PRESS PASS: September 19, 2024
johnnie-O spotlight, how to set your brand up for PR success during the holidays, and a Q&A with writer and founder of The MEE Lab, Micaela English
Hello!
Welcome back to this week’s edition of Press Pass by DeskSides.
This week, we’re talking about:
Get to know DeskSides brand of the week: johnnie-O
HOW TO: set your brand up for PR success during the holiday season
A conversation with Micaela English, writer and founder of The MEE Lab
Enjoy!
Allison and Blish
Brand Spotlight: johnnie-O
Johnnie-O, a distinctive lifestyle brand, was born from the vision of its founder, who grew up in the refined atmosphere of Winnetka, north of Chicago. Surrounded by blue blazers, khaki pants, and penny loafers, he embodied the essence of East Coast tradition. His perspective shifted during his college years at UCLA, where he discovered a more relaxed West Coast style dominated by flip-flops and t-shirts.
Recognizing a gap in the market for a brand that could seamlessly blend these two worlds, he launched johnnie-O in 2005. The brand's mission was clear: to create a harmonious fusion of East Coast sophistication and West Coast casual, resulting in unique, high-quality classics focused on modern comfort and performance.
The Johnnie-O lifestyle celebrates activity, quality, friendships, and time. Golf, in particular, holds a special place in the brand's ethos, not only as a perfect representation of these values but also due to the founder's background as a former NCAA and Senior's Open Championship golfer. This expertise informs the creation of their premium golf gear.
The brand prides itself on crafting timeless pieces with durable construction, each item designed to achieve coveted hand-me-down status. Johnnie-O remains committed to its unique position at the crossroads of tradition and casual comfort.
HOW TO: set your brand up for PR success during the holiday season
The holiday season can be a golden opportunity for brands to boost their visibility and connect with consumers. However, with increased competition for media attention, it's crucial to have a solid PR strategy in place. Here's how to set your brand up for PR success during the holiday season:
Plan Early
We recommend starting your holiday PR planning well in advance—ideally, 3-4 months before the season begins. (So if you haven’t started yet, get going!) This gives you ample time to develop interesting/compelling campaigns, create content, and build relationships with key journalists.
Craft a Unique Holiday Angle
Stand out from the many pitches journalists are receiving by developing a unique holiday angle for your brand. This could be:
A special holiday product or service
A heartwarming customer story
A charitable initiative tied to the season
Create Seasonal Content
Develop a variety of holiday-themed content to support your PR efforts with intiatives like:
Blog posts
Product photography
Social media content
Press releases
Brand-focused holiday gift guides
Seasonal how-to guides or tips
Personalize Your Pitches
When reaching out to journalists and media outlets, personalize your pitches. Understand what types of holiday stories they typically cover and tailor your approach accordingly. (This should be for any pitch you send to a journalist, but we digress!)
Build Strategic Partnerships
Collaborate with other brands, influencers, or charitable organizations for holiday-themed initiatives. These partnerships can expand your reach and create newsworthy stories.
Optimize for Mobile and E-commerce
Ensure your website and online presence are optimized for mobile users and holiday shoppers. This is crucial for any PR efforts driving traffic to your digital platforms.
Extend Beyond Traditional Holidays
While Christmas and New Year's are important, consider other holidays and observances during the season. This can help you reach diverse audiences and extend your PR efforts throughout the entire period.
Measure and Adapt
Set clear KPIs for your holiday PR efforts and track them closely. Be prepared to adjust your strategy based on what's working and what isn't.
By following these steps, you'll be well-positioned to cut through the holiday noise and achieve PR success for your brand. Remember, authenticity and creativity are key – focus on how your brand can genuinely add value to people's lives during this festive time of year.
DeskSide with: Journalist and Founder of The MEE Lab, Micaela English
This Q&A is particularly special to us—we have known the incredible Micaela English for years, and have been front row to all of the incredible milestones in both her career and personal life!
She has spent the last 14+ years as a magazine editor, with bylines at prestigious publications like Town & Country, Glamour, The Zoe Report, and more. She’s also been a Content Director and storyteller for leading fashion and beauty brands like J.McLaughlin and Fresh. Last month, she founded The MEE Lab, a destination for brands looking to evolve their storytelling and content strategy. She is always the most fashionable in the room at all times (can always be found in a platform shoe!), a sober queen and inspiration, and has an awesome newsletter where she shares her thoughtful and charming insights to just about everything!
How has your background in journalism at publications like Town & Country and as a freelance writer for Forbes Vetted, GLAMOUR, The Zoe Report, shaped your approach to brand storytelling at The MEE Lab?
At my core, I’m an eternal seeker and storyteller—a passion that has fueled my journey in journalism. I love to uncover the ‘why’, cracking that shell, and revealing the root of a founder’s story. I also thrive on observing trends and noticing styles & brands that are starting to emerge. You develop a sharp intuition as a journalist which is an invaluable skill to bring to today’s marketplace.
Plain and simply, that’s my unwavering passion—to tell great stories—across all mediums. In this digital age, every platform serves as a canvas to continue to remind your community of your story and your brand’s narrative.
And I will say, many brands struggle to articulate their ‘why’, or they’ve lost their way. They often need a fresh set of eyes to realign their vision and bring it to the present. It’s like that Steve Jobs quote, “The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.”
How do you approach creating cohesive narratives across various digital platforms (e.g., website, social media, newsletters) while maintaining a brand's unique voice?
Crafting a cohesive narrative for various platforms is like telling the same story at a family party. You’re going to tell it one way to your grandmother, share a slightly different version to your aunt, and chat about it another way to your younger cousin. Each platform has those nuances that require tailored approaches; the era of delivering the “same story, different platform” has long since passed.
Some quick thoughts:
Newsletters: A space for rich storytelling which can be long-form. Consider incorporating a written Q&A or insider insights to engage with your readers or subscribers.
Homepage: In my view, simplicity reigns supreme on the homepage. Aim to convey your message as succinctly (and cleverly) as possible.
Instagram: I don’t want to give away all my secrets… but all I’ll say is…play with format.
Tiktok: Prioritize authenticity and speed!
In your experience, what elements make for truly engaging digital content in today's fast-paced, highly visual online landscape?
Sharing something that makes others feel something is essential. For me, it has to be unique, giving your audience access to something juicy and that takes them behind the scenes. Most of the time, I find the content that resonates with me is making me laugh. For example, the recent Ralph Lauren video from their Hamptons fashion show where they’re interviewing the kids that modeled in the runway show was both hilarious and adorable.
It’s that. They shared a less obvious roundup of just focusing on the front row of influencers and celebs. Here I am, weeks later thinking and talking about that video.
With The MEE Lab, you mention helping brands articulate their "why" and prioritize authenticity. How do you balance this with the need for brands to stay competitive and trendy?
I don’t think you need to be trendy, I think you need to be original and authentic. To truly resonate in today’s market, brands must invest in compelling content that speaks to their core identity. If a current trend applies to your brand, then hell yes, take advantage of it! But I think the foundation of successful branding in 2024 can be broken down to three essential modules:
The Why/Secret Sauce: At the heart of every brand lies a ‘why’. It could be solving a market problem, simplifying people’s lives, creating something that sparks joy, etc. That’s the secret sauce, what differentiates you in a crowded marketplace.
The Now: In an age dominated by digital interaction, brands must marry that ‘why’ with modern relevance. The traditional, buttoned-up corporate persona doesn’t resonate with audiences; it feels outdated. Instead, brands should embrace collaborations with current tastemakers, craft authentic storytelling, and explore innovative experiential marketing. For those facing budget constraints, I think the focus should be on producing content. Don’t just copy your comp set, and look left and right to everyone else, it’s obvious and missing the point. Embrace imperfection and remain open to experimentation; the key is adaptability.
The Future. And then of course, it’s imperative to have one foot in the future, continuously innovating while aligning your ‘why’ with emerging trends. I think brands need to do this to maintain audience excitement and engagement. And listen, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t work. Brands that excel at this are attuned to innovation but also adept at setting trends by taking risks both in style and content. Some of my favorite future examples are: Jacquemus, Louis Vuitton Men’s With Pharrell Williams, Van Leeuwen.
As someone who has successfully transitioned from working for established brands to launching your own venture, what advice would you give to others considering a similar path?
My path hasn’t been linear and I’m grateful for that. I think we often tell ourselves there’s only one next step that makes sense in our professional journey—that next title, promotion, or ‘jump’ and we forget that we have options. There’s a big beautiful world out there that needs you and all of your skills—the more varied, the more knowledgeable in my opinion. I’m excited to be doing this at the MEE Lab because there’s nothing more rewarding to me than helping brands and people decode their essence and feel good about what they’re sharing with the world.
Quick Hits:
Apps: Pinterest, Spotify, & TikTok
Restaurant: Anywhere with good friends or family, I rarely care where we are, as long as there is flattering lighting (ha!) and people I love. But if I were to pick one: any of the Avra locations. I like the vibe and love Greek food. Plus, they keep refilling the hummus and pita—I mean, YES! In my neighborhood in Brooklyn, you’ll probably find me at Sweetwater once a week. I know everyone that works there, it’s consistently delicious and has a cozy vibe.
Current Read or Daily Media Diet: My friend and amazing career and branding mentor Tandiwe Zulu just introduced me to a book called The Karma of Success by Liz Tran so I’m starting to read that. Tandi is an inspiration for me.
Item You’re Eyeing: A green diamond evil eye bracelet by Lito (fell in love with their jewelry on my trip to Greece this summer). I like to wear a little piece of protection with me always. The Versace La Medusa small bag is my favorite piece in my closet…I love that you can wear it so many different ways. It’s also a little less popular. It just came out in leopard print for fall and I am in love!
Piece of Life Advice: “I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.”
From the poem, Invictus by William Ernest, and "Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe." - Oprah