What Your Halloween Costume Says About You: PR Edition
With spooky season upon us, I felt compelled to take this opportunity to broach an important issue that we simply don’t talk about enough: Halloween costumes. More specifically, the Halloween costumes that we choose—and how they correspond to our (work) personalities.*
With that, here’s what your go-to Halloween costume says about you: PR edition…
Mummy: If you like to dress up as a mummy, you’re the type of PR person who prefers to keep your media contacts under wraps. Just when everyone thinks a pitch is dead, you’re able to bring it back to life and score a big story for the client. Also, though it hasn’t been officially proven, you definitely played a big role in the 2020 toilet paper shortage.
Cat Ears and an All-Black Outfit: Around this time of year, you find yourself constantly debating if it’s time to swap out your iced coffee for hot coffee. You also always look incredible for client meetings and own at least two black turtlenecks. As to why you like to dress up as a cat, it’s simple, really. Most of the clothes you own are black anyway, so you just grab some items from your closet, pop into a Halloween store for some cat ears, and call it a day. One last thing about you: you’re a crisis communications champ…most likely because you feel like you’ve already lived nine lives.
Angel or Devil: You are, without a doubt, the one who encourages the client dinner, drinks with coworkers, and other outings to go on juuuust a few minutes (read: hours) longer. Whether you choose to dress up as an angel or devil makes little difference—because in your day job, you’re somehow a perfect combination of both. You’re always able to see both sides of an issue, and you don’t take decision-making lightly. Rather, you’re the person who puts a lot of thought into something before taking immediate action, and you’re known for providing excellent counsel to even the most indecisive of clients.
Skeleton: You are the BACKBONE of your company; nay, you’re the foundation that holds it all together. Literally. You’re a no muss, no fuss kind of PR person, and people love that about you. Among other things, you’re known for being able to deliver the most on even the smallest of budgets. If a client asks you for 20 media hits on a pitch, you give ‘em 206. That’s a bones joke.
Pop Culture Character (from Your Favorite Movie / TV Show / etc.): You’re the kind of person who leaves their desk to quickly fill their water bottle and somehow ends up spending 20+ minutes chatting in the kitchenette with your coworkers. You are the human equivalent of a water cooler. People gather around you. You also have great rapport with clients, and you’re the one who remembers to ask them about their kid’s eighth grade soccer tournament in a super genuine and non-contrived way. Finally, you’re the source of TV and podcast wisdom among your colleagues…and we thank you.
Decade-Themed Outfit (20’s, 60’s, 80’s, 90’s, etc.): You love a good throwback and the phrase “kicking it old school.” You’re a ride-or-die fan of press releases, which will always have a special place in your heart. Moreover, you’re the person who’s always encouraging people to just pick up the phone and call reporters. (“It’s just a phone call, you guys!”) You’re also known for personalizing every pitch you send—and it works. Finally, you’re the one that people turn to for advice on how to get ahead in the industry; and on an unrelated note, you’re also somehow always the person who ends up controlling the playlist at the holiday party.
Your Favorite Athlete: You love corporate lingo, and you have a knack for doing your job well with an added touch of swag. You say things like “audible” instead of “pivot” when you’re talking about the need to switch things up and try different approaches to get the job done. You’re also always down for a little bit of friendly competition, and you’re the organizer-in-chief behind each year’s March Madness brackets and Super Bowl pool. Another great thing about you: you’re the go-to person for planning company happy hours…but, of course, not on the days when your team is playing.
Witch / Wizard: If you’re being honest with yourself, you’d much rather be at home wearing cozy stuff and either becoming one with your Kindle or posting a 20-part TikTok series about why physical books are, and always will be, superior. If you’re the latter person, you’ve definitely opened up a book just to inhale that new novel scent. (Also, friendly reminder to read those books that have been collecting dust on your shelf for months). Thanks to your love of fantasy and world-building, your peers see you as an absolute creative wiz who understands the magic behind casting a truly spectacular spell pitch.
Professional (Doctor / Nurse / Mail Delivery Person / Cop / Firefighter / etc.): You have an innate ability to quickly and effectively take the pulse of any room or meeting you’re in—and make smart decisions on the fly. You’re also not afraid of a messy situation. Like our feline friends, crisis comms is your calling, and you’re a total pro at putting out fires. Crowds don’t intimidate you, which is why you’re able to navigate any event with ease. Furthermore, when someone needs to find a reporter’s phone number ASAP, you’re on it. And just to flex, you also share the listing for the house they bought in 2021 (with a finished basement!!). Sometimes, though, you get a little too wrapped up in the chaos. So make sure to remind yourself every now and then of the classic adage: “It’s PR, not ER.”
Truly Scary (Creepy Makeup / Clown / etc.): Your the one who notices that this sentence uses the wrong your. You’re into the details, and you’re meticulous. Personally, you’d never enter a dark room or basement without doing your due diligence. By the time you show up to a dark entryway, you’re equipped with a flashlight, a metal bat, and at least one other person to back you up. And you’re the exact same way with your job. By the time you’ve arrived at a conference, you already have a plan for which reporters you’re going to target, and your client has been prepped – and then some – for their fireside chat.
Punny Costume: When there’s a client in need of a byline, you’re the person people turn to. You’re A+ at your job. Magnificent, even. And everyone you work with loves you and thinks you’re great at all of the things. You also have the best sense of humor, but you’re totally humble about it. These traits have absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the person writing this loves a good pun costume. To repeat: there’s no bias here whatsoever. Just stating really obvious and universally agreed-upon facts.
No Costume: You’re the scariest one of them all. I’m scared of you. You are the human equivalent of the 13th floor in a building. When people seeing you walking towards them, they’re convinced you’re about to tell them that they’re going to die in seven days. When you smile, it’s less Julia Roberts in front of a jewelry box, and more Jack Nicholson grasping at a door and saying, “Here’s Johnny.” You’re the last person anyone wants to make a big mistake in front of, but you’re also practically omniscient, which means that you’re absolutely essential to helping your company and clients succeed. We need you, but we fear you.
Happy Halloween! 
*Note: This post was written in good fun. It is a reflection of the author’s thoughts, and not of Prosek’s opinions as a firm.