Why Local Creatives Struggle To Land Brand Endorsements

Artists across the world have the capacity to push major brands to visibility but can our artists play that role effectively? Image by Unsplash

BY THABANI H. MOYO | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | MAR 20, 2021

Most local artists are far from meeting the criteria of being brand ambassadors for serious corporates, writes Thabani H. Moyo. There is a lot of training and grooming that local artists have to undergo to meet the minimum standards of being brand ambassadors.

BULAWAYO (The Citizen Bulletin) — In this first installation, we delve into an emotive but critical issue on artists being brand ambassadors, whether it is an automatic proposition; and what drives corporates to partner or shun artists.

Artists worldwide are known for having runny mouths, twitchy and itchy fingers on social media, a situation that has landed many in murky waters.

There are those that thrive on bad publicity and are always out to set tongues wagging.

Granted, that might gain them a few followers but equally, drive away key supporters for their craft to blossom.

We pose a question: are our local artists ready to be endorsed as brand ambassadors for corporates?   

The growth of Matabeleland’s creative sector hinges on its ability to contribute to commerce and industry. Corporates are in need of artists to get their messages to potential new markets and artists reciprocally need corporates to grow their own brands.

Artists through their products already represent something and are in the business of conveying messages, something that corporates love to take advantage of.

Artists across the world have the capacity to push major brands to visibility but the question is can our local artists play that role effectively?

Everyone is aware of the power that artists wield. Local artists have always complained that corporates want to piggyback off their fame and put their logos and products next to their faces.

Artists whine that corporates are of the mindset that working with an artist is doing them a favour. Corporates are not creating good synergies and symbiosis with artists, the argument goes.

But is this argument legitimate? Maybe only a handful of Matabeleland artists have a legitimate right to raise this argument.

We are inclined to believe that currently, many local artists are far from meeting the criteria of being brand ambassadors for serious corporates.

There is a lot of training and grooming that local artists have to undergo to meet the minimum standards of being brand ambassadors.  

Sadly not many are willing to undergo this process.

In our view, brand ambassadors must have numbers that are interesting and consume their artistic work.

People associate themselves with certain artists and would embrace a brand that the artist represents.

But how many artists and arts organisations can claim to have numbers with them?

Most artists are struggling to attract audiences to their gigs and later on sell their works. Artists must know that corporates want to work with artists that already have visibility and not those that think endorsements by corporates will bring with it the most desired visibility.

It is common that most artists rank themselves high up on the list of success but the reality on the ground is different.

Most artists need a wakeup call to realise that they have overvalued and graded themselves.

Most artists need to build their image so that they have the traction that can qualify them for endorsements as brand ambassadors.

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Artists need not to be seen as beggars when they are seeking opportunities of being brand ambassadors of corporates but they must have developed a good pedestal so that they leverage on their value proposition.

Of late we have artists that don’t censor what they say and what they share on social media. Their handles and pages are awash with unprintable language that no self-respecting person can share on public platforms.

This is what drives corporates away from endorsing artists as their brand ambassadors. They fear those moments of craziness that artists are associated with.

It is time that artists revisited their own brands, cleaned them up before seeking endorsements from commercial entities.

For artists, besides the financial benefit from corporates, they can also get an opportunity for networking, socialising and enhancing their own brands.