A few months ago, in my final year as an Advertising and Brand Communications student, I went along to a ‘Spotlight on PR’ event hosted by my university, where I met Martha and Ella. In a slightly flustered moment from me as they were leaving, I introduced myself and mentioned that I lived not too far from their office and would love the opportunity to gain some work experience from them. Fast forward to now, where I have spent an incredible week alongside the lovely team at Source.
From drafting press releases and creating radio advertisement scripts to producing social media content and attending client meetings, I have had a real behind-the-scenes look into the world of PR.
Each day brought something new and has given me a whole new understanding both of the industry and of my own skills, so this is what I’ve learnt:
One of the biggest things I’ve learnt is that being concise really matters. Whether it’s a press release, social media post, or advertisement, when you only have a brief moment to grab someone’s attention, every extra word is boring and is losing the reader’s interest by the minute.
That doesn’t mean stripping everything back to zero – it means cutting out the waffle and unnecessary jargon and delivering your message in a way that is engaging and has an impact.
Continuing the theme of C’s, consistency is just as essential. When making social media content, a consistent tone of voice, visual style, and colour is exactly what forms a brand. So, make it feel intentional and connected.
Even small inconsistencies, like slightly different font size or shade of colour, can throw things off. But when it all aligns, it strengthens recognition and makes the brand far more memorable.
But before any campaign, piece of content, or creative idea can roll out, you have to understand your client, who they are, what they want to achieve, and the values that drive their brand.
Taking time to build understanding from the get-go makes everything else run more smoothly. It builds trust and aligns expectations, making the work speak for itself and feel more tailored and impactful. Ultimately, the stronger the client relationship, the greater the potential for successful outcomes.
Arguably the most important factor of all, and something Source does extremely well, is the team. It really is the glue of an agency.
When you genuinely collaborate, communicate well, and actually enjoy working together, everything just works better. Without that, things get lost in translation, the quality of client work.
Finally, one of the most reassuring things you could be told when you feel slightly out of your depth at work experience, is that it is okay to edit. Nothing is perfect first try, regardless of whether you are just on work experience or have been doing it for years.
There’s only so much you can learn about PR in a lecture theatre, and this week gave me the chance to see it all in practice. I’ve come away with a much clearer understanding of the industry, a lot of new skills, and plenty of advice that I’ll be taking with me into the future.
A big thank you to everyone at Source for making the experience so much fun.
