Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) has started top level meetings
over a possible review of a recent contract the company signed with
Ghana’s reigning Artiste of the Year, Shatta Wale, to make him an
ambassador of the ‘Guinness #MadeOfBlack’ campaign, NEWS-ONE has
gathered.
Though the company has not issued an official confirmation, a source at
the management level told NEWS-ONE there has been concerns as to
whether the artiste’s recent public conduct and utterances reflect what
Guinness stands for.
“Even before he was signed, there was a split opinion; but within the
last week, the complaints and feedback have been disturbing and all
options are now on table on how to protect the brand’s reputation and
image,” the top management source noted.
Guinness Ghana recently announced the company had signed BBnZ’s EL,
Reggie Rockstone, Fuse ODG and Shatta Wale as ambassadors for the
#MadeOfBlack campaign.
“The four ambassadors will lead the conversation with their own
#madeofblack selfie videos in which they will ask Ghanaians what they
are made of. Consumers can get involved by uploading their own selfie
videos. If your video is selected, you could see it shown on MTV Base
during the Guinness Hour Black in October,” Judith Osei Ampofo, Ag
Marketing Director for GGBL, explained at the unveiling ceremony.
On whether there has been any official petition presented against
Shatta Wale, the source said there was none but added that there had
been rising verbal complaints from various people. The source further
stated that the current self-made videos the artiste is publishing on
his social media sites have become a major issue of concern.
“We selected him because we wanted to ride on the fact that he was
underground for ten years but remained resolute and determined to make
it to the top and eventually his dreams came to pass. We felt that
attitude of determination, strong will power and positivity reflects our
brand.
But the feedback is not exactly what we expected; and the complaints keep rising.
The concerns have been whether our brand represents and endorses his
public outbursts, insulting nature, usage of vulgar words on media
platforms and taking videos of himself insulting and running down other
companies, some of which are our stakeholders, clients and customers,”
the source added.
Shatta has been in the news for the wrong reasons in recent times, the
latest being his selfie videos in which he made rather defamatory
statements against several persons.
The artiste incurred the wrath of many journalists when he recently
took to his official facebook page to write: “IN FACT GHANA MEDIA IS THE
MOST FOOLISH MEDIA I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE…ANY MEDIA THAT PUBLISH
ANY FAKE NEWS ABOUT ME SHATTA WALE IS A PUSSY…!!! I HAVE SAID IT…PUSSY.”
Surprisingly, the first person to like the statement on Shatta Wale’s
wall was Bull Dog, his manager.
The artiste shot to fame about two years ago when he vandalised
property at the International Conference Centre after it became evident
that he had lost the Dancehall Artiste of the Year to his fellow
musician, Kaakie.
He followed that up by insulting Kaakie and making a couple of nasty
comments about her genitals. He went as far as releasing a song in which
he insulted Chater House, organisers of the award.
Source: Daily Guide