, sometimes years, and retain these key relationships throughout their entire career. While we learn this in theory as part of our degrees, actually witnessing these interactions in real life is essential for budding PR professionals, to develop the skills to learn from key people in the industry and form your own relationships with these types of people. With this in mind I thought I'd share my top tips for networking:

The look of concentration!

1. Go to industry events!

Events present the perfect opportunity to start practicing your networking skills, meeting like-minded people and build your network. I was lucky enough that my lecturer hosts an annual networking event on campus with a range of practitioners attending from around the region for my first event (Thanks for hosting Diane!). The CIPR also host regular networking events around the country which are great. Once you sign up to an event, check the speakers on social media and see what they like talking about and what field they're in. This way, you have a topic in mind when you approach.

At these events, you will tend to be out of your comfort zone. But it's important to remember that all those professionals were students before and are only human!

2. Ask questions

These people understand how important it is for students to communicate with successful professionals like themselves, be sure to ask questions about everything you'd like to know! About their role, the industry or any interests. Listening and learning is key as part of the networking process and developing yourself.

3. Stay in touch with your peers

You never know when someone in your class could come in handy! Even in the PR blogging community it's a great way of approaching like-minded talented students. Before I even started blogging and my masters I had conversations with both Orlagh Shanks and Jessica Pardoe about starting my blog and both offered such good advice back in September that I've kept it up ever since! Be sure to look through the #PRStudent hashtag, read their blogs and connect with people - the worst they can do is say no!

4. Get connected 

Thanks to the likes of LinkedIn and Twitter, networking is so much easier now than ever before, students can now connect with practitioners and follow their careers. It's the perfect place to join the conversation and comment on some posts. There are so so many successful people out there who are always willing to talk to students and help out - you just need to approach them!


How have you found networking? Have you got any tips you remember while trying to network? Let me know below!

Beth x

Click-Plate

Dreamy holidays, make up inspo and even work-out plans... Instagram is showing and influencing us on just about everything these days, even down to how, what and where to eat. I read an article this week that claimed that 'one in five brits have shared a food pic over the last month'. So no the wonder dishes we are cooking and buying are getting brighter and more photogenic just for the gram!

Before the world of social media, people would have chosen where to meet their friends for dinner or go for cocktails by a recommendation or review. Yet people's obsession with pretty food and extravagant looking drinks has resulted in bars, cafés and restaurants completely changing up their marketing and PR strategies to make them as "instagrammable" as possible. Some places will even stretch as far as basing their menus and interiors around how their dishes and environments will look in photos.

A study from Zizzi has revealed that 18-35 year olds spend five whole days a year browsing food images on Instagram, and 30 per cent would avoid a restaurant if their Instagram presence is weak. I'm sure a lot of you can relate when I say eating out has become merely a pastime, a good way of catching up with friends - and when we do, we love to share it on the gram. In fact, it's now normal to sit down in a restaurant having already decided what you're going to order because you've spent a few minutes stalking on Instagram in advance.

So - what are these places doing to make sure they are the chosen location in their city to make in to the gram?

Even starting out with the interiors...

I have definitely been guilty of visiting somewhere for food or drinks purely for the back drop - there's just something about a good flower wall, or even a bath tub in a night club. You can bet if I'm in a cool café or bar with a quirky quote on the wall (especially if it's neon) it'll be featured on my Instagram or Snapchat story... and no one will be surprised.

Take 808 bar and kitchen in Sunderland for example, their interiors are to die for (see below), from a gorgeous bathroom to the most perfect flower wall near the bar, these guys have really hit the nail on the head when it comes to the perfect instagrammable bar - and don't even get my started on their amazing cocktails and food! You can tell as soon as you walk in who they're targeting and if you're from the North East and haven't been already I'd highly recommend (and not just for the photo).

Trying out Stunt Food

The food section on the instagram explore page can be a dangerous, dangerous place. From rainbow donuts to freak-shakes, as we scroll in admiration and think we need to try that - we're falling victim to the world of stunt food. Stunt food is particularly popular within fast food restaurants with the rise of competition means if you don't innovate, you're relegated to the "has-been" pile. People use interest, sales drop, stores close, and that's the end of that.

These items are made purely for the novelty factor. I mean, why else would Burger King make a green burger bun? It doesn't exactly look appealling. Or why would Starbucks think of releasing a unicorn frappuccino? But one thing they know for sure is that millennials will buy it, post and share it all over their social media platforms and influence others to do the exact same, even if a regular product would be much more enjoyable.

Burger King feeding nightmares with their Halloween stunt

The Starbucks unicorn frappuccino

It's all in the presentation

It ultimately all comes down to the food and us milennials love to take a quick snap/insta/boomerag/whatever if it looks the part. A bacon sandwich for breakfast or a toastie for lunch doesn't hit the spot like it once did - now we're all about that smashed avocado with the perfectly runny poached egg and the most aesthetically pleasing salad bowl you've ever seen. Who knew Insta could be good for the diet?

It ofcourse doesn't stop with the food though, that would be far too simple. How are these dishes going to be presented? Plates now have to be aesthetically pleasing, usually large oval plates, rather than circular and have some type of print and even occasionally on a board. Gone are the days of a cocktail in a simple glass - you now have smoking cocktails, rainbow cocktails and even cocktails in mini bath-tubs to name a few, with each place trying to be different and stand out from the competition. Millennials are particularly all about this, the more unique the better at the end of the day. It's exciting and I love seeing the personal little touches each place has and it the perfect outlet for creativity - not even just for the photo!

So - next time you're out for food or drinks, try and maybe resist taking that snap for the gram and just enjoy the moment. I don't know about you but I'm now very hungry!

Switching Off

Something I think everyone is guilty of is finding the right time to switch their minds and bodies off and taking some time for themselves and loved ones. Lately the stress of uni, work and everything else has been getting a lot so there was no better time to have a long weekend at the Lake District. We stayed at High Borrans lodges and spent the day on Saturday at Lake Windermere, rented a boat and ate a lot of ice cream, and it's safe to say it was absolutely perfect and just what I needed to push on with the rest of this semester.

This weekend has really got me thinking about how taking some time away from everything can help put things into perspective, improve productivity and gives us space to think. Here's why:

Rented a boat on Lake Windermere and survived,
a shock to the system

The stunning view from our lodge

The opportunity to fully switch off

It's not often we get the opportunity to completely switch off and not think about anything. The phone signal wasn't great where our accommodation was located (literally in the middle of the lakes) and although we did have wifi access, I couldn't have been happier about how isolated the area was. After checking my screen-time last week and the longest day being 9 hours, I know I'm disappointed too, I have made a conscious effort to use my phone less and less. 

Switching off is the perfect time to relax, have a change of pace and recharge batteries, it allows us to come back to work with a clearer, happier mind, and face challenges much better. It's so important to encourage taking some time away from the desk as a means of improving productivity and overall job satisfaction.

You'll learn the difference between being busy and being productive

One thing that I've learnt recently is there's a huge difference between a busy person and a productive person. Have you ever noticed that when you ask some people how they are, their immediate answer is "busy"? Our society places such importance on being busy, almost as if not being busy deems you as unsuccessful. However, getting things done and being productive isn't just about being bust, it's about what you're busy doing. If you're unable to identify the tasks that actually matter, then you're just spinning your wheels.

Taking time off means you stop setting yourself meaningless tasks just to come off as busy. In fact, you'd probably rather spend time on your interests and appreciate the world around us. By not engaging in busy work constantly, you may able to fully focus on what really matters to achieve your goals.

It boosts creativity

Having time off is the perfect chance to fully process ideas and think creatively. Being constantly on the go 24/7 sometimes has a hit on your amount of creativity. Although while you're away you're not meant to be thinking of work, it's the perfect time to fully process your ideas. We've all had ideas that never materialised, right? Some time away it the perfect time to have that thinking process.

It gives you time for reflection

One thing we're all guilty of is not fully celebrating our own successes. I know for me it gets to the end of each year and it feels like everything was rushed by so quickly it's strange looking back on your achievements from the year. It's so important to take the time to recognise your achievements and be proud of yourself and your work.

Obviously we can't just go away for a few days a week every time we're feeling a little stressed, but there's so many ways to switch off just at home - how do you like to switch off? Let me know below!

Beth x

5 reasons why brands should start a podcast 🎙️

Podcasting is now one of the biggest audio mediums, from personality and comedy to educational and horror, there really is a podcast out there for everyone and is a platform that over the past year brands have started to get on the back of and be really successful doing so.

Pretty Little Thing's podcast is now one of my current favourites - they've really hit the nail on the head for their target listeners. Guests such as Maya Jama, Sophia & Cinzia (YouTubers) and Megan Barton-Hanson (Love Island) means it's the perfect content for PLT's target audience and it shows in the ratings shooting up the iTunes charts every time a new episode comes out. Another branded podcast that I've enjoyed is #LIPSTORIES (by Sephora), the podcast that tells real "stories from everyday lives" of "influential female founders, creators and thought leaders", all while promoting the Sephora "lipsticks for real life" arm of the campaign and within the first 3 episodes they achieved a 5 star rating on iTunes. So why are these brands using podcasts to reinforce their brands...

1. It adds some personality to your brand and builds a relationship

A 30-second TV or Instagram ad is nice, but if a company has a larger message they want to convey and add some personality, a podcast is the perfect platform to tell a story and convey that over multiple episodes. Even though a podcast is a one-sided medium, it helps in building effective relationships with the listeners. People listen to podcast because they have something in common with the speaker and the brand or topic the speaker is representing, it gives the feeling that the listeners know the person speaking on the podcast after just a few episodes.

A good relationship between a brand and it's audience is key in building trust. This encourages listeners to be associated with the brand. Which, in turn, leads to improved conversation, people are of course more likely to buy something from a friend than a stranger.

2. They're easy and cheap to create!

Creating a podcast doesn't involve a lot of steps at all, the equipment needed for them are reasonably priced and easily available. A podcast can quite literally be created and edited down on voice memos  (or an alternative) on your phone, no audio experience is necessarily required to create a podcast. Once the podcast is created, getting people to listen to it is just as easy - there's free options such as PodBean and SoundCloud or for a small fee you can make your podcast available on all the major listening apps such as iTunes and Spotify.

3. Why not video record it as well?

It's not that much more effort to set up a camera or even an iPhone camera and post your podcast to YouTube, it's all about maximising your audience and listenership and getting your brand out there.

4. Reach out to new, loyal audiences

Using podcasts can easily help you reach out to new audiences for any brand. No matter how big or small the brand may be, a podcast can help in building familiarity with a wide range of audiences. Once someone listens and likes a podcast, they send to subscribe to the series and regularly listen. As long as the series continues, the audience is likely to keep listening.

5. Podcasts are highly engaging

In this day and age we are no strangers to an information overload, with the internet being filled with an enormous amount of written content, an audio platform that attempts to engage with customers can be the perfect break from the norm - I always find with a podcast you can listen to it while doing something else and still enjoy them. This leaves enough room for the speaker to get the message across in a highly interactive, personal way which written content may not be able to provide.

In a recent survey conducted on 300,000 podcast listeners, it was found that 63% of respondents had bought what product the host had promoted. Suggesting that a podcast can be used successfully to engage the audience and influence their buying decisions positively!



Have you got any favourite podcasts? I'm always looking for new ones so let me know below!

Beth x

PR Lessons you can learn from your younger self

Family days really are the best sort of days, every single week without fail we'll go and visit both sets of grandparents but today has been especially family orientated, it's been one of those days where the parents get out the old *usually embarrassing* photo albums and even some videos of my childhood, which has been lovely to sit and reminisce on. But today has got me thinking, I worried a lot less as a child, you're care-free and without the responsibilities of uni, work and the only social life you had to worry about was the kids at the soft play. Here are some of the things we can learn about PR from our younger selves:

We couldn't do a post about child me without a throwback photo now could we! 

Don't be scared to try new things 

So what if it doesn't work out the first time? You'll never know until you try and that doesn't mean it should stop us trying new things. There always has to be someone who does something for the first time, whether it be a new strategy or a campaign idea, speak up! Especially if you think something is not going right or could be done better then say so - don't just watch your team fail in silence and then lay blame.

Be creative

So what if that toilet roll tube isn't an aeroplane/rocket? We can sure make it be one. Using your imagination is key in PR but some practitioners forget this in favour of old habits and the same routine. It's cliché to say, but remember to think outside the box, creative solutions are our thing.

Dream BIG and don't limit yourself

Following on from being creative, make sure you use your imagination, we can always do what we put our minds too. 'I want to be an astronaut! A singer! A fireman! A doctor!' These are all things we hear little kids say and they're all possible. We are never too old to dream a new dream, why not create something that's never been done before? What's the point of building a lego tower three blocks high? Personally, I want my tower to break through the ceiling. As they say, go big or go home.

Look at things from a different perspective

Things look a lot less scary when you're three. You're in your own bubble and this got me thinking a lot about public opinion, it's so important to put yourself in other people's shoes when working in PR and tailoring any campaign work and key messages.

Be honest

Kids always say it how it is no matter how awkward they might make situations... but it's an important trait to have! Take responsibility for your actions. Don't beat around the bush. Don't care so much about what other people think. Also, be honest about yourself, there is a very very thin line between creatively promoting yourself and completely lying about your experience. Make the most of your achievements but don’t lose perspective. Writing a food blog, is not the same as having professional catering experience. Honesty is always the best policy and especially in the working world, it only takes a phone call or two to quickly reveal the truth!

Ask questions

Kids want to know everything. Whether it's in regards to their surroundings, what someone has told them, or what they are watching on TV. They have extremely curious souls and are always pondering, so why stop when you grow up? Just because you've graduated, or settled into a career, doesn't mean you need to stop learning, you never know what could come from it! As they say, every day's a school day!

Just go for it 

Kids really have no sense of fear. Do now, worry later was very much my thinking as a child according to my mam and that's really a lesson we can really take into our PR lives. If you're not brave enough to go for the big campaigns, jobs or clients you might find that your PR world stays very small.

Brands Get Mushy for Valentine's Day 2019 ❤️

Valentine's day is one of my favourite times of year when it comes to PR campaigns, it's a date that every brand gets on board with (or should be) and has brought out some brands best work. However, in my opinion, the build up to Valentine's Day 2019 hasn't been as 'extra' as last years, think Greggs' Valentine's 2018 campaign. As you probably already know the big day falls this Thursday so I've highlighted my favourite 2019 brand contributions to the annual celebration of love (so far)... 

Marks & Spencer's Love Sausage

This has been widely spoke about across national media for obvious reasons, because of course what says romance more than a giant, heart-shaped, bacon-wrapped sausage? The £5 sausage is "lightly truffled" and M&S suggest you serve it with two fried eggs in the middle. 

The usually conservative brand announced the launch in a tweet, and the people of the internet judging by its replies were both shocked and appalled by the retailer's bold innuendo that's certainly got people talking! This special offer has been so popular online that they've now sold out in most stores across the country and people were asking for a vegan opinion - so M&S introduced their heart-beet burger! Made with roasted beetroot and sweet onions, there really is something for everyone this Valentines over at M&S.

KFC's Popcorn Chicken Flower Bouquet & Colonel Sanders Rug competition

KFC really have went all out this valentine's in an attempt to stand out from their competitors from chicken bouquets to a Colonel Sanders bear rug! They've already supplied the scented candles, so it only makes sense for KFC to have partnered with Reddit to host a competition to giveaway a Colonel Sanders Rug to complete the 'perfect' Valentine's Day night. (See below, it's actually quite scary)

To enter the competition, fans simply need to pick one of three ways to play, including a 'photoshop battle' where competitors must transform the image of the Colonel Sanders rug "into a humorous, outlandish or romantic digital masterpiece" - I bet they get some interesting entries! The Valentine's Day prize package also sounds like a dream, it includes two fried chicken onesies, a gift card for a two for a year, and a yearly subscription to an online streaming service - completing the perfect KFC Valentine's night in!

Roses are red, violets are blue, here's some flowers with fried chicken in them too...? The one day a year you are encouraged to show your favourite person just how much they mean to you and according to KFC, nothing says true love quite like a bouquet of chicken! Another way KFC are celebrating the occasion is by revealing the "Bouquet de Poulet", featuring luxurious red roses, intertwined with Hot Wings, Popcorn Chicken and tender Fillets - all in one infamous KFC bucket! Sadly, these aren't available in stores but it's encouraged to buy your loved one some roses and why not add some KFC chicken... right? 

Aunt Bessies Heart-Shaped Yorkshire Puddings 

This is a great idea if you ask me, the way to a girl's heart is most definitely though a Sunday dinner and why not add some extra looove with a heart-shaped Yorkshire! Aunt Bessies have decided to make a limited edition version of their classic treat for Valentine's Day, so you can jazz up your romantic roast this Thursday. It's the same 1995 recipe as the original and they'll be available until March - spreading the love throughout the full month of February! These come in a pack of 6 and cost just £1.50, which is a steal when you think of the usual prices of Valentine's products.

Poundland's Engagement Rings

As you've probably heard by now, Poundland have started selling engagement rings just in time for Valentine's Day - it's a much cleaner bit of promotion than the brands previous campaign with the naughty elf! They announced their new 'bling' engagement rings a few weeks ago, which are all silver (stainless steel) and feature a gemstone of some kind. These Poundland rings have of-course had the entire country talking with even Piers Morgan "proposing" to Susanna Reid live on Good Morning Britain last week.

All at just £1, Poundland have said that this is the perfect 'placeholder' and that these Valentine's Day gifts give people the perfect opportunity to propose 'before the need to invest in the real rock', which if you ask me is a really sweet idea!

Morrisons' Rainbow LGBTQ+ Roses

If you're looking for a valentine's gift that's a little different to the traditional, Morrisons have launched rainbow roses, and they're seriously pretty! As part of the Morrisons' The Best range, the Rainbow Roses were released on February 11th and they come in partnership with LGBTQ+ youth homeless charity The Albert Kennedy Trust. Each limited edition rose costs £4, with 50p from each sales being donated to the charity, Morrisons really have hit two birds with one stone with this amazing charitable collaboration.

Name a cockroach after your Ex - Hemsley Conservation Centre

Okay, this is an amazing idea and a bit of a different way to go about a Valentine's Day promotion! I'd never heard of Hemsley Conservation Centre until this week and I can guarantee thousands of people around the country will be the same. Just in time for Valentine's Day, the centre launched a campaign where you can name one of the cockroaches after an ex-partner - ideal for those still feeling bitter after a break up! People have the opportunity to pick and name a cockroach after whoever they consider appropriate - and it costs just £1.50 for the pleasure of doing so!

The name will be displayed at the exhibit, so you can always pop in to visit the insect version of your ex-partner to say hi and see how they're doing. Also, if you take part, you'll be sent a gift certificate as a keepsake - but the name won't feature on it as the centre doesn't want to 'fuel fires'. But you can of-course add their name to the comments section as a reminder of why breaking up was really a good thing!

Royal Mail Romantic Post Boxes 

Royal Mail have been celebrating Valentine's Day by decorating some post-boxes around the country with romantic quotes from famous English authors. Especially in an age of social media and online messaging, Royal Mail are doing something different and are hoping to rekindle the joy for the handwritten love letter this Valentine's Day. Romantic quotes from works by John Keats, Thomas Hardy, Robert Burns and many more will be decorated on red postboxes in locations across the country including London, Lichfield and Dorset.

Heinz Ketchup Caviar

If you've ever been to a really fancy restaurant and wanted to ask the waiter for ketchup but felt the shame, Heinz have the answer for you this Valentine's Day! They've launched the first ever Ketchup Caviar, conveniently debuting just before Valentine's Day, it's exactly what it sounds like: ketchup, shaped like caviar. No fish eggs included, just a way to make your burger look extra pretty this Valentine's. Unfortunately, there's only 150 pots available, as they're also celebrating the brand being 150 years old!

Those were my highlights of the Valentine's Day campaigns so far... What's the most memorable Valentine's day campaign you can think of? I'm definitely looking forward to see what Greggs get up to this year... Let me know below!

Beth x

HOW TO | Make the most out of your PR internship/placement

Over summer 2018 I completed a 3 months digital marketing/pr placement and found it was so much more than a summer job or something else to put on my CV, it was the perfect opportunity for growth in the field and to discover what 9-5 work was really about! Make sure you take full advantage of everything they have to offer, and you'll learn valuable skills to make you an employee everyone wants to hire! Below are 5 ways to make the most out of your PR internship.

1. Take it seriously

At the end of my placement months I was offered further freelance work while going back to university to study my masters. Potential employers could be using an internship as a trial run of what you can do and what they expect from you. Give it everything you've got, just like you would if you'd got hired full-time. Whether the internship is paid or not, having the experience will give you the edge over another candidate with the same degree.

2. Ask questions

A placement is the perfect opportunity to ask questions and learn from professionals in the field. The more questions the better if you ask me, there is something about asking questions that I know people are afraid of. Whether it be because they're afraid of asking a stupid question (no such thing), or just in general. You're not always going to know the answer to every question you have and being surrounded by PR professionals and employees with more experience in the field is the perfect opportunity to use it as a learning experience. People usually love talking about themselves and their achievements and I have always found it really interesting when talking to people in the industry about how they got into the field and why they choose to do it - usually a great ice breaker too!

3. Keep a record of everything you do

An internship is the perfect opportunity to not only get experience in the field you want to work in, but also to build a portfolio. Anything you do whether it be a social media campaign, any published press releases, blog posts or any other samples of work be sure to keep it to start building your portfolio.

4. Get Feedback

Setting up meetings along your internship with your supervisor where possible or just ask when you're unsure on something, it's the perfect opportunity to get some constructive criticism and improve your own work. In a busy working environment where meetings aren't possible, a final meeting at the end of your internship is the perfect way to work out your overall strengths and weaknesses.

5. Stay Connected and get a reference!

They often say it's not about what you know, it's about who. You never know when a connection will come in handy, so stay in touch as best you can! You won't be texting your manager every day, but there are plenty of other ways to stay in touch after your internship! You could connect on LinkedIn, the perfect place to professionally connect and coworkers can endorse you for skills you exhibited during your internship or give you public recommendations. Engaging in other social media like Facebook and Twitter is also another option for a less formal manner. It's great to check in every once in a while to maintain your network.

Also, if you've done well during your internship there's no reason you won't get a letter of recommendation! Most supervisors will offer to be a reference, but it's still good to stay connected. That way, you'll have a stronger relationship and they'll be able to tailor the recommendation to the specific role you're applying for in the future.


When it comes to furthering your time at university or even college there is no better way than putting yourself out there and getting some experience in the field you eventually want to work in. It's the perfect learning experience - have you completed any internships that landed you full-time work? Let me know below!

Beth x