Meet John James Muller | PR Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with John James Muller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John James, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve always loved dreaming of ideas and working hard to make them become a reality; in practices related to life whether personal or professionally. So pursuing a career that was not cookie-cutter or black and white was something I always knew I would have to follow to be happy. I studed Communications in college, shout out FIU! Being able to ideate, develop and share client narratives and creative activations for brands, makes my work feel constantly evolving and never boring. My father had a career in the film industry so I grew up watching his career path, working on set with talent and constantly creating; I truly believe it played a part in my personal and professional self.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I have a PR agency – we represent (mostly fashion) clients that step outside the box and barriers, championing inclusivity, diversity and originality. When I started JJPR, I had already worked with agencies and clients that ranged from independent businesses to global fashion houses. I quickly saw that whether the client is a multi-million dollar fashion house or a small business that’s simply passionate about creating – not everyone has the ability and background to understand the 3 pillars of comms: branding, marketing and publicity. Aside from PR, which is typically how I market my services, I have a great passion for clever and strategic marketing. A recognizable logo, typeface and brand colors – mission driven partnerships – all of these facets play a part in creating a brand. I’ve spoken to dozens if not hundreds of brands, that end up not being a right fit for my time, attention and business; because, they may believe that creating a great product is all they have to do to garner recognition and don’t want to let go of the areas of their business where they lack in strengths. So I’ve made it my mission to work with like-minded clients that are established or at least have a great understanding of the process. We also get to work with an incredible network of fabulous story-tellers: the editors, writers and influencers we collaborate with make our work a lot of fun.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite thing about Miami is the endless landscape: the palm trees, the aquamarine waters, the white sandy beaches, the juxtaposition of deco and modern architecture – so my go-to is always outdoorsy spots. For shopping, I think Bal Harbour offers a fabulous shopping and culinary experience (not to mention great people watching if you get an outdoor table at Carpaccio or Le Zoo – you can watch all the fab housewives strutting in their platforms – it’s a sight, I promise). The surrounding neighborhoods of Surfside, North Beach, Buena Vista and Miami Shores offer some great wholesome spots to grab a bite and a quiet alternative to the other bustling areas of Miami. Lastly, while Wynwood feels a little too bustling on the weekend’s – there are some great spots, the speakeasy bar Dante’s Hifi is great for a late-night drink and there’s a ton of great restaurants (shout out Uchi, KYU, Doya) to name a few.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I couldn’t talk about my career without my foundation – we have all been at the beginning of our story whether an intern or an entirely different career path – people (and experiences) lead us to places we never could have imagined. For me, I’m grateful to call my on-going colleague, Tiziana, a friend, as well. 10+ years ago, she created a platform and brought me in to oversee PR. Over the last 10 years, we’ve worked on dozens of projects together. Her strength and talent in branding and marketing have taught me innumerable qualities that I apply to my day-to-day work. The projects we have worked on together have led to the growth of my professional background and applications.

Website: www.johnjamespr.com

Instagram: johnnyjames

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnjamesmuller/

Image Credits
Gabriela Gabrielaa, Getty Images