How I Got Here: Marely Arias, Manager of Media Relations
What did you think you were going to be in elementary school / high school?
In elementary school, I remember watching all of Samantha Brown’s TV shows on the Travel Channel where she explored countries and hotels and knew at a young age that I wanted to be a journalist.
In high school, I got into fashion and thought I was going to be a writer working in New York City and my life playing out to be like Andy in the movie the Devil Wears Prada. This passion in high school led me to apply to Teen Vogue’s Fashion University where I traveled to New York twice to attend their programs to learn more about the business of fashion and editorial.
Did you study PR in college? If so, why? If not, what did you study?
To be honest, I had no idea what public relations was at the time and did not study it in college, but I did take a course on it.
At Florida State University, I majored in English under the track Writing, Editing, and Media and minored in Communications. During my second semester under the program and after stressful deliberation, I found myself wanting to focus more on my Communications minor. I decided to switch to Interdisciplinary Studies, which allowed me to create my own degree and study Communications, English, and Digital Media.
How did you make your way to Carve?
During my last semester at FSU, I moved back to South Florida and finished the rest of my degree online while interning for the first time at a PR agency. After having my first real-world PR experience, I wanted more. This internship led me to my first “big girl” job, which was actually across the hall from Carve! I had no idea.
My time across the hall was short-lived due to the pandemic. I applied to Carve not knowing that I previously worked a few feet away. [Carve CEO and Founder] David revealed that to me during my interview and also said that my previous supervisor put in a recommendation, and now, here I am.
What do you do today at Carve?
PITCH. PITCH. PITCH.
I’m currently transitioning into my new role as Manager of Media Relations and work across a variety of clients, from venture capital and enterprise technology to hospitality. My main priority is to develop and maintain relationships with the media and secure coverage for our client partners to position them as authorities and leaders in their respective space. My typical day is a mix of working with my team to define strategies and priorities, reaching out to media, and consistently communicating with our clients.
What is the coolest project you’ve ever worked on?
This is a hard one but I would have to say the recent project for New York Advertising Week with our client partner Mahi de Silva, Triller’s CEO. Our team secured a fireside chat for him kicking off the Great Minds stage. I booked the moderator (“Marketing Dive’s” Peter Adams), created a run of show, and finally met with Mahi in person (the pandemic had kept it virtual up to that point). Ad Age and Marketing Dive also covered the event. Seeing this entire opportunity come to life was a very exciting moment for me.
What is the career accomplishment you’re most proud of?
My journey with Carve. I started as an Account Coordinator, grew to Account Executive, and am now Manager of Media Relations. I’m most proud of my growth here at this agency and the team, mentorship, and environment that have helped me progress to where I am today.
What do you think your superpower is?
I read tarot cards. So, I think my superpower is my third eye, I’m very intuitive. I don’t know how to explain it, but I’m always trying to decipher what the universe is telling me.
What would you love to learn more about?
I’d love to learn more about influencers and creators and activating them on behalf of brands. The team here does such great work contributing to our client’s storytelling. I’d love to get closer to the entire process -- how do you negotiate and grow the relationships, how do you analyze the results, and more.