Positioning for brand engagement after BBN
By Abimbola Mohammed
The rise in reality TV stars and the personal brand they grow post-debut could give a great kick start to building their personal brands, brand engagement and long term influencer career. The reality show stars who can continue to engage with their new found following have the best chance to leverage their fresh social fame in brand endorsement.
If it’s strategically managed, their new brand image can increase awareness, build equity, drive initiatives that support a consistent brand message, sign off new deals, and effectively position them in the marketplace.
The Multichoice Big Brother Naija (BBN) reality TV may have come and gone, but the brand image and fame, which the housemates garnered during the show, is expected to translate into opportunities in the entertainment, marketing communication industry, and beyond. However, the individuals involved and their managers have to make strategic efforts in building their personal brands in order to maintain market relevance and attract good deals.
MARKETING EDGE intelligence reveals that the housemates of the 2021 edition of BBN started signing endorsement deals from notable brands as soon as the show ended. While some industry watchers attribute their quick endorsement deals to their strong personality and good management, others argued that the organizers did a better marketing of the show. Going by the 2021 edition in view, ex-housemate Hazel Oyeze, popularly known as WhiteMoney, had already made an appearance and secured some deals, including other ex-housemates even before the show ended.
However, the same cannot be said of the 2022 edition as brand endorsements and entertainment industry contracts are not forthcoming. Could it be that the management of these individual housemates is not doing much or is the blame on the reality stars themselves?
Commenting on the development, Obinna Inogbo, Principal PR Executive, Worktainment Limited, said for the housemate to stay relevant and secure big endorsement, they need a good PR team to help build a brand and also to always stay on the trend table.
“The Housemates need to maintain their relevance by getting a team, but getting a team costs money. When I say a team I mean PR agent, manager, accountant, and lawyer. They should be using their social media handles, having interviews, and basically developing top of mind awareness by being in the news all the time. But the main thing to do is to get a PR agent, no matter how small. They should get a professional, not friend, but professional managers who will help guide their careers.
“They can secure big endorsement after the show through their management and also by what they do as well; they need to stand for something,” he said.
On his part, Dipo Mohammed, Brands, Marketing and Communications Manager, Inlaks, Limited, noted that the journey of the housemates begins with the very first moment they are introduced to their audience.
“For many brands, what determines going with an influencer is audience response. So, the housemate could be deliberate as to what he or she wants the audience to think or feel about them. Once the audience catches on, it’s easier to keep the brands coming.
“For me, it boils down to personality. When a person is built, the management can leverage that to improve their visibility and manage reputation. Every edition of BBN is peculiar. There are various storylines to it. So, we might not see brand engagement at the same pace for each one. For the present housemates, there have been a few endorsements.
“However, I think that the decision of working with the housemates is also deliberated on among agencies and organizations so it might take some time. I believe very soon, we might see some big endorsements not necessarily from the winner, but from those who have also been able to capture audience interest while on the show,” Mohammed said.
He added that management can push for a brand to be endorsed but then, there has to be a strength or persona that they are selling to the brand. He noted that it begins with the personality that the management can push and they need to also recognize the kind of brands that resonate with the housemate’s personality.
Mohammed advised that the housemates should make sure they are identified with a particular thing so as to enable consistency. “Consistency is key; when the audience recognizes you for something unique, stick to it and build on it. Then the momentum stays,” he said.
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