Over the years, our clients have become an extension of the Little Redđ family, something which has only been more apparent the last few months thanks to their continued support in such uncertain times.
Which is why, we felt, the time was right to shine the spotlight on those individuals behind the brands that we work so closely with on a day-to-day basis.
Over the coming weeks, youâll be seeing far more of the faces behind the (brand) names to discuss their career highlights, most memorable coverage to date and their tips for working from home. Next up is Karen Parsons, the head of marketing at Silhouette and neubau UK.
Hi Karen! Welcome to âMeet the Clientâ. First up, tell us a little about your main responsibilities?
Elevating consumer awareness of the Silhouette and neubau brands within the UK and Irish markets. Providing our customers with all the marketing and sales support they need to promote/sell our brands in their stores.
How did you come to work in your current role?
I initially joined the adidas Sport eyewear marketing division (sport has always been one of my main passions) and progressed from there to Silhouette Head of Marketing in 2015.
What is a typical working day for you?
A lot of my time is spent speaking with customers. Silhouette prides itself on its service and we have a really strong relationship with our customer base, some of whom weâve known and worked with for many years. Iâm either on the phone, or whenever I possibly can, out in the market visiting customers in person finding out how our brands are performing and what we can do to support our business partners.
What is your most memorable career moment?
Working alongside adidas UK at the London Olympics. We were part of the athlete support programme and got to work with some absolute legends of British and international sport, providing them with our eyewear! It was an amazing experience!
What is your favourite part of working for Silhouette/neubau?
The product! We have the best eyewear around and really great stories to tell. Our Austrian roots and passion/ commitment to quality, fashionable and sustainable products is really unique.
Which is your favourite Silhouette/neubau product and why?
I love the Romy sunglass from the latest neubau natural3D collection. So chic! Itâs also 100% biobased made from a combination of castor oil seeds and zero emissions 3D printing techniques.
neubauâs Romy sunglasses from the Cote du Soleil collection
What has been your favourite piece of press coverage LRR has achieved for Silhouette/neubau?
neubauâs special edition Walter & Wassily collection had a fantastic feature in Wallpaper* last year. Absolutely spot on in terms of positioning and the level of detail within the piece!
What is your favourite activation or campaign youâve managed over your career?
I am currently really enjoying managing our natural3D campaign and continuing to communicate our efforts towards a more sustainable future. We have genuine credibility in this field as sustainability was at the heart of our brand DNA since inception so itâs great that there is so much media and consumer focus on this area of fashion and retail as we have so much to share.
A snap taken from neubau eyewearâs customer event in partnership with Plastic Patrol last year
What was your best idea?
Partnering with the brilliant team at Plastic Patrol for a local sustainability event last Autumn. To celebrate the launch of a new line of eco-friendly glasses, we invited customers to attend a Plastic Patrol clean up event out on the canals in East London. It was the best feedback we have ever received from a client event. Lots of fun as well as being a great fit for our sustainability theme!
What piece of advice would you give to yourself, if you could, on your very first day at work?
Donât worry so much!
Whatâs your favourite newspaper and supplement and why?
The Guardian. Really enjoy their sport and culture sections.
Whatâs your favourite magazine? Do you subscribe to any?
Who are your three to follow on Instagram?
Any tips for working from home during the Covid-19 crisis?
When you have a 2 year old in the house, itâs all about team work! Getting some outside playtime once a day is essential for everyoneâs sanity. Also, subscribe to Disney+ its worth every penny đ
Who has inspired you most in business?
What do you think makes a great PR team?
People that become an extension of your team and are always coming up with ideas to try new routes and do things differently and better.
Whatâs your work pet peeve?
Meetings with no agenda.
Your go-to location for a breakfast meeting / business lunch / after work tipple?
Breakfast: Meetings at High Road Brasserie (Chiswick)
Lunch: If Iâm in town, its Bone Daddies. I love Ramen đ
After work tipple: Cocktails at Charlotteâs Bistro, Turnham Green just around the corner from the office. They do an epic Martini.
Favourite social media channel?
Instagram.
