PR Strategy and Pitches

Great PR starts with a memorable story.

I find the unique angle on a product launch, brand story or company news that piques media interest. For example, the press release below was for a small startup online marketplace for African artisans. I linked it with larger trends, such as Michelle Obama’s support for up-and-coming designers from all over the world, as well as African fashion market statistics to create a bigger story aimed at American fashion influencers.

I also have extensive experience in virtually every aspect of Corporate Communications, having worked as part of Corporate Communications team at Fortune 1000 company helping to craft overall communications strategy and priorities as well as writing and editing numerous internal and external communications, including executive speeches, scripts and speaking points, press releases, proactive media pitches, articles and internal announcements.

Marketplace Africa press release:

From Africa’s Emerging Markets Come Emerging Designers

Marketplace Africa puts the emerging African fashion industry in reach for American style-setters 

Michelle Obama is well known for discovering and supporting up-and-coming designers from a variety of backgrounds and cultural influences and bringing them to prominence. From Taiwanese-Canadian Jason Wu to Finnish Teija Eilola to Nigerian Maki Oh, the former First Lady has placed a number of designers on the world stage and catapulted their careers forward.

Now Marketplace Africa offers fashion-forward style setters everywhere the same opportunity to discover emerging designers from Africa and showcase what may be the next “it” designer.

Africa is home to some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, fueling a $31 billion fashion industry and its own Africa Fashion Week. This economic success has given birth to some of the hottest new fashion designers that are little known outside of Africa and waiting to be discovered by American style-setters. Nigerian designer Maki Oh has been worn by celebrities from Rihanna to Beyonce to Michelle Obama. But many other designers are waiting to be discovered outside of their native countries and now Marketplace Africa makes it easy.

Marketplace AFRICA, a joint venture between global shipping leader DHL and Africa’s e-commerce leader,  Mall for Africa, features more than 30 designers and a full range of accessories, as well as men’s fashion and gifts. The partnership takes the complexity and uncertainty out of global online shopping. DHL handles all logistics services for the marketplace, including an exclusive product-verification process prior to shipping, while Mall for Africa’s award-winning, patented e-commerce platform manages Marketplace Africa’s proprietary platform and payment system. So American shoppers have access to the innovative designers and craftspeople across Africa creating stunning, world-class products using both traditional and cutting-edge techniques, while African businesses are able to connect to new markets and new customers.