Our #BrazenSummerCamp Journey
To work abroad is often the dream of a lifetime for many people and, thanks to Brazen, this opportunity came much earlier for us as we took the tender baby-steps of a career in the real world of PR.
Let us introduce ourselves, we are Rebecca and Eve (read more about us at the end of this piece) – and we’re the students lucky enough to secure a place on the first ever Brazen Summer Camp intern scheme – complete with a placement in Dubai, at the offices of Brazen UAE, under the tutelage of Brazen UAE MD Louise Jacobson.
Six weeks as interns (with a whole week working in Dubai) in one of the biggest PR & Content Marketing Agencies outside London. Exciting right? We still can’t believe it.
We’ll start by telling you what we got up to in our exciting week working at Brazen UAE in Dubai…
Dubai
The Brazen PR office is located in the heart of Dubai media city, with neighbours like global media icons CNN and Reuters.
Our first day of work began on a … Sunday. The weekends over in Dubai are Friday and Saturday so it took some adjustment to get used to the new working days.
On our first day in the office, MD Louise introduced us to Brazen UAE, discussing current clients and Brazen’s upcoming pitches. We then spent the rest of the morning researching the clients to update our knowledge. In the afternoon, we were tasked with creating a blog post each about a social media channel. Eve worked on a blog about Twitter and Rebecca worked on Tumblr. As serial users of social media, we understand that utilising these channels for reach and engagement in PR practices is crucial. But social media isn’t so well established in the UAE as in the UK. We hoped we might be able to shed some light on why social channels are so important and how they can enhance a campaign.
Brazen PR & Content Marketing Dubai
On our second day in the office, we worked on a pitch and helped Louise research for a potential new client. We spoke to journalists from women’s fashion and beauty magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Grazia and Hello! to discuss the client and find out what the media perspective was. As laws surrounding various products are different in the UAE to the UK, research is crucial in finding out what we are allowed to feature and how we should present it.
On our penultimate day, we were both involved in various tasks such as drafting a press release for one of Brazen’s glamorous clients – Glider Yachts – a luxury yacht manufacturer which is launching at Monaco Boat Show 2015. The company has teamed up with various other high end production leaders to create a yacht worthy of a starring role in a James Bond film – the jealousy struggle is real.
Other tasks included preparing pitch slides, having gathered information from journalists we collated it in a presentation and reported it back to the potential client with leads for potential coverage – doing this was hugely insightful as it allowed us to see how things in the run up to a pitch works, especially in Dubai, where consumer PR is an emerging concept.
On our final day we managed to finish a few tasks like returning calls, emails and finishing our pitch slides / press releases before saying our goodbyes and heading back to the airport. Goodbye Dubai.
So as our whirlwind adventure came to an end we touched down in Manchester, unfortunately not bringing the heat back with us, sorry guys. At the moment though we’re back in the Manchester office busy as bees buzzing away and we absolutely love it.
Brazen PR Summer Camp Internship
Manchester
So, how does this placement differ to all the others? Well, let us tell you…
Eve’s experience
I’d never spent time in a real PR agency before so was quite intrigued to find out what we were going to be doing, it turns out rather a lot (in a really good way).
My previous perceptions of placements were rather stereotypical in that I’d be making tea and coffee and doing admin bits but, at Brazen, that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
Throughout our time at Brazen House we’ve been working mainly on two accounts each, creating press releases, speaking to bloggers to seek out coverage opportunities and helping organize the guests at client events.
I was lucky enough to go to the G+J Distillers Thomas Dakin launch at Manchester House, which was incredible. It really showed me another side to PR; the organisation that goes into events, putting together goody bags, guest lists and making sure everyone is looked after – I loved it.
I was also lucky enough to attend the International Cheese Awards (yummy) at the Nantwich Show with Pilgrims Choice. It was interesting to meet with the client and see how the day was set out and how it ran. We also got to watch the actual awards for which Pilgrims Choice won the award for Best Cheese with Health Benefits.
It was great to see the differences between learning PR within a classroom and how it actually works in real life – there’s no comparison. It’s all well and good to have the theoretical models and knowledge but, actually living it is a whole different kettle of fish. It’s safe to say that after my time at Brazen I’m 100% sure that I’m on the right path in life and even more motivated to do well at University and become a PR practitioner.
Rebecca’s experience
When I started my PR course at university last September, I only had a brief idea of what to expect. Before beginning my first placement in January this year, I had studied PR academically for four months and I have definitely seen a difference between academic PR and PR in reality.
Academically, I learnt about the theoretical aspect of PR and created PR campaigns for two live clients. Working with live clients was a brilliant taster for the world of PR, however the theory side is not something you see in the everyday practice – but theory is important for the dissertation that I am currently writing.
Based on previous placements I have completed this year, at Brazen I expected to be tasked with drafting copy and helping with research for clients or new clients – these were my usual everyday tasks as an intern in other agencies.
Brazen however has been another learning curve. I have been fully involved in the agency – something I wasn’t quite expecting as much.
I feel I have been given more responsibility for tasks and in my opinion, it is always better to be thrown in at the deep end. I have been assigned two great accounts at Brazen – LateRooms.com and Dr. Oetker – as well as being on hand to support all of them, and my daily tasks have included drafting copy, speaking to journalists for sell-ins or for research purposes.
However, we were also tasked with organising our own event – a party for the Brazen team which was a great success. One of my top highlights (apart from Dubai) was working with the Madame Tussauds team to help out with the unveiling of a wax figure. I absolutely love the media and the showbiz world so it was a fantastic experience. Finally, we shadowed Brazen’s CEO for the day. These are opportunities I would never expect to be involved in as an intern and this placement at Brazen has definitely developed my skills and proved to me that so far, PR is definitely the best career choice for me.
About us
Eve
Wotcha, I’m Eve. 20 year old PR, Media and Marketing student at Canterbury Christ Church University, I’m currently in that gappy bit between 2nd and 3rd year. This summer I’ve been lucky enough to be one of the first to take part in the Brazen PR Summer Camp scheme.
I’m not from round these parts, so its a whole new experience for me. I live in Sandwich, Kent (near Dover/Canterbury) and have moved to Manchester for the duration (6 weeks) of the placement and it’s been a whole new realm to say the least. This is the first placement I’ve ever done and what a one to do – still can’t get over it.
Also, my favourite colour is pink,I have a dog called Betsie aka Ian, I like making stuff #crafty and long walks on the beach.
Rebecca
Hello, I’m Rebecca. I am a 21-year-old northern girl in my final month of studying for an MSc in Public Relations at MMU, having graduated from Lancaster last summer with a degree in English Language and Sociolinguistics. Like Eve, I am one of the very lucky students to have joined the Brazen team for the summer and also to have shared my journey with my new Southern PIC.
Random facts about me: I am a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu – so watch out. I absolutely love the theatre. I love travelling to new places, meeting new people and I never stop talking – or laughing.
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