Ladbury PR

Behind the headlines with Pavla Kopecna

Pavla Kopecna joined Ladbury PR two years ago to develop the agency with Rebecca Ladbury, following stints on digital media projects with Channel 4, freelance film and photography commissions and a fashion editor role at Clash Magazine.

She has since immersed herself in the world of communications and media strategy, becoming a key member of the Ladbury family and a respected public relations consultant across media, technology, games and arts projects. Here she talks to Gorkana about admiring CJ Cragg, her junior tennis past and PR credibility in the future…

The thing that gets me up in the morning is…
The lingering threat of the to do list.

What made me want to get into PR was…
The power of the media for better or worse, and hoping PR could help the ‘better’ bit.

If I could change one thing about the industry it would be…
The perception that PR is able to change facts and directly and immediately drive business profits. It’s not about manipulating the truth or generating income, but the right kind of communication to the relevant audience.

My greatest inspiration is…
Dee Dee Myers, Bill Clinton’s press secretary. She just hit the ground running.

The three things I demand in my colleagues…
Accountability, a sense of perspective and common sense.

The characteristic I most dislike in people is…
Blatant hypocrisy.

I laugh most at…
The Simpsons and Father Ted.

The PR figure I most admire is…
She’s a work of fiction, but how could you not admire CJ Cregg (The West Wing), her heart was in the right place and her head was firmly screwed on. I don’t know if a real equivalent exists, but if they do I’d love to meet them.

The one website I always check is…
www.guardian.co.uk

The most interesting fact about me is…
I used to be a junior tennis player, reaching the dizzy heights of top 10 in Czech Republic’s under 12 rankings.

My daily newspaper of choice is…
I don’t get the printed versions so much these days, but when I do, it’s the FT.

The finest moment in my career so far is…
Getting a speculative story rightly dropped due to lack of robust research.

My most embarrassing moment was…
Too many to mention; forgetting names, calling the wrong numbers, falling over…you live and learn.

I’ve got a secret…
And I’ll guard it like a lion.

If I won the Euromillions I would…
Volunteer to help Nick Davies with his follow up to Flat Earth News and campaign to provide media representation to all who found themselves in the news, akin to legal aid.

The next big thing in social media will be…
It won’t be social media as we know it at all – we’re beginning to see a real reaction against it.

In five years’ time PR will be…
More structured and regulated, giving it the credibility and reputation it deserves.

For full interview, please visit http://www.portmet.co.uk/news/consumer/behind-the-headlines/behind-the-headlines-with-pavla-kopecna