PR expert Jessica Aufiero
Image courtesy of Miranda Suess @suessmoments
Merging her experience in communications, production, public relations and events, NY-based Jessica Aufiero established JA Communications in 2011. We recently sat down with Jessica to discuss her professional journey, as well as current and future projects she is working on with some of the most desirable brands in the culinary, hospitality, and lifestyle categories.
LM: You have had such an exciting career thus far. Can you give us some insight into your experience leading up to the start of your agency?
JA: My first job out of college was working for a public relations firm specializing in beauty and the first day on the job was working on an event for the YM/Cover Girl Model Search. The Cover Girls were Niki Taylor, Tyra Banks and Patricia Velasquez who were the superstars at the time. After about eight months, I had an opportunity to work at Elite Model Management in the New Faces division. I knew nothing about the modelling world, but my mom had been a model in the 60s and I was fascinated by the industry, so I took the job, which was a great thing because I am still very close with many people I worked with during my Elite Days! After this, I worked for several big companies, including Estee Lauder and Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. I also lived in Italy for five years, which is how I started my wedding and event planning company. Eventually, I moved back to New York City and opened my PR agency.
LM: What have been some of your career highlights to date?
JA: Prior to owning my public relations company, I traveled to the South of France and Korea to work on the Elite Model Look for several years in a row, staged some incredible wedding and events in Venice and on the Amalfi Coast, and more recently I worked on the launch of Eataly in New York City, the Fontainebleau in Miami, and the opening of L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. Also, [I love] working with Borgo Egnazia, one of my favorite hotel clients in Puglia Italy (which is where Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel got married, Madonna celebrated her birthday one summer, and David and Victoria Beckham have their family vacation there last summer).
Image courtesy of Borgo Egnazia / Jessica Aufiero Communications @japrnewyork
Images courtesy of Borgo Egnazia / Jessica Aufiero Communications @japrnewyork
Images courtesy of Borgo Egnazia / Jessica Aufiero Communications @japrnewyork
LM: How have these experiences influenced your work in public relations?
JA: Working in the modeling world showed me the celebrity machine - this was before the era of social media so I can’t imagine what it is like today. I saw how much celebrities and models can really drive interest in something. I also really loved the experience of pulling together a big event like the Elite Model Look. It’s really exciting and hard work, but when it all comes together and you see all the press that runs it’s very exciting and gratifying!
LM: You have been a business owner more than once, what have been the most significant challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship?
JA: The rewards of entrepreneurship are the incredible freedom and excitement of being in charge. As an entrepreneur you get to say how it goes and anything is possible! The challenges are that nobody is going to care about your business as much as you do and it can sometimes be very lonely if you don’t have a partner or if you have a really small team. Plus, you not only have to worry about doing what you are good at, but you need to develop a whole new skill set for other things (such as dealing with finance, HR, etc.)
Image courtesy of The Surf Club, Florida / Jessica Aufiero Communications @japrnewyork
Image courtesy of Wild Ink / Jessica Aufiero Communications @japrnewyork
LM: What are some current projects you're excited about?
JA: We are working on a new restaurant project opening in March 2020 that will be on the top level of Hudson Yards and will be one of the highest restaurants in New York City, and maybe the Western Hemisphere. The views and food will be incredible! I am also really excited about our client Borgo Egnazia in Puglia, Italy, which is about to celebrate their 10 year anniversary and has some incredible projects lined up for this year. We are also working with The Thinking Traveller, a London and New York based villa specialist, which has exclusive access to some of the most spectacular villas in the Mediterranean.
LM: You specialize in the hospitality, travel, and culinary spaces, which have become increasingly sophisticated and competitive. What have you found to be the most significant opportunities and challenges?
JA: Well, the opportunities are that travel is much more accessible and with the rise of Instagram, lesser known destinations are becoming more well known much quicker. Also, everyone loves food and travel! The challenges, especially for the hospitality world in New York, are that it has become so competitive.
Image courtesy: The Thinking Traveller / Jessica Aufiero Communications @japrnewyork
Image courtesy: The Thinking Traveller / Jessica Aufiero Communications @japrnewyork
LM: How have you pivoted the agency to adapt to the increasingly digital landscape?
JA: It’s just become much more part of what we do. We not only have great relationships with top journalists and editors now, but we have also had to become knowledgeable about who the important social media influencers are and have developed great relationships with them. We have hired a social media manager who really tries to integrate with all our PR programs and we also make sure to tell clients that the focus is not just on a print magazine, but integrating digital as well.
LM: What is on the horizon for Jessica Aufiero Communications for 2020, and beyond?
JA: I am really excited for 2020! This year we are going to focus on continuing to work with incredible brands in the hospitality and culinary arena - I just want to keep working with great brands who have a good story to tell. We have a winery from Puglia that we may be collaborating with and a few other amazing Italian hotel clients on the horizon. I would also like to integrate some of my other passions such as health and wellness, and start to work with some new wellness brands. We are also looking to expand out offices to other key markets such as Miami, where we have done quite a few projects in the past few years. We will of course try to ramp up our social media business to integrate it even more with the PR side. And, finally, I will start to do more PR to promote our company which I am always really shy to do!
Follow JA Communications on IG @japrnewyork
Interview by Linda Mateljan