National Publicist Day

Representing and managing the images of people, projects, sports teams and more, public relations managers are tasked with bringing information and building excitement with the public.

Publicists may focus specifically on the unique needs of an individual or they may have a broader reach of people and organizations they represent.

While publicists spend most of their time making everything about others, National Publicist Day offers the unique opportunity for the entire day to be about celebrating themselves!

History of National Publicist Day

First celebrated in 2015, National Publicist Day was started by Jordanna Stephen, who is a publicist herself and owns the Just Good PR company.

Realizing that publicists were lacking a day of their own, Stephen desired for publicists all over the nation to have their own day of appreciation.

The date of celebration for National Publicist Day is significant because it takes place on the anniversary of the first ever press release, which took place on October 30, 1906.

For this auspicious event, The New York Times printed the very first press release, which was a public statement related to a tragic event on The Pennsylvania Railroad in New Jersey.

This innovative approach was honored and changed the way that news and reporting takes place. Since that time, press releases have become a vital part of public relations and journalism, particularly related to the work that publicists do.

National Publicist Day exists to pay heed to the hard work and dedication put forth by publicists to increase the world’s knowledge about public figures, businesses, politicians, films and more.

How to Celebrate National Publicist Day

Take a look at some of these ideas for participating in National Publicist Day:

Thank a Publicist

Businesses, cities, event organizers, musicians, and so many others make use of the skills of public relations professionals to help them promote their work and also mitigate certain damage that might be done.

Folks who work with a publicist on a regular basis can take some time on National Publicist Day to offer a special word of thanks and appreciation for the hard work they do!

Host a National Publicist Day Event

This is a great time to get all of the PR people in the area together for an appreciation gathering!

Host a cocktail hour, morning coffee event, seminar or some other special gathering to foster connection and community among publicists for National Publicist Day.

Consider Becoming a Publicist

Whether just getting finished with school and considering how to make a way in the world, or someone who is making a mid-stream career change, perhaps becoming a publicist would be worth considering!

In addition to getting a degree in public relations, journalism or some other related field, there are a number of qualities of a person who might make a good publicist. In honor of National Publicist Day, check out some of these:

• Creativity and flexibility
• Problem solving and organizational skills
• Communication including writing and public speaking
• Digital literacy and social media presence