From fake press releases and content farms to non-existent experts and AI-generated media, the publishing industry’s credibility has been repeatedly tested in recent years. So where does AI find an acceptable place in this landscape?

While the practice of image manipulation predates the existence of image-editing software, it wasn’t that long ago that the existence of an image went some way to validating a claim of something being real. The term “photographic evidence”, after all, is based on this understanding.

An image of a person accompanying a byline was once seen to be sufficient in proving the person exists and that they wrote whatever followed. But in an age of convincing images of non-existent people created in seconds by tools such as Midjourney, a simple headshot no longer passes the test for the more scrupulous reader.

Manipulated images aren’t the only concern when it comes to authenticity, however. For publishers, it’s their entire processes that have come under scrutiny as they seek to diversify their revenue sources and the use of AI tools grows.

Recent scandals

A sense of distrust in traditional media has grown for several reasons in recent years, from the pressure of rolling news coverage and competition with non-traditional sources to Donald Trump’s scathing remarks about any unflattering coverage of his presidency. But this has been amplified by a series of scandals that some would argue could have been avoided, were solid journalistic practices followed.

Several of these scandals have been unearthed by British trade publication Press Gazette. The publication revealed back in January that UK media outlets have quoted over 50 experts who cannot be verified to be real individuals on more than 1,000 occasions.

These “experts” appear to have originated from PR agencies, who have flooded journalists’ inboxes with AI-generated press releases. Doubts were raised when experts quoted within them failed to respond to any follow-up enquiries from journalists – although by the time the practice was uncovered, many news stories that had made use of them had been published.

The aim of this practice appears to be to secure backlinks from respected publications to commercial sites quoted in the press releases, thus improving their SEO and, in turn, their commercial standing. With the rise of publishers now using AI tools to generate significant numbers of news stories on a daily basis, such material can be quickly ingested and churned out at scale, which gives rise to the farcical – and troubling – prospect of a non-existent reporter quoting a non-existent source in what’s otherwise considered to be a trusted publication.

This is a somewhat sophisticated example of how publications have been adversely affected by the use of AI-generated content, but even the use of these tools for more rudimentary tasks shows the importance of human oversight to ensure errors don’t reach readers. Last year, the New York Times reported that Bloomberg had had to correct several AI-generated bullet-point summaries of its news articles after they were found to have summarised the content within them incorrectly.

To some, this may be the inevitable consequence of changing commercial models. As larger organisations look to make cuts, the need to rely on newer tools and processes to streamline content production can lead to oversights in the editorial process.

Similarly, journalists displaced by these restructures face a balancing act. Many previously benefited from a reputable parent brand but have now pivoted to independent publishing through platforms such as Substack, where they must weigh retaining their credibility against producing enough profitable content to make the work sustainable. For some, the temptation to rely on these tools for more than just research will be a natural one.

Lack of consensus

Much of the conversation around these issues stems from there being no consensus on acceptable uses of AI tools, and regulation taking too long to catch up with the pace of technological development. At the same time, people are finding growing utility with AI tools for day-to-day tasks, particularly where fact-checking is less of a concern. Indeed, in many areas, its use appears largely innocuous.

In journalism, while the use of AI tools for reporting may not be commonplace, or in line with the guidelines that are starting to emerge from major publishers, these tools are now widely used for research, transcribing interviews, spellchecking, and so on. And it’s reasonable to assume that many people would be happy with them being used in this way.

A similar division can be seen in audio content. An AI algorithm tasked with creating a playlist of songs within a user’s preferred genre, for example, is unlikely to upset the average music lover, particularly if this exposes them to new artists. But as AI usage becomes more prevalent in radio broadcasting, the trajectory of this is obvious. Several radio stations now feature – in some combination – AI-curated playlists, AI-synthesised presenters reading scripts generated by AI tools, and even musical output that is entirely AI-generated. A commercial radio station that combines all of these, and dispenses with human intervention entirely, does not appear to be far off.

In this specific case, it’s the element of human speech that moves things away from simply selecting music to somewhere more controversial. Just as with headshots accompanying bylines and social media handles, it’s the implication of a real human’s involvement that signals trust and credibility (and, in journalism, the ability of a person with a view of some sort being able to defend it when challenged). On the radio, human involvement in a fleeting piece of content is harder to ascertain than in print. But in the case of the printed word, is it acceptable to use a real person’s byline next to AI-generated content? It’s reportedly already happening at one publisher – at scale.

Perhaps the answer depends on the subject being discussed. Some topics should be obvious no-go areas for AI-generated content. An AI-written eyewitness report from a conflict zone, for example, would be an egregious misstep for any publication. One would expect the same judgment to apply to interviews with prominent figures, although the saga around German magazine Die Aktuelle’s AI-generated interview with Michael Schumacher shows that we can’t always assume this will be the case.

Explainer articles, which may be based on entirely human-generated content, arguably exist in something of a grey area, although perhaps more toward a darker shade of grey, as CNET found out, when it quietly amended 41 error-packed articles of this kind that were written using AI.

But, if an AI agent has sufficiently accurate information to describe, say, a travel destination, driving conditions, or the weather to a level a human might – and assuming we’re not expecting it to imbue this with anything too creative – is this acceptable? Or is it only acceptable if thoroughly checked by a human before publication and bylined in a way that shows both have been responsible? Perhaps joint bylines of this sort is where we may be heading in a bid to increase transparency.

The invisible hand

It’s easy to overlook the fact that while LLMs may be generating their own content, the training data used to inform them will have been selected by humans. The fruits of this frequently go viral on social media, where users claim to feed the same question to different LLMs to compare their responses to detect ideological leanings. It’s an interesting experiment, and one that naturally receives a great deal of interest, given the lack of visibility the average person has over the training data behind these systems.

But, sometimes, these things head down a more extreme road, and remind us of just how much these technologies – which are, of course, used by publishers as well as individuals – are in their infancy. The issue of chatbots providing racist, sexist or otherwise discriminatory answers – and, at a more absurd level, blackmailing engineers who say they will remove it or threatening car owners with keying – have been noted many times.

Quite how frequently the average user is likely to encounter these kinds of situations isn’t clear; headlines are generated by the most flagrant examples, rather than everyday AI discourse. But it does at least underline the importance of the processes humans have in place to deal with broadcasting more problematic language or content. There can be very real financial and reputational consequences when a journalist or broadcaster falls foul of a code of conduct. But what about an AI tool? Will people be as prepared to write off a chatbot they rely on if it’s just a case of releasing new code to ensure it doesn’t happen again?

Is the problem AI? Or a lack of transparency?

Considering the growing incorporation of AI tools within everyday programs we use; the fact that publishers are today reliant on a broad pool of freelancers in addition to editorial staff; and the presence of computational photography in cameras and image-editing software, it follows that there is no easy way to eradicate the use of AI in editorial publishing. A hybrid model that combines the two seems to be the only plausible outcome.

But whether this is a bad thing for journalism depends in large part on how it’s used and the audience’s awareness of it. And as opinions will differ on the first of these, the second is crucial.

It’s this principle of awareness that underpins the Content Credentials pin. Dubbed a “digital nutrition label for content” by Adobe, rather than attempt to grade a piece of media in any way for its veracity, it gives users specific information on what was used in its creation – including AI tools, such as Adobe Firefly – so that they can come to their own conclusions about a piece of content. It also sidesteps the question of who fact-checks the factcheckers, which is commonly leveled at initiatives designed to verify content, rather than simply detail its provenance.

At a time when building trust with audiences is more important than ever, the brands who make the most effort with transparency and the use of AI are likely to prosper. Perhaps it’s less about whether AI is being used and more about the lack of transparency into an organisation’s acceptance of AI tools in its processes that’s the real issue. Major publishers, including Reuters, the Associated Press, New York Times, BBC, and the Guardian, have made their policies publicly available to help foster trust and explain where exactly they draw the line.

Predictably, much has been made about a swing back to authenticity as audiences become accustomed to the polish of AI-generated content. But where it is commercially unviable to do so – more transactional information, for example – we should expect a level of AI to remain.

That might trouble some, although the assumption that a human’s involvement will automatically be preferable or more beneficial than a machine’s becomes harder to defend. The fake expert scandal mentioned at the start of this article shows humans to be imperfect judges when it comes to credibility. Indeed, there’s an irony to consider in that, under the guidance of a human, a capable AI tool tasked with verifying this information could have prevented it from happening at all.

Our Picture Editor is closer than most to the 52 million images on our SmartFrame Images platform. So which are his favorites?

SmartFrame Picture Editor Marc Goodwin has oversight of the huge volume of images entering our SmartFrame Images platform, from everyday football matches to the world’s grandest tournaments, film premieres, awe-inspiring landscapes, and the breaking news events that make the front pages.

As the curator of our Editor’s Picks, Marc holds an unrivaled position as the person closest to our content. So, out of the millions of images in the collection, which are the ones that truly stand out to him? Here, he runs through his selection.

Manchester City FC team talk

Marc says: This image was captured just ahead of Manchester City’s game against Nottingham Forest earlier this year – and it’s brilliant because it provides an inside view of a private team talk that is normally hidden from the public. The composition is perfectly symmetrical, using the stadium lights to create a sparkle that draws you into the center. It captures the importance of the moment and the intense way the players are looking at each other. While TV cameras usually show this from a distance, this image brings you right into that moment.

Skiing over the Olympic Rings

Marc says: This is an amazing moment, frozen in time. It feels more like a piece of landscape photography that has seamlessly incorporated sport. The angle of the crossed skis emphasizes how precarious and difficult this move is. It’s a beautifully composed, dead-center shot that looks like a piece of art you would hang on your wall.

Jack Black and Paul Rudd at the Anaconda premiere

Marc says: This picture is just ridiculous in the best way; it makes you laugh as soon as you see it. Jack Black always looks like he’s having the time of his life, and this shows that energy perfectly. He comes across as a normal bloke who is just genuinely excited to be there. It’s a brilliant, joyful image that captures the same spirit he brings to his live performances.

Patrick Dorgu’s overhead kick

Marc says: This is the quintessential overhead kick captured at the perfect moment. What really makes it stand out is the detail of the grass flying off the player’s boot and the ball held in such a tight, close position. You have the Brighton & Hove player, Bruno, looking on hopefully that it’s going to go wrong, and even the referee in the background is locked onto the action. The player’s face is absolutely great and his hair is going everywhere; it’s just a great, high-impact football picture that catches the eye immediately.

ICE crackdown in Minneapolis

Marc says: This is a very powerful news picture. You have the subject walking out of a nightmare situation, framed by smoke, flames, and an eerie redness in the background. What makes it so striking is the angle – the subject is looking directly at the photographer’s lens. It feels as though he is looking straight at you as he emerges from the chaos.

Lando Norris wins the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship

Marc says: This image captures the raw passion and excitement of a world-class athlete reaching the pinnacle of his sport. For a driver like Lando Norris, who has been karting since he was seven years old, this represents the culmination of a lifelong journey. The sheer action etched on his face tells the story of the entire season and the massive achievement of finally reaching that top spot.

Fire at Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po, Hong Kong

Marc says: This is a terrifying image that captures the sheer scale of a disaster. It’s impossible to look at this without feeling the pain and misery of the moment; it brings the same kinds of feelings the news about Grenfell Tower did. Seeing three full lanes packed with emergency vehicles beneath the massive structure emphasizes the human cost of the event. It’s a powerful, harrowing image that evokes real feeling, and it’s impossible to look away from.

Wales v All Blacks

Marc says: There is so much excitement and atmosphere in this shot, helped by the hazy, smoky light. It captures a strong moment of contrast between the teams. You can see the clear disappointment on the face of the All Blacks player right next to the Welsh team. Given that Wales has struggled in the top tier recently, seeing that level of passion and excitement on their faces makes for a very powerful sports moment.

Raye performs at Bloomingdale’s X Burberry Holiday Unveil

Marc says: I love the composition of this shot. The singer’s fingernails and the microphone lead your eye directly into her face. Even though her face is slightly out of focus, you can feel the power of the performance. The way the light hits the sequins and details leads everything back to her; it’s a great shot where you can almost hear the voice coming through the image.

Anthony Joshua takes on Jake Paul at the Kaseya Center in Miami

Marc says: This is a great frozen moment from a highly hyped fight that truly shows the power of AJ. The timing is perfect, capturing the white glove against the black background just as it follows through. You can see the sheer force as the opponent’s neck turns and his hair flies up. The impact was so hard it didn’t just break the jaw where it hit, but caused a break on the other side as well. It’s a violent shot, but undeniably impressive. 

Teyana Taylor at the Golden Globe Awards

Marc says: This is an incredibly crisp image, and a great, cheeky moment of excitement. The framing is mega – the flow of the dress and the lines of her arms lead your eye right up to that facial expression. With the light sparkling on her hair and shoulders, it’s a stunning, energetic portrait. I love it.

Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, Lagos

Marc says: This is a textbook example of beautiful composition. Using a drone to get a perspective we don’t normally see, the photographer has captured a totally symmetrical landscape where every line leads straight to the center. It’s a beautifully thought-out image that functions as a piece of art. It’s the kind of picture that deserves to be displayed on a wall.

Suella Braverman defects to Reform UK

Marc says: For a news portrait, this is incredibly striking. It captures the former Home Secretary during her move to Reform UK. Regardless of your politics, the image conveys a real passion for her cause. The lighting is excellent, particularly the glow behind her hand, making it a very intense and emotional political moment.

Rita Ora performs at the 2026 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix

Marc says: As far as an entertainment shot goes, this ticks all the boxes. It’s a lovely, well-lit picture that captures the grand occasion of a big event. The composition is beautifully symmetrical, with the smoke and the lights framing her and leading the viewer’s eye straight back to her.

Agency Group Head Simon discusses his start in the ad world, the biggest misconception around what advertisers actually need, and his passions outside the office

How did you get started in the ad world?

After I left university, I realized I didn’t want to live in Plymouth, which is where my family was. I had a girlfriend from London, so I decided to move there as quickly as possible – and there were lots of advertising jobs available.

I applied for one and got it, and quickly realized it wasn’t that difficult once you get over yourself and remember you’re just talking in public. Initially, I thought I was only going to do it for 18 months before figuring out what I really wanted to do, but 25 years later, I’m still doing the same thing!

My first job was at The Independent, where I stayed for four years and actually met my wife. From there, I was headhunted by The Mirror, worked at a recruitment consultancy, and eventually spent several years at both Northern & Shell and Reach.

What drew you to the technology side of the industry?

For about 14 years, I was successfully selling products that I didn’t necessarily believe in or feel particularly proud of. I was happily selling stuff, but there wasn’t a real sense of pride there.

When I looked at SmartFrame, I saw that the product was genuinely brilliant, and I fully believe in the proposition. All three sides of the business model make complete sense to me. I clearly understand where we fit in, what our unique selling point is, and how we can offer real, tangible value to brands and publishers. It is incredibly refreshing to represent a tangible product that I can honestly stand behind.

What does your role at SmartFrame look like day-to-day?

I’m only about seven weeks in, so a large part of my day currently involves outreach, learning the technology, and meeting people.

I don’t really have a set routine where I do specific tasks on specific days. My diary is entirely flexible to accommodate whoever I am trying to get hold of. If someone tells me they are only free for a quick coffee on a Tuesday at 4:00 PM, or on a Monday, I make sure I am there.

I also make a point to spend a few days a week in town simply seeing people and evangelizing the product. You can’t rely purely on digital output – you really need that human interaction.

What’s the biggest misconception you encounter about what advertisers actually need?

There is a constant challenge in the industry trying to balance the needs of content providers, publishers, and advertising agencies. We all understand that the internet needs advertising in order to remain free, but users are increasingly frustrated by websites that are just flooded with ads.

Consumers are so used to being bombarded that they almost just want to find the “x” as quickly as possible to close the ad and read the content. Because of this ad blindness, the industry has to realize that simply placing an ad isn’t enough anymore. Driving genuine, measurable attention is the metric everyone is increasingly obsessed with.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into advertising?

Put down your mobile phone and learn to be present in the room. The only way you achieve lasting success in this job is by getting people to want to talk to you, which means picking up on commonalities and finding little hooks that you can reference the next time you see them.

You have to learn how to have a genuine back-and-forth dialogue and pick up on human cues, not just buying signals. Ultimately, everyone knows you want to sell them something, but they also want to be seen as fully developed people with outside interests. If you take the time to genuinely see and listen to them, they are far more likely to give you their time going forward.

What’s changed most in the industry over the course of your career?

On the publisher side, sales units have shrunk massively, meaning fewer people are doing much more. Where you used to just sell newspapers, you now have to sell podcasts, apps, programmatic digital imagery, and direct buys. Because everyone is spinning so many different plates, people have had to become generalists rather than specialists.

On the agency side, there has been a massive headlong rush toward automation. People are increasingly happy to hide behind a keyboard and handle their interactions digitally. It is much tougher now to pull people out of their busy schedules for a natural human interaction – like grabbing a couple of pints at the pub to talk through a thorny issue – which makes relationship-building a bit of a lost art.

Is there a project or partnership you’re particularly proud of?

I am incredibly proud of my involvement with Generation Valuable, a pilot scheme connected to the Valuable 500. It’s an initiative where 75 companies around the world committed to elevating their disabled workforce into key decision-making roles.

When I was at Reach, I was selected to participate, and my CEO mentored me for a year. We did a lot of great work, including getting all the Reach titles to increase their disability coverage, developing tagging and content trees that opened up new audiences, as well as helping build an accessibility board to assist in redesigning our digital platforms. For a long time, I felt I was just selling boxes with ads, so doing socially conscious work that actually tried to make the world a slightly better place is definitely my proudest career achievement.

How do you see the future of publishing, especially with AI reshaping how content is made and distributed?

The industry is always chasing the next buzzword. In 2025, every media agency was obsessed with “contextual relevance,” and now it seems the obsession has shifted entirely to “attention”. Eventually, there will be something else that takes its place.

When it comes to AI specifically, using it as a blanket coverage term instantly turns people off. We saw this when massive agencies put AI at the center of their story without explaining what it actually meant for individual departments. To get real buy-in, you can’t just throw the word around; you have to demonstrate specific, practical benefits and show how it maturely applies to the business structure.

How do you switch off when you’re not working?

I’ve been married for almost 18 years and have a 14-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son, so family life naturally keeps me very busy. But to truly switch off, I am obsessed with two things: literature and the NFL.

I always have a book in my hand, even if it’s just to read a few pages while waiting at the doctor’s office. I admit I’m a bit of a snob about what I read. I stick mostly to classics, award-winners, and historical novels, with my all-time favorite being One Hundred Years of Solitude.

I’m also deeply passionate about American football. Even after 18 years as a fan, I’m still learning new things every Sunday, which challenges my brain in a way that watching standard football no longer does.

Our new SmartFrame Images platform is redefining how publishers and content owners use images online. Here, we explain what makes the platform so revolutionary and show you how to get started.

SmartFrame Images is designed to make sourcing and using editorial photography simple, cost free, and more secure. It removes the usual barriers around licensing and usage limits, and provides publishers with a straightforward way to embed high-quality images at scale.

Over 40 million images – and millions more added every week

The library includes more than 40 million images across a broad range of categories, from news, sport, and entertainment to lifestyle, culture, science, and more.

New content is added constantly, so you always have access to the latest moments and stories as they unfold.

So, whether you’re publishing breaking news or evergreen content, the platform ensures you always have something relevant ready to embed on your site.

No licensing fees

One of the biggest differences between SmartFrame Images and other platforms is that SmartFrame Images has no license costs or subscriptions.

This is all thanks to in-image advertising, which creates a fair system for all. Image rights holders are compensated fairly and publishers can earn from this advertising.

It’s a different way of doing things, but it’s fair and far more sustainable than the traditional model.

No limits on embedding

There are no monthly credit caps or usage thresholds. Whether you want to embed 10 images or 10,000, it’s entirely up to you.

You can also use the same image across multiple pages without restriction, helping you create consistent storytelling across your site.

Live Image Feed

If you want to see what’s new the moment it arrives, the Live Image Feed shows you the latest additions in real time. It’s the quickest way to stay ahead of major events, breaking news, and fresh editorial content.

Integrated captions

Every image comes with built-in captions that stay attached wherever the image is embedded. This ensures audiences always have the context they need – who took the photo, what it shows, when it was captured, and so on.

You don’t need to manually add or maintain captions yourself. The details are always accurate and consistent across your site.

These appear over the image when the user hovers over it, but otherwise remain hidden, giving users the benefit of both viewing options.

Content Credentials

With synthetic images becoming harder to distinguish from real ones, provenance matters more than ever.

SmartFrame Images supports Content Credentials, which gives you and your readers a clear view of how each image has been captured and handled.

This helps build trust, especially in news, sport, and cultural reporting, where accuracy and authenticity are critical.

Official and exclusive images

The platform includes a growing range of official and exclusive sports photography from partners such as Manchester City FC, Everton FC, Brentford FC, Six Nations Rugby, and New Zealand Rugby. This gives publishers direct access to premium, rights-cleared content that isn’t available elsewhere.

Alongside sport, the library also features editorial photography from agencies including action press international, ZUMA Press, SIPA USA, Pro Sports Images, News Images, and Every Second Media.

Earn while you publish

Whenever in-image advertising is displayed, publishers receive a share of the revenue. This means you can use premium editorial photography at no cost and still benefit financially.

Ads are either contextual or sponsorship placements designed to complement the images they appear in. They are brand safe, shown only occasionally, and capped in frequency to keep the user experience smooth for your audience.

WordPress integration

The SmartFrame Images WordPress plugin makes embedding even easier. It installs in minutes and lets you browse, search, and add images directly from within WordPress.

As long as you have a SmartFrame account, you can publish images without leaving your CMS.

Security built in

SmartFrame Images also helps protect images from unauthorized copying and misuse.

Conventional JPEG images are easy to copy and use in a way that’s not authorized by their owner. SmartFrame uses multi-layered security to prevent downloads and unauthorized redistribution – all without disrupting the viewing experience.

So … what are you waiting for?

SmartFrame Images is available now – and you can browse the collection without registration.

Want to start embedding images? Just register for an account and we’ll get you set up. Register here.

Marketing Communications Director Matt recently celebrated six years at SmartFrame. We find out how he got into his role, what he considers essential to effective communication, and a little more about life at SmartFrame.

How did you get into marketing communications?

My background is in journalism, specifically the technical side of photography. I worked as a journalist for 13 years, starting as a sub-editor at a consumer photography magazine before progressing to Technical Editor and then Editor.

I had always been drawn to the creative side of photography, but over time the technical side became more interesting to me. I realized that understanding the fundamentals on a deeper level would be valuable, so I decided to study for a degree in photographic science.

Having already worked in the industry for a while, by the time I got to university, I was also able to secure a steady stream of freelance work, which I fit around my degree. After university, and in between a period of traveling, I combined what I was already doing with a more marketing-focused role at a photographic retailer. It was an easy fit, as the lines between the two weren’t particularly defined and I often found myself doing both. So my journey to where I am now makes a lot of sense.

What does your role look like?

I initially joined as a copywriter, before moving into a Head of Copy role, and finally into my current role, which I’ve held for the past two years.

We’re a small marketing team, which allows everyone to have a hand in various things at the same time. That keeps things interesting, but it also helps everyone to develop in ways that might ordinarily not be possible.

Aside from the production of much of our communications and collateral, a key part of my role is to ensure that everything adheres to our brand guidelines and tone. This covers everything from technical guides and  blog articles to press releases, newsletters, and job descriptions. 

In addition to the above, the marketing  team prepares many pieces of sales collateral, and these all need to be maintained. SmartFrame is constantly changing – much like the broader imaging, publishing and advertising landscapes – so keeping everything accurate and current is critical.

Having a photography background has also come in handy. I’m often found capturing headshots and documenting the various events we attend, and capturing other images we use for marketing. I’ve also recently started to create video case studies (below).

Good communication is clear communication. The best writing is simple. This doesn’t mean it can’t be thought-provoking or challenging. You want to keep the audience engaged and informed, perhaps throw in a little humor here and there when appropriate, but never lose track of the purpose of the communication itself.

Being ruthless with editing is also vital. I forget where I first read this advice – it’s a point that has been made by many writers – but it has always served me well. The best writers say a lot with few words.

From years of breaking down complex technical concepts, I’ve learned to constantly ask: how much knowledge can I assume of the reader? Which information is key? How should I structure and pace this article so that it lands effectively?

Occasionally you come across an author whose style or delivery just lands in a way other writing doesn’t. Whenever I notice this, I think about what specifically has made the impact.

But I’d say the most important thing as a communicator is to place yourself in the position of the audience. It’s easy to write from the perspective of what you feel needs to be said, but I find it more important to write from the perspective of what needs to be understood. 

What inspires you?

Great writing, regardless of subject. Like many people, I don’t read as much as I could or would like to. But being time-poor means you can graze on lots of shorter articles, essays, and blog posts, which tends to open you up to great writers you might otherwise overlook.

I also find it interesting to see how language has evolved by reading older books on style. A production editor I once worked with introduced me to The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White, a classic American style guide first published in 1918. It’s amusing to see how forcefully certain rules that we’re fairly relaxed about today were once emphasized. Language evolves, of course, but it’s intriguing to see which rules have persisted and which have long been forgotten.

What advice would you give to someone else looking to get into marketing communications?

I suspect most people get into marketing communications as an extension of being a copywriter or more general marketer, so some kind of interest will usually be there already.

But a good place to start is to ask yourself why you want to get into marketing communications – that can help steer you toward the right role or company.

Some people see it as an outlet for their creativity, whether that’s through storytelling, wit, humor, or something else. Others may be drawn to the challenge of simplifying complex ideas.

Some people may be passionate about social media and thrive on seeing a marketing campaign or a piece of promoted content perform well. Personally, as my background is in technical writing, a company like SmartFrame feels like a very natural fit.

If you can identify what it is that draws you in, you’ll better understand where you’re most likely to thrive because you’ll naturally be more motivated to do a good job. Perhaps it sounds obvious, but I feel that finding something you genuinely enjoy is the key to a happy career.

How have you found working at SmartFrame?

It’s been a great journey so far! A lot happens in six years. We’ve moved offices a handful of times, navigated the pandemic, brought some exciting clients on board, and seen a huge transformation in the business in terms of its focus. Being here through it all makes me appreciate just how far we’ve come, and how much stronger we are today.

That said, while the company feels like a very different business to what it used to be, the core of it has remained the same. I put this down to the four co-founders still being with the company. They have ensured the cultural thread has remained while we’ve built out the team. Having a background at larger publishers, where turnover is high and brands are sold and acquired over the years, you appreciate the stability that a company like SmartFrame has.

How do you switch off when you’re not working?

Travel has always been a big passion of mine. I was lucky enough to do quite a bit of it when I was a journalist, and I’ve filled in a few gaps over the years through holidays. A few years before joining SmartFrame, I took a round-the-world trip that lasted just over three months, heading east through Europe, Asia, Australia, and the US before making it back to London. I also managed to see a bit more of Japan earlier in the year, which I only got to see very briefly in a work capacity before.

Travel is also when I tend to pick up my camera the most, photography being another passion. Outside of that, I trained briefly as a chef after leaving school and have collected hundreds of cookbooks. Not entirely unrelated, a trip around Margaret River in my early twenties sparked an interest in wine, which led to a WSET qualification, something I’d love to build on in the future.

Music is the other big one. Living in London makes it easy to go to gigs, and I try to get to at least a couple of festivals each year. That said, I also try to get out of the city whenever I can as there’s still so much of the countryside I haven’t seen.