Curtis Samuel Email & Phone Number

Toronto, On, Ca

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

As the Publicist and Social Media Coordinator at TouchWood Editions, I spearhead digital communication strategies that elevate the company's online presence and engagement.• Communication Strategy Development: Create and execute targeted communication strategies that include pitching long-lead print and digital media, organizing radio/tv broadcast interviews, submitting to trade publications and awards, and devlop and send media kits with press releases.• Digital Communication Strategy: Develop and execute comprehensive social media strategies across multiple platforms. Create and manage content calendars to ensure consistent, high-quality content delivery.• Content Creation and Management: Produce and edit compelling video content for social media campaigns, increasing video view time and shares. Use Adobe Creative Suite and Canva to design visually appealing graphics and infographics.• Analytics and Reporting: Conduct in-depth analysis of social media metrics to identify trends and optimize content strategy, leading to an improvement in overall campaign performance. Generate monthly reports on digital communication initiatives, providing actionable insights to stakeholders.• Project Management: Successfully manage multiple concurrent digital projects, consistently meeting tight deadlines and exceeding stakeholder expectations. My work at TouchWood Editions has been instrumental in enhancing the company's digital footprint, increasing brand awareness, and fostering stronger connections with our audience through strategic and creative social media management.

Toronto, Canada Area

As Publicist at House of Anansi Press, I spearhead strategic PR initiatives that significantly elevate our brand visibility and drive measurable business results. My role encompassed:• Strategic PR Leadership: Developed and executed comprehensive national PR strategies, resulting in positive media coverage and brand visibility across key markets.• Media Relations and Storytelling: Cultivated strong relationships with top-tier journalists, securing feature stories in industry-leading publications. Crafted compelling narratives highlighting author success stories.• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborated closely with marketing, sales, and executive leadership to align PR activities with overall business objectives. Implemented an integrated PR measurement system, providing weekly and monthly analytics reports that informed data-driven decision-making across departments.My work at House of Anansi Press has been instrumental in enhancing Anansi's literary brand's reputation, increasing author visibility, and fostering stronger connections with their audience through strategic and creative public relations management.

Toronto, Canada Area

Worked closely with the Publicity Department to ensure consistency in their title-driven event approaches, process management, and author care. Ensured this through the creation and evolution of the event processes, focusing on high standards for budgeting, vendor negotiation and management, and corporate, imprint and title branding. Throughout the event process, supported the Sales and Publicity Departments with best practices in order to ensure the event lead can execute a high standard of events.Supported the Event and Partnerships Manager in coordinating and executing across all corporate, consumer, trade, and retail events, along with Penguin Shop-related projects (e.g. store takeovers, and planning calendars), and events-related marketing projects, including retail activations and marketing collateral.

Toronto, Canada Area

As Publicity Assistant I was able to wear many different hats, which allowed me to build relationships across all departments including Sales, Marketing, Editorial, Production, and Office Services. My schedule varied day-to-day, always in flux, so daily responsibilities were never the same, but always involved supporting the Publicity Department. By the end of my tenure in this role, I was not only assisting Publicists, but also building my own media lists, booking interviews and building relationships with the media, creating author tours, drafting press releases, and escorting authors to interviews and events,.I monitored and tracked media coverage both manually and by using Meltwater.I evolved the US Export Publicity process, where I was responsible for planning and executing publicity campaigns for all Canadian titles with US and World rights (~50/year). Throughout this process I managed multiple projects at once, with projects often spanning months, developed relationships with US media, and evolved our pitching processes in order to accommodate the large number of titles.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

In this role I supported the Publicity Assistants and the larger Publicity Department to mail packages, file data and documents, escort authors to interviews and events, assist with event planning and execution, and liaise with media and external contacts.

Toronto, Canada Area

Toronto, Canada Area

I worked with the Sales and Marketing Departments on monitoring and analyzing digital retail merchandisers including Amazon, Apple, Google, and Kobo. I would then report my analysis in a weekly vendor presentation to the Sales and Marketing Departments discussing bestselling titles, trending topics, and competition analysis. I was given the opportunity to pitch titles to both the Apple and Kobo Merchandising Teams.

Toronto, Canada Area

I worked with a small, intimate team of 4 and was responsible for ensuring all food preparation was complete in time for dinner service, developing and testing dessert recipe with the Head Chef, working cohesively with my co-workers in a small, fast-paced environment that demanded consistency to a high-level of achievement.Toronto Life Top 15 Best New Restaurants 2014.

Toronto, Canada Area

I worked with a large team to prepare food in time for dinner service, and execute plates with a high attention to detail in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment. Committed to working irregular, long hours.

Assistant coach for 3 different groups of swimmers: Intro Harbord (ages 6-11), Intro Riverdale (6-11), and Silver 2 & 3 (ages 12-14).

Toronto, Canada Area

Organized daily activities and instructed children in sport activities

Creative Book Publishing Program, Publishing, Graduated With Honours

Bachelor'S Degree, Health And Physical Education/Fitness

Activities and Societies: Varsity Swim Team

Culinary Arts/Chef Training