Ollie comes to Wild PR fresh from graduating from the University of Huddersfield with a BA in English Literature. With his background in writing from his degree, and his client communication and professional drafting skills pulled from his time in the legal world, he is now applying them to the PR industry, undertaking a Level 4 qualification alongside his work to further his development.
Tell us a little bit more about yourself… where have you come from, what are your interests and ambitions?
Originally from Manchester, I came to Wild PR as a graduate of the University of Huddersfield. As may be expected given my pursuit of an English degree, I am an avid reader – specifically horror and true crime; however, an unexpected byproduct of my time at University was my discovery of my love of travelling.
On a personal level my biggest ambition is to continue this love of travelling and see as much of the world as I can (especially Southern France, Rome, and Budapest) but on a professional level my biggest ambition is to excel in PR, furthering my knowledge of both traditional and digital PR, ultimately working with a varied catalogue of clients and an array of different fields to expand my knowledge into as many areas as possible.
What made you want to pursue a career in PR & marketing?
Originally, I was pursuing a career in law, working as a legal secretary in my free time whilst studying for my degree. This was a path I was set on until I was talking with close friends, and a switch flipped, bringing me face to face with the reality; whilst I’m experienced in law, and I’m highly skilled at my job, it wasn’t my passion.
After some reflection and research, I realised the skills I’d obtained from both my degree and my former role had inadvertently prepared me for a job in PR – giving me the skill set for professional communications, content writing and various other aspects of the role I now hold. Ultimately, I ended up attending a talk on PR at the University of Huddersfield and from there I was set on pursuing a career in the field.
What is your experience/education to date?
Professionally, I spent most of my working years as a legal assistant, responsible for drafting client care letters, attending court cases, and POCA PL1 and PL2 billing, as well as assisting in client communications through conferences with clients, legal counsel, and the solicitor I worked for.
On the educational side, I have a diverse background, having studied Law, Philosophy, and Sociology at A-Level, and holding a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Huddersfield.
What attracted you to the role at Wild PR?
For me, the diverse portfolio of clients, combined with the learning opportunities made available to me to advance my knowledge, made Wild PR a standout agency while pursuing a role in the PR world. No two clients are the same, and the chance to be involved with so many varied companies is an exciting one – the fact that the team at Wild are also invested in my success and my continued learning and development throughout not only aids in my own development but fosters a really welcoming and healthy work environment.
What does your role entail?
As the team’s PR Executive, I work in both the traditional and digital aspects of PR. I’m regularly engaged in the preparation of media lists encompassing various publications and outreach to a variety of journalists across multiple fields to support our diverse client base’s goals and position them in both regular press and industry-specific publications, while supporting SEO through securing backlinks in the process, as well as various other aspects of campaign development, such as drafting press releases.
How will your role support client success?
Through my previously mentioned efforts in ensuring our client’s brand awareness through situating them in an array of publications and securing backlinks, I ensure that as many eyes as possible land on the client’s products and pages, in the process, ensuring both their professional growth and positioning them as experts in their respective fields.
What have you enjoyed (or are you proudest of achieving) thus far?
For me, the standout has been the success we achieved in securing coverage featuring a backlink in an industry-specific title for our client, Heald, which provides resilient hostile vehicle mitigation solutions worldwide. This specific piece of coverage covered the Australian Shrine of Remembrance installations.
How will you be developing your knowledge in the industry?
Coming into Wild PR from a diverse educational and professional background, I was looking for as many opportunities as possible to further my industry-specific knowledge. To do so, I’m enrolled on a Level 4 PR and Communications qualification as well as learning from my colleagues at every turn – giving me the opportunity to learn both in and out of the workplace and advance my personal development.
What is an emerging trend that you’re excited to explore?
For me, it’s people waking up to the importance of human connection. As some companies begin to run press releases through AI in an attempt to improve them, only to experience poor results, people are increasingly recognising that the reality of the industry is that the crux of PR lies in human communication and the ability to engage with clients and consumers. Although many companies are learning the hard way that AI isn’t a one-and-done easy route to good PR, there is a place for it within the industry – that place isn’t to replace the entire process, but rather to act as a tool to aid in the creation of a good PR campaign.