Davido, Eniola Ajao Use of Controversies for PR by Celebrities to promote music, concert and movies
What is Public Relations (PR)? According to Investopedia, PR is the art of managing information about an individual or company disseminated to achieve a particular communication goal.
However, there is a famous saying in the PR business that there is no good or bad publicity. Publicity is publicity.
Over the last few years, the Nigerian music and movie industry has grown in leaps and bounds. Many PR tactics are used to push and promote content that is constantly churned out.
The use of controversies by Nigerian celebs to sell songs and movies.
Photo credit: @portablebaeby/@davidoSource: Instagram
We’ve seen the eras of giveaways, free tickets and whatnot. However, things have progressed from the free giveaways of the mid-2010s to TikTok dance challenges, artists engaging in online wars with rival fans or calling out other artists on Twitter.
These new tactics are closer to using controversies to create awareness about new projects.
Over the last two years, there’s been a massive use of controversies to promote new projects both in the movie industry and in the music scene.
To break down the use of controversies as a form of PR, we will be using three cases for analysis.
Davido and his chains American side-chics
Internationally renowned Afrobeat superstar David Adeleke, aka Davido, is one of the country’s biggest musical brands who has constantly found a way to be in the news.
The question is how does he do it. Over the years, Davido has come to terms with the fact that bad news about him sells faster than good news.
In 12 months, Davido has been called out by at least three curvy American body models and one French bombshell.
When they do, it is always on the grounds of cheating or extra-martial affairs, and they come days or a week before one of his mega concerts or shows in America.
It is a recurring theme, which has all worked well, and his shows continue to be a huge success.
The question is, how does this work? It is simple reverse psychology.
To get his die-hard fans to come out and defend him, some form of controversy must be roaming around.
Also, the extensive coverage that these stories get from the media helps to create more awareness about the singer and his upcoming concerts—the use of controversies to sell concert tickets.
Eniola Ajao and her Bobrisky tactic
Nollywood actress and filmmaker Eniola Ajao recently discovered what it feels like to be in the murky waters of controversies.
She recently pulled a stunt with crossdresser Bobrisky that nearly backfired. During the premiere of her movie Ajakaju, Eniola Ajao named Bobrisky the best-dressed female.
The crowning of Bob as the best-dressed female stirred emotions and may not have the desired result Eniola Ajao was looking for, but it helped her create a massive awareness about her film.
Like it or not, naming Bobrisky as the best-dressed female might have been a joke, but many didn’t find it funny.
But it helped spark unprecedented awareness of Eniola Ajao’s film. Controversy sells.
Portable’s use of chaos to stay relevant
Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola Omolalomi aka Portable Zazu is at the moment the king of controveries.
No week goes by without Portable being in the news. He has master the craft of creating chaos and using it to stay relevant.
From baby mama drama, to diss songs and finally to calling out anyone that reaps him Portable loves and lives for controversies.
For one he has learnt how to use it to stay relevant.
This article is an enquiry into the use of controversies by entertainers to stay relevant and as a marketing tool.
Source: TheTalk.NG
