What is a press officer?
A company's communication covers all the channels that convey the identity of a well-known personality or organisation. It must be consistent across every medium in order to achieve the desired effect. Indeed, if we take the example of a well-known athlete who comes across as a calm individual on one network and as a controversial figure on another, the message becomes blurred and their fans find it harder to identify with the person they love.
As the name suggests, the press officer is the direct link between journalists and the brand or individual they represent. In our example, that means the athlete. Whether freelance or attached to an agency, they develop the entire communication strategy, and therefore the brand image, in close collaboration with their client. Their role is to promote what their client does in the press without it looking like advertising.
To do this, they organise various communication campaigns to raise the visibility of their client's events and news. This might mean financial or hands-on involvement in a charity, setting up an association or a foundation for a cause close to their heart, selectively sharing their daily life with their community of fans, or making themselves available at public meet-ups. All these actions help to give a positive identity to the product, which here is embodied by the client themselves: the athlete.
Only the best-known athletes can afford to call on a press officer to manage their image and communication. In reality, in the world of sport, this professional mainly works for organisations such as sports equipment manufacturers, clubs, federations and specialist retailers and always aims to put their client in the spotlight in the media and keep the public informed of their news.
What does a press officer do?
The daily work of this press relations professional revolves around a variety of communication approaches and tools. A new product about to be launched? Showcasing it is a must, for example with a press conference or a press trip. Event management then comes into play, as they have to find the venue, contact the various suppliers they need and then finally write and send the invitations to the core target audience: the media and sports journalists.
Their contact book therefore has to be always up to date, and diverse too. Although a career can be built in a specific sector such as sport, a press officer may have to move between sectors depending on the client they are working for. Even without changing sector, a client's new initiative may mean contacting several different industries in order to extend the promotion to as many people as possible.
They therefore have to be ready for anything and keep an open mind. Their work does not stop there, however. They then have to prepare all the communication content and materials needed for the promotional campaign to run smoothly. These may be visual, audiovisual or written. They include, in particular, press releases and press kits, as well as any samples of the brand's products.
Continuous monitoring is also one of their responsibilities. At the slightest piece of media fallout, they act to put things right. They therefore maintain an excellent relationship with journalists whom they meet regularly in order to give ongoing promotional strategies a fresh push. Space in the papers, whether online or in print, is scarce. Yet their client's constant need for visibility means the press officer has to maintain excellent relations with journalists while being creative in the ideas they put forward in order to win as many opportunities as possible.
The essential qualities and skills of a press officer
This job requires you to be on every communication front. A press officer has to be organised and able to handle a heavy workload. Alongside a sound knowledge of current affairs come interpersonal skills that are second to none. A press officer therefore has:
- A gift for public speaking
- An ability to get to the point
- A good command of English
- Impeccable attention to detail
- Unshakeable tenacity
Salary and career prospects
Salaries vary according to experience and the prestige of the employer, but the average gross monthly salary is around €2,900. If they then want to climb the ladder, public relations officer, head of press office, director of communications or information or communications manager are all options open to them.
These opportunities also depend very much on the size of the company they work for. The press officer of a body such as the FFF (the French Football Federation) does not offer the same opportunities, in terms of duties, salary or career prospects, as a Ligue 2 club.
Which programme should you take to become a press officer?
A Bac+5 qualification is the key, as a Bac+3 often leads only to assistant positions. A programme at this level trains students in communication techniques, external communication, internal communication, crisis communication and digital communication.
Practical work is often included, such as writing a press kit, but also through work placements. Future communication specialists focusing on sport can opt for a Master in Sport Business or in International Sport Business. The first gives access to key roles in a range of fields, such as communication, while the second opens up a career on the world stage.
