FashionPR.com Interview : Marie Louise Pumfrey - MLPR

I set up MLPR in 2005 after working at Channel 5 for seven years. My background has always been fashion and life-style PR, having worked initially at Lynne Franks Pr in the late 80s/90s. I worked in Sydney, Australia for a PR agency there, and when I returned to the UK I landed a great job at Channel 5 in the press office, launching the channel! I was there for 7 years as such a great place and then had two children, so started working part time.

I wanted to move on from Channel 5 and was lucky to start working for www.michelguillon.com a very cool eye-boutique in Chelsea. Michel is a great friend of Joseph Ettedgui, who owns luxury brand Connolly, so began working with them both and then decided to leave Channel 5 and set up on my own.

We are a small boutique agency, specialising in fashion, life-style and luxury brands – we like to think we offer the same results as the bigger agency but for less over-heads. Our office is a big space on top of my house, so we have low-overheads

With your own business, it is hard to switch off. I usually start at 8.30am and run through to 5.30pm, five days a week – with some catching up at the weekend

We generate press coverage in the fashion media and ultimately drive sales.

We are lucky to work with some really creative and interesting people and we really enjoy building brands and success. Even after 15 years in the business I still get excited when I see our clients in the press!

Coverage, coverage, coverage

Word of mouth is the most effective way of getting business, so make sure that each client campaign is a successful one.

Creative, proactive, efficient and being thick-skinned!

New brands need to be aware that coverage and awareness takes time to build – it is hugely competitive out there, and there are many learning curves for new businesses – a good PR should be able to support on all kinds of levels including branding, sales and on-line activity. Prs should also advise on the correct tools required to generate coverage and if they are followed, the brand should receive attention

recommendations, their website, testimonials and other campaigns – plus personalities

there are many challenges, including keeping a brand alive and newsworthy, not being able to get journalists on the phone to sell a story. Although we love working with small brands and being constantly proactive, it would be great to have a bigger label, which everyone wants to write and talk about.

We go to trade shows, we ask our existing clients and look at who is advertising

A good website is essential, and we are also on twitter. It is a great form of communication, and we always include new media in all of our PR campaigns. We are planning a blog as important to be participating in debates and also a good way of driving traffic to the website.

We do monthly reports each month – scan and email over all coverage. Sometimes we do cost out the value of coverage in terms of advertising, but to be honest I don’t think clients take that much notice of this.

With good stories, appointments and always saying thank you for coverage

We call them! And, also do our own regular news alerts

Not 100% sure – think printed look books will become a thing of the past – as everything goes electronic

Difficult to judge – each year is different – but when the fashion press days are on in April and also in October/November it is hard to get people on the phone or send in for stories

Something new, original and great images.

Yes, have quite a few

Work experience, determination, attention to detail and positive attitude

Confidence, enthusiasm and determination.

Suwha Hong – www.suwha.com –
Wilbur & Gussie www.wilburandgussie.com and Issa