& withA

Joanne Byrne, director, Presence Communications

Q: Congratulations on celebrating your 20th anniversary this year! What have been the key milestones in the evolution and growth of Presence Communications throughout the past 20 years?

A: When we started up Presence PR, it was just the two of us. A significant milestone would have been taking on our first employee about six months later. We both feel the responsibility of being an employer and being responsible for someone’s livelihood. Equally, when we first had an employee move on to another company, you realise the importance of your role in helping every employee develop their potential, and realise their ambitions, even if it’s not with you. We’re very proud of having nurtured some really creative and talented people, who have worked with us for many years.

In terms of milestones, we have won some very big accounts over the years, after very competitive pitches, which gives the entire team a real sense of achievement. And as each challenge is faced and handled successfully, your experience grows alongside your learnings. The PR landscape has changed beyond all recognition – from faxing press releases to news desks and couriering printed photos to picture desks, to these days, creating and managing multi-media communications across a range of platforms, and managing large amounts of data to ensure the best of targeting. It’s been a rollercoaster, but we see every new development as an opportunity to be explored and exploited for the benefit of our clients. Aislinn O’Toole has played a big part in our success and is ten years with us this year!

Q: Could you explain more about how you implement strategic planning with clients to deliver on your shared vision for the brand and the steps involved?

A: We have, deliberately, a very broad client portfolio but can honestly say that we find each and every one of them interesting and we enjoy working with them. With every new client, we ensure that we have an in-depth understanding of their business, its history, challenges and ambitions. We’re conscious that we’ll never know their business as well as they do, but equally, we’re aware that very often, a fresh take can help them to step back and relook at their own strategy We take a lot of time to plan, consult, research and brainstorm before coming up with what is doubtless the first of many draft plans. That said, while we are strategic, we never shy away from being reactive when an opportunity can be maximised. Adhering too strictly to a plan can sometimes hinder a brand. We believe strongly in being creative, flexible and fast moving, and it is often the ad hoc implementations that can really over-deliver A fun example was persuading The Natural Bakery to create skull shaped loaves of bread for Halloween. Not in their plans, but a huge success, sales and coverage wise

Q: How do you ensure your events generate strong press coverage?

A: There will always be a place for events in the PR ‘toolbox’. But a major learning of lockdown is that coverage can be achieved in a vacuum of social contact. We found many creative ways to deliver for our clients, without seeing our colleagues or clients in person for months. We are not an agency that defaults to suggesting events for clients. We’re budget conscious so an event has to really deliver on every possible level. As one of our longstanding clients has said more than once, we treat his money like it’s our own! And often that can be as much, if not more, about the interaction at the event, than any resulting coverage For example, the invite should serve to inform every recipient of the brand’s messages and merits regardless of attendance. Every aspect of the event needs to evoke the brand and its ethos, and above all, it should be enjoyable To ensure the best possible chance of coverage, we work hard to have the best and most relevant guests, a beautifully staged and appropriate venue, and above all – a strong rationale for the event. We do also have excellent relationships with media, so we know how best to deliver content that makes for the strongest coverage Joanne represents a large number of people so her black book as she calls it is a powerful tool when brought out of the drawer!

Q: What achievements are the team at Presence Communications most proud of already in 2023?

A: We’re already having a great year We’ve expanded our team, kept our clients and won new accounts including Decathlon, FLYEfit, Amara Clinic, Glenhaven, Wildlands and Nomadic. As usual it’s a great mix of clients, which we enjoy, as we strongly believe in creating synergy between our clients, and it makes us a one-stop-shop for media and influencers – no matter the topic, we have a client to fit the bill. Our Talent Management arm of the business is also thriving and again, greatly adds value for our clients. The launch of Emerald Park in March was very challenging, but so enjoyable. A multifaceted project with many moving parts. A literal rollercoaster of a PR campaign, and a huge success We are also very proud of highlighting some great Irish businesses, products and brands that are batting way above their weight and all of them recognising the importance of PR in telling their story and getting across their message

Q: How do you tailor brand communications to suit the journalistic ‘angle’ of different publications/media outlets?

A: We are very familiar with the media landscape, and have many very strong and long lasting professional relationships with various journalists. Basically, we know what they want, how they want it, and when. It’s another advantage of our diverse client portfolio, as we regularly have to dig deep to find the perfect match for a story pitch for anything from staycations, to sportswear, to gardening tools, to hair extensions, to frozen fish. It’s a challenge that we enjoy! Communications that are not tailored are wasted, and waste time We prefer to work smarter We love the example of food loving Marie Claire Digby of The IrishTimes following the Ginos Gelato story from cow to cone Literally visiting the farm and following her own gelato concoction to the store where it was served.

Q: What are the key advantages/supports that Presence Communications can provide for brands during a period of crisis management?

A: Crisis management has become a key pillar of the service we can provide for existing clients. Very often, we can identify potential issues, before they arise Which is obviously the ideal scenario But, if the worst happens, we have the skill set and experience to guide our clients through their response, and eventually, recovery. More often now, we are sought out by ad hoc clients who are experiencing a crisis and need that specific service. We bring a number of key skills to the table, to the advantage of our clients. Experience, strong leadership, wide ranging contacts, and communication skills. We have handled almost every type of crisis and you learn from each experience, whether it relates to people, property or reputation.