My second rotation was Tech. Now I’m not the “techiest” of people but it was with an open mind and google at my fingertips I embarked on my 2nd rotation.

Fortunately I had already met a few of the Tech team because of a launch. The launch took place while I was in Corporate, however, after a plea for ‘a few extra pairs of hands’, Mark, Tom and I volunteered for what turned out to be a very amusing evening…

My first ever launch of this kind, I was unsure of what to expect, let alone what to wear (a girly, yet important, dilemma). Luckily the LBD (little black dress) saved the day as ever.
The launch took place at a private members club, just around the corner, called the Century club (which seems to be some kind of media mogul hang-out).

I was given the very important task of giving out name badges and ticking people off which turned out to actually be quite fun and I got to meet lots of people. However, we did get lots of lost people looking for the Tana Ramsey book-launch upstairs.
As the evening progressed and we had completed our tasks (not before Tom had saved the day getting a paparazzi photographer to snap the speeches because the hired photographer did not turn up!), the music started pumping and the strawberry shortcake shots began to flow!

It was probably the shots that gave us the confidence to gate-crash the Ramsey book launch and see the F-man himself (and for Tom to blag no less than 4 Space NK candles for me and the Tech girls from Tana’s own PR girls, despite the fact that they were most definitely for close friends only!)

So with a fun-filled night behind me I started in Tech and soon realised that alcohol filled nights were not exactly few and far between.

I’ve experienced so many things since, creating press releases and selling stories to Spanish journalists (using my much out of practice Espanol), inviting people to tonnes of different events, brainstorming, and probably my favourite (just because it was so glam) 1:1 press briefings.

1:1 press briefings may or may not sound glamorous to you, but first let me tell you a bit more. Simon C was kind enough to let me get involved, copying me in on emails and helping me understand just exactly what our client do. Chris, VP of Worldwide Marketing at an internet company was then to spend a day with Simon and I attending 10 (yes 10!) different press briefings.
The first took place with an amusing journalist called Rene, at 8.30 am last Monday morning at the Ritz. No sooner had I finished my eggs Benedict than a car picked us up and whisked us off to Mortimer House for our second interview, then back to Edelman for a telephone interview and broadcast interview with Telecom TV and Melissa Westcott – a lovely, energetic lady!

Never having had any kind of broadcast experience it was interesting to see how much work goes into broadcasts. Luckily, Chris (from Netopia) used to do a stint on breakfast TV in the US, so was as natural on camera as off. It was lights, camera…turn the aircon off(a harder task than you would imagine)…action! What will undoubtedly be a snippet lasting a couple of minutes took over half an hour to film.

Then, there was another car to whisk us off for lunch at the Wolsely (by this point I am loving PR so much). A quick Tuna steak and chocolate soufflé later and we are whisked back to Edelman for yet more telephone interviews. Luckily Chris is well organised and has a telephone interview brief and Simon is a dab-hand at the conference calls (I’m still working the phones out) and they all go really well. A couple of strong coffees later and there is yet another car waiting for us to take us to the Dorchester and I’m excited at the thought of seeing Mrs O (Sharon) and Nicole Kidman (who is staying there according to London Lite). We wait for our final journalist of the day; luckily, she does arrive and turns out to be really amusing and interesting and ends up staying far longer than expected.

Just about to die from exhaustion I manage a glass of (well-earned) Champers and a debrief with Chris and Simon. Luckily Chris seems happy with the day and I feel happy, if not a little full (of PR knowledge and food!)

They say there is no rest for the wicked, so I am convinced I must have done something really bad in my past life, as the very next day I was plunged (still full and happy) into healthcare, which is where I am now. To be honest, I am still trying to make sense of it although I am sure that by the end of my 3 weeks I will be talking in acronyms and drug-names the way the rest of the team are.

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