This week, Molly Mae Hague’s documentary series ‘Molly Mae: Behind it All’ was nominated for a National Television Award. After watching the show, here are my key PR takeaways.

When the name Molly Mae Hague enters the conversation three things spring to mind. Love Island, Tommy Fury, and trumping both of those things- businesswoman.

Introduced on the social media scene through her YouTube and Instagram pages, Molly Mae is a stand-out case study in rebranding. With the launch of her clothing brand Maebe last year, and her own Amazon Prime documentary “Molly Mae: Behind it All” premiering earlier this year, she has mastered the modern day rebrand to an exceptional degree.

Looking beyond her transformation from influencer to businesswoman, Molly Mae has shown that strategy sits as a crucial component in today’s turbulent social media landscape. Using PR and social media, Molly has been able to control her own narrative – a narrative that has allowed her to establish a personal brand that, evidently with her nomination, is still thriving.

I’ll admit, when I heard that Molly Mae was dropping a documentary series with Amazon Prime, my initial thoughts were no different from what they were before learning this news. Mostly unbothered and more concerned with what I was going to have for tea that night.

But a little part of me was curious too and I decided to give the first episode a shot.

Two evenings on the sofa later, I have to confess that I was indeed hooked, though maybe not for the reasons my flatmates were…

My interest in Molly Mae did not lie with the fame, glamour, or the ins and outs of her personal life. What had me intrigued was her ability to control her image, no matter how messy things had got. So, my first ‘hot take’ as you will, is that that Molly (or rather her team), are PR champions.

Continuing from a PR perspective, two things from the series jumped out.

Molly is an individual who is highly skilled in having relationships with the right media connections, and this was evident with the docuseries itself. It is no secret that Molly has, like most online profiles, experienced internet trolling, often being labelled as tone-deaf or nothing to sing praises about. Yet, despite the relentless headlines from these publications, Molly has nailed the strategy of facing misinformation directly, openly, and honestly. A prime example being the backlash of her initial clothing brand launch – she uses her documentary to tackle the criticism head on, never once becoming defensive in tone. In turn, she has almost complete control of her public image, whether the press attempts to boost or taint it.

For a PR tactic, it works, very well. Bravo.

Secondly, her success at removing herself from the stereotypical perception that too often surrounds reality tv or social media influencers is brilliant. Nowadays, you Google search ex-Love Islanders, and most of them will be doing the same old brand deals. You know, the fast fashion, hair gummies drill that most online users are all too familiar with and bored of. But this again is where Molly Mae stands out. She has been able to steer her public image away from those narratives and has established an online presence as a businesswoman and brand owner.

In doing so, Molly Mae has built a huge community around her ‘personal’ brand. And when I say huge, I mean HUGE – 8.5 million on Instagram, 4.1 million TikTok followers, and 2 million YouTube subscribers.

Her strategy is clear. Molly consistently markets herself as authentic, detail-orientated, and driven. Whether it’s from posting vlogs of her in her car on YouTube, or sharing her vulnerability in her documentary series, she absolutely knows how to maintain her brand and capture her audiences.

Her PR approach, and no doubt team, have taken Molly Mae Hague from a reality tv name to a global one and despite being a fangirl or not, I think we can all agree that it is impressive.

Ella Adams- PR and Social Media Executive
Ella is the newest edition to the Source team. As a PR and Social Media Executive, she works with clients on press releases and social media campaigns and strategy. Drawn to the creative and dynamic nature of PR, her days involve working closely with clients, building relationships and helping them get their campaigns out there. When she is not at her desk, she is most likely chasing miles on a long run, head in a book, or plotting her next shopping trip. Don’t be fooled, she is extremely partial to a sweet treat and if anyone mentions a movie night in to watch Pride and Prejudice for the one hundredth time, she will be there.

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