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Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to PR.  

I got into the PR industry straight out of university and I must confess at that stage not entirely sure what it was that I was getting into or indeed what PR was. Now with over 17 years in the game, working Agency side, I have seen so many different sides of it and I think it is that mix that I really get a kick out of. From stunts, strategic planning, events, content creation right through to crisis communications there are so many facets to the gig to learn and master. 

I was fortunate to land an internship with Freud Communications as my first foray into the world of PR, it is here that I gained a grounding in the discipline and exposure to great work. After working my way up through the ranks, I jumped ship to Frank PR, a consumer PR shop with an emphasis on creativity.   

At Frank, I really cut my teeth and established my own style. After several years with them, they packed me off Down Under to head the Australian office. This was a great period in my career and I look back with so many fond memories. We had a lot of fun building the agency, working with a number of awesome clients and doing work I still feel incredibly proud of. Sadly, after four and a bit years, the pull of home got too much and I made the move back to UK shores.   

Once home, I took up my current position at Stir PR and haven’t looked back. In the past couple of years, the agency has been going from strength to strength, working with clients like Nestle, Taco Bell, Heineken and Tommee Tippee, alongside Startups such as The Uncommon and Four Pillars Gin.   

At Stir, we believe the most powerful campaigns make people feel something. For over ten years we’ve brought our clients PR that feels different. Actually, that feels, full stop. We tell stories for our brands. Stories that connect with people, trigger powerful emotional responses and deliver impactful results. 

What brands have you worked with? What were the challenges and successes?   

Thanks to being agency side for so many years, I have been lucky enough to work with a wide variety for clients from various industries, keeping things interesting - there’s never a dull day in PR! I mean, when you have to bounce from a meeting with your tax client straight into one with the sex toy brand you need to be able to switch gears quickly and remain on your toes! 

But seriously, I feel genuinely gratefu l  that the agencies I have worked with has meant that my    clients have ranged from small entrepreneurial startups through to big household names. Each one comes with their unique set of challenges and developing strategies with them to overcome each challenge really keeps me engaged in the PR game.   

Notable clients over the years include: 

Activision, Call of Duty: How do you come back year after year with a new release and make it bigger and more impactful than the previous year? No mean feat.   

Treasury Wine Estates: Working across a broad portfolio of wines each with distinct attributes and differing consumer sets to cater for and engage. 

Deliveroo (in the earlier days): Deploying that startup mentality and relentless hustle to firmly establish them ahead of the competition with innovative creative.  

How important is PR for small businesses, and what should be the ultimate goal of a successful PR campaign?   

PR provides a great opportunity for startups to get out there and make their mark. PR done well can be an affordable and effective means to drive awareness and brand reputation. The ultimate goal of a successful PR campaign will vary from client to client and will route back to the business’s strategy and the specific objectives tied to that. 

What 5 tips would you give to startups with regards to PR?  

Find your voice:  PR offers a great way for you to connect with your consumers and bring to life your personality. Make sure you establish the tone that aligns with your values early on and then be consistent, essentially, keep it real and be authentic.   

Know your audience:  What makes them tick, what influences them, what media do they consume…? PR is not limited to just traditional media relations, the beauty of it is that it can flex across channels. So, the key is to know what’s going to deliver the most impact for your target consumers and then   play there. 

Big budgets are not the be-all and end-all:  Many startups I speak to simply just presume they can’t afford PR. 

Sure, I can’t lie, having a generous budget opens up more opportunities, ways to execute and can further amplify creative    but I have also seen some knockout campaigns delivered on a shoestring. If at the core of the concept there is a strong insight informing the creative and a compelling news hook, then it will do well and suitably capture the media’s attention without the need for bells and whistles. 

Get the right partner:  If working with an agency, it is key to ensure you select an agency who gets what you are trying to do and buys into the vision and values. Forging that trust with these partners is vital and they should be coming to the table with measurable suggestions that align with securing your business goals. 

Play the long game:  PR naturally has its peaks and troughs, a flurry of activity, perhaps tied to a seasonal hook, followed by a Quieter Period. Despite the ebb and flow,   maintaining your efforts is key. Sure, the quick win feels great, prompting high fives all round in the office, but from a consumer standpoint, you need to keep coming back with more to ensure you stay in the front of people’s minds and remain relevant. 

What's next for Polly Atherton?  

2020 was obviously a difficult year for us all, and as an agency we needed to batten down the hatches and ride it out but what’s exciting is that I feel like we are emerging stronger than ever. We used the quieter period to really home in and define our proposition, review what sectors we felt passionate about and recruited some exciting new talent to support that vision. 

So, I’m now really excited to see all that planning and prep put into action and growing the agency expect Stir to make further moves in the Health and Wellness space, build upon our tech credentials and put out some attention grabbing, bold creatives! 

Polly's contact: https://www.linkedin.com/in/polly-atherton-2104a433