Lora Thornton is head of PR at the Leeds-based agency Flaunt Digital, which she joined in 2021.
Founded in 2015, Flaunt Digital has grown into a 38-strong team and now operates from Marshall’s Mill.
Before joining the agency, Thornton built up more than 12 years of digital agency experience, including a role as head of social and PR at fellow Leeds firm ZEAL.
From her first steps into the agency world to navigating challenges and finding career inspiration, Thornton reflects on her professional journey and shares her advice for others in the industry.
How did you first get into your industry?
I studied English Literature at University and after graduating, did several placements at publishing houses, including Penguin, before realising I wanted to keep my love of reading and books as a hobby rather than a career. Shortly after that, I went travelling and, whilst away, did some remote freelance copywriting for an agency which I enjoyed. When I came home, I began exploring agency roles.
My first agency role was as a content marketing manager at an independent agency in Leeds, Zeal. Working my way up to head of content marketing and leading a team, which I really enjoyed. It was an exciting time to be agency-side as influencer marketing was just emerging, something we expanded into, and my role moved from content to organic social and then PR. Over 12 years later, I’m now leading the PR team at Flaunt Digital.
What do you love about your job?
I love the variety that PR, especially PR at an agency brings. It’s a cliche, but no two days are the same. Managing a team has always been something I find really rewarding. Watching your team grow and develop is the best feeling.
There is so much creativity in the PR industry, and I love nothing more than brainstorming campaign ideas with the team.
Recently, it’s been satisfying to see PR have its moment again as people realise the importance of PR and brand in this changing search landscape.
Even after all these years, I still get the same thrill seeing our clients featured in the press.
Who – or what – has inspired you in your career?
Growing up, my parents always pushed me to strive for a career that I enjoyed. When I was younger, they nurtured my passion for reading. I still remember the pile of books packed in the suitcase for every summer holiday, queuing outside the supermarket at midnight for the latest Harry Potter book, and endless magazine subscriptions. Even now, my Dad still gifts me an Elle and Vogue subscription every year!
This love of stories is essential to PR. So much of PR is about finding interesting stories and nuggets of information that will spark conversations.
My first agency boss, Jane Slimming, inspired me to find my own management style and instilled the belief that you can never ask too many questions. My time at Zeal gave me some incredible career experiences, from organising press events to speaker opportunities and working on global campaigns.
Lee Fuller, CEO at Flaunt Digital, has inspired a really special culture and one which normalises the importance of failing in the right way, with the belief that there is more value in learning from failure than successes. He introduced monthly prizes for the team member who has completed the most experiments in the agency, which I think is a great initiative and important concept to instill.
What are the biggest challenges about your job?
Some of the biggest challenges in PR are often out of our control, such as the news cycle and what’s happening elsewhere in the world. You can have a PR campaign ready to go, months in the works, only for something to happen that delays it or, in the worst-case scenario, makes it no longer newsworthy or relevant.
The PR team at Flaunt are reactive and always strive to plan campaigns that allow for longevity and pivoting where needed.
What skills have been the most crucial to you succeeding in your career so far?
Working in PR, organisation is key. You need to be organised and flexible enough to jump on trending stories or new events. Communication, especially when it comes to setting expectations with clients, is really important. Keeping an open mind when it comes to campaign ideas and creating a space where every member of the team, regardless of their seniority, feels comfortable sharing their ideas and contributing. Finally, an appetite to keep learning is essential as the industry is constantly evolving.
What was your first salary and what could someone getting into the industry expect to earn nowadays?
My first salary in 2013 definitely wouldn’t be competitive today. Starting out in my first agency role, I saw the opportunity to grow with the agency and that’s what I did. Getting rewarded as the agency and my career grew with them. I think there is an expectation today to be continually moving up the career ladder, changing job titles every year, but there is growth and value in honing your skills and confidence in a role.
What education or training would be most useful for someone looking to follow your career path?
I would say it all comes back to curiosity and creating interesting stories.
So much of PR is uncovering interesting stories and nuggets of data and information that other people would be interested in. To do this, you need to be curious and ask questions. Writing skills are also important, such as crafting a press release that will hook the journalist and then the readers, is a skill.
What advice would you have for someone looking to follow your path?
Have an open mind and never think you’ve learned everything there is to know. Ask as many questions as you can.
The best ideas can come from anyone; be generous with your time and encourage everyone to share their ideas and thoughts. There really is no such thing as a bad idea.
