Angela Cabucos, Account Executive
Every year Brookline Public Relations selects a theme to help guide our strategic direction for the agency and for 2018 the theme is INFLUENCE. What I like the most about this year’s theme, is the versatility. Influence can be construed in so many ways that the possibilities are endless for applying it towards our goals and other agency priorities.
In the PR industry, being an influencer is not always determined by the number of followers someone has on social media. We like to think of influence as the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.
The definition is broad and as Brookline is known to do, we want to approach this theme from all angles. Here are some of the ways that I think Brookline + Influence go hand-in-hand:
Brookline PR Influencing the Industry
The PR industry is constantly evolving and Brookline makes it our mission to be on (or ahead) of trends. We do this by influencing the industry through the exceptional work we do with our clients, the media and our involvement with the next generation of professional communicators. Brookline has a client base in diverse industries – retail, food & beverage, energy, real estate, finance, etc. – and by having multiple touchpoints on some of the biggest brands in Alberta and beyond, we are able to apply our influence on different industries.
Everyday Brookliners are in conversation with media contacts, pitching a story idea, coordinating an interview request, onsite at a press conference and more. We all recognize the societal sphere of influence that the media carries, and through our interactions with media, Brookline is continuously influencing the industry.
The next generation of communicators and PR professionals is going to influence the industry immensely. Through our internship program and relationships at post-secondary schools, Brookline is able to share our circle of influence with this group of up-and-coming professionals.
Working with Influencers
Working with bloggers and influencers is a growing segment of Brookline’s business. We’ve had the opportunity to work with outstanding influencers in markets across Canada and believe in the value they can offer clients. It’s amazing to see how much influence this group now has on pop culture and their impact on brands and how they engage with their audiences.
In this sense, Brookline + Influencers are a team. We share a common goal of reaching new audiences and engaging with them in meaningful ways.
Brookliners as Influencers
Outside of the walls of the Brookline office, many of us are involved with organizations that make an impact in Calgary beyond PR and communications. Dominica is a spin instructor at Stax Cycle Club in Inglewood where she leads classes of fitness enthusiasts through intense yet fun workouts. We’ve even combined these two worlds in client spin classes where we invited some of our clients to sweat it out with us as a team.
As well, Jerrica is involved with Gen Next, a United Way program of Calgarians in their 20s and 30s taking action to educate and inspire the next generation of leaders in community and philanthropic activities. Check out their next event to see how you can get involved, or drop a line to Jerrica. And Leanna is the Editor-in-Chief for the Tuxedo Park Gazette, the monthly newsletter for the community she belongs to. Leanna keeps her pulse on this NE community by attending neighbourhood events and sharing important news to its residents.
Look out for how Brookline integrates the 2018 theme into our agency this year by following #BPRinfluence.
– Angela Cabucos is an Account Executive at Brookline. Her expertise lies in media relations, personal and corporate profile-building, writing and strategic communication planning.