Here’s my first blog post on this site so I thought I’d do an informal introduction so you know who you’re dealing with here. The one thing I don’t want to happen with this agency is for it to become a faceless commodity with no personality. We all know that in business, people buy people. This is a mantra that I have worked hard to keep top of mind throughout my career.

So I guess I should start by telling you about my previous experience so you can see what I can ‘bring to the table’ so to speak.

Whilst this is my first step into managing my own agency, I have worked with public relations since 2006, when I graduated from Liverpool John Moores University with a 2:1 in  Media, Marketing and Cultural Studies.I had taken part in work experience placements prior to graduating at companies such as heat magazine, fhm.com, ITV Press Office, The Jeremy Kyle Show and Taylor Herring. Each of these taught me valuable skills that I was able to take with my into my future career.

I can’t stress the importance of work experience, this is a topic I’ll touch upon on one of my next blog posts. My work experience roles helped me figure out exactly what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be. I was struggling choosing between a career in PR, journalism or TV. Whilst I loved each placement and role for different reasons, when I was offered a freelance role at heat magazine and Taylor Herring to work on The Apprentice, I knew in my gut that entertainment publicity was the avenue that would allow me to develop both my writing and of course my publicity skills.

Without running the risk of telling you my life story, since my first paid role as a junior publicist working on BBC’s The Apprentice in London, I’ve gone on to work across Manchester and Sydney and have developed a wealth of experience that has not only assisted in building my skill set, but has been thoroughly rewarding on an intrinsic level also.

Here’s a mini snapshot of my standout experiences of note:

• At 22 I was managing press visits to Moscow and Antigua for vmi airlines, this involved souring and accompanying 4/5 top travel journalists to each destination and working with the tourist authority’s publicity team to build an informative, engaging and enjoyable media famil. Journalists attended from the following publications: Scottish Star, The Sun, Yorkshire Evening Post, Manchester Evening News, Travel Weekly and Independent Traveller.
• In 2009 – my first year Down Under I was sponsored by Pulse Communications (Ogilvy PR) as a senior consultant to work primarily on the LG Electronics consumer technology account. I focused on mobile communication and home appliances. In this role I launched the first mobile phone with an android operating system in Australia and attended a media famil to Seoul in South Korea with an ex Masterchef finalist to enter the ‘Life Tastes Good Championships’.
• I also helped to pitch for and win 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment for a project – To launch Avatar on Blu-ray and DVD! The successful campaign culminated in the title being the biggest selling Blu-ray and DVD launch of all time in Australia, with no talent available to support the PR launch.
• In 2012 I worked for Maverick PR and managed the inaugural sponsorship of Maybelline NY as the official make-up sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia. This involved talent management of its ambassador; Ruby Rose. A highly successful guerrilla marketing campaign ensued with the help of New York graffiti artist – KR’ink’.
• In 2013  returned to Manchester for a year and secured a role as a senior manager at leading public relations and social media agency: Smoking Gun PR. Here I was instrumental in pitching for and winning new business for the agency, including the competitive tender for Hexbug.
• I returned to Sydney in late 2013 to take a role at Frank PR, a role I secured as a referral from my previous client at 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. I also worked across the Henkel account on the Schwarzkopf portfolio. Here we launched Australia’s first BB Cream for hair with a large event at Woolloomooloo wharf’s Blue Hotel.
• From late 2014 I decided to try my hand at freelance publicity and secured a contact at Tomorrowland Group working across its P&G account. Here I managed the biggest restage that Pantene had ever seen with a large scale event at Watson’s Bay. I also managed Pantene’s ambassador, Robyn Lawley on her press tour to launch the new styling range (including BB Cream for hair).
• In October 2014 I was approached by Twentieth Century Fox‘s Theatrical team to support the release of a number of key titles over the festive period. I was also tasked with building up the agency’s media & influencer database. I worked on titles such as: Wild, Let’s be Cops. Night at The Museum 3, Penguins of Magagascar and Oscar winning; Birdman.
• In 2015 I took up a freelance role as Account Director at SBPR working across Hilton Sydney, The Morrison and About Life.
• At the close of this contact I was asked to return to Tomorrowland Group to assist with the execution of a number of ket clients including P&G, Well Naturally and Cancer Council Sunscreen. During the contract in early 2016, I was asked work again on a large Pantene re-stage and again work with gorgeous ambassador, Robyn Lawley.
• From July 2015 I also started to take on my own clients at Hollinshead Comms 101 including: Smart Cleanse, Any Class, Have You Heard Events and Beauty Tube.
• In England I have been freelancing with a number of agencies including Toast PR and Serious PR.
• Most recently I have started working with Marriott Sydney on a project basis.

Me, destination publicist and the press guests on our bmi media famil to Antigua

Aussie Masterchef finalist representing Australia at the LG Life Tastes Good Championships in Seoul, South Korea

PR launch of Avatar on Blu-ray and DVD in Australia in partnership with Virgin Australia resulting in the title being the biggest selling Blu-ray and DVD of all time

Me and the Tomorrowland Group at the Pantene 3 MM launch with Robyn Lawley

Creds are available upon request – If you’re interested in finding out more you can email me at lisa@hollinsheadcomms101.com