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By now, everyone in the industry knows the name Kelly Brady. The hardworking founder of Brandsway Creative is a Hamptons staple and a longtime part of the fashion and lifestyle public relations world in New York City, where she was part of a legendary era of PR. The amiable flack tells The Daily how she got started, why she still loves what she does, and how she’s evolved her business over the years. Take notes…
You’ve had an incredible career in PR. What was your very first job or internship?
My first experience in PR was VP of PR in my sorority Gamma Phi Beta in college. I then interned for Lizzie Grubman PR, and then went on to work there for 8 years working my way up to vice president of the company.
We heard you were an actress back in the day! Who knew?! Tell us about this!
I was more of an aspiring actress and model. I did a Stephen Dweck jewelry catalogue, appeared on the cover of paperback romance novels, and had a one-line cameo in Sex and the City that was ultimately cut. While the glitz of entertainment always called to me, I found my true calling in public relations. It just clicked with my personality! Let’s be honest, the relentless audition rejections were a bit much for me; I found I much preferred my odds of pitching my client’s stories to savvy publications like The Daily Front Row, rather than braving the unpredictable casting calls.
Who were your mentors at the beginning of your career?
At the outset of my career, I had the privilege of learning directly from the original New York Magazine cover “Power Girl” Lizzie Grubman. Sabrina Levine at LGPR imparted me with invaluable lessons. Collaborations were also crucial; I formed strategic alliances with fellow publicists and different agencies to amplify our clients’ success. Figures like Liza Anderson, Shawn Sachs, Nicole Esposito, Brad Zeifman, and Lissette Sand-Freedman played pivotal roles. Additionally, I cherish countless partnerships from my best friend and former MTV PoweR Girls castmate and LGPR colleague Rachel Krupa. We continue to work close together, and even have our offices in the same building. Her window on the 6th floor looks into mine on the 4th floor. I also drew inspiration from top-tier, no-nonsense PR professionals like Leslie Sloane and Claire Mercuri. These relationships not only shaped my professional skills, but also enriched my approach to public relations.
What’s your philosophy towards PR?
My philosophy towards public relations centers on understanding your audience and crafting narratives that are both compelling and authentic, and positioning stories that resonate and inspire people to engage. This approach is built on a foundation of collaboration and creativity. I firmly believe in cultivating strong, reciprocal relationships with both the media and my peers. At Brandsway Creative, we’ve created a fun, supportive, and relaxed environment where teamwork is paramount. We value each team member’s contributions, working together to tackle challenges and deliver exceptional results for our clients. Staying agile and informed is crucial, as our industry continually evolves. Every campaign we undertake integrates both traditional and innovative PR methods, including leveraging social media influencers and affiliate marketing. This strategy ensures we not only keep up with trends, but also create a buzz and expand our reach effectively.
Kelly Brady and Tara Ciccone
You did a TV show back in the day called PoweR Girls. What was that like?
It was awesome and a bit surreal! When approached to do the show, my only reference point was The Real World, so I was initially concerned they might want cameras in my apartment and film me 24 hours a day. Fortunately, that wasn’t their filming style. MTV’s PoweR Girls was one of the first shows of the reality TV wave. As a reference, it aired on MTV during the first season of The Apprentice on NBC and it followed Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey’s Newlyweds. Being on MTV so soon after moving to NYC and graduating from college was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It accelerated the growth of my Rolodex at the young age of 22. This exposure broadened my perspective early in my PR career, allowing me to meet a wide array of people and gain valuable experiences that made me a better publicist.
How did you eventually open doors to your own firm?
After 8 years at LGPR, I was turning 30, and hospitality veteran Matt Levine approached me with the idea to create Brandsway Creative. We realized together we shared a vision, and he gave me the courage and confidence to become an entrepreneur like the people I represented and to build an agency of my own.
Who do you count as clients today?
Cult-favorite brands such as Winky Lux, Alice & Olivia, Little Words Project, WYR and TV Guide. Hot Spot Hospitality spots such as Paros, Maison Close, and Bijoux. TV talent such as Meredith Marks, Ubah Hassan, Jordan Emmauel & Gracie Cashman. Models and influencers such as Sports Illustrated model Sharina Gutierrez, Jessica Hart, Emira D’Spain, Aditya Madiraju, Marianne Fonseca and Cory B, [and] wellness experts such as Xtend Barre founder Andrea Rogers, and Kevyn Zeller—just to name a few.
Ubah Hassan
You work on a lot of Hamptons properties. What clients do you work with Out East, and what do you love about doing PR in the Hamptons?
Out East, we have Montauk Beach House, Sole East, Memory Motel, Sage & Madison, Montauk Project, Il Pellicano at Bijoux with Chef Rocco DiSpirito, Jill Zarin’s Luxury Luncheon by Ticket2Events, and Project Zero’s annual beach cleanup with Alexandra Richards & Georgia Cohen, an event the three of us created together. This summer, we have expanded to the North Fork where we are running the public relations for the 9th annual North Fork TV Festival. I love working on the east end because of its wide reach, the countless local publications that solely cover Hamptons happenings, and the fact that it garners national interest from national publications. Whatever is happening on the East End, the whole world is interested and wants to know about it. The audience is precisely the audience my clients want to reach, and it’s a beautiful place to work in the summer. A publicist’s dream—It’s a win-win-win!
What would someone looking for a publicist get from working with you and your team?
A passionate team of both youthful and experienced PR experts with their finger on the pulse, offering the perfect combination of fresh perspectives and seasoned insights. A team that truly loves telling our client stories, creating the buzz, and building lasting brands.
How has the world of PR changed since you started?
When I first started in PR, my clients hated online media—they only wanted in-book press hits. Now, they prioritize online media that drives sales. Technology and communication methods have also evolved significantly. This is going to age me, but when I started in PR I used to fax media alerts to news stations to cover our events and fax media clips to our clients after cutting, gluing, and photocopying them on a copy machine! The biggest change has been the rise of social media. It’s a wonderful and effective way to amplify earned media and expand the reach of a PR clip. Influencer placements have become crucial, and this strategy needs to be part of every campaign.
What do you like most about your job?
It’s so much fun. I truly love what I do because it’s so rewarding. I like helping people achieve their goals. I enjoy working with innovative brands from the ground up, bringing fresh and unique concepts to the market, creating the strategy to get from “A” to “B.” I love reading a story we crafted, pitched, and placed in a major media publication. I love brand building and having our fingers on the pulse of what’s trending. I love my team, the people I get to work with every day—like my partner Tara Ciccone—and mentoring young publicists who also share a love of PR.
Why is working with a publicist valuable?
Because when launching a new product [or] project or building a brand, you have realize you can’t do it all. Leave public relations to the experts—we are invaluable part of your road to success.
What advice would you have for someone trying to get into PR?
Internships! Intern while you are in college and diversify your experience. Intern in-house in the PR and marketing department, work at an agency with multiple types of clients, work at a magazine. The more real life experiences, the more your resume will stand out when graduating college. Start building and cultivating relationships as soon as you decide PR is the field you want to get into, because PR is a business of who you know.
What else would you still like to do?
I want to expand on the beach clean-ups Alexandra Richards, Georgia Cohen, and I started last summer. Living in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, I can’t help but notice how dirty the streets can get. I’d like to initiate a neighborhood garden club inspired by a popular concept in the South. A Southern neighborhood garden club typically brings together community members to beautify their streets and engage in community service activities. My vision is to combine this with the beach clean-ups we’ve started in the Hamptons and expand the initiative to Brooklyn streets. The goal is to clean up the city block by block, fostering community spirit, and encouraging residents to take pride of the neighborhood they go home to every night because they were a part of keeping the streets clean.
Where would we find you when you aren’t working?
With my kids on the beach. It’s my happy place.
Kelly Brady
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