INDUSTRY PROFILES
Claudia Macdonald - PR
Q.
Describe your journey in a nutshell (where you started, when you started, how many staff, and your role).
I trained as a journalist and spent a few years on a daily newspaper before changing cities and moving into public relations. This spanned a few decades, two countries (NZ and UK), two kids and two husbands. In 1995 DDB NZ decided to add PR to its service offering, and I got the job of setting it up. Alongside managing their PR, I started offering my services to a few clients. It seemed to work and DDB Australia subsequently added PR to their Sydney and Melbourne offices about a year later.
In 2000, the three offices had sufficient momentum and clients to make it worth creating a separate brand. Mango was born – though where the name came from is lost in the annals of time – and we’ve been offering our special mix of PR, experiential and, more recently, social ever since. I’ve been here the whole time, so I guess I’ve enjoyed the journey.
In 2000, the three offices had sufficient momentum and clients to make it worth creating a separate brand. Mango was born – though where the name came from is lost in the annals of time – and we’ve been offering our special mix of PR, experiential and, more recently, social ever since. I’ve been here the whole time, so I guess I’ve enjoyed the journey.
Q.
What do you think your business and your team excel at (areas of expertise)?
We could talk about services but in actual fact I think we’re really good at understanding a client’s problems or challenges, understanding their audiences and then being able to match these insights with the right strategy. We always make sure the thinking comes before the doing; too many agencies seem to leap to tactics without knowing why. Aside from that, we think we’re pretty good at making brands impossible to ignore (unless they want to be!).
Q.
What brands are you currently working with?
Honestly, I think we have the best brands in New Zealand. From McDonald’s, which has been a long standing client to Qantas, Samsung, Specsavers, Booking.com, Fonterra Brands, American Express…..the list goes on. The great thing about our clients is that we’re able to do creative brand work as well as thought-provoking corporate communications or reputation management.
Q.
What’s a recent campaign you are super proud of because you either came up with a big creative idea; worked with a minimal budget; or exceeded expectations?
So many favourite children…..but I am proud of the work we are doing for 2degrees at the moment. It is the idea we pitched to win the business and it is working really well. It’s fantastic to see a strategy roll out successfully. The campaign is called #GoodChat and it is focused on understanding how we communicate in all realms of life. Not only have we aced the media coverage, but the client got on board with an HR initiative as a direct result of the research we’ve done. Affecting social change always feels good in PR.
The other one I loved lately was our launch of the new Tip Top x Whittaker’s ice cream. While the creative wasn’t ours, the experiential was, creating amazing social content. Oh, and then there was Holey Moley Golf Club, H&M Commercial Bay, SO/ Auckland … I could go on.
The other one I loved lately was our launch of the new Tip Top x Whittaker’s ice cream. While the creative wasn’t ours, the experiential was, creating amazing social content. Oh, and then there was Holey Moley Golf Club, H&M Commercial Bay, SO/ Auckland … I could go on.
Q.
What are the greatest challenges the industry is currently facing?
Sometimes it feels like an attack on all sides but then, I like to view them as opportunities to improve.
Our first challenge is the shrinking media market. As a former journalist, it’s sad to see. As a PR person, it means fewer opportunities to get earned coverage.
On the flip side, is PR’s natural fit working with influencers and creating content, both ways of telling stories and engaging people with brands or organisations.
The second challenge is that everyone is offering what we offer. While most people understand that PR knows earned media, the other forms of PR – social, content, influencers, experiential – are often proposed by other agencies, sometimes as value-adds. The danger in this is that it doesn’t consider the wider brand reputation implications. Sometimes it relies on earned media to be successful – but no one has thought to find out if the idea is news worthy.
This provides the second opportunity, which is to get better at demonstrating the value of our unique perspective. And working with those agencies to make successful campaigns.
Our first challenge is the shrinking media market. As a former journalist, it’s sad to see. As a PR person, it means fewer opportunities to get earned coverage.
On the flip side, is PR’s natural fit working with influencers and creating content, both ways of telling stories and engaging people with brands or organisations.
The second challenge is that everyone is offering what we offer. While most people understand that PR knows earned media, the other forms of PR – social, content, influencers, experiential – are often proposed by other agencies, sometimes as value-adds. The danger in this is that it doesn’t consider the wider brand reputation implications. Sometimes it relies on earned media to be successful – but no one has thought to find out if the idea is news worthy.
This provides the second opportunity, which is to get better at demonstrating the value of our unique perspective. And working with those agencies to make successful campaigns.
Q.
What do you love about the industry and your business?
I like the way PR can influence people to take action or view things differently. The combination of psychology, creativity and implementation is pretty compelling. Plus I love working with my team – they make me laugh most days and teach me things.
Q.
What do you tear your hair out about?!
Ask the team! It might start with apostrophes...
Q.
What’s your greatest career achievement to date?
Being the first NZ PR person asked to judge the PR category at Cannes was amazing. It was an exceptional opportunity to meet PR people from all over the world. So, so good.
Q.
And your worst disaster!
I am sometimes known as ‘Claudia-foot-in-mouth’. As this implies, I have occasionally embarrassed myself with an ill-considered quip.
Q.
What’s next for you & the business?
Growing my team to be the best in the market. Managing the work life balance; mine and theirs. Generally keep ahead of the game and doing the best work.
I’d like to see companies doing more ‘good’ in their world, and I see PR as the best way to deliver and communicate those strategies.
I’d like to see companies doing more ‘good’ in their world, and I see PR as the best way to deliver and communicate those strategies.
Q.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing?
Editing a magazine or newspaper (online or print). I love coming up with story ideas, the fun of learning about new things, the joy of writing a good story, editing and proofreading and then seeing the result of all your hard work (and hopefully getting plaudits).
Q.
Your Socials: (Email/Instagram/Twitter)