inside/out, one of the UK’s leading entertainment publicity agencies, is pleased to announce the appointment of Elspeth Merry as the company’s first Head of Publicity. Elspeth began her career at inside/out before spending four years at Island Records, rising through the ranks and managing publicity campaigns for breakthrough artists and global superstars including Sigrid, Sports Team, Post Malone and Ariana Grande.

Elspeth will work closely with inside/out’s Founding Directors Chloe Melick and Adrian Read to manage a growing team of publicists delivering award-winning campaigns. She will also bring a roster of her existing clients to the agency including BBC Music Sound of 2018 winner Sigrid and 2020 Mercury Prize shortlisted Sports Team. In addition, Elspeth is a co-founder of Her Hustle, the women’s career platform lifting the veil on the world of work and empowering freelancers and founders to pursue the career they want, on their own terms. Her Hustle believes that everyone should have the opportunity to build a career combining passion, purpose and financial freedom, and democratises access to the information and resources you need to get there.

In recent years inside/out has managed publicity campaigns for two UK number 1 singles and albums by Lady Gaga; the biggest selling UK artist album of 2018 and award-winning podcasts from George Ezra; the 2018 Mercury Music Prize winners Wolf Alice; the 2018 Mercury Prize-nominated album and best selling autobiography by Lily Allen; the BBC Sound of 2020 and 2020 BRIT Award Rising Star-shortlisted Beabadoobee; the Guardian & Independent album of 2018 by Christine and the Queens; the 2020 Mercury Prize shortlisted album by Anna Meredith and the acclaimed return of Robyn - a top 5 LP everywhere from the Guardian to Q to Dazed.

Alongside its award-winning artist campaigns, the agency has worked on projects for clients including Fender, Playstation, Green Man Festival, the NME Awards, Latitude Festival, the AIM Awards and Somerset House, as well as artist-adjacent campaigns including Robyn’s Bjorn Borg clothing range; Yung Lean and the Sad Boys various fashion collaborations; WARP’s 30th Anniversary; George Ezra’s podcasts and Mind charity events; and more.

Elspeth is the latest addition to the inside/out team, following the arrivals of Senior Publicist Isis O’Regan from Worldwide Friendly Society Communications, and Publicists Rachael Chinery from Columbia Records and Thomas Sloman from Practise Music,  in the past 18 months.

Elspeth Merry, inside/out Head of Publicity: 

“I started my career in music PR at inside/out, so it felt natural to come back to where it all began, but this time as ‘head', not intern. You could say I have come full circle;  only slightly older, maybe wiser, an amazing major label experience behind me and the privilege to work with artists whose music and vision I truly believe in. inside/out is constantly innovating while adapting with the changing press landscape, and growing an incredible team I now have the joy of working with. 

Chloe and Adrian are the best in the business at what they do, so when they asked me to join the team in the newly created position, I had to say yes. In a time when the value of words and in-depth storytelling is sometimes undermined, it is our job to show that truly brilliant PR can change public perception and inform an artists narrative throughout their career.”

Chloe Melick, inside/out Founding Director:

“It’s a privilege and an honour to have Elspeth return to inside/out as Head Of Publicity. She’s without doubt one of the most intelligent, thoughtful and exciting publicists we’ve encountered in recent times. Elspeth shares our core values and the desire to build an industry that fosters inclusivity and diversity both internally and externally across all our campaigns and everything we do. Elspeth is going to be a hugely important part of the business as Adrian and I continue to grow and diversify inside/out over the next few years. Exciting times ahead!”

Adrian Read, inside/out Founding Director: 

“Chloe and I knew from the day we first met Elspeth that she was destined to become one of the leading lights in the industry. In the years since she left us for Island Records she has gone on to deliver on that promise and more, not only through her publicity campaigns but also through her work with Her Hustle. We are beyond thrilled to be bringing her back home to inside/out as the agency’s first Head of Publicity. 

It has been a tough six months for the industry, but the whole inside/out team have adapted brilliantly to the challenges of working during a pandemic and we’re proud to say that we’ve continued to deliver industry-leading campaigns and grow the business further. Now, with a visionary and inspiring new Head of Publicity on board we’re ready to continue that upwards trajectory and be ready to adapt to the challenges and opportunities that the coming months and years will bring.”