My Work in PRogress this week is the delightful Ruth Barrett, Senior Digital PR Consultant at Aira.

Ruth is one of the most talented PRs on my timeline, and an absolute wiz in placing everyone from clients to friends in some of the most highly esteemed top tier publications, including the BBC, Forbes and The Guardian.

Another thing that strikes me about Ruth, though I’ve yet to meet her in person, is the kindness and support she spreads in our industry. Whether it’s offering free PR support to charities while on furlough, or shouting out her favourite PRs on Twitter, Ruth is always spreading the love.

In this issue, we chatted about Ruth’s favourite digital PR campaigns, and realising that it’s never too late to be who you want to be.

What is your ultimate shower song? (The song you can give a 10/10 Grammy-worthy performance on in your shower on a Saturday morning).

Truth Hurts by Lizzo.

Every.Damn.Time.

I’m next level OBSESSED with Lizzo’s positive vibes. My husband Jordan knows all the words now too. Our wedding playlist featured Lizzo heavily, much to everyone’s delight.

Which digital PR campaigns are you loving at the moment? Are there any specific examples of campaigns that you’ve seen and loved recently?

I’m loving the reactive PR campaigns.

“They require a speedy turnaround and a tonne of creativity to get live, never mind links, so I have nothing but praise for those landing coverage for these types of campaigns right now.”

I mean what’s not to love about big brands like McDonald’s and Greggs showing us how to make our firm favourites at home? It’s great PR and satisfies many cravings, win-win.

Also, the recent piece from Rise At Seven for Under Lucky Stars showing 27 iconic skylines without light pollution, was just divine.

What do you love about your job?

There’s something so satisfying about following a campaign from ideation to design, creation, and then promotion. It’s always a massive team effort so it’s incredible when it all pays off.

“I’ve been doing this for 12 years now and yet I see something at least once a week that surprises me.”

I also love the digital marketing community. Sure we’re all competitors, but we’re also peers and more often than not rally together to help one another out. I have marketing friends on Twitter who I’ve never met, but I know they have my back no matter what.

Finally, what does being a ‘work in progress’ mean to you, both professionally, and personally?

For me being a ‘work in progress’ means that we’re all capable of growth. No one starts a new job knowing it all, in fact, we never stop learning. Every day presents a new opportunity to improve ourselves, both personally and professionally.

I moved across the country three years ago to start my life over, so I guess being a ‘work in progress’ for me has been somewhat of an adventure, and is all about figuring out what I wanted out of this crazy life. To quote F. Scott Fitzgerald “It’s never too late to be whoever you want to be.”

“For what it’s worth… it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you’ve never felt before. I hope you meet people who have a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start over again.”

– F. Scott Fitzgerald

You can keep up with Ruth on Twitter here.