Of brand ambassadorship

Source: The Times Group Malawi

Recently, Malawi Council for the Handicapped (Macoha) unveiled social media influencer Pemphero Mphande as brand ambassador for its Bangwe Weaving Factory in Blantyre. Apparently, the factory provides employment opportunities to people with disabilities.

Ironically, disability issues have, over the years, not been given prominence despite that Malawi has around two million persons with disabilities, according to 2018 Population and Housing Census. It is, therefore, heart-warming to see social media influencers such as Mphande taking an interest in promoting disability issues. I hope Macoha's Chief Executive Officer George Chiusiwa and his team are going to effectively utilise Mphande's social media influence in aggressively marketing the factory as well as leveraging Macoha's image and reputation.

Brand ambassadors are part of strategies that most marketers and public relations (PR) professionals invariably employ in promoting a brand or advocating for a cause. For instance, commercial banks and telecommunication companies have used competitive sports personalities, popular musicians and other celebrities as brand ambassadors.

Reputation experts argue that individuals we associate with can enhance or damage reputation.

The bottom line is that repairing a damaged reputation is a far more difficult undertaking than building and maintaining it.

As such, in the case of Mphande, it is a "yes" from me! Wishing you all the best as you discharge this noble duties.