July 10, 2024 · 35 min · Episode 357
From Celebrity Spotlight to Social Enterprise: Vanessa Morcom's PR Odyssey
About this episode
Join us as we dive into the inspiring journey of Vanessa Morcom, a Canadian PR expert whose career spans from the glitz of celebrity PR to impactful advocacy and personal transformation.
Vanessa's career began unexpectedly with Paris Hilton's footwear collection launch in Montreal, propelling her into the world of celebrity publicity with icons like Pam Anderson and Drake. However, Vanessa's path took a profound turn as she transitioned into advocating for social causes, including pioneering campaigns for transgender rights alongside supermodel Jenna Talackova.
Her commitment to making a global impact led Vanessa to co-found a platform supporting 1500 Kenyan artisans. Through initiatives like the Rafiki bracelets, Vanessa empowered artisans with financial literacy, leading to increased girls' school enrollment and sustainable community development.
But Vanessa's journey didn't stop there. She explored diverse passions, from becoming a pastry chef to studying to become a chaplain, all while navigating the complexities of motherhood and the evolving PR landscape. Her return to PR equipped her with a refined skill set in strategic communication, embracing new technologies and integrated marketing approaches to drive authentic brand narratives.
Join us as Vanessa Morcom shares her insights on navigating change, embracing authenticity, and fostering impactful PR strategies in today's dynamic business environment. Whether you're interested in PR transitions, social advocacy, or personal growth, Vanessa's story will inspire and empower you to amplify your own brand success.
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Article
Vanessa Morcom on Moving from Celebrity PR to Social Enterprise and Advocacy
Vanessa Morcom is a Canadian public relations expert whose career has run from celebrity publicity to social advocacy and social enterprise. In this episode of Your Brand Amplified, she tells Anika Jackson how she moved from launching celebrity products to building a platform for Kenyan artisans, and what she brought back to PR afterward. Her core point: authentic brand narratives, supported by integrated marketing and new technology, are what make PR work today.
How did Vanessa Morcom start in celebrity PR?
Vanessa Morcom's PR career began unexpectedly with the Montreal launch of Paris Hilton's footwear collection. That project led to celebrity publicity work with names including Pam Anderson and Drake.
How did she move from celebrity publicity to social causes?
Vanessa shifted her PR skills toward advocacy. She worked on early campaigns for transgender rights alongside model Jenna Talackova, applying the same publicity tools she had used for celebrities to a social cause.
She then co-founded a platform supporting 1,500 artisans in Kenya. Through initiatives such as the Rafiki bracelets, the platform paired product sales with financial literacy for artisans. Vanessa connects that work to increased school enrollment for girls and to longer-term community development.
What did Vanessa Morcom bring back to PR?
Vanessa's path also included training as a pastry chef, studying to become a chaplain and raising children while the PR industry changed around her. When she returned to PR, she came back with a sharper focus on strategic communication. She now works with new technologies and integrated marketing approaches to build brand narratives that hold up because they are authentic.
In the conversation, she shares how she approaches career change, why authenticity matters in PR strategy, and how communicators can adapt as the business environment shifts.
Key takeaways
- Vanessa Morcom's PR career started with the Montreal launch of Paris Hilton's footwear collection and grew to include Pam Anderson and Drake.
- PR skills transfer to advocacy: Vanessa used them in campaigns for transgender rights with Jenna Talackova.
- Her platform supporting 1,500 Kenyan artisans tied products like the Rafiki bracelets to financial literacy, which she links to higher school enrollment for girls.
- Time away from the industry, including work as a pastry chef and chaplaincy studies, shaped how she practices PR now.
- Her current approach combines strategic communication, new technology and integrated marketing in service of authentic brand stories.
Listen to Anika Jackson's full conversation with Vanessa Morcom on Your Brand Amplified.
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