Fashion and the love for African prints is on the rise globally, and Ghanaian Fashion Publicist Faith Senam Ocloo (pictured) is determined to play her part in ensuring the continued growth of fashion in Africa.
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Founder of E’April Public Relations, Senam spoke to Face2Face Africa about her decision to become a fashion publicist, “I chose fashion PR, because I noticed that businesses in this industry lack the exposure and advancement needed to gain the desired attention simply because there aren’t many PR firms specialized in this industry.
“Fashion in sub-Saharan Africa is beginning to receive global attention, hence my decision to 
focus on Fashion PR to support those doing great and exceptional work and offer them the kind of exposure that will live on forever. [My focus is] a kind of public relations specifically designed to offer opportunities to young businesses who crave resources to grow their fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and artistic brand. Every business needs PR and the fashion industry is no exception.”
Therefore, her Accra-based PR agency handles product brand promotions and strategies, publicity, social media management, press releases, and product development. E’April Public Relations also performs customized product and personality branding in order to give clients a competitive advantage.
“Social media and publicity work hand in hand, thus making social media very relevant to me as a PR specialist. I can’t live without a Smartphone or Internet because I believe a lot happens on the World Wide Web every second. Brands are reaching millions of their targets every now and then, [and] Incorporating social media and traditional public relations tools maximizes brand visibility and growth and that is certainly the future trend for the fashion Industry.”
Ocloo’s agency was launched in April 2012 on a part-time basis until mid-2013, when it was fully rolled out to serve as a platform to promote and publicize businesses in the fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and arts industries in Ghana and beyond. It has a workforce of four employees who work in various capacities to meet client demands.
“I will say it hasn’t been easy starting a solely fashion PR agency here in Ghana. My foremost hurdle is having to sell the whole idea of public relations to potential clients, especially in the fashion industry where many are perceived not to be making enough income to engage the services of a PR firm.
“Most of them are skeptical about the relevance of PR to their business and think it’s only the reserve for large corporations with huge budgets. Nonetheless, PR is essential to every business, be emerging or established.
And for Ocloo, the future for her and her company is only getting brighter, “E’April PR is here to bring that exposure to those businesses through publicity, promotions, and development. We are ready to offer the most-dynamic and result-driven communication strategies for our fashion clients in Ghana, Africa, and beyond.
“[Ultimately,] I believe that when you love what you do and [are] passionate about it, you will work hard to surmount every hurdle that comes along [your way].”
Ocloo holds a degree in Strategic Communications (Public Relations and Advertising) from the African University College of Communications.
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