We are taking you behind the scenes at thepublic. In our “Meet the team” series we will introduce you to our consultants and give you insights into our everyday work.
We begin with Christian Josephi, founder and managing director of thepublic.
What is the best thing about your job? What do you enjoy most?
Variety and intellectual challenge: This is exactly why the really strenuous work on the consultant / agency side is so exciting, because every hour you are confronted with a different industry, task, customer topic and communication goal. And as PR consultants, we always have to dig deep into the issues.
What was the funniest or most beautiful experience at thepublic so far?
Funny was the Champagne seminar in Munich with 45 participants, where all bottles were frozen overnight in the wrongly programmed Coca-Cola fridge. It then took three extra defrosting hours.
Or the meeting at 6:30 in the morning for the customer presentation in Cologne at a car park. When we noticed that some colleagues were in two completely different car parks in diametrically opposed ends of Stuttgart instead, the team was suddenly only half as big.
But the most beautiful experience is always – and I really mean it – when a customer says “thank you”. It happens so rarely that it seems all the more powerful when someone notices that we do much more than just a job.
What is the best food you have enjoyed at the Tuesday team lunchtime so far?
One of the best is definitely the fresh pea soup from the Sage SuperQ, and probably the worst is the Hawaiian toast, which, out of stinginess, was topped with reformed cold cuts instead of ham under the pineapple. It also rolled up in the grill. But the Hawaiian deco was awesome!
What was your funniest reaction so far to the question “What do you actually do as a PR consultant”?
It’s funny when I go into a lot of detail to explain our profession as providers of information to the media and then I get the question: “So it’s actually a kind of advertising agency, isn’t it?”
I don’t find it quite as funny when PR is equated with manipulation, because that goes completely against my self-image and professional ethics.
Early or late riser?
Clearly a late riser, but also late to bed.
Coffee or tea?
Actually Champagne, but if that’s not possible – either tea or coffee.
What makes thepublic so special?
The people I enjoy working with (almost) every day and our special culture of trust. When I hear about the gossip and intrigues my friends deal with in their jobs, I am very proud and happy about our Panama PR values and culture.
