In April I get to start all over again; with this year I am 'Owning My Happiness'

 In April, I get to start all over again. 

The month of April which means "to open" or blossom always has a special effect on me. For me, its another opportunity to open up to the things that thought I couldn't achieve in the last year. To take new chances and live life again because I am only alive because He kept me alive. 

To others, birthdays are simply nothing than just any regular day but for me its a special day. I wait 365 days to get to experience this day. Don't forget its not everyone who gets the chance to live another day. 

The last year had been my most challenging year yet but I did learnt some few lessons because guess what, I came out better, stronger and more content.

• I'll please myself first 
• I'll never to regret any decision I make no matter the circumstances
• My happiness is a choice I must always choose to own
• Things happen for a purpose not for nothing
• Life isn't a race, its a journey I have already started and I will get to the intended desitination
• That being real to myself saves me from so much stress
• My purpose is totally different from anyone else
• Whatever is causing me to worry or be in pain right now won't be forever. Time heals. Things change and it will pass
• It's all about positivity

One thing I kept telling God throughout last year was not to put me to shame nor forsake me and He never did.  I'm immensely grateful for my new age because I am proud of what has become of the Faith Senam April who few years back was just a little girl with aspirations. 

Today, those aspirations are my reality, my smiles, my pain and my lessons and still my aspirations to be a better person making an impact.

This new year, I will be #OwningMyHappiness 

Thankful to all who never gave up on supporting and being there for me.

Green Gown: Zoya_233

Fascinators: YadeyJewelry

Photography: AnansePhotography

MUA: Pretty Touch_gh
Neckpiece: Egudzi 

Faith Senam Ocloo 
Fashion Public Relations 
Fashion I Beauty I Lifestyle I Arts

Collaborate to Stay Relevant in the Fashion Industry

Collaboration as a practice within the fashion industry has become an important value creating concept. Many times we have read and heard people talk about the power of collaboration and how important it is for fashion brands to collaborate yet have wondered how and why one should collaborate.  Most collaborations are business-driven pairings while some are friends teaming up and others are a group of creatives trying to be disruptive to a cause while expanding their reach. 

The fashion industry in Ghana is yet to fully witness exciting collaborations from brands even though we have witnessed a number of them from Designers, Makeup Artists, Creative Directors, Photographers and many other parties with the wedding space leading quite strongly. 

In recent times, we saw collaborations from Vlisco & Co made up of young and emerging designers and creatives such as Ushie, House of Paon and Kelvincent. Another remarkable collaboration was between Papa Oppong & Lawdin and host of other creatives in the For the Birds Presentation.

We also have Cross-brand which looks at collaboration across other industries and these collaborations have become an ideal way to speak to the visual and cultural complexity of today’s consumer who has so much options to choose from. With the fashion industry getting saturated all the time, collaboration could help you build greater ideas, strengthen relationships for future gains, serve as a win-win for all collaborators and also offer opportunities to share ideas and cost.

Builds Greater Ideas

When people come together with different areas of strength and expertise, they are able to create more ideas and work better. Once all parties are on the same page with regards to clear objectives and goals and dedicated towards the ultimate vision of the collaboration, they are most likely to build on initial ideas. That said, ideas can often get bigger than what is initially laid out which means as a collaborator one must be ready to create room for expansion and incorporation of bigger ideas when the need arises in order to achieve a much desired result.

Strengthens Relationship

Collaboration among brands cutting across different areas helps to build mutual relationship for a common goal. The period within which the campaign or project is being worked on provides room to learn from each other and better still build good relationships valuable for the future. When collaborations turn out well, brands are able to enjoy leads to future deals and referrals even when the same parties may not be part of it going forward.

Win-win for Collaborators

When brands collaborate, they transform a creative vision into something tangible and profitable for all parties. It becomes a win-win for each party involved to optimize the opportunity and tap into each other’s respective creative pool, client base and following.  Depending on the overall goal for the collaboration, it could drive sales action, generate buzz or create awareness for the project or campaign.

Exchange of Ideas and Cost Sharing

A lot of times when brands collaborate, there is the exchange of ideas across board which allows for collaborators to share their creativity, emotions and vision while learning from each other. It also offers the benefits of sharing the cost of production on the project or campaign as well as the risks associated with working alone.

For many designers and creatives looking to try out something new, explore collaborating with brands in other areas such as décor, furniture, music, lifestyle, technology etc. That said, ensure that you collaborate with individuals or companies whose brand image and target market matches yours and one you can work with to bring out the concept and vision just the way you intend to or possibly even better.

Faith Senam Ocloo
Fashion Public Relations
Fashion I Beauty I Lifestyle I Arts

Living It: Spotlight on PR Woman Delali Diana Amaglo

Name: Delali Diana Amaglo
Company/Position: Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited/Public Relations Officer

Describe your job in one sentence. 
It is challenging, fun, and most of all an eye opener every step of the way. 

How did you get into Public Relations; how long have you been in PR? 
I’ve been in PR steadily for almost two years. But I’ve also been in communication for the most part of my life without concentrating on a specific aspect. I finally decided to focus on PR because it is first of all an area of interest to me. Then I also realized how essential it is increasingly becoming to the survival of individuals and corporate bodies as a whole. So when I felt like a ‘’square peg in a round hole’’ in all the other fields and employments I’d been in, it dawned on me that it was time to do what I love to do best – Public Relations.

What is your interest/specialization in PR? 
I am usually interested in the Issues and Crisis Management part of PR. But my specialization will be in Strategic Communication and Negotiation. For now, I’m an all-rounder. 

What is a regular day for you as a PR Person? 
Every day comes with its own pressure. Sometimes, there is a lot of desk work to do. Other times, I’m out and about. There are usually unforeseen interjectory schedules but generally, I have a full plate. Busy you call it?

How do you think PR can help change how brands are perceived? 
I think no matter how well a brand is established or relatively quiet, if a brand decides to stay without any effective public relations effort,  it will take the public a longer time to understand the relevance of the brand to society. Therefore, a brand needs to be strategically propagated by a skillful PR person in order to gain the needed recognition. That notwithstanding, a brand could stay in obscurity or be known but not for its real reasons. Hence to gain the required understanding and long-term acceptance, the brand will need a creative and analytical thinker to prepare and convince the public to garner the necessary positive perception of whatever brand image it intends to put in the public domain.

What kinds of challenges do you face in your Public Relations career choice? 
Before I answer this I need to state that, Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited is a 100% Chinese owned company. It is also important to mention that China is a Communist Nation and this makes them very conservative across all spheres. In effect, the role I play is essential in bridging the communication gap between the conservative Chinese workforce I find myself with, their culture, work ethics and policies and the “extremely liberal” Ghanaian culture and work ethics.   The biggest challenge however is learning to understand the Chinese way of working and getting the Chinese to understand the acceptable way of working especially when it comes to PR and communication in Ghana. All other related issues usually take me through different phases of emotions - psychological and intellectual- but I eventually settle in. 

As a PR Professional, what can’t live without……?
I really can’t do without my phone, information (internal and external) and access to the internet. There is little information one can get access to without the internet.  And since PR thrives on information, it is only prudent to have a device that can afford you such convenience always. Besides, the internet is essential for the transmission of whatever information my attention is drawn to, in sending or receiving. It is therefore crucial to have these three. 

Do you feel pressured to dress well for the job? 
Pressured? No. Am i conscious of my appearance? Certainly! It is the number one thing for me. As a lady and a PR practitioner, my appearance speaks volumes.  It determines the level of attention I’m accorded at a first glance and the physical impression i leave on the minds of the people I encounter on the job as the face and representative of my company. Hence, there is no room for shabby dressing even if I’m not on official duty. Every day and place is a working environment for me as a PR practitioner, so i need to unapologetically look the part.

Any advice to young ladies especially African women who may want pursue a career in PR or any communications related field? 
Young ladies should disillusion themselves from the myth that PR is a walk over and anyone who speaks eloquently can be a PR practitioner. Again, PR is not a platform for lies and popularity contest. There is more to it than all that. It takes love, passion, selflessness, wisdom, a high sense of composure and professionalism to make a good PR practitioner. In effect, they should not try to take up a career in PR just to fill a void.

This is a series of interviews for Women in PR in Ghana (#WIPRgh). Its purpose is to bring the spotlight on such women and also serve as a resource for students in PR.

Faith Senam Ocloo
CEO

E’April Public Relations

Follow me on twitter @eaprilPR and @faithsenam

Living It: Spotlight on PR Woman Millicent Baku

Name:    Millicent Baku

Position/Company:    Public Affairs Officer/West Africa Examinations Council(WAEC)



Describe your job in one sentence: My job as a Public Affairs Officer and Head of Protocol at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Headquarters is a very challenging but also a very fulfilling role.

How did you get into Public Relations; how long have you been in PR? I did not set out to be in communication or public relations to be specific. I always knew I was good with words and for me that meant I needed to be a lawyer. After secondary education, I applied to Legon to do law but my application was late so instead of staying home for a year doing nothing, my father decided that I should enroll in a communication school. I listened to him and I loved the school and the course so much that I have no regrets in my choice. I am now in my 8^th year of working in Public Relations.

What is your interest/specialization in PR? I like public relations as a whole because I am good with people and I like seeing problems as challenges but the aspect of PR I find very fascinating is Persuasive Communication.

What is a regular day for you as a PR Person? Hmmm a regular day for me differs from day to day. Being responsible for 2 offices, PR and Protocol, I am always pulled in different directions. In PR, I have a boss who keeps me busy with a lot of writing and reading and in Protocol, I have to plan and luckily sometimes delegate the work. Right now, we have our annual conference coming up this March, this means planning every aspect of the conference, writing speeches and various reports etc. at the same time, I have to see to travel arrangements for delegates all over the member countries.

How do you think PR can help change how brands are perceived? When you call yourself, your product or service a brand, and no one gets to know about it, then the effort you used in branding was a complete waste. It is one thing to brand and another thing to communicate your brand to your audiences. This is where PR comes in to communicate effectively to your publics what your brand stands for and how different it is from others. This means that anyone looking to brand themselves or their business needs to employ PR skills and tactics or a PR specialist to get the job done effectively.

What kinds of challenges do you face in your Public Relations career choice? Besides the bureaucracy that goes on in the public sector, a lot of what we study about PR is theoretical and very different from what the actual job entails. Especially working for an examination body, you are faced with the challenge of balancing how much information the public should have while at the same time safeguard the integrity of the institution. This means being able to balance information flow among all stakeholders of the council. I have learned a lot on the job and have gained a lot of exposure within the past years.

As a PR Professional, what can’t you live without… the one thing I can’t live without is my brain and my gadgets (computer and phones). If I lose them my job is on stand still.

Do you feel pressure to dress well for the job?n From the very first day on the job, my CEO made me understand that as a Public Relations Professional I was automatically the face of my organization this meant that I had to be at my very best at all times – appearance, comportment etc. all inclusive. Fortunately, I always like to look my best because it gives me some kind of confidence. So no. there is no pressure except on my pocket.

Any advice to young ladies especially African women who may want pursue a career in PR or any communications related field? I will encourage more young ladies to venture into the world of PR and Communication because it is a very interesting field and one that will take you place if you let it. But to get to the top, you have to be well spoken, well read, develop excellent interpersonal relationship and skills and of course be ready to learn. No one can teach you confidence in the classroom. You can only be confident if you are knowledgeable in your field and you apply that knowledge to whatever you do.

Fashion Accessories with Yadey Jewelry

Looking good is becoming more and more important in our society today so is staying fashionable important to a lot of people too. One part of fashion that people are beginning to pay a lot of attention to is fashion accessories. Almost everyone is seen wearing any form of accessory at any point in time.

 Fashion accessories come in the form of necklace, bracelets, earrings, rings, fascinators, purses, handbags etc. They can be worn or carried with the intent to complement ones outfit. They are also used to draw attention to parts of ones overall look.

Yadey Jewelry is a lifestyle brand that specializes in fashion accessories for women of all ages. Whatever the occasion you are likely to find any accessory that will match yur outfit.

Each accessory from Yadey Jewelry is creatively designed to produce a distinct statement pieces using various types of beads.

Contact Yadey Jewelry on 024458380 and on facebook on Yadey Jewelry and bring out your outfit and style with the best accessories.

Accessories:  Yadey Jewelry

Model: Gold Models Agency

Photography: Sethphotography

CREATING A FASHION BRAND IDENTITY

It has become arguably relevant to truly understand your brand before creating a brand identity. As the fashion market place grows bigger, it’s becoming harder to set your brand apart and remain memorable to buyers, stylists, editors and customers. 

Creating a fashion brand identity will help you plan your way through to the top of your game and make you stand out from your competitors.  African prints are in vogue; almost everyone is using prints to design. The question is how different is yours from the others? Why will someone choose your product above any other? In order to achieve this, you need to start working on creating a brand identity for your business. The following points could be helpful.

Create a New Category

First, take the initiative to do something new. Many a times, people are too afraid to start something new. The thought of it failing, being rejected or ignored stifles their thoughts to get that new idea pumped out. Successful entrepreneurs take risk. The best way to creating a fashion brand identity is to create a new category. Bring out a new idea. This means research. Do your homework well to know what your competitors are doing and what they are not doing and what your target market needs and design products that will fit in.

Understand your Brand Image

Creating a fashion brand identity requires that you understand the kind of image or reputation you want for your brand. This way you are assured of creating the right impression on the minds of people who come into contact with you and your brand. Knowing what you put out there helps you to control your brand and how to best reach your target market.

Build Relationships

People wear brands and are constantly telling others about the brands they love. If your product can deliver to their satisfaction, they are more likely to be associated with you and your brand. Use this to build and maintain healthy relationships with key players in the industry. Relationships are built on trust. Ensure people are satisfied with your dresses, shoes, makeup products, designs etc. Put in place feedback mechanisms to obtain the right responses needed to keep your customers coming back.

Be Consistent in your Overall Communication

Communicating to both internal and external audience is key in creating a brand identity. What is more crucial is ensuring that your messages are consistent on all the media platforms being used. Carefully explain your brand values, brand image and message to stakeholders and make sure they understand where and how to apply it. Photos and images communicate a lot about your brand persona thus the need to match that with consumer expectations.

A brand identity sets you apart from a million others

  
Faith Senam Ocloo
CEO

E’April Public Relations

Follow me on twitter @eaprilPR and @faithsenam

Image Credit: Monica Almelda/New York Times