This week we're going behind the barn doors to met Rhiannon, our Head of Brand. Rhiannon has worked with us since the very early days of Piglet, and has grown her role along the way!

Tell us about your career path - how did you find yourself in the role of Head of Brand?

I was never really sure what it was I wanted to be when I was studying Art History and English Literature at university, I just knew that I liked to think creatively, to be surrounded by beautiful things, and to also write. I completed a two year post-graduate course in Interior Design upon graduating, still not very sure where this would lead me but wanting to explore different options while also earning some money working at the local restaurant. This course led to a year working as a design consultant for a furniture company, but I was really missing the writing side of things. It was at this point that I took the leap into the world of PR - working specifically with design and interiors brands - and instantly knew that this was a much better use of my skill set. I loved how fast-paced and varied it was, requiring you to switch between projects and clients constantly instead of honing in on one singular project - I think I need that variation in order to not get bored in a job. 

A month or so into starting my first official role in PR following a 5 month internship, the agency brought Piglet in Bed on board. This was in 2017, not long after Jessica had launched the company, and at this point it was just Jessica and her mum on the team. There were also just three bedding options at this stage: Blush Pink, Dove Grey and White - the website looked a lot different back then! For the next two years, Jessica and I would meet up once a month in London and they were by far the most enjoyable of all my client meetings! I loved having the opportunity to brainstorm creative ideas together that actually ended up going somewhere: all due to Jessica’s willingness to give everything a go and see where it took us. 

I went on to work for a different creative agency for the next two years and ended up moving into digital marketing during the pandemic, which included auditing our clients’ websites and social channels and subsequently crafting strategies to transform them. This isn’t a role I ever saw myself moving into, but I’m so pleased that I gained this experience as it expanded my knowledge outside of traditional PR, and ultimately led to me having the necessary skills to secure the role as Content & Community Manager at Piglet in Bed. I took over managing all of our social channels, influencer partnerships, and content creation that until that point Jessica had still been handling, and we were also able to bring our PR in-house. Over the last two years the team has grown to include a Brand Associate, Graphic Designer, Creative Manager and part-time Copywriter and I head that team up as the Head of Brand. 

What does a normal working week look like for you? 

It’s a cliche to say but no week or day is ever the same, and that’s what I love about my role. For the most part - on a typical working week - you can find me: working on brand partnerships with like minded brands, running our TikTok channel (definitely one of the most fun parts of my role!), approving our weekly customer emails and Instagram content plan, seeking out new content creators to partner with, overseeing all the copy that goes on our website, auditing our social channels, creating launch strategies for our new collections or our stores, taking part in EDI meetings with our EDI committee, and leading on our paid influencer partnerships. On the whole it’s my job to check that everything that we’re doing across all of our different platforms is remaining true to the brand, but also thinking about ways that we can grow the brand and reach and connect with new audiences. 

What's been your favourite moment at Piglet so far?

I really enjoy launching new collections to our customers and them being well received. So much work goes into the launch, from crafting a story behind the collection at its conception, to organising a press and influencer event, to the photoshoots, press releases, content creation and social posts. It never gets dull to finally get the collection in front of our customers and to then have a positive reception, it makes all of those months of effort so worth it. 

How do you stay on the ball with the latest trends in the brand world?

When it comes to trends across social media, the best thing to do is to simply use the platforms as a normal user. The trending hooks and audios on TikTok appear and disappear in a flash, and if you’re not there to spot them and to act on them quickly, it will have already moved onto the next big thing by the time that you do. We’ve built such a strong community of cosy-lovers over on our TikTok, and my algorithm is now so geared towards the type of content that we produce that it’s very easy to keep on track of what our customers and community are currently into: whether that’s cooking recipes, or home hacks, or interiors trends. I think it can be easy to overthink this: simply immerse yourself in the world of your community and it will be obvious what content you should also be putting out into the world. 

Where do you look for advice, guidance or inspiration when you come across a challenge?

Definitely my colleagues and not just those within my team. Sometimes it can be super helpful to ask for a perspective from someone who isn’t close to the subject, and that’s what I love about working for a company like Piglet in Bed where everyone is so approachable and happy to offer help or guidance. Outside of that, I’m a big believer in sitting with something if you’re not immediately sure of an answer or solution. ‘Let me have a think’ is probably the phrase I find myself saying so often. It can be so easy to want to immediately have an answer for someone, but I like to sit away from my laptop screen without any distractions and just…think. If I don’t find a solution by doing that, the best thing to do is forget about it and go and do something that mindless like wash the dishes - your brain will naturally go back to the subject and sometimes the answer comes when you’re not putting so much effort into seeking it. 

Whenever we advertise a role in your team, we're inundated with applications! What advice would you give someone interested in pursuing a career in brand?

As with any role, I’d suggest getting experience wherever you can early on. Whether this is running the Instagram at the cafe that you work at, or interning at a communications agency or magazine during your summer holidays: this shows us that it’s a career that you are passionate about pursuing and that you’ve already taken steps to learn some skills that will help you get there. When it comes to roles within a brand team, on the whole we’re looking for someone who is a creative thinker, a good communicator who enjoys speaking with both the public, press and influencers, someone who is able to manage lots of different projects at any one time, and mainly just someone who is obsessed with brands and enjoys analysing what it is about that brand that makes them tick. 

And what advice would you give to someone working in a brand role who wants to develop into a Head of Brand?

As with my previous point, I think getting as much experience as you can will always prove to be helpful. The good thing about working at a communication, creative or PR agency at the start of your career is that you work with lots of different clients at any one time. By having to get into the heads of so many different brands, coming up with strategies becomes second nature - you remember what worked for one, and what didn’t work for another. In order to progress in a brand team, you’ll need to have experience with PR, digital marketing, content creation, influencers and lots more - the more varied your experience the better. If you’re finding that you’re working on too much of the same thing, be proactive about it and share creative ideas with your manager, explaining to them why you think it’s worth testing or exploring and asking to lead on that project. This confidence is very much needed in order to progress to a senior position, so they should be impressed that you used your initiative to seek out a project or campaign that could end up being really successful for the company. 

Being able to collaborate and effectively communicate with other teams in the company is also vital as the brand function crosses over so many different areas, from trade to product, so make sure that you’re not working in a silo fashion but building strong relationships with your colleagues. 

Having a senior role can definitely be challenging at times - how do you stay mentally and physically healthy?

I like to make sure I go on at least one nice long walk with my dog a day (more than this in the summer months!) as I find it’s a great way to switch off away from notifications. I’m also part of a local women’s football team and I love how playing an intense team sport for an hour can totally take your mind off something that you’re worrying about! 

And finally... what's at the top of your Christmas list?

A series of illustrative floral prints from an independent shop in Bristol as I have had some empty frames that need filling for about a year now!