Gossip
Serious contestants or ‘Me too’ brands?
In ordinary language, a dove, a duck or an eagle is a bird with unique features, the same way a horse, a dog or a bull is an animal with its identifying characters. I have never been a marketer or a banker but having reached a certain level of management in my career, the typical multinational training expected of me was enough knowledge to talk intelligently with such professionals without getting lost when certain terms were banged around. But I have never deluded myself as being one of them.
One cannot talk to a marketer on goods, services or ideas and avoid using the word “brand” which, by the way, is the general term for anything that has a name and characters. A product, they will tell you, has many brands and sub-brands and so is a corporate body such as a political party with its logo, members, hierarchy, ideological blocks and pressure groups.
Some brands are so endearingly strong that they are admired. One of such brands is a clear winner and is designated as the flagship by which the entire empire is identified. It brings in most of the revenue. The others are so-so and only make up the numbers in a portfolio. Their contribution is only minimal but in total they may have strengths needed by the organisation.
Among this pack are types called “Me too” brands. Sometimes they are thrown in there to strategically increase noise in the marketplace. Or, specifically, they may be launched at a particular competitor brand to fight and kill it.
In a season of much political activity leading to major general elections in about 20 months, a nation that believes in the vote is bound to see all manner of brands. As in advertising and promotions, the noise rises in pitch as candidates try to sell themselves. This is the time when the adage, “You can only catch good fish when your hook is properly baited”, is dramatised with “things”.
We have heard these past few weeks that some individuals not well known for their political views have come out openly to declare their membership of the leading parties and are attempting to prove that they have the pedigree to stand on their tickets as candidates. Here, one cannot resist mentioning a few notable names who have abandoned their comfort zones to do party politics:
George Andah, whose meteoric rise in the marketing world where he handled some great brands such as Guinness, MTN, AIRTEL and Glo has declared for the NPP. His target is the Awutu Constituency which is Hannah Tetteh’s territory. In terms of success, is George a duck or ‘’Me too’’ attempting to add to the numbers? One should not forget that there are NPP stalwarts who have amply demonstrated their pedigree in that constituency. How easy would it be for George to be chosen ahead of them? George would need to expend a lot of things for this to happen. Brand building, as he well knows, is an expensive business and in a busy marketplace, ‘’Me toos’’ do not succeed.
There is Kojo Oppong Nkrumah too who did very well at radio broadcasting. Name and face recognition would be no problem for him but then has he built himself up enough in the party? A yuppie may well be admired in business circles but as a party man even with the backing of a great godfather, he will be punching above his weight. Other candidates on the ground may not give him the chance.
Philip Addison, the lawyer who came into prominence during the Election Petition trial of 2013, is another NPP hopeful. His chances in the target Korle Klottey constituency whose demography makes it a swing turf may be great. But there may be other well-known aspirants waiting to declare their intentions. It is not going to be easy for him. In an NPP Government, he would be a very good ministerial material without having to fight for Parliament. That must be a better option than causing divisions. When great brands in a portfolio clash, competitor brands profit.
One of the early aspirants for NDC is Abeiku Santana. Whatever his pedigree in the party, one can easily dismiss him as a ‘’Me too’’. It is, however, good for him to come out of the woodworks so early; he may only be testing his popularity as an electable material. He may drop out early with the benefit of quiet advice.
There is also a lady who has locked her eyes on the Mpraeso Constituency where there is a sitting NPP Member of Parliament. But for gender considerations, she might not stand a chance but it is great to be a female candidate for 2016 in all the parties.
The primaries are going to be very interesting. Many ducks will fall out, eagles will swoop and doves who have built themselves as admirable brands may win.
Written by Joe Frazier | frazierjoek@gmail.com
