#WomensMonth: Kick off your high heels and surge ahead

Jade Allen

Red Carpet Creative is fast approaching 10 years. What barriers have you had to overcome to get to where you are today?
We always endeavour to overdeliver on client expectations; this can put quite a bit of pressure on the team, so it’s important to a) whilst going the extra mile be sure to manage client expectations, and b) keep staff incentivised so they feel their efforts are acknowledged, celebrated and remunerated.

Red Carpet Creative focuses on the high-end hospitality and luxury lifestyle sectors. It’s important to work with brands one feels passionate about to ensure the excitement behind promoting those portfolios is genuine. This goes for the team members too. The vision and mission of all parts must be aligned as a company is as strong as its team. Due diligence is an absolute must. I’ve come to learn this by trial and error.

With clear direction, a strong team, stringent SOPs and clearly outlined KPIs, the company is sure to stand in good stead.

Why did you decide to rebrand earlier this year and what has been the response?
The services we offer cover a variety of platforms including (but not limited to) PR, marketing, social media, CRM management, design, production and events – positioning us as a turnkey communications solution.

After eight years it felt the time had come to upgrade our look and feel to something more relevant to the now. Thus, our name, website and logo enjoyed a refreshing upgrade to better showcase who we are and what we do.

The competitive edge: Why an effective PR strategy is a must for the hospitality industry

18 Jan 2018

Are enough South African women getting a chance to shine in their industry and shatter that oft-referenced glass ceiling?

I don’t believe in glass ceilings. People push themselves as far as they are willing to or have the foresight to go. There’s plenty of opportunities for females to surge ahead if someone else isn’t offering that opportunity, then no one’s stopping women from creating it for themselves.

As a female business leader, what’s the least and most exciting aspect of your workday?

I love thinking out of the box, creating interesting and different campaigns to grab people’s attention.

Every day presents itself as a fresh slate to grow, learn, benchmark, branch out and challenge ourselves to achieve greater things than we did before.

In the fast-paced communications industry, we reside in, there are many junctures where both crisis management and quality control must be implemented - this is how we get better - always an opportunity, never a problem... depends on one's frame of mind though I guess.

List a few of the specific challenges females face in the workplace.
The perception of having to wear high heels, though they may look great, they sure don’t always feel great!

What is your advice in overcoming these?
Find smart, more comfortable shoes ;)

Hilarious! Now on a more serious note, how can we ensure the next generation results in more empowered females and better gender representation in the creative industry?
In the PR industry largely governed by females, I don’t feel this is a problem. Having said that, generally speaking, education is key – it’s the most powerful tool we can give to our youth. Keep diversifying and garnering knowledge and broadening your spectrum of skills – it will keep opening greater doors.

Who’s your female role model/business mentor – someone you respect and admire?
Jessica Pearson from Suits. She's powerful, principled, loyal, fair, even-tempered, a great mentor and a strong leader.

This Women’s Month, what is your word of encouragement to aspiring women in business?


Be bold. Believe in yourself. Listen, learn, read, push forward and never give up on your dreams!