All the Small Things

If you've had some basic PR courses, then you have probably seen some examples of press kits. Did you ever wonder who actually printed them out and put them together? If you saw one that was wire-bound, did you think about who bound it (and how he got the little wire teeth together)? Did the fact that someone drove to the office supply store to buy the paper to print the press materials on cross your mind?

If you answered no, don't feel bad. Before I started my internship, I didn't wonder about any of these things either.

In this past week, however, my world of thought has expanded. Believe it or not, press kits don't magically appear after you finish creating all the materials on your computer. No, someone drives to the office supply store and buys just the right type of paper. Someone prints the materials and stuffs the folders. And someone actually binds the kits. (Did you know that there is a wonderful piece of manually-operated technology that squeezes those wire teeth together?)

Working in a real office setting is a great experience, not only becuase you get the chance to draft real press materials, create media lists and attend decision-making meetings, but also because you see how all the small things come together.