We tell artists’ stories while navigating a rapidly changing media landscape, securing quality coverage across print, online media and podcasts.
Founded by Katerina Marka in 2023 —strong of over twenty years working for major labels and agencies— Reception PR is an independent publicity agency at the intersection between music and the broader arts. Our clients include ArtUltra and the Queer Archive. Katerina's approach prioritises storytelling. Her background in visual culture and documentary programming complements her publicity work, emphasising research and audience connection.
Our story
In 2003, while completing a master's in media, Katerina started her music publicity and marketing career at OutsideLine, one of the earliest companies specialising in online PR. Here, she assisted on campaigns for an eclectic array of musicians including Amy Winehouse, Scissor Sisters, the Killers, Bananarama, Girls Aloud, to Queen.
She left to set up Mercury Record’s first online publicity arm, where she planned and executed online campaigns for icons of the entertainment industry, including Rihanna, Jay-Z, Elton John, Metallica, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, as well as launching emerging artists and landing them coveted slots across a wealth of titles. Other projects she worked on include: The Killers, TV On The Radio, Razorlight, Mars Volta, Arcade Fire, Jake Bugg, Chase & Status, Alessia Cara, Alma, Big Sean, Pusha T, Kavinsky, Noisettes Noah and The Whale, Johnny Flynn, Patrick Wolf, Porter Robinson, Placebo, and a zeitgeist-defining campaign for Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange.
As Mercury merged with Virgin EMI, Katerina quickly rose up the ranks in her seven years at the label, carving out a playful approach to PR. ‘You’ve got to have fun with it, to collaborate. If you really get to know the artists, you’ll understand the music and the messaging.’
Through her long-term evolving relationships with artists, she has formulated and executed exciting and adaptable press plans. She became acting head of publicity at Virgin EMI for a year, where she worked closely with radio, TV, and digital departments, managed the press department and oversaw strategy across publicity campaigns for the entire roster (Lewis Capaldi, CHVRCHES, Lorde, Chemical Brothers, Loyle Carner, Olivia Dean, Shania Twain, Jessie Ware, etc.)
Soon after that, she was promoted to Head of Online Publicity at Virgin EMI records, now EMI Records, and worked on campaigns for Remi Wolf’s debut album, Jenny Lewis, Vince Staples, Jords, Nile Rodgers, Jamie T, Soft Play, MNEK, Marika Hackman, Tom Jones, Crowded House, MasterPeace, Collard, Emeli Sandé, Jamiroquai, Rapsody, and more….
In 2023, she joined Imran Malik publicity as Head of Publicity, bringing in her expertise to an incredible roster such as: Offset, Summer Walker, J Hus, SZA, NAO, A$AP Rocky, NoName, 6LACK, and introducing some her own artists: Remi Wolf, Jenny Lewis, Jords, Amahla, Bien Et Toi and more.
While every campaign is unique, ‘the music always comes first’ says Katerina. ‘It has to have something to grab you, to get your attention. You have to present something that you believe in.’ She likens a successful publicity campaign to a recipe. ‘There’s so many different elements that go into it. The music is key, then you want to tell a story of who the artist is, why they matter.’
Katerina's passion for visual culture is deeply rooted, almost inevitable, given her upbringing next to her dad's cinema in a small Greek town. Sneaking in to watch films from a young age, the cinema became her second home. Beyond the realm of music publicity, Katerina channels her storytelling skills, honed through a master's in visual anthropology, into the world of documentaries. Her journey led her to work as the program director at the London International Documentary Festival for three years (in 2009). Here, she curated film selections, and in the subsequent years, she contributed to the programming of Sheffield Doc Fest. Drawing parallels between her documentary work and publicity campaigns, Katerina has the same approach: do the research, find the story, and connect with the audience.