Trailblazers and leaders: Georgina Bennett-Warner
Georgina Bennett-Warner | Head of PR & Communications | Wedlake Bell LLP
How did you get into marketing/comms?
I started my career as a journalist in the legal sector having done a post grad in law. I found the industry fascinating and wanted to get to know the inner workings of a law firm. I made a lot of great connects whilst a journalist and a late friend of mine, who also served as a casual mentor, suggested that I try my hand at law firm PR. Not fully appreciating what that would look like I ended up moving to Madrid to work in the startup industry and PR and marketing fell within my remit. When I moved back to London it was obvious that I should continue doing that kind of work in an industry that I was familiar with. It certainly wasn't a linear journey. I have worked in a number of industries (from real estate to recruitment) and set up my own business with a friend along the way but marketing in particular always played a role. I often get asked why law firms need PR and Marketing departments but when you think about it, law firms have services to sell just like any other business.
What is something that you do every day without fail?
I either wake my son up or put him to bed. He is 2.5 years old and this time is really precious. I have always been lucky enough to have bosses who appreciate how quickly time goes and how spending time with my family is crucial to my happiness.
What is the best piece of advice that you’ve received? And who gave it to you?
My parents brought my sister and I up with the motto: "Comparison is the thief of joy". I really try to live by that and to be the very best that I can be without comparing myself to everyone else.
What is a tool/hack that you would recommend to anyone starting out in PR/Comms/Marketing?
Network, network, network. With journalists (face to face!), with your peers, with more senior colleagues, recruiters- everyone! Post pandemic there has been a real shift away from meeting people in person and just getting to know each other and I think that is a shame. Relationships have been key throughout my career so far and I try to maintain as many as possible.
What’s your greatest achievement to date?
It would have to be moving to Madrid on a whim with GCSE Spanish and zero experience working abroad. That experience taught me so much about my own resilience and ability to thrive in a challenging environment. It was also there that I got a taste for marketing and the true importance of brand. It was an incredible three years in a very underrated city and I still miss it.
Is there a particular comms campaign that you’ve seen in your career that you didn’t work on but wish you had?
I really want to highlight the scope for comms and marketing within the legal industry as many don't know that what I do is a thing so it would definitely be @Herbert Smith Freehill's 'TechQuake' campaign. They have moved away from stale thought leadership and towards more of a reportage style. Better media, expert photography that tells a story and interviews and articles that are both commercial aware and interesting. AI is everywhere now and it has been refreshing to see a campaign around the topic that really stands out. From a comms perspective, it is so much easier (and more pleasant) to place content that seeks to really engage the reader.
What’s the key skill you think a successful PR/comms/marketing pro requires?
The ability to be innovative. Regardless of industry, we work in crowded market places. It means that we need to always try to think one step ahead when it comes to achieving our goal of standing out. This can apply to so many different elements; engaging with journalists from publications that aren't necessarily obvious, producing content that really gets to the nub of what clients are worrying about (and avoiding always playing it safe), exercising caution with brand but also trying to constantly develop and nurture it.
In three words, describe your approach to your role/work?
Team, results and fun.
What’s a question every PR/marketing pro should ask themselves?Are we producing content that people actually want to engage with? If not, how can we do that?
