PR

If you’re in need of some help getting your brand out to the masses, then I can also help you!

I am an experienced PR professional having worked in the industry for over 30 years. I have worked for agencies in the UK and Australia since 1993 and under the guise of PRChicks, ran my own boutique PR consultancy with Australia-based, Belinda Andrade until 2018,  specialising in female-focused lifestyle brands and services, such a fashion and beauty, homes & interiors, food & drink, health and fitness, child care and parenting.

However, I have also worked with many other clients outside of these areas Pr-ing a vast array of products and services, from property to poledancing, botox to boxers, makeup to motocross, healthcare to handbags and child care to credit cards!

My PR experience

Having studied languages at University (Birmingham and Florence), I started out in beauty PR with an internship at Selfridges Press Office in 1993, followed by her first agency role at The PR Workshop under the guidance of beauty industry maven, Marion Richards. Clients included french perfume and cosmetics houses, Rochas, Salvador Dali and Paco Rabanne.

I then spent two years at Interscience Pan Europa, as part of the communications team for the Partners In Population and Development – an NGO funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, UNFPA and World Bank.

After a couple of years travelling around promoting healthcare and family planning in developing countries, I hung up my healthcare boots for consumer PR, working as Senior Account Manager at Spreckley Partners with brands such as Cussons, Photo Me International, Adecco, UniBond, Pritt and Avery Stationery, before joining MacLaurin Communications (now Trimedia).

As Associate Director, I oversaw clients of all shapes and sizes, including Procter & Gamble and The Jim Henson Company (The Muppets, The Hoobs and Bear in the Big Blue House), to The Ogilvy Group, Carlson Media, Martin Maxey for Marks and Spencer and many more.

Moving to Sydney in 2001, I joined Maxted Thomas where I managed the NIVEA, Clairol and Remington accounts and in 2003 moved to IRPR as General Manager, with main clients including Gillette Venus, Braun and Oral B.

During this time I also worked as PR Manager for the inaugural Australian Supercross Nationals, the Weetbix Kids Tryathlon series and as publicist for heavyweight boxer, Paul Briggs. I also had the good fortune to launch Black + White magazine’s The Athens Dream (a very tasteful coffee table photography book featuring the Australian Athens Olympic athletes in all their naked glory!).

I formed PRChicks in 2005, with my former colleague Belinda Andrade.

Our successful boutique PR agency managed clients principally in the health, beauty and lifestyle sectors, including Ere Perez Natural Cosmetics (for whom I also acted as UK/European distribution manager until 2018), Brandpoint Australia (including Clarisonic), online eco homewares retailer, EcoChic.com.au, Polestars pole fitness,  PASH Parties, designer Jillian Middleton’s Gypset Cargo lighting and homewares label, Fridge-to-Go® cooler products, online child care search service, Care4Kids.com.au and Pipduck welly boots.

During this time I also sampled foodie PR, with clients including the Chefs Ink stable of Australia-based celebrity chefs – Gary Mehigan (Masterchef), Manu Feildel (My Kitchen Rules), Miguel Maestre, Adrian Richardson and Peruvian chef, Alejandro Saravia.

I ran PRChicks in Sydney until 2012, when I moved to Spain, but continued working with Australian clients until 2016, when I stepped back to focus on my work in the UK/Europe.

In the UK, I tend to focus on helping small, local businesses with their PR, social media, blog/website management and general marketing.

Current and recent clients include Love Oxted / The Oxted Business Improvement District, Rose & Partners property consultants (London), The Bull Inn / Enterprising Limpsfield, The Ginistry Oxted, Bliss Interior Design, Mystery Ltd – a design agency socialising in hospitality, food and drinks,  Meldon House & Home interiors and vintage, Bey Tree Boutique, Ali’s Vintage China Hire, Vanity Fairs brocantes, and Music Gateway.

I also publish and manage website and social media for my local village/parish, Limpsfield, am Clerk to Limpsfield Parish Council and manage social media and PR (pro bono) for my local community stores, Memorial Stores, Limpsfield.

Following my two years in Spain, I still run the LecrinValley website and manage PR and social media for At Home in Andalusia (estate agency) in Restabal, Lecrin Valley.

Contact me to find out more: sophie@thewordbird.me.  07514 011355.