NEW MEMBER — MEET FEMKE

At MARNIX and ALLY growth doesn’t only mean ‘just adding more people to the table’, it means working towards a goal and making efforts to get there. Sometimes by taking a step back, sometimes by jumping two steps ahead. Because the meaning and impact of PR (soon more about that in an intriguing blogpost) has changed over the years and PR has become more about ‘everything communicating a story’, it has become clear that a PR team needs to be versatile. There is more needed than only a ‘network’ when it comes to pitching or creating a good story.

So today we’re introducing Femke, a young female who masters the art of storytelling. Read all about it in the following interview.

Hi Femke, could you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what you do at MARNIX and ALLY?

Hi! My name is Femke, a 25 years old cohousing in Hasselt. I’m the new Creative PR consultant at MARNIX and ALLY, so I build brand awareness by injecting creative ideas into their PR strategy. This ranges from writing interesting press releases to develop original concepts. The job is quite versatile which I obviously like.

Can you tell us about your background and education? How did these prepare you for your job at MARNIX and ALLY?

To tell you my story, I would like to take you back in time.

2018 — I graduated in product design. But after the first months of my master's degree, I begin realising that I considered myself to be more of a storyteller than a product designer. Therefore I chose to intern as a creative at a communication agency, rather than at a design agency like my fellow students did.

2019 — No industrial shapes for me, but an identity research on the city of Genk. I believe storytelling even breathes new life into its surroundings. A city, for example, has a sensorial total experience. You can see, hear, smell, taste and touch a city.

2020 — Genk becomes the backdrop of my professional life. Setting up Visit Genk's product development and digital media is what I love to do and where I grew a lot as a creative. I capture the city’s sensory experience in concepts. The results are transformed into fully-fledged products, done with the eye on the future, trying to build a sustainable city.

2021 — MARNIX and ALLY has a job opening, I jump. M and A had been on my mind since my graduation, so when I see the job opening I feel like I had to take a chance. My background as a designer with my passion for lifestyle and fashion, as well as a strong network and experience in communication and storytelling, convinces the team of my skills and the rest is history.

What is it about our agency that drew you in?

Storytelling for brands that really matter? A balance between authentic communication and embracing innovation to work towards a better world? An enthusiastic YES!

Could you describe yourself in five words?

  • Enthusiastic hand-on person
  • Empathic social
  • Foodloving
  • Always creating
  • Curious mind

What do you hope this year will have in store for you?

I hope to extend my network and take part in building stories of brands that really matter. Another goal is to grow as a creative and (of course) to have lots of fun while doing it.

Do you have any hidden talents you’d like to share with us?

My friends often tell me I have a talent for scoring vintage pieces. Marketplace or the local thrift store no longer hold any secrets for me. A treasure hunt, I won't say no to that.

Welcome to the team, Femke! We're happy to have you here.

Follow our new colleague via @femkevandewerf and reach out via femke@marnixandally.com.