Would you hire a PR firm that claimed to have a 4-month old feline on its payroll? That’s the question we asked ourselves exactly one year ago, when we made what would become one of our most strategic hiring decisions yet.

Who is this PR Kitty?

In November of 2016, our Office Cat took an unapproved leave of absence and has yet to find her way back home. Her loss was heavily felt, and inspired us to alter our clientele focus to include more animal rights groups.

 

To fill the ever-growing void felt by all of us, we hired a new Office Cat named Shadow on December 13, 2016. We watched him transform from a hissing, scratching, feral puss, to an affectionate lap cat.

On January 13, 2017, we published a press release on our website announcing Shadow’s new promotion to Goodwill Ambassador at the firm. We also launched his Twitter and LinkedIn pages, and supervised his very first interview with Godigio.

 

 

 

 

The After Effect

Less than a day later, a publishing press reached out to us. When we met with the owner to iron out the details of our business contract, she laughed and said, “You know what sold me? It was the cat!”

 

 

 

In the days that followed, our emails were filled with an unprecedented amount of queries. A second client signed on, and we hired two new teammates to help out.

All because we decided to employ a cat do our PR Work.

Shadow’s Role at Alexis Chateau PR

Shadow, even more so than his predecessor, plays an instrumental role at the firm. He patrols the office with tail proud and high, and delivers stress-relief to everyone. 

But more importantly, Shadow the PR Cat helped us prove the two things our brand is most well known for: telling stories, and building credibility.

After all, if we can make a cat credible, what can’t we do? 

His heartwarming story is also an inspiration to all of us who watched it unfold.

Shadow pays this good karma forward, by spending time every day supporting goodwill causes at the firm, ranging from literacy to social equality to animal justice. That, above all else, is his role at Alexis Chateau PR.

What You Can Learn from This

Recently, a marketing specialist complimented our creativity, but advised us to remove our original cat from the story, because she was an unnecessary distraction.

We scoffed at that. Why? Because we know our audience better than to pull such a stunt. We’ve built a reputation on authenticity and openness, not writing marketable scripts.

We hope Shadow teaches you to do the same. Hold on to what makes you and your brand authentic. The millennial market is a tricky one. We can smell fake and click-bait from a mile away, and when we do, we Google the heck out of it, and then we throw it under the bus.

 

 

We hope Shadow also reminds companies to have a strong goodwill game plan, even if you don’t have a handsome feline running the department for you. Know what your values are, and actively support them.

In a world where even non-profits are under the microscope for greed and corruption, genuine dedication to a cause can help set you apart from the competition. It also builds your good reputation in the public eye, and that’s one of the most valuable assets you could ever hope to attain.

About Shadow the PR Cat

Shadow the PR Cat is the Goodwill Ambassador at Alexis Chateau PR, and head of the firm’s indie author division. His job includes tweeting, taking selfies, rolling in catnip, and advocating for animal rights and social equality. Follow his kitty adventures on Twitter as @ShadowThePRcat.

About Alexis Chateau PR

Alexis Chateau PR is an independent public relations agency with its own built-in travel agency. We have a special interest in independent writers and lifestyle brands. From education to entertainment to travel, we’ve worked with clients in all areas of the lifestyle industry since 2006.