Former Savannah PR director Allira Carroll has left the company to launch Tonic Public Relations, a new boutique lifestyle communications agency, alongside former Ninemsn entertainment producer and Bauer Media features writer Carmalena Murdaca.
Specialising in food, drink, hospitality and travel, Carroll is looking to recruit more journalists to the team due to client demand for in-house writing and storytelling skills.
“Recruitment is always a hard one. Being an ex-journo myself and our account manager is an ex-Fairfax, Bauer and Ninemsn journo, I’m definitely looking to broaden the search to bring more journos into PR, which is an awesome skill set to have, and when they have the right attitude to do the client servicing side as well, it’s a stellar combination,” Carroll tells Mumbrella.
“When we’re talking to clients, they like the fact that we have that background and that skill set, because more and more we’re asking to be content creators. A media release is just one piece of information that we’re writing, with our clients, now we’re also doing monthly EDM newsletters and creating content calendars for that, writing social media content calendars.
"Sometimes we get called on for marketing as well and we have a network of experts we work with in that field, we’ll be helping with the copywriting for a letterbox drop, for example. That writing skill set and that story telling skill is something our clients love, that’s something I’d like to push forward with in future hires.”
Tonic PR currently looks after Gourmet Traveller magazine, Peppers Convent Hunter Valley, Evans & Tate Margaret River wines, Manly Wharf Hotel and Bishop Sessa, and will be responsible for the launch of Miguel Maestre's new Paella a la Maestre range in Woolworths this September.
