The Glossary: Laura Hughes | Director of Communications

What is your role and what does your day-to-day look like?

My role is Director of Communications at Untitled Group, which is Australia’s largest independent music and events company, behind festivals like Beyond The Valley and Pitch Music & Arts. My department covers Corporate Communications, PR, Customer Communications & Engagement and Social Impact.

PR on a campaign level involves promoting our festivals and events through media coverage, issuing press releases, facilitating artist interviews etc. 

On the corporate side, it’s about “PR-ing” the business itself. That includes managing the public profiles of our co-founders, highlighting Untitled Group’s wins in industry press, and elevating the achievements of teams and individuals through awards or speaking on panels for example. I’m also responsible for securing our presence at industry events and conferences and handling crisis communications.

On the customer side, my team manages all incoming messages and emails, replying to comments on social media, creating information guides, and writing website copy. We also run customer surveys after each event - I love digging into the data. We’re always looking for ways to innovate the customer experience, whether that’s through AI chatbots or festival signage aligned with the brand identity of each festival.

My day to day is extremely varied. I could be in an emergency management meeting with police and ambulance one minute, then scheming with my team a funny comment to reply on Tiktok the next. It’s a mix of high stakes and fun, which aligns with the way my brain works.

How did you get into your line of work?

My foot in the door at Untitled was working in artist services at Beyond The Valley in 2015. From there, I continued to work at both Beyond The Valley and Pitch as a contractor.

I eventually started full time at Untitled Group when we were an 8 person team, now we’re close to 80. Back at the start everyone wore multiple hats - at various points I was working on programming and bookings, marketing and event operations - basically whatever needed doing. PR wasn’t a dedicated role at that point, but once we decided to bring it in house, it naturally became my focus over time and the department grew out from there.

What skills are important in your job? 

More than formal qualifications, I think what really matters in this role is creative thinking, being able to see opportunities where others don’t. And authenticity in networking, people can tell when you’re trying to use them or climb the ladder, so genuine connections are so important.

I have a media and communications degree, but it’s not essential. One of my team members came from 14 years at the Australian Ballet with no tertiary qualifications. I took a risk on her because of her ambition and work ethic and it’s paid off.

On the customer communications side, you need to have a genuine care for people. This area isn’t necessarily measured as a direct revenue stream, but it protects our relationships with customers, which in turn creates advocators for the brand, which ultimately makes a huge difference to the longevity of a business like ours.

Another key skill in my role is adaptability. At my core I’m a people person, I prefer to lead with compassion and empathy. But when we enter crisis mode, you have to shift gears instantly, separate yourself from the personal side of things, and focus on making smart, strategic decisions. 

If someone is excited to do what you do, what advice would you give them?

If you want to work in this industry and don’t have experience yet or any networks, the best thing you can do in my opinion is work at events in whatever capacity you can (e.g. scanning tickets). You just need one person to take a liking to you and back you - that’s how a lot of our team including myself got their start.

If you’re already in the industry, don’t wait for people more senior than you to define your career path for you. Have a vision for where you want to go, do the work of the job you eventually want before you ask for the title and pay rise. I was leading corporate communications for years before my role was formalised, but when the time came, there was no question that I was the right person for the job.

What have you found surprising about your role?

In my role I can sometimes feel the weight of the entire company’s reputation on my shoulders. The first couple of times we faced negative press, it felt like the end of the world and like the brand would never recover. What’s surprised me is how quickly people move on. The news cycle shifts, attention moves to the next thing, and the brand can bounce back.

What are your top 3 tips for someone who wants to work in the music industry?

Don't do it for the perception of the industry being glamorous - it’s often not. Understand why you want to work in it and what drives you.

Take care of yourself. It’s easy to burn out in this industry. 

I’ve already touched on this but build authentic connections.

View open roles from Untitled group here

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