Monday 21 July 2008

Welcome to the Jungle

Idly reflecting on a long Friday night train ride I found myself thinking about the many exotic characters I’ve met over the last few years in the wild world of the PR industry. And it crossed my mind that perhaps the time has come to chronicle a few of those encounters for the benefit of generations yet to come.

Just one small disclaimer before you start flaming my personal email: none of these are based on anyone in particular - unless, of course, you think it’s you and take it as a compliment. In that case, you’re right.

For my (rather more prolific) non-PR readers: humour me this morning and tomorrow I'll tell you the story of the amazing transvestite I met at Angel station :)

Welcome to a strange, dark world…

The Sophisticat
Urbanis communicat
Impeccably groomed and perfectly presented at all times, the sophisticat seems somehow too elegant for the daily grind of work. Always at the top of their game, they are most often to be found running either their own agency or a large chunk of someone else’s. Always has a game plan.

Makes PR look good.

The Creative
Musa inspirata
At the heart of every phenomenally successful but equally risky PR stunt is the Creative. Own cousin to the Visionary, the Creative has a remarkable ability to pluck news stories from thin air, be it anything from “my Bran Flakes saved my life” to “I caught my cheating lover using sat nav”.

Media guru who secretly wants to pitch “I found Jesus in my pancake” story to new clients.

Will never, ever wear a suit.

The Tech Guru
Telecommicus notoriosus
Knows their sector inside out; likely to understand the client's business better than the client themselves. Chic or smart exterior inevitably hides party monster: approach on the dance floor at your own risk.

The Visionary
Propheticus communicatus
Has seen the future of PR and is dragging their clients towards it whether they like it or not. Often at their best when surrounded by boring non-Visionary types with clipboards and action lists.

May have been a TV evangelist in a previous life, but far more likely to be onto something this time around.

The Social Media Evangelist
Digitalis digitalis
Often if not invariably under 25. Networks on Twitter and in pubs. Can be identified by distinctive song: "you don't still use FaceBook, do you?"

Requires regular caffeine inputs to function at full capacity. Likely to evolve into the Visionary.

The Throwback
Egotistus erraticus
Never got over losing the infamous '80s PR lifestyle. Hates the word strategy and looks with suspicion on bizarre modern concepts like "deliverables” and “measurement”.

Easily identified by black Armani polo necks, long lunches and tendency to sniff uncontrollably after bathroom trips.

Highly endangered species.

The Motivator
Enthuiastica infectica

Comes in many guises but with one common theme – these are the people who really, really love what they do. In PR for the joy of the job, they will fight tooth and nail for what they believe and will infect those around them with their enthusiasm .

If you’re working with one, hold onto them for dear life; these people are worth their weight in gold.

I do, however, feel they deserve a better moniker.

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But now the bell is chiming 9am, which means it's time to end our tour. Enjoy your stay, O Best Beloved, and please feel free to send me your own widlife spots to add to the menagerie...

1 comment:

@EmVicW said...

He he, very funny!

Certainly spotted myself and a few old colleagues in the mix!! :-)