For the latest edition in our Meet the Rooster series, we chat to account executive Toby Head: our Wingstop-loving music and tech maverick with a winning streak for pulling top-marks reviews out of the bag.
We chatted to Toby about his journey to joining the Coop and a very unusual history with the company which pre-dates his time working here…
Walk us through your journey to Little Red Rooster and your experience so far
I definitely didn’t take the typical route into PR. Studying Human Geography at Cardiff University, it was endless online lectures and seminars during Covid so I didn’t really feel as though I’d had the full ‘uni experience’, so I decided to book three months of travelling with my mates around New Zealand, Australia and Bali (bet you’ve never met anyone who’s done that before!).
I balanced working as a Marketing Assistant with a weekend of being a barista/chief sandwich maker at a local coffee shop to save funds for my travelling… and good job I did, as I extended my stay in Australia by a year! After months of working behind a bar, chilling on Bondi Beach, and moving house what felt like almost every week, it was finally time to make my way back to England.
When I returned, looking for my first step into the professional world, my mum showed me Little Red Rooster’s Instagram page, as the team had previously been to shoot content at our house (more to come on that later). I interviewed with Tabby and Vic for the Junior Account Executive position on the Lifestyle team and was offered to start a week later!
What does your day-to-day look like?
My day-to-day is constantly changing, which is one of the things I love most about LRR. From weekend paper reading and proactive pitching, to event planning and client communication, every day is as busy as it is enjoyable, something that is so important to me.
My main job as an account executive is to be a key ‘coverage driver’, pitching the latest news, securing quality product reviews and brainstorming ideas for wider feature stories on my accounts. It’s always a thrill to see coverage go live that you have been working on for a long time, which is one of the most exciting parts of the job.
What do you love most about being a member of team Rooster?
There are two things that stand out to me the most. Firstly, the clients that I get to work with are just incredible. It makes such a difference to my everyday job to work on clients that I can relate to and that I am truly passionate about. Whether that be in the audio, music, sport or gaming space, we pretty much have all my interests covered.
Secondly, my colleagues! Being a small company, I think it is key to have a good relationship with the people you work with. Everyone in the office really embodies the ‘way of the Rooster’, making it such a pleasure to collaborate with everyone on pitches and event plans. And, of course, it is always fun to have a drink or two in Market House or wherever the night takes us.
What does Little Red Rooster stand for – in your opinion?
I think Little Red Rooster really does go above and beyond for its clients. ‘Make shit happen’ could not describe the agency any better. The whole company thrives on our persistence to perform above and beyond the expectations set by our clients. There is no ‘Let’s sit back now we’ve hit this KPI’; it is ‘Let’s capitalise on this momentum and absolutely knock it out of the park’. It is a one-of-a-kind company and culture which pushes you all the way and is such an inspirational place to work.
Describe your happy place
It’s hard to pin anywhere down specifically! Probably sat in a beach bar, drinking a Hazy IPA with a group of mates and my girlfriend (so remarkably similar to how I spent most of my time in Australia).
Honourable mention to any stadium, arena, or venue with live sport on, and Reading Festival this past year.
Talk us through some of your work highlights so far…
There are so many, it’s difficult to pick out just a few!
It was really cool to be a part of our office move when I had been at the company for just a month.
My first press trip took me to Marshall HQ in Bletchley to launch the Monitor III A.N.C. headphones, followed by a lovely meal and stay at Hartwell House near Aylesbury. I had no clue what to expect going into the event, but it was such a great success. It’s brilliant to see all the hard work you put into a press trip turn into such great results. The trip was the perfect introduction to many influential journalists in the audio and tech space, something which I am incredibly grateful for!
I’ve had the pleasure of taking part in two amazing Summer Showcases in the last two years. The first was only a couple of months after I joined LRR, and it was such an incredible day. I was blown away by the whole experience and feel as though it is one of the main concepts that sets Little Red Rooster apart from other agencies. My second Showcase at 14 Cavendish was just as special, with more experience and contacts under my belt. I really enjoyed walking press round the venue and talking to them about all our clients in detail.
I love when we get news of a product launch. It’s amazing to be able to say that you helped launch Marshall’s first-ever party speaker or the world’s fastest SSD from Sandisk!
What advice would you have for someone looking to gain their first role in PR?
In an industry where we’re all about communicating, we sometimes forget about ourselves. It’s so important to PR yourself! Shout about your achievements, show how passionate and engaged you are about your work. It doesn’t come naturally, and I will admit it is certainly something I struggled with, but it is so important and will help you gain your first role in PR and quickly climb the ladder.
Tell us something nobody knows about you!
About 5 years before I joined the agency, Little Red Rooster and Smeg came to my (parents) house to shoot imagery of their new oven. Emma was so impressed with my mum’s interior design skills that she built a full replica of my house on The Sims. Fast forward to my first day on the job, and Emma doesn’t waste time in letting me know she’s been controlling imaginary people in my house for the last few years. I really wondered what I’d got myself into at that point.
