
Anais Smith
She/Her
Vice President, Public Relations & Marketing
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
Barbara JohnsonAnais brings more than 14 years of experience developing and executing brand strategies for numerous high-profile companies, talent, and events. With an extensive background in public relations and marketing for clients in hospitality, entertainment, and fashion, she brings a unique perspective and a fresh approach to her campaigns.
Anais has always had a passion for the hospitality industry and comes to af&co from bread & Butter, where she was Managing Director, overseeing the campaigns and teams across their West Coast offices (Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego and Portland). There, she directed public relations and promotional campaigns for clients including Horn Barbecue, Salt & Straw, sbe, Rasa Contemporary Indian, KAIYO, Teleferic Barcelona, San Francisco Proper, Burma Inc, High Proof (Last Rites, Horsefeather), BOKA Restaurant Group (Girl & The Goat LA, Cabra), Gracias Madre, Veggie Grill, JINYA Ramen, Puesto, King’s Seafood and many more.
Prior to bread & Butter, Anais was the national Director of Public Relations for EFG PR in Los Angeles, where she managed the PR and Influencer Marketing teams, and lead campaigns for clients such as Away Luggage, Farmhouse LA, This Bar Saves Lives, The Neon Carnival, SALT Restaurant & Bar, The Marina Del Rey Hotel, Nuit Blanche and more.
She spent time in Las Vegas as the Director of Public Relations, Nightlife & Events for Hakkasan Group, leading charge on US Hakkasan concepts and the strategic opening of OMNIA in Las Vegas and San Diego. Prior to that, she was at Syndicate Media Group in Los Angeles, heading public relations and marketing campaigns for hospitality clients including Soho House, Hakkasan Las Vegas and Beverly Hills, sbe, Nobu, Mr. C Beverly Hills, Morgans Hotel Group, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Russian Standard Vodka, Caliche Rum, Stillhouse Original Moonshine, evian, and many more.
After graduating from UCLA, Anais began her career in the music & comedy department of a major talent agency (ICM Partners), followed by talent publicity at R&CPMK, where she helped handle media strategies and award campaigns for A-List actors including Jon Hamm, Kirsten Dunst and Julianne Moore. Prior to her hospitality focus, Anais also helped to execute media campaigns for many high-profile events at R&CPMK, including the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, American Music Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards, and lifestyle brands such as Audi, Samsung and MAC Cosmetics.
When not cooking, dining out or traveling, Anais can be found volunteering with animals or spending time in the ocean, either scuba diving, snorkeling, or kayaking.