Having joined Karis Copp Media from a role in local magazine publishing, our new Account Executive India shares her experiences from her first month in B2B Print PR and Communications
A year and a half into my first full-time job out of university, an editorial role at a local magazine, I began to get the ‘itch’ to try something new.
This was a wholly unexpected feeling. Like a lot of creative graduates, I’d had a tough time hunting for an entry-level role (who knew an English degree and a dream wouldn’t be enough to secure a place on a grad scheme? Not me!) and reentering the gruelling job market seemed like a silly thing to do when I was already one of the ‘lucky’ ones, working in a field I was interested in. But the funny feeling that there might be a role out there that would allow me to use more of my skill set, to explore more of my interests, persisted.
That was when I came across the job advert for a role as an Account Executive at Karis Copp Media, a small-but-mighty female-founded PR agency specialising in the print and graphics industry. As someone with a love for writing (and chatting), I had considered jobs in PR before, and had increasingly been interested in the fast-paced and creative nature of agency life. I’d even studied graphics at A-Level, and had been fairly close to doing graphic design at university. Perhaps this role was everything I’d been looking for? I applied immediately.
Fast forward three and a half months and here I am, reporting live as Karis Copp Media’s newest recruit, and I couldn’t be prouder. So: for anyone who is considering making an early-career switch to B2B PR and/or the print and graphics industry, or for anyone who is just downright curious, I’m here today to share my five biggest takeaways from my first month working in print PR.
1. Every hour in the job is different
One of our most used phrases in the office is “I’ll add it to my list.” As you can imagine, our to-do lists get very, very long. This is because as PR professionals we work on such a massive range of different tasks, each one using our brains in unique ways. At the magazine, I’d mainly flit between two or three different duties, and usually I’d work on the same item all day. As an Account Executive, I could be drafting a media pitch with my morning coffee, writing a blog before lunchtime, taking a client call at tea time and then editing socials and reporting on analytics all before the end of the day. And this is without even considering the time that goes into consistently rejigging and monitoring priorities and capacity. I love that if I feel fatigued with a task for even a minute, I can move on to something else that's a fresh new challenge for my brain.
2. In an AI-powered world, earned media coverage is (still) essential
Much of what we do at the agency is targeted towards earning our clients media coverage. Whilst we offer a range of important services, including drafting our clients’ owned media like socials and blog posts, we still see securing traditional media coverage as our bread and butter. Why? Because the data shows that even as search engines become AI-assisted, tried-and-true media coverage is still the best way to rank. Our Managing Director Karis explored this in our January blog post, and more recent research reinforces the importance of third-party sources. PR software platform Muck Rack’s October 2026 analysis found that more than 84% of AI citations came from earned and third-party content. And yep, we pitch and track coverage globally, meaning we have articles on our records in multiple languages, something I find extremely cool. I just need to learn all the publication names now…
3. The print and graphics industry encompasses a whole range of fascinating and creative businesses
The print and graphics industry encompasses a whole range of businesses, all relating to and in support of graphic communication, across a number of sectors. At KC Media, our client base reflects this; we work with businesses as varied as design and marketing studios, global printing technology manufacturers, sustainable material brands and trade associations. And every single one is evolving. Which makes sense, because the print industry is famous for evolving; it adapted to the digital revolution, to the push for greater sustainability, and now we’re seeing print businesses adopting AI too. Basically, anyone who says ‘print is dead’ must not fully know what print looks like today. Print is alive and well and with such a creative community around it.
4. The idea that working in PR is just long lunches and champagne is absolutely a misconception
I’m very lucky that my close friends and family completely respect what I do. But I also know that pop culture generally presents PR work as a whole lot of socialising and not a lot of substance. As previously mentioned, one look at a PR professional’s to-do list would be enough to debunk this theory, but I can also report first-hand that whilst what we do might appear effortless, it isn’t. PR is strategy, creativity, precision and clarity. PR is juggling multiple high-stakes projects and still turning up to a client meeting with a smile. It's an essential part of running a successful business. It just so happens we manage to have fun on the job too.
5. The women in the print and graphics industry are amazing!
And lastly, my favourite takeaway from my first month working in Print PR: the women in the industry are incredible. According to the latest British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) figures, women still only make up approximately 30% of the print industry workforce, and I was lucky enough to meet lots of them in my first month on the job at a Women in Signs and Graphics event. It was an amazing day where we showed up, connected, and shared stories, and I felt welcome right away. My own team at KC Media have been a brilliant source of inspiration for me too, and I feel very lucky to be surrounded by such ambitious, knowledgeable women.
I was lucky enough to meet lots of women in the industry at a Women in Signs and Graphics event
Final thoughts
So, there we have it: five of my biggest takeaways from my first foray into this new world. Now, it may have only been a month, but the print industry has a way of keeping professionals hooked forever. Both the Managing Director of KC Media, Karis Copp, and my senior colleague Carys Evans ended up working in print by ‘accident’ through roles in trade journalism and have stayed in the industry ever since. Alongside our other colleague Kerry Rice, we have decades of print industry experience for such a small team. It's a great precedent. So maybe I’ll check back in another few months, or a year, or even longer! Stay tuned…
