The Multidimensional Nature of Comms with Camilla Gleditsch

Camilla Gleditsch is a Norwegian-born marketer with 11 years of experience working in Asia. She’s passionate about storytelling, digital marketing, and brand trust, and loves building connections that actually matter.

Camilla sat down with LBB to discuss her day-to-day as head of agency comms, her background in fashion PR, and how AI is impacting the industry.

​

LBB> Tell us about your current role and what you do.

Camilla> I lead PR, thought leadership, and brand comms across BBDO in Asia, working with nine different markets. My day-to-day sits somewhere between strategist, storyteller, and occasional firefighter: landing great coverage, shaping narratives for big industry stages, and keeping the brand hot and consistent across the region.

LBB> How did you get to where you are today?

Camilla> I studied fashion PR in London, which pulled me into storytelling and branding early on. After moving to Shanghai, I co-founded a digital magazine that taught me community-building and how to create content people genuinely care about.

Since then, I’ve taken on comms and marketing leadership and consulting roles across tech, lifestyle, and SaaS. Each jump taught me a new way to earn attention in markets that move at lightning speed.

LBB> What does your average day look like?

Camilla> A blend of strategy, problem-solving, and creative chaos. I start with media monitoring and quick syncs across the region.

After that, anything can happen: shaping PR plans, reviewing content, supporting offices, prepping leadership, responding to media requests, or teaming up with creatives on launches. No two days look alike, which keeps it fun.

LBB> What’s the key function of PR and comms in your organisation?

Camilla> Comms is the glue. It protects the reputation, boosts visibility, aligns markets, and keeps the story straight. We support new campaign launches, spotlight talent, and turn the agency’s creativity into narratives people actually want to follow.

LBB> How do you stay ahead of the content curve?

Camilla> By paying attention to culture, conversations, and the subtle shifts in what people care about. I mix social listening and trend tools with good old-fashioned curiosity.

I also build AI workflows in N8N paired with Windsurf, plus front-end tools like Vercel and V0, to automate some of my tasks.

LBB> Does the advertising vs PR tension still exist?

Camilla> A little, but it’s the good kind of tension. Advertising loves a perfect reveal; PR lives in the real world. Looping in early smooths everything out and gets us aiming at the same goal from the start.

LBB> Common misconceptions ad/production people have about PR?

Camilla> That PR equals media coverage. Cute, but no. Coverage is the output. Reputation is the work.

LBB> To what extent can “the work speak for itself”?

Camilla> Amazing work speaks loudly, but only for so long. Storytelling keeps the echo going. Once you hit a certain scale, you need a narrative to match the craft.

LBB> How should creative teams work with PR to get coverage?

Camilla> Bring us in early. The earlier we understand the idea, the easier it is to find the right angle, the right timing, and the right journalists. Early collaboration always creates richer stories.

LBB> When a business faces bad news, what’s the key to getting through it?

Camilla> Transparency, speed, and empathy. Say what needs to be said, say it clearly, and say it before speculation fills the gap.

LBB> How do you approach the hack–flack relationship?

Camilla> As a partnership. Journalists are juggling tight deadlines and endless pitches, so I focus on being relevant, helpful, and respectful. The best stories come from teamwork, not forcing angles.

LBB> How does PR in advertising differ from other industries?

Camilla> You’re basically marketing the marketers. It’s fast, opinionated, and wonderfully chaotic. You’re balancing creativity, clients, and visibility, and that’s exactly what makes it fun.

LBB> Most useful tools for PR/comms pros now?

Camilla> I lean on AI-powered automations like N8N linked with custom GPTs to help with research, drafting, and rapid response. For visibility and content performance, I use SEMrush for SEO intelligence and sometimes Meltwater for social listening and media monitoring. For voice-overs or video comms, I’ve experimented with tools like HeyGen and ElevenLabs.

But at the end of the day, instincts and relationships still win. The tools speed things up, but real connection and good judgment remain irreplaceable.

LBB> How has the role evolved in your career?

Camilla> It’s become more multidimensional. Comms used to be about managing messages; now it’s about managing momentum.

The job is less face-to-face and far more real-time: rapid response, cultural timing, micro-storytelling, and understanding how algorithms decide what people see. AI hasn’t replaced anything, but it has changed the pace, freeing up time to think bigger while raising the bar on what ‘good’ looks like. The role has shifted from crafting statements to shaping how a brand moves through the world.

LBB> What frustrates you about changes in media and PR?

Camilla> Everything moves so fast that depth sometimes gets lost. There’s a lot of noise and not enough breathing room for nuance.

LBB> And what excites you?

Camilla> The experimentation. New platforms, new formats, AI tools, and faster ways to create visibility. It’s an incredibly fun time to be in PR and comms if you like mixing creativity with the latest tech.