So this week’s edition of PR Week has probably hit desks and if you haven’t read it yet then you will have missed the awesome news that I’ve joined We Are Social. The news is awesome for a couple of reasons, both personal and professional.
First the professional: I’ve been watching We Are Social grow over the past year and a bit and have been impressed by both the clients they’re working with and the work they’re doing. Seriously. Now I’m on the inside I continue to be blown away by the briefs that come through the door and the work that goes out.
That may sound overly sycophantic but it’s a genuine response. The work that’s being planned and delivered at We Are Social is the kind that you don’t believe exists working on the PR agency side. Clearly brands and organisations want to understand social media and its impact on their reputation. But it seems they aren’t turning to their PR agency to deliver this work, instead looking to digital and social media specialists.
The funny thing is: I’ve long been blogging about how the PR industry is losing out to other industries and players in the digital space. It’s taken me joining We Are Social to realise just how far things have gone. But that’s a topic for another post.
On a personal level I’m really happy to be planning and delivering real, juicy, smart, social media campaigns, rather than bolting on digital tactics which was often the case (although not always) when working to a PR brief.
Add to that the fact that I’m tasked with growing the public sector, NGO and not-for-profit work that We Are Social does means I’m working with sectors with which I have a deep personal affinity (in case you aren’t overly familiar with my LinkedIn profile I started out in PR working for NGOs). Moreover, social media comes to the fore when empowering organisations and individuals to deliver issues-based campaigns and citizen engagement.
So that’s the news. I’ve joined We Are Social. I’m excited. You can see it in my tweets. I’m going to Twestival. I’ve started blogging again. I am, as Manuel Castells might say, back in the space of flows.
Tags: We Are Social, Weber Shandwick, employment
Fantastic news Simon, congrats.
Posted by: Damien Mulley | September 05, 2009 at 08:42 PM
Congrats, squire. And congrats to Robin and the rest of W.A.S.
Posted by: Stephen Davies | September 05, 2009 at 08:59 PM
very cool! congrats to you and the We Are Social team!
Posted by: twitter.com/msamayoa | September 05, 2009 at 09:45 PM
Congrats Simon, WAS are growing and making a name for themselves.
All the best,
Mike.
Posted by: Michael Litman | September 06, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Congratulations Simon. Hope the new job continues to go well.
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=597270025 | September 06, 2009 at 10:54 AM
Congrats Simon - nice one!
Posted by: Becky McMichael | September 06, 2009 at 11:33 AM
This article needs to be tagged "cool." Congratulations.
Posted by: Ozan Sakin | September 06, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Really pleased for you - and it's one in the eye for the conventional guys who let you slip. There are big changes afoot and I just can't see the 'old system' surviving the crisis in the old media ...
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=544540426 | September 07, 2009 at 03:52 PM
Just saw this now. Great news. Am kinda jealous actually, you're going to have great fun working there.
Posted by: Sherrilynne Starkie | October 01, 2009 at 12:31 PM