Hi, I'm Nikki Barron, PR Strategist, Graphic Designer, & Founder of Casita Azul.
I’ve worked exclusively in public-interest and politics since 2020, but my communications career spans tech, media, entertainment, nonprofit, fashion, and more.
By my own accounting, I’ve done just about every kind of job. I’ve waited tables, tended bar, sold radio, pulled dents, raised money, managed events... well you get the idea.
That’s because I am curious to the point of occupational hazard. But, I’d argue the accumulation is its own kind of expertise.
Every job taught me something about people, and all of it informs how I approach my work.
The longer I work in public relations, the more it reminds me of waiting tables.
If you’ve ever had to turn over an 18-top on a Sunday afternoon in the bible belt, you know there is absolutely a technique to stacking plates.
You learn how to scrape and consolidate without making a ruckus, how to balance the silverware so it doesn’t slide, and constantly surprised at how much you can balance on one arm. But no matter how many tables you've bussed, the plates never stack exactly the same way twice.
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And, sometimes you launch a tray of dirty silverware on the lap of a very expensive looking man sitting with the Judds...
True story...
What I'm getting at is, surviving a brunch shift requires being able to quickly and accurately read a situation, think on your feet, and get creative when you end up in the weeds.
I approach public relations pretty much the same way.
Make it visual.
People understand ideas better when they can picture them. Whether through words or creative, make the idea easy to visualize.
What I know to be true about Public Relations
What I know to be true about Public Relations
Make it visual.
People understand ideas better when they can picture them. Whether through words or creative, make the idea easy to visualize.
Say what only you can say.
“I’m a proven leader” is hard to argue with because it doesn't actually mean anything. A claim is always going to be more compelling when its concrete enough to be wrong and an element of what makes it true is the person saying it.
Show, don't just tell.
Anyone can make a claim. Showing the evidence, action, or behavior lets people reach the conclusion for themselves.
Specificity creates meaning.
The more specific, the easier to recognize yourself, and being able to see yourself in a candidate or campaign is a lightening rod for connection.
Tension attracts attention.
Tension isn't always a bad thing, the right kind and amount at the right time can be a powerful invitation.
Strategic does not automatically equal inauthentic.
Being strategic isn't the same as being manipulative, it is about being thoughtful. If anything, I would say it actually makes you more authentic.
Square pegs don't fit in round holes.
You can't just copy and paste a strategy from one person, organization, or campaign onto another and expect to get the same results. Believe me, sometimes I wish it really was that simple.
Some questions I get asked frequently.
Are you an agency or a single person?
Both! While strategy, vision, and a lot of the actual production is done by me (Nikki), I have a network of specialists I works with on a regular basis.
Can you work alongside our current political Public Relations firm?
Casita Azul Creative works with political consulting and public relations firms that need additional creative capacity, whether that’s taking on a single project, handling overflow during election season, or providing specialized services their existing team doesn’t offer.
Can I hire you full-time?
I'm pretty open to all kinds of working relationships. If you are looking to hire a fulltime employee, under the right circumstances, that is possible. I'm also comfortable acting as your full-time creative department on a contract basis or for a one off project.
Can I hire you for one design or project vs. an ongoing contract?
Of course. You don’t need to sign a long-term contract because you need a mail piece, a website update, or a set of digital ads.
Casita Azul takes on individual projects as well as larger communications engagements. We also work with existing consultants and agencies, so there’s no need to rearrange your whole team to bring us in.
What’s the difference between public relations strategy and communications strategy?
There’s a lot of overlap, and people use the terms differently.
Communications strategy is the broader plan for what an organization needs to communicate, to whom, and why.
Public relations strategy focuses more specifically on relationships, reputation, public understanding, and how an organization engages with the people and institutions around it.
In practice, the two work together. A good strategy should also account for how the ideas will actually be communicated, not just what the organization wants people to think.
What’s the difference between a political communications designer and a graphic designer?
Graphic design is just one tool in a communication designers toolbox.
A communications designer looks at the larger communications goals: What are we trying to communicate?
Who needs to understand it?
What’s getting in the way?
And what combination of words, visuals, and formats will get the job done?
Sometimes the answer is a graphic. Sometimes it’s a website, a video, a better explanation, or a completely different approach to the problem. So