Interview the Experts: Chasing the Idea with Campbell Levy

In recent weeks, David and Ellie — our fall interns – have been conducting a series of interviews with the Senior Staff at our Denver office. This is the second in an ongoing series of interviews with our in-house experts on how to become a PR pro.

Campbell and Wolfgang Campbell Levy, Turner PR’s director of media relations (and owner of Wolfgang, the cutest office puppy of all time), spends his days crafting perfect pitches. With 10 years of public relations work under his belt, Campbell has worked in Aspen, Whistler and Denver while living the outdoor lifestyle he loves.

Campbell’s number one rule? Work at a place where you feel comfortable and live the life you want to write about. “If you work in an office that allows dogs and has awesome clients, you know you are at a good place,” he says. Being passionate about Turner PR’s roster of clients isn’t hard for Campbell – the firm’s two specialty divisions are travel, tourism & real estate and active lifestyle, outdoor & fashion. If your work doesn’t fit with your lifestyle, and you don’t love what you do, why do it?

Another concept that Campbell finds important in PR is “chasing the idea.” Without a competitive nature and thirst to create new ideas, he says you will have a difficult time succeeding in the industry. To cultivate ideas you have to experience new things, learn new skills and challenge yourself. There is always something new to learn and experience, and that new knowledge creates new ideas. The more you experience and the more ideas you get, the further you will go. “Every time I’m running, biking, eating, traveling or experiencing something new is when I come back with a new idea,” Campbell notes. It all ties back to the belief that lifestyle is so important when working at a travel PR company.

Campbell stresses that creativity is the most under realized asset in PR. With one creative twist, something simple can turn into an awesome idea. Think about how you can stand out and keep things interesting, he advises. Figure out what will get people’s attention and make an opportunity for yourself. Our interview with Campbell taught us that new experiences – and being able to draw from those experiences – are a vital part of a successful career in PR.