Marketing & Media Profile South Africa

Staying passionate about PR with Lorraine Maisel

With an innate passion for the fashion industry, stylist and art director turned entrepreneur, Lorraine Maisel, founded Styling Concepts in 2005 and Press Room in 2016. Maisel has over 30 years of experience across a wide range of disciplines within fashion, lifestyle beauty PR as well as the media, working closely with South African and international leading brands, personalities and publications.
Lorraine Maisel
Lorraine Maisel

“Being in the fashion industry for years then going into PR was a natural progression for my career path. PR is about personality- the stepping stone in this industry is being strong, energetic and being enthusiastic with people. My passion for PR comes from understanding people who want to be part of the experience of a brand.”

Running a boutique PR agency for 16 years, it is more than just fulfilling what is expected of you - it is about understanding and thinking differently about each and every single brand you represent. It is important for any PR agency to make the consumer BE a part of the brand, whether it be lifestyle, cosmetics or fashion; the PR agency needs to make the consumer understand there is emotion behind a brand.

“Unpacking PR is not just about the billboard, or the ad in the magazine, but about the below the line emotion behind the brand. I want people to understand the true ethos of a brand, and that’s why I remain genuine to the field. PR needs to be executed in a way that is regional- let it relate to everyone who sees the brand.”

PR is all about storytelling, and how you choose to tell that story needs to be done in a real, authentic and honest approach. Effective storytelling adds value to the process of building relationships between a brand and its audience, and this further enables them to communicate in a way which everyone can relate. “Over the years, PR has become more than one dimensional. The layers of PR extend further into social media, influencers, event experiences and many more elements giving a brand control over their narrative. Each of these elements allow for me and my agency to create stories that give a brand the essential credibility.”

“If it hadn’t been for the hard times, I wouldn’t have followed through with my dreams of starting my own business in a field I am so passionate about. Anything is possible and achievable if you truly believe, and as a way of giving back, I have the opportunity to share my knowledge with younger people allowing them to grow in this industry.”

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