Forfatter: Project Neon

As a millenial, who saw the launch of the iPhone and the rise of online media, it would be natural to present myself in references from a TV show of the time – Friends.

The one with the origin story

Growing up in the suburbs of Dublin, I enjoyed books, theatre, music and performing. News and media were always something that captured my attention, and I thought about how I could work at the forefront of this. I loved language and how it can be used to influence and shape society and its thinking.  As such, a career in corporate communications felt like a natural place to feel involved in what was going on in the world.

Studying Business and Politics at Trinity College Dublin, I was interested in how various stakeholders across society influenced government decision on business and trade. Graduating, I had a desire to understand how business, politics and law intersect. After I graduated, I studied European Law at The University of Edinburgh.

The one with haggis and kilts!

On arrival in the Scottish capital, the colossal tomes focused on European integration and legislation were nothing for a book worm like me. However, my skills of how to fend for oneself left much to be desired – queue lots of fire alarms being set off by overcooked oven pizzas!

After a stint as the Dublin Rose of Tralee (Irish readers will understand) coupled with an episode of backpacking, I moved back to life in Edinburgh full time. Working at Stripe Communications I learned the true skills of corporate communications. Under the mentorship of the stellar Juliet Simpson, I quickly learned to navigate the ebbs and flows of Scottish and UK national media. Stripe was only getting started in corporate communications at the time, so I got to experience firsthand how a new division / practice area gets established. Representing clients across aquaculture (The Scottish Salmon Company, now Bakkfrost), food & drink (C&C Group) and property (Buccleuch Property, Shawfair LLP & EDI Group).

It was here that I learned about crisis and issues management, as well as how to proactively drive media coverage through creative campaigns and executive profiling.

The one with the move to London

I had always loved London and soon the bright lights called me south.

Working first at Weber Shandwick on ExxonMobil’s EMEA Fuels & Lubricants account, I got to learn quickly how the energy sector worked and operated.  Not long after starting, I got a call to work on the Emirates Airline’s account at Red Consultancy. This opportunity saw me work on Jo Monery’s corporate team, and it was then that things really took off (pardon the pun).

Crisis & issues, reputation and stakeholder management were a large part of the role.  We worked for industry leading clients across property (Crest Nicholson), logistics (Yodel), travel & transport (Emirates Airlines) and management consultancy (Capgemini). There was never a quiet moment, and I loved the fast pace of life next door to the bustling Piccadilly Circus. Naturally, the thrill of working with top tier media including BBC, FT, The Economist daily was fun for a news junkie like me.

I fully enjoyed London life. Living in Clapham with endless sunny Sunday afternoons spent with friends in the Common seem a distant memory these days. Spoiler Alert: I have three kids now!

The one with the big ‘pivot’

Two weeks after getting married in 2018 my husband said ‘hey fancy moving to Norway for two years’.  As someone who loved adventure / travel, I said yes. Arriving in Stavanger in November, I did notice it was a little different than central London…

Setting up the aptly named ‘Gannon Communications’ or ‘GanCom’ as we liked to call it, this time of my life had me figure a whole new raft of business skills like submitting my first Norwegian corporate tax return. All the time learning about the many different dialects of the Norwegian language and an understanding of how to sell my expertise in a completely different market. I quickly noticed that this new way of life was also mirrored in the different media landscape and types of coverage in Norway. However, adapting to new challenges and situations is always something that I have taken in my stride.

It was then GanCom started working with Laura’s Project Neon, offering communications to the existing marketing clients. From this a great friendship was formed. The mix of skills instantly felt right and saw results. It was decided to officially bring communications under the umbrella of Project Neon. Now as a full-service agency across marketing and communications, it was exciting to establish this side of the business and help to grow Project Neon with Laura into what it is today

Stavanger is a small city, but it punches above its weight in terms of influence and innovation. As a global energy hub, the talent and expertise of those who live here is second to none. It brings a smile to me to think I have brought a little slice of London agency life to this beautiful part of the world.

Our goal as a business is always to unlock this talent and help get that story out there to the relevant markets – no matter where in the world they are located.

The last one….

So, while this is the end of the Friends comparisons, it is certainly not the end of the road.  Life has changed substantially from the beginning of the story. In 2020 we welcomed our first son and in 2023 we said ‘hei hei’ to number 2 and 3. Yup, TWINS, ok that might be another friend’s reference.

Most weekends I can be found enjoying the various lekeplasser that Stavanger has to offer, while chasing a trio of little boys around. Not quite the chilled out sunny Sundays in Clapham Common, but it sure is great!

There was a moment when I clearly realised that yes – this is it – I’ve got the dream job.

It was 6 am and I was sitting behind a camera in a TV studio in New Zealand, watching my client get interviewed by the morning show hosts. I was a PR consultant in a small agency in Auckland and I had worked hard for this moment. The story was great, the client answered the questions with ease and made the hosts laugh. Afterwards, she came to me saying “now that’s an opportunity money can’t buy”. And I couldn’t agree more.

That was eight years ago, and I’m happy to say I’m still in a role where storytelling is at the heart of what I do. My name is Cathrine and together with Claire I look after all PR activities for Project Neon’s clients, as well as content production and account management.  Because I have always had an impulsive ‘seize the day’/ ‘carpe diem’ mindset with an above average sense of adventure, my friends got used to hearing me say ‘let’s go and volunteer in Brazil!’ one day, and then the next: “actually, a yoga retreat in Spain is what we need!”  Agency life really addresses that adventure itch in every way. It lets me delve into different industries, companies and people’s stories and seeing the world from their perspective. No day is ever the same – and I love it! I strongly believe that storytelling is not only key to communication and marketing, but also sales, recruitment and effective management. It is a part of every business aspect and it’s something you need to get right if you want to inspire your employees, shareholders, customers, and partners to be a part of your journey.

Many struggle to differentiate PR from sponsored content like advertising. For me the main difference is the TV interview example above. We listed the benefits the company offered society and what made them stand out, found the story that resonated with the audience, got the media interested, and the resulting interview was engaging and free of paid sponsorship lingo. The enrolment to their services and product sales skyrocketed as a result – which was obviously a welcome bonus – but it was the fact that we now had a humanising story that defined the brand which was the real win. And because the story came to life during a conversation with a reliable source, their audiences related to it and trusted it. Trust is something advertising money can’t buy.

Creating a good story and getting a media hit for a client still gives me a high! It’s the best feeling. I am writing this after helping a client prep for an interview with Stavanger Aftenblad, and it really feels like a boomerang journey.  

I started my storytelling journey in Stavanger as the editor of my high school newspaper ‘Marken’s Grødem’. As it was a serendipity that I ended up at the editor’s desk, I want to take this opportunity to thank my media teacher who pushed me to take on the role and opened my eyes to my love for writing, and then encouraged me to pursue it as a career. It’s funny thinking of the thousands of people you meet throughout your life, and all it takes is one person to change the course of your life. I covered things like drug use among students and sport competitions. Not technically a job, and no Pulitzer prize stuff, but it still made me feel like a Kathy Couric in the making!

After several years of travelling, I started my communication degree at Curtin University in Australia, where I got to work on incredibly interesting and important issues like the stolen generations and Aboriginal rights. I also met a Kiwi there (who I ended up marrying and having three kids with) who made a convincing argument of why we needed to move to New Zealand.

I then spent another 8 years down under, working for a few different PR agencies in Auckland and doing a master’s in communication and sustainability. While the stories I worked on in Australia were mostly about people, in New Zealand the focus shifted to planet. I spent years exploring how to avoid greenwashing and best communicate sustainability initiatives.

I guess I should offer the answer to that question? Yes, it’s the dreaded ‘it depends’! But most of the time, if you stay honest and transparent, stick to the facts and focus on the benefits of your initiatives, you should be safe. However, the main thing is to do it for the right reasons. Sustainability can be good PR, but it should not be PR.

Being back in Norway, I not only get to connect with my own roots, but I get to connect people with planet stories in the form of innovative local entrepreneurs and energy companies. Many of them truly punch above their weight when it comes to sustainable solutions, and I’m excited to be a part of their journey.

Although this is THE END of this piece, it is only the beginning of my Project Neon story – and I can’t imagine a better team to write it with.

Cat