WildKat in Paris

What inspired the decision to establish a WildKat office in Paris, and how has the location benefited your operations?

France has an incredibly strong cultural scene, and we are fortunate to have robust support for French artists and ensembles to share their art internationally. We were approached by many French artists visiting the UK and Germany, as well as British and German artists touring France, so it became a natural next step. Likewise, we have many clients based in Switzerland, so we can take these on from our Paris branch too. 

What are the key steps and challenges in setting up the Paris office, and how did you overcome them?

Olivia Brown, our Managing Director who was then our Director of Europe, set up the Paris office. The first step was to find a brilliant accountant and lawyer to assist with the numerous questions we had. Understanding the complex system was incredibly challenging, especially since Olivia didn’t speak the language. However, she was hugely supported by Laure Ugolini, our Head of Germany and a French native. We decided to set up a subsidiary, so we were a legal entity in France. We then opened a bank account, created new contracts for clients and employees, hired our first member of staff, and began growing our client base. 

How did opening the Paris office just before the Covid-19 pandemic influence your operations and client partnerships?

Just before the pandemic hit, we had opened new offices in New York as well as Paris, and had started investing in our
digital department. This investment was beneficial for supporting digital projects during lockdown, but we were still growing the business and building our profile in France, making it an exceptionally challenging time. We have since appointed a
digital manager in each office to ensure our services remain flexible and unique. 

Can you describe the diversity of your client portfolio and the types of services you offer?

Our client portfolio has grown and become more loyal over time. We have two types of clients: one-off clients and annual collaborations. One-off clients are mainly part of international campaigns with our offices in New York, London, or Berlin, or short projects such as promoting a record or concert, typically lasting around three months. 

Our annual clients are more diverse and include music colleges (Ecole Normale de Musique Cortot), concert seasons (La Belle Saison), high-profile artists (Alexandre Kantorow), competitions (Concours de Genève), and labels (b.records). Clients come to us not only for press campaigns but also, increasingly, for digital campaigns, including digital marketing, playlisting, and social media management. Our positioning is clear, since we work almost exclusively on the classical and contemporary repertoire. 

What strategies have been most effective in attracting and retaining clients? 

Word of mouth has been our best ally in finding new clients and establishing our reputation. We receive recommendations from friendly agencies such as Le Philtre in Paris, and from artists who are very satisfied with our services. It’s fascinating to see how much of our projects cross over: some of our artists may end up as guest artists in a season we are promoting, or maybe a jury member for one of our competition clients. This creates an incredible dynamic and gives us a comfortable working environment. 

Can you highlight some special projects or achievements you’ve helped your clients secure?

Our work is very rewarding when it comes to listing our victories: doubling a client’s audience on social media in a few months; securing a rising star profile in a leading newspaper or magazine; celebrating a significant anniversary in a major French specialist magazine; being selected as the best classical album in Le Monde and France Musique; and welcoming 20 journalists for their season finale. These are just some of the many highlights that we help to achieve.

Our work sometimes leads to career-changing meetings: I recently gave the telephone number of a young client to a journalist who will connect him with a major concert hall. I hope this meeting will lead to the launch of his solo career!

What does a typical day at the Paris office look like?

The Paris office consists of three people: Marie, who works
on press and digital, Emma, our intern, and myself, who handles press and runs the office. Our most typical day is Monday, when we’re all in the office together. After addressing any urgent matters, we organise our week, check our to-do lists, client appointments, and prepare business reports to send off on Friday. Sometimes we take a lunch break to go to the gym or eat out. We communicate frequently, sharing updates like, “Victory, I’ve got an interview” or “Oh no, the journalist didn’t like the album!” We also laugh a lot. Our work is exciting and fulfilling but demanding, so it is important to unwind. The atmosphere is really pleasant, which is crucial when spending eight hours a day together.

How much travel is involved in your role, and how do you balance it with office work?

In the office, we don’t travel much. I only travel to Geneva during the competition in October, but this is rare. However, we travel a lot around Paris, for filming social media content, interviews, and especially concerts. Since the end of the pandemic, we have favoured face-to-face meetings with clients because it is more pleasant. We also try to connect once every one to two years as an entire company. In 2022, most of the company went to Austria together to spend time as a team. We all work very closely, so it was hugely beneficial to see each other in person and to get to know each other more informally too.

How do you manage the diverse needs of your clients?

The needs of our clients vary greatly: some like to be supported closely, while others prefer more independence. It’s all about getting to know them well and being adaptable. A large part of our work is to be human, to understand the psychology of our clients and to reassure them as artists by knowing the local environment perfectly. Artists are often plagued by doubt, and our role is to support them, help them articulate their ideas, and realise their ambitions. We assist  them in formulating their needs and desires to better shape their public persona.

How would you describe the working environment at WildKat’s Paris office?

The working environment in our Paris office is studious, organised, busy, optimised, and always on alert to be there for our customers. The atmosphere is also very caring, with a focus on helping and supporting each other and discussing any problems. The dynamic between the three of us is very good: ideas flow, the balance between personal and professional life is very well respected, and we share many good times.

What role does your founder Kathleen Alder play in the Paris office?

Kat’s role is largely focused on bringing in major new clients and networking at events such as awards ceremonies, press lunches, and season announcements. She brings big ideas and energy to the company, as well as strategic direction. She works closely with Olivia, who manages our four offices.

What is the key to fostering a positive and productive atmosphere in your office?

The three pillars of this balance are kindness, trust, and anticipation. I pay particular attention to starting projects off well and organising them in advance so that the team is comfortable when they are working on them. Kindness is essential for everyone to feel at ease. Finally, trust within a team is crucial because it pushes people to give their best. Whatever happens, I am always available to help or respond to any request from my team during the day. My colleagues are my priority.

How do you envision the growth of the Paris office in the future?

A great strength of our office is our knowledge of the classical music sector and our dual press/digital skills, which are still rare. I believe our office will evolve and grow its client portfolio towards digital campaigns, as the demand is increasing. I also think that press work will evolve even more towards image consulting. We are already doing this broader and more strategic work, which is also requested by our clients.

Can you share any future plans or initiatives?

We have several ideas to develop new digital strategies related  to influence and image consulting for young artists. Stay tuned! 

WildKat is a creative PR agency specialising in classical music and culture, with offices in London, Berlin, Paris, New York, and Los Angeles. Working internationally, it provides press and PR, marketing, playlisting, social media, and branding for institutions and artists. Learn more at wildkatpr.com