Conversations with I AM PHRESHY on PR Branding

When you hear the name Derrian “Phreshy” Perry, it might not necessarily ring a bell at first. But make no mistake. He’s a powerhouse responsible for media placements in publications such as GQ and Forbes and the buzz surrounding events like Offset’s recent 29th birthday party leave a trail of success worthy of high regard. While reaching monumental heights in public relations is a success on its own, his desire to amplify voices doesn’t stop at celebrities. He aims to share his expertise with brands and businesses. He recently launched Phreshy’s PR and Branding Masterclass, where the media and entertainment industry professional touches on topics such as developing and researching a pitch, finding your target audience, and more. I spoke with him as he touched on branding, marketing and found out just exactly what makes him a pro in his field:

Can you explain a little bit about your background in PR. How did you come to be a publicist and how did the Phreshy brand begin? 

Sure! Recently I discovered I’ve been doing PR my entire life not knowing what I was doing was PR! From a very young age, I’ve had a passion for storytelling and connecting the dots for people. Throughout my life my passion has always been to help people build. Professionally, I started as a stylist and blogger/writer. That prompted me to want to venture into having full creative control. I created the I AM Phreshy (IAP) brand to be a one-stop for creatives. Our mission is to be the brand behind the brands. My growth can be attributed to the work I’ve done for companies like Last Rebel Entertainment, The JMulan Agency & The Cream Agency. Because of Black owned organizations like them trusting me in the very beginning, I’ve learned a lot within 4 years of running IAP on my own. 

You recently announced a PR branding and master class, tell us about it! 

Omg, yes! So “Learn With Phreshy” is a course I'm extremely proud of and passionate about. I wanted to figure out a way to leave my legacy and provide insight of what I’ve learned over the years, but I didn't want it to be boring. I teamed up with Wealthchild Learning Systems to release a PR 101 Class. I'm proud of this course because I believe strongly that people love to learn from people who are parallel to them. Who look like them and are still learning but have had success. The class took 48 hours to film and includes tests, testimonials and exclusive information. 

What would you say is the backbone of building a brand? 

I would say the backbone of building a brand is definitely knowing your brand's identity. Once you know what it is that your brand represents, it's a lot easier to build outwardly. 

What value do you think brands can get from taking a PR class as the class is not just for aspiring publicists?

Whether you’re an aspiring publicist or merely a brand looking for knowledge, there are benefits in taking a PR class because the class will teach you fundamental branding knowledge, how to properly research, how to tell a story, how to captivate an audience and how to remain relevant. 

You talk a lot about what it means to hold value in publications versus general press, why is this so important? 

Outside of honoring what our forefathers have created in the media, we must understand that traditional media won't go anywhere. Avenues like radio, magazines and newspapers are going to forever be around. We have to make sure of that they provide ample opportunity and jobs for emerging and established creators. Traditional media also doesn't require social media hype. I always say to those who rely heavily on social media as “Press”, what if IG & Facebook were to get deleted, all of your relevancy is there. Anyone without traditional media simply disappears back in the air. 

You are a Black man who has arguably one of the most successful public relation agencies in comparison with white counterparts. What are some challenges you had to go through in order to get to this level? 

Wow! Great question. For starters, I’m a Black man. That's already hard in itself. I love who I am and the magic that comes with being Black but I can’t ignore the fact that they are afraid of our success. A particular struggle is people not trusting us with clients but stealing our ideas. It happens often in this business. It’s the reason why I'm so passionate about phishing “Collaboration of Competition.” 

When taking your class what are three key things people can take away from? 

Three things people can take away from “Learn With Phreshy” is passion, understanding, and knowledge. From work gems to personal growth gems, I leave it all on the table for those who want to eat. 

To learn more visit https://msha.ke/iamphreshy/