PR professionals do more than just build good relationships with media representatives and draft timely press releases. They take their time to familiarize themselves with the concerns and attitudes of target consumers, community and other interest groups in order to forge a good working relationship that will be beneficial for the brand they represent.
The African Entertainment Industry Today
It is evident right now that the African entertainment industry is at an all-time prime in terms of growth and returns. Practically all segments of the entertainment and media industry across the continent are turning in profit, from African music to movies, making the field very attractive for new players.
African films, movies, and music are all the rage right now and not only in Africa but overseas as well. The only thing in question is whether all the players and artists in this industry are tapping into the maximum benefits of that exponential growth. Are the African movies, for instance, which are all over the world now, earning their actors and actresses what they should earn in terms of money and recognition?
Professional PR: The Game Changer in the African Entertainment Industry.
The technology is already here, the market is ripe, financial resources are much easier to come by and the talent is definitely there. It is now that much easier for African entertainers to churn out top-quality content than it was some years back.
However, top-quality content isn’t everything in this cutthroat industry where competition is just the first hurdle that one needs to overcome. Getting bookings, well-paying gigs, interviews and so on can prove to be a hard hill to climb, even for the most talented, without a proper PR management team behind you.
A quick glimpse at the big names in the African entertainment industry today and the common thing that you will see in all of them is a professional PR company or team backing them.
Whether it is a musician, an actor, actress, comedian, media personality, a band, you name it; those with the notable brand, and more importantly, those making more money, all have professional PR companies working for them.
A quick glimpse at the Ghanaian music industry reveals this fact.
Iconic Ghanaian musician, Shata Wale known in real life as Charles Nii Armah Mensah after parting ways with his old management team outdoored a new team which for first time featured seasoned Public Relations and Marketing professionals such as Julio Cyriaano Olympio, a Marketing and Events professional who serves as his Personal and Business Manager.
Also in the team is Chris Koney, a Corporate Communications Executive who previously worked with Vodafone Ghana, Charterhouse Productions, MultiChoice Ghana (DStv) and served as the Awards Administrator for the recently held GN Bank Awards. He is in charge of Public Relations and basically play the important role of managing the artist’s image and relations with the media.
How a PR Company does it for an African Actress, Singer, Dancer or any other kind of Entertainer
A good PR team works tirelessly to build the star power of a celebrity behind the scenes. It ensures that the client is well represented in the public eye and that his or her brand is always visible and untainted. All these efforts are aimed at making sure the person or team is at all times in a good position to be clearly seen by potential clients.
The mandate of a hired PR team also extends to dealing with the media on behalf of their client; managing their diaries, booking and approving interviews as well as handling and quelling crisis situations.
Anyone planning on making it big, not only in the African entertainment industry but globally as well, will definitely find the services of a PR company indispensable.
The writer is a former GIJ SRC President and the Advertising and Media Relations Manager of B Branding Solutions, a leading brands development Consultancy.
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