PR PROM

Wow, what a night!

Last night was the inaugral PR Prom, which took place at Shoreditch Town Hall with an “Under the Sea” theme - check out the photo above to get an idea of how we pulled it off.

The Highlights…

The Brite Fizz cocktails went down a treat, thanks to Katie McPhee at Eventbrite.

Well done to Kat Shenton and Robin Davies, who were crowned PR Prom King and Queen, each winning a bottle of champagne thanks to Realwire.

The mermaid in the photo corner was well used - perhaps a bit too much by the men.

And everyone’s favourite friends, the octopus ballon animals - one of which ended up somewhere unusual.

The Feedback…

We’ve been getting some great feedback on Twitter on how you found the event:

Well done to the @prprom team for putting on a top inaugural event this evening - looking forward to next years! #PRProm

— Davina Forbes (@DavinaLF)

February 23, 2012

Nicely done @brightone. #PRProm was fab! (Just like my highschool one - but better)

— Katherine Hui (@kahui)

February 23, 2012

The Thank You’s…

But the event couldn’t have happened without the massive help of the following lovely people:

• Tracey Milham for her amazing event management skills
• Andrea Davids for her fantastic design work
• The volunteers who helped out on the night: Laura, Oana, Dumi, Jaz, Tove, Irina, Anna, Chloe, James, Chris, Ruth, Issi and Louise
• GPS Lighting for their sound and lighting work
• The delicious food caterers from Eat.st: Stewed & Baked, The Rib Man, Banhmi11
• Laura Kidd from She Makes War for her live set (including megaphone in the crowd action!
• Matt Brawn for his DJ set
• The Hoxton Pony for hosting the after party
• GetTaxi for whisking everyone home
• Our fantastic sponsors: Realwire, DWPub, Meltwater, Eventbrite and Communicate Magazine
• And especially all of you guys for coming along to the event and supporting Bright One and the work we do!

If you want to make a donation to Bright One, you can do so here.

The End?

Not quite…

We’ll be posting a few more wrap ups from the event and publish photos from the night.

As always, with a first time event run 100% by volunteers, there are ways we can improve and we’d love to do the event again next year.

If you have any ideas of how we can improve or want to help run next year’s event, please email me at ben@brightone.org.uk.

Thanks!

- Ben and the Bright One team

Alex Judd, Creative Enterprise Bureau and Bright One volunteer

If you could request a song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be?

The song I’d request would be Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue; and I’ve got a story as to why:

It was my secondary school prom, a time when teachers and students can mingle on a mature and sociable level. A time when we can all drop all the detentions handed out, lines written and pranks pulled to sit back and laugh about them. Now our head of year was well respected among us, he was a strict and firm maths teacher that didn’t take any messing about. As prom night rolled around, he decided to let his hair down (albeit he was bald) and ‘get down with the kids’. He joked about with us for a while as we sipped from the hip flasks we’d sneaked in. He even joined in with the festivities himself as he had a drink too - and another one, and another one, and another one until it was safe to say he was smashed.

In this fine state he came up to a group of us to moan about the music: 

“What’s all this rubbish this guy’s playing?” 

“It’s 50 Cent, sir”

“Well it’s just…rubbish, isn’t it? Put some Buddy Holly on!”

This request was repeated vehemently with the kind of passion that only a drunk mid-50s man can muster. So a group of us marched up with him to the DJ as our head of year ordered him to play some of his beloved Buddy Holly. As the song ensued, we all moved to the dancefloor whilst he danced the ultimate dad dance with his eyes on the floor. After about 20 seconds we’d all left the dancefloor leaving only him, throwing himself around in the middle of this huge hall, to the tune of Peggy Sue.

—-

Hilary Stepien - Lecturer at Bournemouth University

If you could request one song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be?

Raspberry Beret by Prince because a) it’s awesome (one of my favourites) and b) it’s one of those songs wherein if everybody’s had a few and it comes on, everybody totally loves it. 

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share?

I have never been to a prom before.  Strange, because proms are so much bigger where I come from!  However, when I was in high school I was painfully shy and so something like prom would have been my own personal hell.   

—

Professor Tom Watson - Lecturer at Bournemouth University and previous consultancy agency founder

If you could request a song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be?

Paul Simon’s Still Crazy After These Years

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share?

When I was at school in rural Australia, we had “school socials”. You didn’t take your girlfriend (well not officially) but met her at it. The socials were patrolled by teachers and between each dance, boys and girls had to return to opposite sides of the hall. So when the next dance was called, there was a pell-mell rush across the floor to grab your girlfriend (or someone else’s). It was more like a rugby maul than a dance but we all survived it and had fun.

—

We can’t wait for tonight, see you all soon!

As part of the countdown to the PR Prom (Quick! Buy yours here!) we’re conducting interviews with the good and the great of the PR industry. In other words, our sponsors.

Next up is Dan Purvis from Meltwater Group, who offer solutions for social media monitoring and engagement, media database, PR distribution and Search Engine Marketing.

We really do appreciate the support that the PR Prom sponsors are giving, so make sure you check out their service now!

What is your role at Meltwater Group?

Director, PR. Essentially, I head up our global PR initiatives – we currently have PR agencies representing us across seven countries. Our PR objectives are about balancing the need for sustainable, impactful PR campaigns that incorporate social and digital media in the mix…and of course ensuring that game-changing PR strategies are aligned to commercial goals and objectives.

Can you tell us more about Meltwater’s products and services?

We were founded in 2001 by 2 men with just $15,000 and a coffee machine in a small shack in Oslo, Norway. Just 10 yrs later, we became a global $100m business, with 57 offices across 27 countries, employing 900+ employees who service around 20,000 clients across the world.

We started off as an online media monitoring company, which is still our bread’n’butter through our flagship solution, Meltwater News – a sophisticated online news monitoring tool that provides a deep-dive analysis of this coverage.

We have evolved our product portfolio considerably since then and now offer an expanding suite of digital intelligence and marketing solutions. For example, Meltwater Buzz is a social media monitoring, analysis and engagement tool – on behalf of our clients, we monitor over 200 million online sources – from microblogs like Twitter, to social networks like Facebook, to the myriad of forums and message boards, and millions of blogs and video sites.

Why did you get involved with the PR Prom?

First and foremost – it’s a great cause and we’re an admirer of the work done by Bright One. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to mingle with like-minded folk and have a good time while we’re at it!

What are you most looking forward to at The PR Prom?

Helping raise awareness of a great cause is the best thing about this.

If you could request one song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be?

Now that’s the question…! “Passion”, by Militant. If you are able to find this Caribbean soca classic to play on the night, then I’ll buy the DJ a drink or five!!!

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share?

From my school days, yes. I guess I have a few, but which ones I talk about very much depends on the audience!

As part of the countdown to the PR Prom (Quick! Buy yours here!) we’re conducting interviews with the good and the great of the PR industry. In other words, our sponsors.

Next up is Daryl Willcox from DWPub, who provide services for journalists and PRs - including FeaturesExec, ResponseSource, SourceWire, SourceThatJob.

We really do appreciate the support that the PR Prom sponsors are giving, so make sure you check out their service now!

What is your role at DWPub?

I’m the founder and chairman. Which means I kind of get in everyone’s way when I feel like it! I mostly get involved in strategy and marketing and advise on product development. I also act as a kind of figurehead for the business, social media is very useful for this - saves me going to endless conferences!

Can you tell us more about DWPub’s products and services?

DWPub’s services have been developed to help public relations and media professionals connect, collaborate and tell stories more effectively. Today over 2,500 companies invest in the DWPub Media Suite, including 120 of the top 150 UK PR companies. 

Services in the DWPub Media Suite include the FeaturesExec Media Database, the ResponseSource Enquiry Service, SourceWire News Distribution and the JournalistDirectory Media Database.

Why did you get involved with The PR Prom?

Two reasons. One - it’s a great idea. Two - it’s a good cause. Oh, and it’s put together by some great people.

What are you most looking forward to at The PR Prom?

The bar.

If you could request one song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be?

That’s a difficult one. I guess you should have a lot of Abba for some reason but for me it would have to be something like This Charming Man by The Smiths, that would take me back to my school-leaver days.

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share?

I think I went to my sixth-form ball but for some inexplicable reason the memory escapes me.

Jerry Boston, Blottr

If you could request a song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be? 

Well, since I’m longing for summer’s return, I’d request “Happiness” by Alexis Jordan. It’s been my anthem this winter.

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share?

The last time I went to a prom it was 1998 - I was 18 years old. I can gracefully say that I remember nothing from that night apart from the fact that I wore a black velvet suit and herb green cravate to complement my herb green suede & snake skin shoes.

—-

Ben Cotton, Edelman

If you could request a song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be? 

She Bangs The Drums by the Stone Roses…purely and quite selfishly because it’s my fave tune :-)

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share?

I’ve been to a few proms in my time…nothing too outrageous happened at them!

—-

Peter Bowles, Dynamo PR

If you could request a song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be? 

One song - theme tune to Saved by the Bell. 

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share?

Yes, in school when I was 17. As many a Tech PR person may tell you, this was not always a highlight period of your life if you’re a tech geek (!) and not a jock. Who’s laughing now, though?

One of the great things about running the PR Prom is coming into contact with lots of people we haven’t before. For those that are new to Bright One, which the PR Prom is supporting, we thought we’d explain a bit more about what your £25 ticket is funding. Other than a great night out of course!

How Bright One works:

Bright One makes public relations possible for third sector organisations who can’t afford a commercial agency. We match charities with teams of volunteers from the industry - volunteers get practical experience and to do some good by giving something back to the community. The charities get high-standard communications, so they can concentrate on their day job. Bright One is run 100% by volunteers.

Bright One has delivered 10,000 volunteer hours of communications expertise, worth £1,500,000, to 40 charitable organisations over the last three years.

What 100% of PR Prom profits will fund:

Bright One operates on around £5,000 per year. There are no paid staff, so your ticket will help to pay for running costs like website hosting and maintenance, admin costs, printing, legal and accounting costs, volunteer insurance and volunteer travel expenses. Also refreshments for client meetings - almost all meetings are held after work, so we feel it’s only fair to give our volunteers a caffeine boost while they start their Bright One meeting after a long day!

Demand for Bright One’s services is always greater than we can supply, so we’re developing a tool to help more charities, by allowing people to volunteer online. Bright Works, our microvolunteering platform, is free for all charities to use, they register their task, communications volunteers log on and complete it. It is still early days and the platform is evolving, but so far 25 charities have used the platform and over 300 volunteers have registered to help. Why not do a task now?

Charities Bright One has supported include:

• Centrepoint - The leading charity for homeless young people.
• Choir With No Name - A choir for homeless and vulnerable people
• St Dunstan’s - Training & rehabilitation for blind ex-service people
• Learn As One - Help to fund a school in Africa 
• The Pixel Project - Raising global awareness & US$1m to end violence against women
• WYSE - Supporting emerging leaders for global change
• The DoNation - ‘Donate by doing’ on the green sponsorship platform that replaces cash with action
• MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation -  Working with young people fighting to conquer HIV and AIDS in their local communities in creative and innovative ways
• Future Dreams - Mother & daughter cancer patients striving for a future without cancer
• Mardi - Unleashing the potential of university students and alumni to be effective changemakers

You can see testimonials from some of our charities here.

Want to do more?

We’re always keen to meet new volunteers, so do head over to Bright One to find out more about getting involved. Or you can help a charity on Bright Works right now! 

We think volunteering with us is worthwhile for the charities it helps, and the volunteers, in a recent survey our volunteers said:

• 85% of volunteers said that volunteering for Bright One had improved their communications skills and expertise
• 100% said that it had improved their industry network and contacts
• 100% said that it had increased their understanding of the third sector

Can’t make it on Thursday but still want to support Bright One?

Any contributions welcome, please donate here.

In advance of the PR Prom, we’ve asked some PR stars a few questions about the big night:

Marshall Manson, Edelman

If you could request a song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be?

So many to choose from, but if I only get one, I’d go with ‘Jungle Love’ by the Steve Miller Band. It rocks. 

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share?

Growing up in the U.S., prom was a de rigueur right of passage for every high school student. At my school, it was called the Junior / Senior dance, and it was held outside under a marquee each May. My first prom was my first time in a dinner jacket, first time in a limo, and the first time I had too much to drink.

—-

Zoe Amar, Lasa

If you could request a song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be? 

I love Pretty in Pink by the Psychedelic Furs from the 1980s film of the same name.

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share? I’ve never been to one before but The PR promsounds like a fabulous night!

—-

Hannah Cornford, Bright One volunteer

If you could request a song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be? 

in light of Whitney Houston’s death I think I’d go for ‘I wanna dance with somebody’. 

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share?

I’ve been to leavers balls at school - do they count? Memories from those are always dancing with your best mates to the best old school tunes!

Following on from our first list of who’s coming to The PR Prom, here’s a handful more from the attendees list, who will be there in their party shoes on the 23rd….

• 33 Digital
• Spark Communications
• Good Relations
• Lucre
• Phiness PR
• University of Leicester
• Razorfish
• Grayling
• Wunderman
• Parker Hobart
• VCCP

Plus many more, and a lovely load of freelancers representing their own awesome selves.

Want to join them? Get your ticket to The PR Prom here.

Continuing our interview series with those involved in the PR Prom as part of the countdown to the big night, we caught up with  @warriorgrrl - aka Laura Kidd of She Makes War.

As we’ve mentioned before, we’re so excited to have She Makes War perform at the PR Prom, so we asked Laura a few questions about her 2012 and what she’s excited about at the PR Prom!

How did She Makes War come about?

She Makes War is my gloom-pop solo project - I played bass and sang in a lot of bands before deciding to focus on my own material; I was always writing songs alongside touring and collaborating with other people but it took a while for it all to take shape in my head. It’s an art project that brings my musical and visual worlds together to tell stories about love and sadness and truth and hope.

What’s been the highlight of the project to date?

I’ve had so many adventures! Supporting Midge Ure on his solo theatre tour last May was a wonderful experience, as was performing at an animation studio in Buenos Aires (on a night off from playing bass for Tricky), plus I’ve loved every moment of my numerous Megabus jaunts up and down the country playing in peoples’ living rooms and kitchens. The best thing about the project is having conversations with people I would never have met if it wasn’t for making this music.

What are you most looking forward to in 2012?

Releasing my new album “Little Battles” on April 9th. I’m so excited for people to hear it. I’m also planning the Watercooler War Tour for March 22nd - World Water Day - I’ll be showing up at offices in and around London to perform three songs acoustically to bring staff together and hopefully prompt discussions about how we participate in and support live music. I’m taking bookings now so if you want me to visit your office please drop me a line to laura@shemakeswar.com and I can tell you more.

What are you most looking forward to at The PR Prom?

Revealing some special guests and some special versions of some well known songs, playing my new single “In This Boat” (out on Valentine’s Day!) and dressing up reallllly fancy. What a beautiful venue to perform in as well…I can’t wait!

If you could request one song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be?

“Leader Of The Pack” by The Shangri-Las.

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share?

My recollections of my Sixth Form May Ball are probably best left locked away…let’s just say there was quite a lot of Guinness involved.

—

Check out more at shemakeswar.com, on Facebook and @warriorgrrl.

As part of the countdown to the PR Prom (Wait… you haven’t got your ticket yet? Quick! Buy it here!) we’re conducting interviews with the good and the great of the PR industry. In other words, our sponsors.

First up is Adam Parker from RealWire, the award-winning online press release distribution service.

We really do appreciate the support that the PR Prom sponsors are giving, so make sure you check out their service now!

What is your role at RealWire?

I’m chief executive and as well as having overall responsibility for the business, I am mainly focussed on marketing and product development.

Can you tell us more about RealWire’s products and services?

RealWire is an award-winning online press release distribution service with over 10 years of expertise and we are first choice for many of the UK’s top digital PR and internet marketing professionals. We’ve been the UK’s leading innovator in press release distribution, introducing a Social Media News Release option in 2007 and our patent pending targeting system, PRFilter, in 2010.

Why did you get involved with The PR Prom?

First and foremost because I recognise the value Bright One can bring to charities. I am treasurer of a small charity in the North East that works with young and adult carers and as such I am acutely aware that small third sector organisations struggle to fund a budget for expert communications advice. At the same time my experience of working in the PR sector means I know the powerful impact good public relations can have.

What are you most looking forward to at The PR Prom?

Catching up with people. Living in Newcastle means I tend to stay in touch with most people remotely, but there’s no replacement for a good natter over a beer.

If you could request one song to be played at The PR Prom, what would it be?

I’m in great danger of showing my age here. There was a track called “Shall We Take a Trip” by a little known band called Northside that was a guaranteed floor filler when I was at university in the early 90’s. At the more cheesy end of the dance floor taste spectrum I’ve always had a soft spot for “Don’t Stop Movin’” by S Club 7 because it seemed to be playing everywhere around the time I got married.

Have you been to a prom before? Or any prom-related anecdotes to share?

We didn’t have “proms” as such at school or university. Was it Friends that really introduced the term widely in the UK? We did have school discos which were the usual sad affairs of the boys mainly hanging around in groups while the girls danced around handbags.

At university we had end of term balls, but unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, I’m afraid my memories of those are extremely clouded by time and other influences!

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, Adam, and can’t wait to see you at the PR Prom!

It is now official that Cinderella will not attend the season’s hottest event, the PR Prom, due to breaking her leg in a freak fall, involving a single, heeled shoe and some stairs.

As this temporarily scuppers her ‘happy ever after’, we, at PR Prom Towers, decided that the Princess should not miss out on all the fun so have created the tag #PRPromCinders in order that she might keep abreast of the latest build-up buzz and hear what is going on throughout the night of decadent glamour.

So, if you’re whispering about what/who you might be wearing, who is going with whom or even what you plan to include in your speech, should you win the Prom King or Queen crown, then be sure to let Cinders in on the gossip.

Remember, it’s for the great cause that is Bright One, so if you haven’t bought your tickets yet, you can grab them here.

And if you know somebody who might like to go but appears to have missed the memo, send them to @PRProm or #PRPromCinders and between us we will point them in the right direction.

Now, off with you to seek out those all-important Fairy Godmothers/Godfathers, footmen and coaches don’t grow from mice and pumpkins you know.

Cinders is counting on you.

Now, we’ve had lots of enquiries about just what the dress code is for the PR Prom (get your tickets here!). There’s the fabulous promo shots that the extremely talented Jon Cartwright took, but what if you need more guidance?

Rather than give you a boring explanation of what exactly Black Tie, Smart Casual or Dress To Impress *actually* means, we’re going to visually illustrate some ideas of what to wear.

(Hmm, perhaps should have setup a Pinterest profile for the PR Prom.. 

Oh wait! Someone did: http://pinterest.com/redahaq/frocks-for-wadds-for-prprom/

Thanks Reda and can’t wait to see Wadds in those outfits!)

So, here we go with some classic prom looks for ladies and gents:

The High School Musical Look

The LBD

The Disney Princess (try not to make the skirt too puffy - otherwise you risk venturing into “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding” territory)

And for him:

Suited N’ Booted (moody stare optional…)

The Dandy (like the comic, except geekier)

The James Bond

And we’ve also had a few words advice from our Twitter community (follow along @prprom).

This from @sabrinajohnson:

@PRProm @JazCummins @LucyJayne80 @laurabailey… and shoes? Are these too ridiculous for a shoe blogger (in tech PR)? yfrog.com/h495dhrj

— Sabrina Johnson (@sabrinajohnson) January 18, 2012

And this from @laurabailey:

@PRProm don’t be “that girl” i.e. this isn’t a strip joint.

— Laura Bailey (@laurabailey)

January 31, 2012

You’ve been warned friends…

And if you’re unsure, just tweet your outfit to @prprom and we’ll let you know if it’s a thumbs up or time to change your outfit.

Looking forward to seeing all of your fabulous get ups!

(P.S. Got your ticket yet? No? Then get it here)

Tickets are flying off the shelves for The PR Prom (get yours here) but we thought it might interest those who are still making up their mind to see just who else they could be partying with.

Here’s a small selection of those who will be coming along on the night:

• BDO
• Blue Rubicon
• Broadgate Mainland
• Emanate PR
• EML Wildfire
• Experian
• Fishburn Hedges
• Givenchy
• The Guardian
• Holmes Report
• Portfolio Communications
• Source Marketing Communications
• Speed Communications
• University of Greenwich
• University of Westminster
• University of Kent

And last but not least, someone from Gophers R Us…

Want to join them? Get your ticket to The PR Prom here.

One of the things about The PR Prom that is getting us all excited is the rather special performance by She Makes War, the solo project of Laura Kidd.
 
Laura is a self-described “multi-instrumentalist vocal chameleon, filmmaker and video director, photographer, blogger, sometime session musician and strident purveyor of grungey dystopian gloom-pop.”

Awesome.
 
She Makes War’s debut album “Disarm” was released in September 2010 (buy it here) and preceded by two singles - “Let This Be” and “I Am”. The album was accompanied by four quirky handmade music videos directed/executive produced and edited by Kidd, starring a host of characters from zombie clowns to sleepy lions to intrepid penguins.

But there’s more! 

You can pre-order the new album “Little Battles” right now and find out more about She Makes War over on their site.

Want to know what to expect from She Makes War on the night? Watch the video for “Slow Puncture” below:

To bring the magic of the PR Prom to life, we’re delighted to introduce Sam Cookney, otherwise know as @sam_cookney.

Sam has kindly agreed to perform a mix of close-up, walkaround magic, card tricks, with a possibility of mind reading after a pint or 2.

Sam hails from the showbiz capital of Europe, Blackpool, and has been performing magic since the tender age of 12. Since moving to London, via Spanish magic in Barcelona, he has enjoyed two TV appearances and been resident magician at club night Lost Dawn for the past 2 years. 

You can find Sam on Twitter at @Sam_Cookney, so look out for his magical exploits on the night.

Oh, and ABRACADABRA!!

(Get your tickets for the PR Prom now)

Shoreditch Town Hall was placed on English Heritage’s ‘Buildings At Risk’ register in 1996. As a result of widespread community concern, the London Borough of Hackney organised a community planning weekend to discuss the future of the building.

Following the creation of a steering group, Shoreditch Town Hall Trust was subsequently formed in 1998 with a mission to restore Shoreditch Town Hall for the benefit of the local and wider communities. In 2002, the Council granted the Trust a 99 year lease of the building.

Since re-opening seven years ago, under the leadership of an independent Trust, Shoreditch Town Hall has established itself as the vibrant cultural and events venue in the heart of Shoreditch.

From star-studded galas and internationally acclaimed art exhibitions to location film shoots and functions, the Town Hall is home to an exciting year round programme - and The PR Prom is delighted to be taking place there.

As you can see from the photo, Shoreditch Town Hall is a majestic looking building and inside does not disappointment. 

 What better way to spend an evening than in a splendid, ornate building?

And getting your ticket for the PR Prom will let you do that, so make sure you get your ticket now!

The PR Prom takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to the traditional American prom, but there are some parts of it that we’re keen to keep faithful to.

One such tradition is the PR Prom King and Queen, who are nominated by their classmates before the prom with an announcement of the winners on the night.

Well, we’re giving you - lucky PR Prom attendees - the chance to recreate this experience and nominate your very own PR Prom King and Queen.

There’s even a “Person Most Likely To…” category - in the style of a high school yearbook - if you want to nominate someone for a different reason.

It’s easy to nominate. Just click on one of the three links below and you’ll be able to customise your nomination on Twitter. We’ll be tracking tweets and note down all nominations.

Nominate your #prpromqueen
Nominate your #prpromking
Nominate your Most Likely to…

So what are you waiting for? Get nominating now!

Here’s just some of the nominations received so far:

Voting @annieinthebush for #prpromqueen @PRProm

— Dan French (@danielfrench)

January 5, 2012

I nominate Heather Baker for #prpromqueen at the @prprom from @toplinefounder

— Charlotte Ward (@Charloot)

January 5, 2012

I nominate @prgeek for #prpromking at the @prprom

— Kate Matlock (@katematlock)

January 5, 2012

On Thursday 23 February, from 7.00pm until late, 500 of the top PRs in the UK will come out in force to support their own at Shoreditch Town Hall, providing a beautiful backdrop for an evening of entertainment.

Anyone from the worlds of PR, Marketing, Social Media, Digital and Advertising are welcome, including students and freelancers.

And don’t forget to bring your other half as couples are welcome - even if they don’t work in the industry!

For a ticket price of just £25, you will get:

• A ‘Brite Fizz’ signature cocktail upon arrival, courtesy of Eventbrite
• 3 free drinks from the bar
• Live entertainment from the amazing She Makes War
• DJ set from Matt Brawn
• A prom photo as a keepsake of the night
• Food provided by Eat.St:
  • Mini wraps, mini rolls and mini portion of ribs from The Rib Man
  • Stews from around the world from Stewed and Baked
  • Imperial BBQ Pho Rolls, Op La Di Beef Pho Rolls and Fish Q Pho Rolls from Banhmi11 
• And more to come on the night…

The PR Prom is kindly sponsored by RealWire, Meltwater Group, DW Publishing and Eventbrite.

The PR Prom is a fundraising event in support of Bright One, a volunteer-run communications agency for the third sector. The team provides much needed support to charities across the UK using the brightest and best from the PR industry.

Here are just a few of the charities that Bright One has supported:

• Centrepoint - Centrepoint is the leading charity for homeless young people.
• Choir With No Name - A choir for homeless and vulnerable people
• The DoNation - Donate by doing’ on the green sponsorship platform that replaces cash with action. We aim to make sustainable living fun and social.
• MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation - We give out small sums of money to young people who we believe in – who we trust – and who we are genuinely inspired by. These young people have one thing in common – they’re fighting to conquer HIV and AIDS in their local communities in the most creative and innovative ways.