PHIL Moar is an account manager at comms agency, Citrus:Mix.
He submitted this on Saturday, May 21 2016.
What exactly is it you do?
I’m an account manager for integrated communications agency, Citrus:Mix.
Based in Aberdeen, I’m predominantly a member of the agency’s PR team, but its integrated approach does result in a range of crossover with other departments, namely digital and marketing.
In my role as account manager, I’ve been involved with leading PR and social media campaigns on behalf of clients across a wide range of sectors – including sport, food and drink, charity, public sector, legal, oil and gas, property and construction.
It may sound like a cliché, but my day is definitely varied, with the majority of my time spent writing about all sorts of different stories; from the Cullen Skink World Championships and creative lighting projects to new chair announcements and building openings!
In the last year, I’ve also been a part of the agency’s convergence with digital media, aiding clients with their online activity as well as playing a part in driving the development of our own channels.
Online content is often fed by any PR activity that is happening at the time and it is my job to help replicate stories for both press and online mediums.
Citrus:Mix also provides an emergency response service, predominantly offering 24/7 cover to oil and gas operators in support of offshore assets and onshore facilities. I’m part of this team and participate on the agency’s ER rota to provide cover for up to one week at a time.
What did your working day today or yesterday comprise?
My time is regularly split between the office and being out and about.
From working at Citrus:Mix’s base in the south of Aberdeen, to attending progress meetings with clients, press launches, photo calls, evening events and even delivering print runs and publications, the nature of client work results in your diary being a busy one.
Yesterday, my day started with an emergency response exercise at one of the oil and gas operators that we provide ER cover for.
These occur regularly and involve the team working through a scenario in preparation for a real-life incident. It’s a fast-paced start to the working day but is integral in allowing us to be as prepared as possible should our advice and guidance be required.
On completion, I headed to the office to clear any emails – and the day properly begins.
Mornings are usually spent issuing any press releases that are approved and ready to go – it’s important to get these to the media as early as possible when content schedules are being planned for the day ahead.
Monitoring the media is also essential, not just for any coverage, but to get a good grasp of the stories that are dominating both the local and national press. Having a clear idea of what is happening makes generating article ideas and pitches that little bit easier.
After this, it is then on to a couple of mid-morning meetings with clients in town. I’m interested in photography, which often comes in handy when we require a quick head shot to accompany a press release or an online post or article. I grab a snap with the new commercial manager at the shopping centre in Aberdeen we work with and then it is back to the office to upload and seek approval.
I’m in the process of working with a client to deliver a range of annual reports and financial documents, so my afternoon is taken up with working closely with the design team within Citrus:Mix to populate these with fresh content and any changes that may be required. Although slightly different to my usual day-to-day activities, it’s great to get an insight into how these documents come together.
The working day usually comes to an end between 5.30pm and 6pm but my colleague and myself are helping at a blogger’s fashion preview event on behalf of our shopping centre client.
My role is to capture the evening on camera and to look after the bloggers on arrival as well as being on-hand to answer any questions they may have. These events are a great way of creating online buzz for the launch of a new product or range of items and it’s a worthwhile evening for the centre and its retailers.
How different or similar is your average working day to when you started?
My current role at Citrus:Mix is very much an evolution of the one I started with. After graduating with a degree in publishing with journalism from Robert Gordon University, I commenced a work placement with the agency as part of its social media team.
This became a full-time position where I was solely involved with social media campaigns; from planning and conception, through to the subsequent launch, monitoring and training of any key stakeholders involved.
Gradually, I got more involved with the agency’s PR division and my time was split between the two, sourcing and producing stories for the media which could then be replicated online. This has in turn developed even further, with my current role a combination of both aspects which are now of equal importance.
How do you see your job evolving?
As the distinctions between PR and marketing continue to blur, we’re set to see both these areas move even closer together, which would see my role become even more wide ranging than it is today.
Where, previously, a PR person traditionally focused on media relations, the scope for work is increasing in tandem with the rise of digital and social media.
Working for an integrated agency, this shift has been apparent in recent years, with my own role incorporating tasks across its PR, marketing and digital divisions.
All three very much have a role to play as part of the marketing mix so it’s important to continue growing an understanding and appreciation of the impact the effective use of each can have as part of a campaign.
It’s been a great learning curve for myself to understand more about these departments and it’s something that I will continue to place an importance upon in the months and years ahead.
What gives you the most job satisfaction?
First and foremost, a happy client is, without a doubt, the most satisfying part of the job. If you know that your efforts have made a positive difference to them, it’s justification of your approach and work. Positive press coverage is also a satisfying part of my role.
If you work on a story that you know should garner strong interest, it’s always a good feeling to open the paper or switch on the radio or television and see the story being covered.
Similarly, if you run a specific social media campaign and receive a high level of engagement, it’s a great buzz seeing a piece of content gain momentum. I also get to meet people from all walks of life on a daily basis and I take great pride in helping them share their stories with a wider audience.
