of Counsel
Jackie Thomson’s career journey is one of seamless transitions, from the fashion world of GUCCI and Reem Acra to the dynamic landscape of public relations. After co–owning the boutique PR firm Leapfrog for over a decade, she founded of Counsel, a consultancy dedicated to elevating brands in fashion, interiors, and lifestyle. With a hands–on approach and a keen eye for storytelling, Jackie and her team partner with female–founded businesses to craft compelling narratives and market positioning strategies. In this conversation, she shares insights into her career, the evolving PR landscape, and the creative energy that fuels her work in Charleston and beyond.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF?
I am from Annapolis, Maryland and my father was a big sailor, so we’d visit cities along the East Coast accessible by boat and Charleston was always a favorite of my family’s. I went to college here, then moved to New York City for my first real job with GUCCI. I was a buyer for their US stores and,
“it was a nice marriage of creative and quantitative, which suits my brain well.”
After a few years in the city I decided to move back to Charleston and landed with a boutique lifestyle PR firm called Leapfrog which was founded by Anne Pope (a Charleston native) who was a brilliant boss and someone who I learned so much from. She decided to let go of the business and offered my co–worker, Libba Osborne, and I to take over the company. It was exciting and terrifying — but, the summer that I was getting married and she was having her first baby, we went all in and ran it together for 13 years.
Libba’s focus was always in the food and culinary space while mine was in style and design, so we decided to part ways so we could focus on our respective areas of expertise in January of 2022.
Can you tell us a bit about your journey from fashion to the world of public relations?
While working at GUCCI, and later with designer Reem Acra,
“I always watched the PR teams and how organic press placements could change public perception.”
Whether it was celebrity fittings, runway shows, editorial shoots, or magazine features, there was a backdrop of storytelling to fit the brand narrative that gave life to the product.
How has your approach to consultancy evolved as you moved from co–owning leapfrog to founding of Counsel?
My goal with of Counsel was to create a small team to act as an extension of the businesses we represent. We love to dig in and help with everything related to brand development and building awareness and a strong social presence.
“Of Counsel is known for its hands–on, collaborative work.”
How do you maintain that level of involvement while managing multiple projects and clients?
Many times I feel as if my head is literally spinning, but we only choose clients who genuinely interest us and who we would engage with outside of work, so that makes it feel interesting and authentic. We do have a common thread that weaves together all of our clients, they are female founders who are creatives with brands that appeal to an elevated consumer who appreciates good design.
Captured by Patricia Lyons Photography for Garden & Gun
How do you tailor your strategies to fit YOUR diverse range of clients?
The thing that makes this fairly easy is the common denominator of publications, writers, creators and tastemakers who appreciate the design of our clients, so our roster of who we are communicating with consistently remains.
What are some of the key elements you focus on when developing market positioning for your clients?
“We like to pinpoint three unique value propositions, identify key photography needs and hone in on who the ideal customer is.”
Looking at my psychographic elements that inform how we best communicate a brand story and on which medium.
Charleston is known for its rich cultural and creative scenes — how does the city’s character influence your work, and do you see it reflected in the brands you represent?
I do — we always say that we’ll only work with kind people and the South kind of breeds this. We all work very hard, but we know how to play and have loads of fun, too! Charleston is also sophisticated, design–minded and full of history (and stories) that make it both complicated and beautiful. I love this complexity and many of our brands are so nuanced, as well.
With the rise of digital media and influencers, how have you navigated changes in the PR industry, and how have they shaped your work at of Counsel?
We adopted this pretty early, in relation to other PR firms, so it all has been baked into our strategy for 8+ years. We’ve always had a strong blogger community and today, the creators here have skyrocketed, so we are well positioned to build meaningful relationships with them, which is so critical.
Captured for Shop Buru x Palm Beach Lately
Can you tell us a bit about your work with The Southern Coterie?
Yes, we’ve been working with the founders since they had the idea for this digital community. A few early Summits were held in Charleston and we had a hand in bringing local founders together for those events and continue to shape the programming and strategy for their Summits and Retreats, which are always so invigorating to attend.
What are some common challenges you see young female entrepreneurs face, and how do you help address them through this organization?
I think that creatively minded people generally don’t know how to promote themselves or how to build a sustainable PR strategy so we love partnering with them to navigate this long-term relationship. We have so much objectivity from working and collaborating with various brands, founders, photographers, creators and more so our network really works for everyone who we represent.
Can you tell us about one of your favorite projects or collaborations since launching of Counsel?
“I seem to have a love/hate relationship with events as they are so rewarding, yet so stressful to perfectly execute!”
I can’t name one — that’d be like choosing my favorite child!
Captured by Dylan Chandler for Amanda Lindroth Design
What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own PR consultancy?
I would suggest first working for a bigger agency or firm to really build a network, see how things are done, and establish a little bit of a reputation first. You will then be more valuable to the brands who seek your partnership.