Hattie is an Account Director at EAST VILLAGE., having started her time at #TeamEV. as in intern back in 2015. A pernickety, problem-solving perfectionist, Hattie is the go-to in the team for a second opinion and – as an English graduate – she loves nothing more than a good piece of copy. Proud to be an adopted Brummie, Hattie is passionate about putting the Second City first in the national standings, and is a huge advocate for the city’s many independents.

• How did you get into PR?

By calling in a favour when I was a couple of jägerbombs deep… yep, truly. I’ve known Tara for years as she was a friend of my sister, and so when I saw her at a birthday party when I was nearing the end of my degree, I took my chance to ask for work experience. After all, if you don’t ask, you don’t get! I started as an intern for three weeks, and the rest is history…

• Tell us a bit more about your role!

As EV.’s Account Director and part of the Senior Leadership Team, I get to enjoy the best of both worlds! My days see me heading up account teams, being on the ground to come up with show-stopping activations for clients; while also supporting TeamEV. to get the best out of their roles and drive forward EAST VILLAGE.’s strategy with Tara. My role is big on strategy, problem-solving, and challenging the status-quo, so it’s always exciting!

• What is your favourite part of the job?

I think the part I most enjoy is seeing the team do well. It is truly a joy to watch them put their hearts and souls into exciting campaigns, work hard to bring them to life, and graft to deliver over and above every time; but the greatest pleasure of all is being able to celebrate their wins when those results roll in!

• What’s your go-to coffee order?

Black Americano every time. All the caffeine, none of the froth!

• Here’s a divisive question… dogs or cats?

I love both, but given princess Pepper is the love of my life (when she’s not trying to tear my house apart or eat live birds whole) I’d have to go with dogs.

• What are your top three marketing tools that you can’t live without?

I feel like these change like the wind – there are so many great tools being developed all the time, it’s hard to keep tabs! – but I am currently greatly enjoying Miro, Canva, and Sked. I’m a big people person and I love nothing more than a collaborative brain-dump session, where everyone is chucking out ideas and building on each other’s thoughts, so the cross-working capabilities of these three platforms help to do this, even when we’re WFH, wonderfully.

• What is one top tip that you give every client about PR?

Just one?! Okay… if I had only one tip to give it would be to know what you do really well. It sounds so obvious, but so many people don’t have their own ‘elevator pitch’ down and ready to go, it’s a crime! Journalists, influencers, and consumers are all busy people – if you can’t tell them what you do (and most importantly why they need you) in 30 seconds, then you’ve already lost your window.

• What is your PR trend prediction for 2021 and beyond?

A trend prediction that I truly hope is here to stay is that brands that exist for a greater good are currently on top. Don’t get me wrong, I love a pretty product as much as the next person… but in a world where every market is saturated with ‘stuff’, I think having a brand that stands for something and strives to make the world a better place inspire us all to think about doing our bit. Long live conscious consumerism!

• Who would your dream client be and why?

I’d love to work with Bower Collective: I’ve been an avid fan-girl for a while now, so I’d love to be part of the team that expands its reach and makes *everyone* love it as much as I do. Environmentally kind, incredibly convenient, and always working to get better for its customers: what is not to love?!

• Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to get into the industry?

Make friends and lots of them! Knowing people and what makes them tick is a skill that takes time and practice, so I’d recommend expanding your circles to be as wide as possible. Consider those nights out and glasses of wine along the way ‘market research’!