Public Relations And Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA26)

I have been yearning for so long to write a piece about the practice of Public Relations in Ghana, with particular emphasis on the show-business industry. I guess this is the right opportunity.

If you are familiar with the show-business industry in Ghana, you would notice that these individuals (MC Portfolio, Vida Adutwumwaa, Tilly Akua Nipaa) are very prominent in that space. In recent weeks, they have dominated conversation surrounding the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA25). They have been vocal in serving as Public Relations Officers for King Paluta, Stonebwoy and King Promise respectively. Without a doubt, they appear very committed to their duties. I admire their dedication and passion.

But before I continue, let me attempt to define in simple terms what Public Relations is.

 

Definition of Public Relations

Public Relations (PR) is a strategic communication process that builds and maintains positive relationships between an organization (or individual) and its key stakeholders. The stakeholders may include the public, media, investors, employees, customers and potential customers.

The goal of PR is to shape public perception, enhance reputation, and build trust through carefully planned messaging, media engagement, and relationship management. And strategies take time to build and implement.

From this definition and many others from different text books, the common words that run through are Strategic, Planning, Process and Reputation. For any Public relations campaign to be effective, there should be strategies and careful planning. Effective PR does not happen on the spur of the moment.

 

Misconception About Public Relations

Now that I have clearly defined Public Relations, let me go to the misconception. PR is NOT just about talking. Yes, talking is part of it, but it is not the totality. In fact, proper PR is practiced with more strategies, more writing and less talking. When the strategies are right, the talking is less.

Additionally, PR is not happenstance. It doesn’t happen on the spur of the moment, where suddenly, someone should be appointed to speak on an issue with little or no strategy. Unless of course there is a crisis that needs immediate attention. Even in a crisis, you have a 24-hour window to gather adequate facts before addressing the issue. So, again, it is all about building strategies for effective communication.

It appears the Show-Business industry in Ghana misses that part of building effective strategies or perhaps i dare say they fail to engage professional PRO’s. There is more concentration on the talking than building strategies to implement. It’s like decorating a building that has no foundation.

 

PR is Not A Tool For An Attack

I have listened to all three PROs representing the music brands. On some occasions, they have all engaged in heated debates to position their artiste well for the “artiste of the year” award. Anytime I watch or listen to the three PROs speak on radio or on TV, it feels either like a political debate where one must by all means dominate or outdo the other(s) with either a ferocious argument or an attack on the other opponent(s). Though in some instances, all have made sound arguments and presented empirical evidence to prove who is worthy of the “artiste of the year”, it more often sounds as though one who advances more arguments on behalf of his/her artiste will win the grand prize. Perhaps, it is their aim to shape conversation around their artiste in order to influence the public one way or the other. Well, in doing so, this may or might have already ended in some strained relationships.

 

Tilly Akua Nipaa Vs BHIM Nation-A prize To Pay

She has perhaps been the most vocal PRO among the big three. And this has definitely come at a cost. There has been an instance where Tilly Akua Nipaa has been called out by BHIM fans to apologize for comments she made about Stonebwoy which they found displeasing. She has been accused of bringing other brands down in an effort to promote hers (King Promise). This for now is an issue. If not handled well, it could degenerate into a crisis. Tilly and King Promise’s camp could pay a huge prize if this situation is not handled properly.

 

 

Issues that lead to Crisis- Kwadwo Nkansah’s PRO

I can’t talk about Public Relations in Ghana’s Show-Business industry and ignore such a textbook example-Kwadwo Nkansah and his PRO, Okyeame Akwadaa Nyame.

Kwadwo Nkansah was involved in an accident that resulted in the death of one person, a child. In a bid to salvage the situation, the actor made his PRO do some talking as usual. In fact, that accident was arguably viewed as an issue, but the more the PRO talked in the media, the more blunders he committed. One could easily tell Okyeame Akwadaa Nyame was clearly not a certified PR professional. Even if he was, Kwadwo Nkansah’s camp clearly didn’t have any strategy, neither did they have any communication plan. It was just talk, talk, talk as usual.

In fact, I have read several commentaries on Nkansah’s unfortunate accident and subsequent communication by the PRO. Most have suggested that if Ghana were any advanced country, the actor’s PRO would have courted more trouble for him than solving the problem. And indeed, he did. This is how a bad PRO can transmogrify an issue into a crisis for you.

 

PR is Primarily Strategic

Goal-Driven: PR begins with defining objectives—like enhancing brand reputation, managing crises, or driving investor interest—all of which require meticulous planning. Effective PR strategies involve analyzing audiences, competitors, and industry trends to craft tailored narratives. All these are backed by research. From objective observation, it is indicative, and evident that the three PROs have a clear objective – to garner attention to propel their artiste for the grand prize-artiste of the year.

 

When Talking is Needed

Strategy Without Communication is Ineffective: Even the best plans fail without compelling messaging and outreach. Hence, if the communication is ineffective, the strategies will crumble. Therefore, talking is critical for nurturing media contacts, influencers, and stakeholders, but these interactions should be guided by strategic priorities.

Communication Without Strategy is Directionless: Random media hits, interviews, debates or social media posts do not guarantee a long term reputation or achieve a desired or measurable outcome. Unfortunately, Ghana’s show-business industry seem to have embraced this form which doesn’t yield much results or often misfires. A reactive response (talking) is only effective if underpinned by a preemptive strategy.

Beyond the Awards

Public Relations is a continuous process and not an event. That is why it is imperative to have a proper strategy. These Strategies dictate the choice of tactics (e.g., press releases, Radio/TV interview, storytelling, articles, social media posts, influencer collaborations, events etc), ensuring alignment with broader business goals. Of course, all these tactics and tools are more often preceded by a rigorous research.

Public Relations (PR) is a balanced interplay of both strategic planning and effective communication, but its foundation lies in building robust strategies that guide targeted messaging.

If you are a PR student or practitioner, you could feel that the objective of managing and shaping the public image and reputation of a celebrity brand, organization, or individual is normally heavily lost.

The Show-Business industry in Ghana should take into consideration, how effective PR could influence their brand and reputation. There should be more business beyond the show. An excellent Public Relations with all the available tools protect reputation and a good reputation brings the business. 

 

Conclusion

PR is more about building strategies, with “talking” serving as the vehicle to execute them. Talking is just one of the tools, not the only tool for effective PR. As noted by PR experts, “PR is a long game” where strategic groundwork determines the impact of communication efforts. PR is a huge investment into a brand that yields intangible results. Much attention should be dedicated to properly nurture PR in Ghana’s Show-Business.