The Power of Taste: How GVT Is Redefining the Art of Modern PR
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
In an age of endless acronyms, GVT is more than just Gabrielle Vera Thompson’s initials. It signals a founder at the forefront of modern public relations.
She is exactly what comes to mind when you think of a New York PR founder: bold, thoughtful, and entrepreneurial.
I first connected with Gabrielle after cold-emailing one of her clients for my blog. She took the time to respond with care, and that single interaction led to multiple stories across her portfolio.
In an industry that moves fast, Gabrielle stands out for slowing down where it matters. When I saw her announce the launch of GVT Agency on LinkedIn, I knew her story was one worth telling.
1. What is your career journey?
My path into PR started through photography, a hobby that led me to study Journalism at UNC Chapel Hill.
During school, I held internships in social media and event planning, along with a fashion PR internship at Cynthia Rowley, which introduced me to the industry. I was also the Photography Director for my college’s fashion magazine, Coulture, which really shaped my interest in fashion and beauty.
After graduating, I moved to New York and began freelancing with Famous Last Words PR, working on Essentia Water. I then joined Allyson Conklin PR, where I worked across beauty and interior design clients, before moving to CKPR. There, I spent four years growing into a director role, working on brands such as Victoria Beckham Beauty, La Bonne Brosse, Ladurée, and Selima Optique, many of which were French, which felt especially fitting given my background in the language.
Throughout that time, I continued taking on freelance clients through mentors and personal connections, which allowed me to develop my own perspective and approach to PR.
This month, I launched my own agency, GVT, something that’s been quietly building over the years.
2. What makes GVT different from other public relations agencies?
Taste and intention.
My team and I are incredibly thoughtful about how a brand shows up; who’s talking about it, where it lives culturally, and how we build meaningful relationships around it, not just quick wins. PR can sometimes feel transactional, but we approach it as long-term brand building. It’s about creating resonance through storytelling, community, and the right partnerships so that momentum compounds over time.
3. How do you best represent your clients?
It always starts with deep collaboration and truly understanding the brand, its values, its voice, and its goals.
From there, everything we do is rooted in credibility and trust. I only bring a brand to editors or potential brand partners if I genuinely believe in it.
Our approach is highly tailored. No two clients have the same strategy. It’s about finding the most authentic and effective way for each brand to show up and connect.
4. What advice would you give to students and young professionals who want to enter public relations?
It's cliché, but it's everything: network! Genuinely and consistently.
When I was starting out, I kept a “networking notebook” where I documented every conversation I had. I would reach out to people on LinkedIn, ask for 15 minutes of their time, and really just listen and learn.
Those conversations ultimately led to my first roles. Literally, the day I filled out the last page of that notebook was the day I received two freelance job offers. PR is such a relationship-driven industry, and the earlier you start building those connections, the better.
These days, Instagram has almost become an extension of that. It’s where I document things more organically, and where your personal brand really starts to take shape. Intentionality is everything to me, so I think about how I show up there just as thoughtfully, keeping it consistent, considered, and reflective of who I am.
5. What is the future of GVT?
We’re just getting started, which feels like the best part. I’m excited to grow the team and continue stepping into a leadership role. It’s really important to me that what I’m building feels both successful and kind.
PR can sometimes feel overly transactional, but I truly believe you can lead with integrity, be a good person, and still build something meaningful. That’s what I want GVT to be.
