Chic, colourful, eccentric. The second I entered the office, I knew: This isn’t your everyday PR agency.
Who am I? I am a German PR consultant with a focus on brand PR and a love for exciting destinations – which made it more than interesting to head over to the other end of the world to experience state-of-the-art lifestyle PR in the course of a two-week exchange with our partner agency The Red Republic. During my time, I have uncovered some of the secret elements of their success:
- Living the brand
Apart from case studies, how do you attract corporations and brands with your services? There’s no better way to prove your A to Z brand communications expertise than leading by example with your own brand. CEO Fleur Madden has established The Red Republic as a strong and unique lifestyle brand and proven that she mastered the art of staging a brand and bringing it into discussion. The brand identity forms every detail, whether it is interior design, the website or content creation. Entering the headquarters alone is a real experience. On my first day, I headed over to The Red Republic expecting a sleek and cool urban office as I have seen so many. Imagine my surprise at the sight of golden chairs, marble conference tables, eclectic wallpaper, fluffy rugs and yes: cute dogs (that make great Instagram pics). The office is a real statement. And so are the people you meet there: smart, savvy, self-confident and stylish, perfect protagonists who bring the brand to life.
- Social media pioneers
The Red Republic demonstrates how brands can build engagement and create conversations with their audiences. Their social media content perfectly aligns with major lifestyle brands presenting content like trends, quotes, behind-the-scenes material and of course: Selfies. The smartphone is always at hand and real-time social thinking and digital storytelling are as much part of the daily routine as the morning coffee. That inspires new clients, reassures existing ones and gives them the feeling of being part of an exclusive club.
- An exclusive club
To establish a brand as an exclusive community means choosing client portfolio wisely. From a strategic point of view, a strong brand, credibility and reputation are more valuable than maximum revenue. Even though The Red Republic is very selective, the variety within the field of consumer communications is still wider than I thought. I was quite wrong assuming that their feminine and lifestyle focussed image would narrow potential clients naturally. With projects in finance, insurance or CSR, it is obvious that their charisma (and credentials) attracts far more consumer brands than only beauty, fashion and tourism.
- Work hard, play hard
Whereas the focus on brand communication clearly defines services, the scope of work knows no limits. I’ve seen major award-winning campaigns for giant brands and focused PR solutions for tight budgets of start-ups at the same time. No matter what kind of budget sits behind a project: it’s the results that matter. During my two weeks I’ve met very talented and creative professionals who do their job with heart and soul, like Kitty whose refreshing ideas impressed me during work meetings as well as cocktail hours. Despite the demanding working environment it felt like everyone had a lot of fun. It seemed the border between work and life was quite seamless. The good life surely starts earlier than 6pm here. That’s what makes a great brand, too.
Thanks again to the amazing team for the wonderful and insightful time! I had a blast.
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This blog post was written by Sophia Vassilev from fischerAppelt, part of the PROI network. fischerAppelt, the Creative Content Group, is a leading agency in Germany focusing on the core disciplines PR, film and digital marketing. For more than 25 years fischerAppelt has been driven by the ambition to put clients in the public eye, mouth and mind. Sophia joined a two-week exchange program at our Sydney and Brisbane offices.
