Having a head office six hours ahead of you always guarantees plenty of stimulating reading, waiting to be replied to.
Geoff Day is the public relations man behind New York’s biggest week in fashion.
As the Director of Communications at Mercedes-Benz USA, Day is responsible for corporate communications strategies and initiatives for the company’s United States operations, including media relations for product, brand and corporate communications, internal communications and special events.
The always-dapper Day oversees national communication around the brand’s title sponsorship, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in both New York and Miami.
During the event, Day will host industry insiders, celebrities, social VIPs and international media in the Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge. He also promotes the brand supporting initiatives involving the Mercedes-Benz Presents designer program, a collaboration with Germany to promote the brand’s overall international fashion efforts in the United States.
Day doesn’t let the many demands of working to create captivating public relations campaigns at the premier high-fashion venue in the United States get to him.
In fact, he’s in his element.
7:00 a.m.
Woken up by my chocolate lab Magic for his first meal of the day. His stomach is better than any alarm clock I know. Quick trip to Central Park, via Starbucks on 73 Street and Columbus Avenue for his morning ‘comfort break’ and a chance to read the overnight Blackberry messages. Having a head office six hours ahead of you always guarantees plenty of stimulating reading, waiting to be replied to.
9:00 a.m.
Check the news and what’s happening around the world. The New York Times, Automotive News, Mercedes-Benz news articles and TMZ.com, of course.
9:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
I spend three-fourths of my time traveling to press drives, the world’s premier auto shows and Mercedes-Benz events both domestically and abroad. When I’m not on the road, I’m at the office getting caught up.
12:30 p.m.
Being British, I take lunch quite seriously. It’s an opportunity to take a measured break in the day for some time without smartphones or agendas. I catch up with the team, another colleague or at last resort, a journalist.
2:00 p.m.
Meetings, planning, strategizing.
6:00 p.m.
Post a Facebook update, send a tweet – not really my natural path of communication but I have found them to be terribly effective.
7:00 p.m.
Always an evening event. As sponsors of Fashion Week, the US Tennis Open, The Masters Golf championship and the James Beard Foundation, [we] usually host a dinner, function, opening or preview. Sometimes, I must cram all of the above into one night.
11:00 p.m.
A toss up between the news or The Nanny on Nick at Nite. Oh who am I kidding, Fran Drescher wins every time.
11:30 p.m.
The day closes much like it began with a final stroll around the block with Magic, a chance to take in the nocturnal ramblings of the Upper West Side. I turn off my Blackberry for the day and head into bed. A quick spritz of lavender water on my pillow – nature’s Ambien – and I am quickly dreaming of amazing adventures in exotic places, with wonderful cars and fascinating people. Oh wait, that’s not a dream that’s next week’s schedule.
