Employee spotlight with Jenny Walford
- What is your job title at ADPR? Associate Director
- What does that involve? I’m responsible for overseeing the account groups at ADPR, working closely with the teams to build strategic campaigns for our clients and overseeing the implementation and delivery of activity. It is my job to manage our client services and offer senior counsel to them, as well as nurture and develop the amazing talent we have at ADPR. My role also involves the deeper evaluation and analysis of our campaigns, to make sure we are always creating maximum impact.
- How long have you worked for the company? 4 years
- Which clients do you work for? Clarks Village, Dean & Reddyhoff, Fusion Entertainment, Helly Hansen, Hydro International, Orolia Maritime, Shakespeare Marine, Sunsail, The Moorings, Vesper, Wookey Hole
- What do you love the most about working in PR? I love problem solving and working with people, which I obviously get to do a lot of in PR! I also enjoy being part of an industry that is constantly evolving – PR is quite different to when I started over 16 years ago (faxing colour separation forms and posting press releases anyone?) and is more integrated into marketing and business strategy than it’s ever been.
- Tell us something most people don’t know about you? I studied Psychology and Criminology for a year, which is why I occasionally come out with random studies about the brain.
- Three career lessons you’ve learned so far?
- Never stop learning. We are working in an ever-changing landscape, not just in PR but politically, technologically, socially. Never think you are ‘done’ and that you know all there is to know about your industry. Always be striving to learn more.
- Stick to your guns. In our profession it is important to be flexible, to constantly evaluate our activity and change tact if we need to. But equally there can be the pressure to undertake a task or activity that we don’t believe is in the best interests of a business – this is where it is important to stand firm. Always remember that we are hired for our expertise, not to be yes men.
- You cannot underestimate the importance of being a team. When you work in an agency your team is everything. You celebrate success together, and pull together if something isn’t quite going to plan. I think this is something we do really well at ADPR and something our clients love us for – we work hard for their businesses, but for each other too.
- What book did you last read? The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. Well worth the wait after reading The Handmaids Tale many years ago. I studied several Margaret Atwood texts during my English Literature degree and she’s been my favourite author ever since.
- What do you like to do in your spare time? I am very lucky to live on a farm in the beautiful Somerset levels, so the family and I like to spend our time enjoying the outdoors – we like to tire out the young ones with lots of walking. Even better when the walk ends in a pub lunch!
- What’s your favourite indoor/outdoor activity? I’m obviously a glutton for punishment because I love an outdoor bootcamp, come rain or shine! I also love to ski.