Hello everyone!
My name is Anne-Marie and I’m delighted to be writing this blog post as the newest member of the PR and media comms teaching team at Newcastle University. Before the new term starts and I get to meet you all in person (albeit online via Zoom while social distancing restrictions are still in place), I thought I’d take a few moments to introduce myself, so you can find out a little more about me. Here goes…
What’s the backstory?
Before graduating from university with a Master of Arts in Public Relations accredited by the CIPR, I found my first job in the industry through my student blog, Raising the Profile. Since then, I quickly moved through the ranks of agency life going from a junior to PR Manager to heading up the Communications and Content division of an integrated brand consultancy, before launching my own business, Filament PR.
Through Filament PR, I’ve worked with clients across the UK and beyond, using data to enlighten strategies and bring bright ideas to life, all while delivering communications campaigns with creative spark. I’ve shone a light on my clients’ position in their marketplace and helped to amplify their messages above and beyond the competition, so they could engage the right people, at the right time and in the right way, helping to achieve business objectives with measureable results.
With over 10 years’ on-the-job experience, I have worked with clients on both B2B and B2C campaigns, from small start-ups to international household brands, winning many awards including ‘gold’ at both the CIPR North East and North West PRide Awards. In 2014, I also won the prestigious title of ‘Outstanding Young Communicator’ at the CIPR North East PRide Awards. Most recently, I won the accolade nationally at the CIPR’s Excellence Awards in June 2017.
My work has always taken an integrated approach to PR and communication using the PESO model, with all campaigns having clear SMART objectives at the start, and robust measuring and monitoring metrics at the end, using AMEC’s framework to demonstrate outputs, out takes and organisational outcomes. These are just some of the things about working in PR and communication that I’m really looking forward to sharing with you.
So, you’ve worked in PR. Well, what about teaching?
As well a running Filament PR, I’ve provided consultancy and coaching services to my clients, helping to upskill their in-house teams to be better communicators. I have a real passion for sharing my knowledge, and so as well as coaching my clients’ comms teams, I have also taught on PR degrees at the University of Sunderland and Newcastle University accredited by the CIPR, in addition to being a dissertation tutor, working successfully with both home and international students. In fact, pre-pandemic, some of you may have seen me around on campus before!
As well as supporting students and new entrants into the PR industry at regional universities, I’ve worked with communications professionals at different stages of their careers to help develop their skills through the North East Sales & Marketing Academy (nesma), where I’ve delivered CIPR and CIM Qualifications at both undergraduate and post-graduate level, as well as bespoke training on Influencer Marketing.
I hope throughout our time together at Newcastle University you’ll find I have the right combination of teaching experience and practical skills gained from working in PR to provide you with an excellent learning experience – I love it when I can pair real life examples from my own experience underpinned by academic theory, putting classroom learnings into professional practice.
Plus, having completed my own Higher Education studies a decade ago (did you know, one of my lecturers while I was at university was actually Newcastle’s very own Laurel Hetherington? Yes – she’s taught me too!), I’m in a unique position where I am not too far removed from what you are experiencing today – exam stress, assignment deadlines, job hunting, networking and building your own personal brand and profile. I can relate to you and empathise with you, drawing on my experience to support you and help to nurture you – the PR professionals of tomorrow. It’s a super exciting time to be entering the working world of PR post-pandemic. More on that to come in a future blog post, I’m sure…
What about industry connections? Don’t you volunteer with the CIPR too?
Away from the office and classroom environment, I’m a Fellow of the CIPR, Co-Chair of the CIPR’s Influencer Marketing Panel and the immediate past Chair of the North East regional group. I complete annual CPD appraisals to retain my Chartered Practitioner status as well coaching and mentoring other CIPR members. In fact, I was one of the first CIPR members to #GetChartered in the North East and the youngest CIPR Member nationally to be made a Fellow of the Institute. I am also an Affiliate Professional of the CIM.
Committed to best practice and advancing the profession through marrying academic theory and real-life implementation so that you get the best student experience and graduate from your course being workplace-ready, I have co-researched, written and published a series of three Influencer Marketing Skills Guides for the CIPR, contributed a Practitioner’s Diary to the new Tench and Waddington text book – Exploring Public Relations and Management Communication (5th Ed), and regularly speak at national industry and vertical sector events on PR and communications.
What do you do when you’re not working?
Good question! My home life is pretty busy at the moment. My husband and I welcomed our first child in November last year (a lockdown baby!) – a little boy called Lucas. So, when I’m not working, teaching or volunteering with the CIPR, you can normally find me changing nappies, singing nursery rhymes, reading story books in a funny voice or enjoying nice long walks while pushing the pram.
I’m also a huge Disney fan – I love a good story and think the way the franchise does it is just so magical. Who doesn’t love a happy ending, right? Maybe that’s why I love working in and teaching PR – it’s all about the art and science of storytelling to share messages, create awareness, change behaviours and effect a positive mutual understanding. As soon as the pandemic is over and international travel is allowed, I’m looking forward to taking Lucas on his first trip to meet Mickey Mouse!