Michelle Aselta Meeting Recap
by Riley Mason
On Oct. 1st, 2024 PRSSA hosted Michelle Aselta, a Grady Alum and Senior Vice President at KCSA Beauty and Wellness Communications. From journalism to beauty communications, all she initially knew about PR and New York was Samantha Jones…
Navigating The PR New York City Scene
Publicity in NYC Meeting
It is not easy to stand out in the most crowded markets. You have to approach products with a lot of honesty and sensitivity. Journalists can tell when you don’t care about the product you are pitching. In the beauty industry, most journalists are women, so they know about and personally use the products you are pitching. One thing Aselta does is fireside chats with journalists to make the conversation more easygoing and personable.
Sex Doesn’t Always Sell
Aselta works in the beauty and wellness industry, which includes sex and women’s health brands. These two categories must be creative. It is about selling a lifestyle, not a product. People have a lot to say when it comes to sex and women’s health, so you must marry what the media is interested in and your client’s brand.
How to Get Placements
Aselta said she reads everything she can get her hands on. Trend forecasting and research are vital parts of this field, especially in social media platforms like TikTok. Also, know journalists’ interests and beat, don’t pitch something that doesn’t align with their stories. In other words, don’t blind pitch. Read what journalists cover and figure out their beat. It is your job to make your client fit into the journalist’s narrative.
Why New York City?
New York City is intense, expensive and difficult to find your footing but it is the epicenter. New York is where the media is, where the trends are born, where entertainment thrives, where celebrities are and where events are held. Aselta said that she is still always learning from New York and it keeps her on her toes. New York is ever-evolving and it puts you in that mindset, which prepares you for strategic thinking in PR.
Navigating Challenging Work Relationships
Aselta recommended taking a moment before you react, especially with consumer clients. If you are dealing with founders then you are dealing with their baby, in a sense. Stay calm and it usually leads to better outcomes. It is PR not ER. Give the client time to cool off and yourself to compose. When there are conflicts with colleagues remember that if you are in New York you are dealing with strong personalities, including yourself. While there may occasionally be colleague conflicts, Aselta has found the best friends she could ever ask for at work.
If You Could Go Back to UGA, What is One Piece of Advice You Wish Someone Had Given You?
Don’t stay at a job that makes you miserable. Boomers have passed along the sentiment that if you quit a job you will never find another one. Aselta said that is simply not true and that life is too short. She recommends not leaving a job without a contingency plan, but fire up the resume and talk to your mentors.
Was it Hard to Maintain Your Personal Brand When Starting Your Journey?
When Aselta first got to New York she had a bit of a southern accent and she had people say to her to stop saying “y’all.” It was tough on her to change and she wished that she had just been who she was. She found herself dying her hair black and wearing edgier clothing when she moved to New York. She wishes she had stayed more true to herself and not let others dictate who she was going to be and how she was going to act. Be who you are, they hired you for a reason.
What are the Opportunities at KCSA Post-Grad?
There is an internship program at KCSA. Junior staff are mostly required to be an intern first. It is usually a 3 to 6 month program, where you will learn the ropes and meet people at the firm. Often, interns will work everywhere so they can figure out what they want to do.
