I used to find it difficult to get my head around the fact that talented Ghanaian artistes put in so much effort into music and yet come out with very little returns. That was before I realized the importance of branding, noting that it is even more than one’s talent to survive in this ever saturated entertainment industry. It is not just in Ghana, its importance cuts across the globe. Branding and publicity as a matter of fact go hand in hand.

Somewhere in America, where there is no such thing as bad publicity, Miley Cyrus performed the worst twerk television has ever shown, just to stay relevant in the game. The end result was to earn the number one spot on the Billboard top 100, for a couple of weeks. Call it whatever, but the “tongue sticking hoodrat wannabe” attained her goal if you ask me.

Most people find it hard to understand why someone like our very talented Irene Logan has still been left in the backyard of music. She is a better performer than the highly rated Becca, but she is definitely not a household name like Becca. The difference is that Becca has successfully branded herself and this has earned her a deserving spotlight…

I am not saying Irene should go naked like Raquel did for publicity which she couldn’t make anything out of or twerk till she falls down —-there are other and better ways of gaining publicity.

Branding or rebranding process in Ghana usually comes with a change of name although mostly such name change is not very necessary. Before Bandana bacame who we now know as Shatta Wale, he was making decent music. He managed to pull up a scandal at the GMA’s and that heralded his new found popularity. Meaning, a product was ready to go with the publicity.

The scandal got everybody talking about him and soon it turned into an opportunity for his songs to be on constant radio rotation.

Yaa Pono, one of the best lyricists in the country is still an underground artiste and he can learn a thing or two from Shatta Wale or even perhaps whatever form of branding that has gotten his compatriot-Sarkodie this far…

Though branding is the key to taking that top spot in the world of entertainment, one thing is for certain, it is important that one does not lose himself or identity while tackling branding or publicity.

We can all agree that while the “abodam theme” has worked so well for Kwaw Kesse, it will be catastrophic if for example Trigmatic decides to go down that path.

Until our Ghanaian musicians begin to give the deserving attention to Branding, Re-branding and Publicity, the road will remain choked and unrewarding.