So, what’s in a name and who cares what an organisation is called? Well, since we launched Camarilla Group in 2018 we’ve found the answer to both questions to be ‘quite a lot’!
We’ll be honest from the outset, we really like the word Camarilla. It rolls off the tongue, and it’s different and not commonly used in modern language. It also has meanings that we find really interesting for the world of communications, meanings we can play around with which provide an interesting back story and can be taken as very ‘tongue in cheek and a bit naughty.’
If you type into Google, what is Camarilla you get the response, ‘a small group of people, especially a group of advisers to a ruler or politician, with a shared purpose.’ We think that sums up what good communications professionals should be, namely, on hand to their clients, offering advice and helping them shape a shared vision or purpose that can be disseminated to the wider world.
It’s when you delve deeper and use everyone’s trusted friend, Wikipedia, that the devilment of the word Camarilla comes to the fore and which we found particularly interesting.
Wikipedia states: “a Camarilla is a group of courtiers or favourites who surround a king or ruler. Usually, they do not hold any office or have any official authority at the royal court but influence their ruler behind the scenes… A similar concept in modern politics is that of a kitchen cabinet, which is often composed of unelected advisers bypassing traditional government practices.”
In other words, a Camarilla was in effect a group of the first spin doctors, who influenced behind the scenes in the background, out of view, in the shadows.
Whilst we are not saying we are spin doctors and lurk in dark recesses, we do feel that communications professionals should advise clients and let them be the story. Too many PRs make themselves the story and grab for headlines, always looking to justify their existence and massage their own egos.
Well, at Camarilla Group we can assure you, we prefer you to be in the limelight and for us to help you get there. It’s worked for our team for many years for a broad sector of clients.
So, what’s in a name? For Camarilla, trusted advisers that will help and work closely with clients to develop and disseminate a shared and consistent vision!