PR Pros: Paul Anastasiadis Of M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro

An Interview With Kristen Shea

Curiosity — Have a curious mind. You should always be tracking changes and evolutions within the news and ask yourself how/why those patterns exist. This type of exploration and curiosity can directly, and indirectly, help you in some many other areas of communications.

Have you seen the show Flack? Ever think of pursuing a real-life career in PR? What does it take to succeed in PR? What are the different forms of Public Relations? Do you have to have a college degree in PR? How can you create a highly lucrative career in PR? In this interview series, called “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro” we are talking to successful publicists and Public Relations pros, who can share stories and insights from their experiences.

As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Paul Anastasiadis, President at M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment.

Paul has been in the communications industry for over 12 years, working in Australia, United Kingdom and the United States. He is currently President & Partner at M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment North America, specializing in creative communications strategy and activation across a number of categories including spirits and beverage, sport and technology. He oversees a number of clients including Anheuser-Busch, Tinder, William Grant & Sons and more.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I thought I would make a terrific journalist…! I always had a passion for creative writing and completed a journalism degree at the University of Technology, Sydney. Throughout my studies, I honed my writing skills and — perhaps more importantly — learned to best understand what actually constitutes “news”. After dabbling in journalism, I had the opportunity to start my career at Weber Shandwick in Sydney before moving to M&C. I found I could apply a lot of my learnings from journalism studies directly to being a proficient and creative PR professional.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

I have been lucky enough to practice public relations in three different markets — and they all operate very differently. While the construction of a great brand story is consistent, the process for disseminating a story through intermediaries can be very different from one market to the next. I moved to New York in 2015 and, despite years of experience, there was a steep learning curve to understand the culture in this market and what it takes for brands to permeate and storytell within a new set of paradigms and expectations.

I also made a joke in front of Gigi Hadid at a Reebok event — and I swear she laughed at it (that’s how I remember it, anyway).

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

A long time ago when I was an account coordinator, I was asked to print a big pitch deck before all the bosses were heading to a meeting. I did as I was told, including binding this gigantic deck. It turned out I had printed the incorrect version and it still had everyone’s edit notes on the slides…

Always be thorough in how you do your job. If the work is coming from me, I always want to be sure it’s been completed the right way and as something I can be proud of (even if it’s binding a pitch deck).

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

In my role, I oversee a lot of different brands — but our teams are working on some really interesting and compelling brand stories in country music, fashion, movies and football, just as I look ahead through summer and fall.

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Compassion: This industry is infamous for being high-stress. Everyone, including our partners, are often under a lot of pressure and it’s critical to have true compassion for those you work with and understand nothing gets done unless we have respect for one another. I don’t have one singular story here — this is an essential trait I want to try and exercise in every professional exchange I have.

Diligence: I believe strongly in accountability being at the nexus of delivering great work. At the end of the day, if I am not giving 100% effort to something — why should anyone else? If I can demonstrate diligence and commitment, my hope is to rub off on those around me. I know it’s always been a motivating factor for me.

Responsibility: Acting responsibly, and taking responsibility, are two different things but I will wrap them under the same point. I aim to be a responsible leader for my team and partners.

I use an analogy for leadership in PR all the time: I believe the best leaders have a mentality that drives them to run toward a burning building, instead of skirting around its edges. In the end, we are problem solvers that need to relish the chance to be there when we’re really, really needed.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. For the benefit of our readers, can you help articulate what the different forms of PR are?

PR is about two core components: 1) managing and building relationships with key intermediaries in the editorial and content creation spaces (from newspaper journalists to TikTok creators) 2) leveraging those relationships to build and protect brand integrity and authority within those same editorial or content creation channels.

These two core components can be practiced across a range of different sectors and verticals, shaped by the brand, group, platform or individual you are representing.

Where should a young person considering a career in PR start their education? Should they get a degree in communications? A degree in journalism? Can you explain what you mean?

As I mentioned, I completed a journalism degree — but that wasn’t necessarily by design. But, having walked that path, I do recommend some sort of tertiary education that sharpens your writing and communications skills. These are foundational skills that will benefit you from day one through your entire career. It isn’t just about being able to write well, it’s about being able to communicate your thoughts, ideas and recommendations in a clear, constructive manner.

You are known as a master networker. Can you share some tips on great networking?

Embrace the excitement and opportunity of meeting new people — and be open to those opportunities coming your way in a whole range of environments and contexts. A great foundation in PR is built on your ability to build relationships, then your ability to build on top of that is all about how you nurture those relationships.

Lead generation is one of the most important aspects of any business. Can you share some of the strategies you use to generate good, qualified leads?

It’s connected to the above point on networking and relationship building within — and beyond — the industry. As an additional tip, I would ensure you have a great, memorable and distinct “elevator pitch” on what makes you, your people, your business and your ideas special and something that can’t be found anywhere else.

Again, this is why communication skills in writing and speaking are so critical — that elevator pitch will become a lot easier to construct and deliver!

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro” and why.

Bravery — A good dose of bravery: to pitch the journalist, answer that tough question, believe in your idea.

Creativity — A creative mind can truly set you apart from the next person. Creativity in how you problem solve and how you develop compelling stories for your brands is incredibly vital. It is a skill that can be honed and it should be constantly evolving.

Curiosity — Have a curious mind. You should always be tracking changes and evolutions within the news and ask yourself how/why those patterns exist. This type of exploration and curiosity can directly, and indirectly, help you in some many other areas of communications.

Communication — Sorry to be repetitive… but work at your communication craft. It’s very beneficial and helpful to be a master communicator in written and spoken formats, and in different situations and styles.

Social — Networking and building relationships does hinge on your willingness to go out, meet people and build rapport. Look forward to the next chance you have to go and meet a new journalist, potential client, vendor — you never know how or when it will come in handy.

Because of the role you play, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I think there is already a movie on this premise so I’m not super original — but say yes to more things. Always starting conversations from a place of positivity usually yields a more positive outcome for all involved. I preach positivity, support and compassion for your colleagues and your friends.

This was really meaningful! Thank you so much for your time.