We have been reaching out to notable communications professionals to ask them a few questions about their experiences and interests, with the goal of providing some insights to others in the industry. For the June edition of ‘Questions for the PR Industry’ we chatted with Andrea Davis-Yue. Spanning eight years of experience in communications, Andrea has engaged with Indigenous communities on behalf of a local petroleum producer, published a bi-weekly magazine for the German business community in China, transformed engineers into media spokespeople, built the largest Twitter following of any Canadian municipality, and was recently honoured at the 2017 Hashtag Awards as Community Manager of the Year. Another career highlight: Wayne Brady improv singing about her work to the tune of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me”. Beginning mid-August she’ll be joining forces with Benevity, a Calgary-based tech company empowering socially conscious brands to make a real difference.
Andrea Davis-Yue
Communications Professional
What PR initiative that you’ve done are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the work I’ve accomplished as part of The City of Calgary’s crisis communication team and in assistance to Canada Task Force 2. As the social media and media relations support during incidents such as a major electrical fire, “Snowtember” storm or to mitigate risk during events with large crowds, I feel the greatest sense of pride knowing that my work directly impacts the safety and reassurance of Calgarians. It was a particularly great honour to receive a certificate in recognition of outstanding service to Albertans in response to the 2016 Wood Buffalo wildfire.
What media outlets do you follow on a regular basis and why?
I typically start my day with 660 News radio during the morning commute. While at work, I check out any outlet that Tweets relevant news to my organization (blogs, CBC, CTV, Herald, Metro, etc.). Then I finish my day with Global evening news. Who doesn’t love Gord and Linda?! Each outlet has its own convenience and place in the landscape.
What skill(s) do you think are crucial to working in PR/communications?
It’s crucial to be “in the know” when it comes to current events, have impeccable writing skills for a variety of platforms, and have the ability to put yourself in shoes of your target audience. A combination of these three skills makes you timely, relevant and hopefully perceived as authentic.
Thanks, Andrea!
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