This PR Life is a new series by PRovoke Media where we profile people in and around communications as an industry and find out more about what they do and what makes them tick. Today, we are chatting with Donald Parish, co-founder of MatchFit, a sports-focused communications agency. 

Parish co-founded the agency in 2019 and has since seen the company grow. Parish's current roster of clients include  The FA, The LTA, Manchester City, GB Taekwondo, Topps, LiveScore Group, Blakely, LALIGA and MatchWornShirt.

PRovoke Media: In a nutshell, how would you describe your role in comms to someone who has no idea what it entails?

Donald Parish (DP): Ah, the question we all dread! As an agency, I would explain that our role is to help our clients effectively communicate with their target audience, and that ranges from huge brands like Topps landing a big consumer campaign, all the way through to helping The FA drive grassroots participation.

From a personal perspective, my role now is to grow our agency brand, foster a brilliant culture, stay close to our clients and lead on new business.


PM: Is there anything about your role that your colleagues don’t get?


DP: Hmm, I’d like to think not! My primary focus now is growing our brand, developing the new business pipeline and staying connected with our legacy clients.

PM: What is the highlight of your job that always puts a smile on your face?


DP: I’m fortunate to come into work and be surrounded by people who all share a collective passion for sport. My highlights now are often the overheard moments, hearing the moments of fun amongst the team and seeing the culture development.

PM: Which country do you work in and what is it like working there?


DP: We are based in the UK, with our headquarters in London and our new second office in Manchester. I’ve always loved the energy of the big city on office days, even if the cost of a post-work pint has doubled over the course of my career.

PM: What’s the first thing you do when you step into the office to kickstart your day?


DP: Say hello to everyone in the team. That personal connection is the best thing about office life. It never ceases to make me proud that this talented crew have chosen to work at MatchFit, and I never take it for granted.  


PM: What are three must-have items in your work bag that you can't live without?


DP: Noise cancelling headphones (a godsend for the train commute into London), my MacBook (hard to work without it) and a spare HDMI adapter (mega-dull, but not as boring as hunting for one before an important meeting).

PM: What’s your go-to office lunch that never fails to brighten your day?


DP: We are blessed with amazing street-food options nearby so there are a myriad of options, but my favourite is a Vietnamese chicken noodle salad. Fresh, zingy, what’s not to like?

PM: What is it about comms that draws you in and keeps you passionate?


DP: Is there a less predictable job out there? I love the variety of the work. There’s the fact that one day we might be crafting a creative campaign to connect sports fans with a global brand, and the next we could be working on defensive crisis communications. It’s incredibly energizing and eternally interesting.


PM: If you weren’t in comms, what would you be doing?

DP: That’s an easy one for me. I was always drawn to sports writing and journalism, and I long was convinced that was my future. I made the switch to the PR side almost 20 years ago now, but I sometimes wonder what might have been had I stayed the course. I fear, given the challenges in the journalism industry since, it would have been a struggle.

PM:  What’s the first thing you do to unwind when you clock off for the day?


DP: Nothing helps you to get away from the pressures of agency life like family, so chilling with my wife, eight year-old son and seven year-old daughter is bliss. But, beyond that, the golf course is where I am best able to clear my head and re-connect with the world outside of work.