Jake

Shuter-Ross

Communications Manager, UK

Netflix

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Jake represented some of the world’s best known brands

Having learnt his trade at consumer PR legends Hope&Glory, Jake represented some of the world’s best known brands before moving to DCMS and then to Kick It Out to work on projects with longer-lasting social impact – the latter also combining a love for football with a passion for social justice.

He has since worked at two of the tech giants. First Airbnb, where he was able to round out his comms experience by managing their corporate reputation in challenging policy landscapes. And more recently Netflix, where he works to build brand favourability for the entertainment streamer and studio.

Things Jake feels strongly about:

  • Heist movies
  • Ian Wright
  • Coriander > Parsley
  • Brands that contribute to culture rather than exploiting it
  • Small plates
  • Don’t get in the sea!

Q&A 

Why did you sign up to be a judge for The Pros Awards 2024?
Before I joined Netflix, I had never been in a meeting room with more than 5 Black people in it. At DCMS, I would regularly be on calls with over 50 people, and I could rarely find a square on the Zoom call with a face that looked like me.

It’s important to have a space for us to herald the achievements of underrepresented comms people in the UK. But also to help reassure each other that we are not alone – there are people that can help us build networks, provide support and…good food.

I have a range of experience across the comms disciplines so feel I am well placed to being a judge this year, but mostly, I just want to be part of this celebration of our community!

What Insta/Twitter(X)/Tik Tok account should every comms pro follow and why?

relatablePR on insta for funny memes about working in PR. I’m sure lots of people will suggest important professional commentary or resources, but sometimes it is just as important to know that other people have had similar experiences to you, and it’s valuable to be able to laugh at those experiences.

What was your favourite PR/comms story from 2023 and why?

Norwich City FC’s video for World Mental Health Day, which implored football fans to check in on friends, was genuinely shocking and affecting, delivering clarity and cut through on a serious issue to a key audience.

Most impressive was how authentic it felt, which is incredibly difficult in football, where fans are always dubious of scripted content.

As before we’ve got a great DJ booked for The Pros Awards awards ceremony in July – what’s your dancefloor-filler request?

Bam Bam – Sister Nancy