PR Woes

Opinion. Fashion PR. Note to anyone who wants to get involved in fashion PR. If you’re perky as all hell and are fashion obsessed then by all means – this job is for you. I thought I was both. Turns out, some things are better appreciated at a distance. Like a car wreck.

Here are a few of my peeves:

1. Those god damn smiley faces and exclamation points

-Without them, the PR industry would not exist. It’s like we’re all on crack/cocaine/speed (well, in some cases we are) and just need to get a hit of samples or credit info. Watch out, without them you’ll be considered, depressed, anti-social or worst of all uninterested. If I never have to write another “Thanks!! You’re the best!!! :)” it won’t be soon enough.

2. Events

OK, I get it. You're in PR, you have to show your face. But why?? It's not a secret, everybody hates going. We're all just secretly misreable to be in this industry so we sedate ourselves with Stepford Wives syndrome to mask the pain. Cue smiley face and exclamation points.

3. Sample pulls

Oh lord where do I begin. How many times do I have to politely ask to get samples back, via email, via phone, via I’m gonna have to come up to Conde Nast and pull the god damn sample back myself if you don’t get back to me sometime this millennium.

4. No love

Do I need to elaborate on how under-paid pr girls are? We put up with the most asanine shit from clients, get freebies we don't even want and sweet talk every body under the sun- I think we deserve a little compensation. Which brings me to my next point.

5. Kissing Ass

Oh this one never ends. Not for editors, not for the d-list celebrities, not for the boss. You wanna be in PR? Then pucker up my friend.

The list could go on but I have to go find a god damn shoe that Vogue has kept for over a month, that they have no record of or any intention of featuring. I love my job.