Blogger Spotlight: Anthony McGrath, Clothes Make the Man

Well after coming back after a summer vacation, like everyone else, we’re energised and raring to go. We have some great interviews coming up, which I’m rather excited about and as always we’ll be bringing you an essential guide to everything stylish in our unique and inimitable way.

What has been a fun/interesting campaign you have recently worked on? What was different about it? 

It sounds cliched but every partnership we work on is fun & interesting as it has to spark an interest with us. We turn a lot of offers down, because we always stay true to our reader and keep them in mind. If there isn’t synergy between ourselves and the brand, it might not work as well as they, and us may have hoped. It’s about a partnership and working together. But we’re always open to interesting and creative ideas.

How do you use social media to promote and share content? What are the challenges? 

Social media is so important in the industry right now – not just style and fashion but across sectors. We use different social media platforms in a number of different ways such as competitions, to inform readers of that day’s post or like a news service to inform them of interesting updates in the world which may be of interest to them. Additionally, we like to hear what they have to say and encourage engagement and banter with our readers. The biggest challenge with regard to social media, is staying fresh and keeping your reader interested in what you have to say. Ohh and of course growing those followers in an organic way!

What advice would you give to a someone who wants to start a blog?
Get work experience with an established, trusted blogger who has a good reputation within the industry and whose work you admire. You’ll get good insight and see how the industry works rather than throw yourself into blogging and pick up bad habits without, maybe, knowing it.

How do you work with PRs?

Very well, thank you very much! My background is in both PR and journalism so I have a great empathy and sympathy for the hard working PR. I work with PRs both in-house and at agencies all over the world and enjoy working with them, because without them we would have very little to write about. I enjoy PRs reaching out to engage with me, but hate lazy and pushy PRs.

Do you feel bloggers need to be compensated for the work they do?

Without wanting to sound like a Blogging Jay Z, yes of course, bloggers need to be compensated, a fair payment for a good job done. Some brands, not all, are trying to be particularly crafty and naughty with what they are trying to get bloggers to do. The ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) have been very clear with what bloggers and vloggers can say and do within posts, which has made it more difficult for ourselves to make a living from this sphere but it’s has dismissed ambiguities.

List three best practices PRs need to follow for better blogger outreach?

The biggest one is, PLEASE don’t contact me with a news story which goes live either today or tomorrow. I like to be organised and plan my posts in advance.
Please get my name and the name of my blog right, it’s a little thing, but means an awful lot.

Quit the pushiness.

Time, plus we are starting to expand into lifestyle with particular reference to travel, hotels and restaurants. So PRs please contact us and lets talk. We have a lot of interesting posts coming up over the coming months so keep on following us and thank you for the continued support folks.