The story of PR Creativity, with Mark Perkins

Welcome to the latest PRmoment podcast. 

On the show today we’re talking to PR creative don Mark Perkins. Mark now runs his own PR creativity training scheme called Pop Creative. 

He’s worked for a raft of PR’s most creative firms including Cow, W, Frank, The Red Consultancy and MHP.

Infamously his work includes the Christmas Tinner and Missing Type campaigns.

Before we start, two pieces of good news at PRmoment this week. The first is that the programme for PR Masterclass: AI in PR is now complete. The PR Masterclass series are hybrid events so you can attend either in person or virtually. The event is on July 3rd and themes include:

How to Integrate AI into your PR Workflow
The impact of AI on Journalism
AI as a content production tool
Is LLM optimisation PR's biggest opportunity of our lifetimes?

Check out the microsite PRMasterclasses.com for all the details including the speaker line-up.

The other vital bit of information is that The Creative Moment Awards are now open for entries. You can see all the categories for 2025 at the microsite creativemomentawards.co.

The final entry deadline is Friday 20th June.

Here's a summary of what Mark and PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed:

Mark tells us how his Pop Creative methodology works.

“My focus has always been about having the right idea, rather than 5 or 10 good ideas.”

Are there 2 types of creative directors in PR - those who come up with ideas and those who facilitate others to have ideas?

What are Mark’s top 3 most favourite creative campaigns he’s ever worked on? Did Missing Type and Christmas Tinner make the cut? 

Will Mark ever return to PR as a creative director?

“Having been a PR creative lead for over 20 years, I kind of felt that’s a mountain I’ve climbed enough times.”

Mark on why PR creativity has not changed in the last 20 years:

“Our job, in a world of noise, is to grab people's attention.”

“Great creative listens, it doesn't demand attention.”

Mark on why don't we see more creative double acts in PR, in the way we tend to see creative partners in advertising?

“Advertising is a different discipline…PR is story first.”

Mark tells us which PR firm he enjoyed working for the most…

Of the new crop of PR creatives, who is Mark a bit jealous of? Which firms' work does he like the most at the moment?

Mark and Ben discuss whether earned creative is about to become the dominant creative channel.