Pitching with Audacity: How I Secured a Two-Year DJ Deal with Nike
- Handled Agency
- Oct 24, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 12, 2024
What has your career journey been like so far?
I always knew I wanted to work in the creative industry, but wasn’t sure how. During my gap year, I started a YouTube channel and blog to talk about music and interview people in the industry. I shared my videos on social media and started growing a following, not realising this was "digital marketing."
This led to an internship at Sky, followed by a year in digital marketing at Sony Music during university. After graduating at UCL, I freelanced in social media and marketing roles for brands like Boiler Room, ASOS, Amazon Music, and Cleo.
While working in music, a friend taught me how to DJ, and I instantly loved it. I’ve since DJ'ed at events for Nike, Paris Fashion Week and L’Oréal. My journey so far has been all about following my curiosities, finding opportunities and working hard at them!
What's the most unconventional way you've landed a gig as a DJ?
While finishing my final year of university, I decided that I wanted to become a DJ for Nike. They had DJs in their Oxford Street store and I thought it'd be so cool to be one. Every time I walked past, I’d visit their store, asking how I could get involved. After about eight or nine casual attempts, I met a guy called DJ Skinz who told me that they were opening a new women’s floor and needed more female DJs.
I got a trial date, was paid in trainers for my first gig, and they loved my set! I ended up DJ'ing for Nike for two years.
Click to see full story on LinkedIn
Favourite campaign you've worked on
It has to be the London Design Festival. It was a 10-week contract, where I led the social media presence, showcasing amazing installations from worldwide designers exhibiting all over London.
I remember running through places like Mayfair and Knightsbridge, phone in hand, capturing content and recording interviews with designers I admired. Special moments included seeing, Es Devlin, whose work I love, win at the festival’s Award Ceremony, and witnessing Yinka Ilori open his Tottenham Court Road crossings with Sadiq Khan. It felt surreal to be capturing those moments.
To top it all off, I got to DJ at the after-party! I accidentally played Cardi B for a crowd of established architects and designers, but it was such a fun time and they loved my set!
What makes an influencer a good fit for a campaign?
I’d say when they’re really clear on their niche(s). At ASOS, I worked on campaigns that were seasonal like Fresher's Week, Valentine's Day and Eid. When we sourced influencers, it was really about ensuring they had the niche we were looking for, for that specific campaign. We searched for student creators during the Fresher’s campaign, couple’s fashion influencers during our Valentine’s Day campaign, and modest fashion creators as we approached Eid. It just had to make sense.
We’re super busy brand-side, so I’d recommend making it really obvious what your content niches are.
Creators who made it obvious are the ones who ended up in the campaigns, those who were too broad would fly over our radar. Tagging things related to their niche was really helpful!
How do creators stand out when pitching?
As I say, we're juggling a lot brand side, so the easier and more obvious you can make your pitch, the better. Creators who stood out would reach out to me directly via email—somehow finding my contact—and send a deck that clearly laid out, "This is what I do. I’ve noticed you’ve done something similar before, and here’s how I’d fit into your campaign." That level of clarity and relevance really made them stand out. Easiest pick in the world!
Red flags make you hesitate to work with a creator?
Quality is a big one. In every role I’ve been in, we’re always looking for well-shot content that aligns with the brand image. Bonus points for content edited in an exciting way! When a brand has millions of followers across social media, anyone they collaborate with needs to be a good fit. If you’re a creator pitching to a brand, make sure your content is great quality, creative and aligns with that brand’s image.
The second might be obvious, but anything extremely controversial or offensive should be kept offline. It's difficult to tell anyone not to be themselves or to avoid certain topics, but brands often want to steer clear of potential backlash that could come from controversial content.
How did you secure a DJ gig with L'Oréal?
I got in touch with L'Oréal when they were looking for DJs, and I fit perfectly into what they wanted. I love to wear makeup while DJ'ing and have previously DJ'ed for other makeup and fashion brands. When I connected with them, it just made sense!
What advice would you give creators experiencing imposter syndrome when pitching to brands?
It’s a mindset shift—understanding that no one really knows what they’re doing. We often think that someone 15 years ahead of us has it all figured out, but the truth is, everyone faces challenges and uncertainties.
Sit in that discomfort. But after that, remember what you bring to the table and communicate your value. Whether it's the fact you've grown your TikTok to 100k+ followers or built your community from scratch.
Imposter syndrome essentially comes from believing you’re not meant to be there - but remember, this didn’t happen by chance. Never forget the reason you’re at the table.
How do you figure out what to charge brands?
If you’re feeling unsure, ask others in your industry. Knowing this will put you at ease and give you the confidence to ask for similar rates, if not more. I’d also say to ask a mix of women and men (unfortunately the gender pay-gap is still a thing), as well as people with or without management. Rates can differ, so the more you know, the better you can price yourself.
Then be unapologetic about your rate. You’re giving brands access to a community, skill or important service that they need. Don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth.
Asking industry friends what they charge
When I started DJ'ing for larger brands, I asked a group chat of female DJs what I should charge for one of my first gigs. They suggested a number that sounded great. Then I reached out to a DJ friend who had been in the industry for 15 years, and he said 3x the amount. I was like, "What the heck?"—it was a figure I never would have dreamed of charging! I took a leap of faith and used his rate, expecting them to say no, but they agreed. Suddenly, that became my new rate!
Any game-changing tools, resources or networks creators should tap into?
I always recommend a book, it's more mindset related than a specific tool - "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway" by Susan Jeffers. I read it in my early 20s and it was game-changing.
I think a lot of being in the creative industry is being scared to do something and just pushing past it. Do one thing a day that scares you, whether it's pitching to a brand or going to that event alone.
In terms of actual tools, LinkedIn has been amazing for me. I started posting on there for fun but it has since brought me so many opportunities. This week alone, I've been invited to speak at my old sixth form. Next week, I'll be on a panel speaking about social media and team building.
Finally, Chat GPT - I use it for everything!
Comentarios