Carrie Rose

Co-founder & CEO

Rise at Seven

UK

“Innovation is about strategies and ideas that combine already-successful methods with new ways of thinking, to get a result that others can’t imagine."

Over the past 18 months, Carrie Rose has come out of nowhere to disrupt the communications industry, as the 27-year-old co-founder and CEO of search-first digital and social agency Rise at Seven, after spotting an opportunity to blend creative work and SEO. The first sign that Rose was doing something rather different that other agencies should be paying attention to was Rise at Seven winning the Missguided fashion retail account without a pitch after presenting an approach to the brand’s creative output that put search first, and then quickly picking up work for Pretty Little Thing, My Protein, Made.com, Boohoo, Game, Playstation and Odeon. Alongside co-founder Stephen Kenwright, Rose has already created a multi-million-pound agency that operates from London, Sheffield and Manchester, and opened its US office in March this year. Always walking the digital and social media talk, Rose vlogs her journey of building a global agency on YouTube.

How would you describe the communications/PR industry's level of innovation compared to other marketing disciplines?
Less innovative.

Do you think the global pandemic has made the industry more innovative?
No.

Where is the PR industry's greatest opportunity for taking the lead on innovation?
Data, analytics and measurement.

Who most influences how innovative a brand's engagement is?
CMO.

How do you define innovation?
Strategies and ideas that combine already successful methods, with new ways of thinking to get a result that others can’t imagine.

What is the most innovative comms/marketing initiative you've seen in the last 12 months?
Balenciaga X Fortnite collab, where you can buy their clothes on the Fortnite store for your character, and the OOH 3D billboards.

In your opinion, what brands and/or agencies are most innovative around PR and marketing?
Rise at Seven, Hope and Glory, Uncommon.

Describe a moment in your career that you would consider 'innovative.'
When I built a trends tool myself which alerted my staff immediately when a story, media moment, product, brand, celebrity or headline was trending, and the search impact of it.

How do you get out of a creativity rut?
Travel on my own and do nothing. Thinking time is the most powerful.

What advice would you give to the PR industry around embracing innovation?
Spend time in performance marketing, take what they do and apply it to your work.

What would you be doing if you weren't doing your current job?
I’d be creative director at the biggest advertising agency in the world showing them what’s possible.

Which book/movie/TV show/podcast/playlist/other cultural source has helped you get through this year or provided inspiration?
Netflix and TikTok – understanding the impact of those platforms on search behaviours is a powerful PR story.

What's your favourite time of day and why?
7am. That’s when the best people wake up.