Celebrity endorsements; will it guarantee a win?

By Stephen Senyo Kwabena Tettegah

Like it happens in every election year, famous and celebrated personalities are heard and seen opting for one presidential candidate over the other, and urging their fans to vote for them.

We are not sure when this started in Ghana but it appears this practice is not exclusive to us and it has come to stay not only in Ghanaian politics, but in Africa, the States, and beyond.

In the United States of America, celebrities like, Beyoncé, 50 Cents, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, and a host of others have all endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, whereas stars like Ted Nugent, Mike Tyson, Aaron Carter, Willie Robertson, Jesse James and Kid Rock have stood behind Donald Trump ahead of the 58th US elections this November.

In the case of Nigeria, Rita Dominic, Mercy Johnson, Ini Edo, D’Banj, Joseph Yobo, Jay Jay Okocha, Ramsey Nouah, Duncan Mighty and many others, threw their weight behind PDP’s (People Democratic Party) Goodluck Jonathan, whiles Yemi Alade, Obafemi Martins, Desmond Elliot (now a politician), MI, Ice Prince, Flavour, Iyanya and others went in for APC’s (All Progressives Congress) Muhammadu Buhari in their elections March last year.

In the Ghanaian context, celebrity endorsement rises with each passing general election. Today, celebrity endorsements have reached a height where celebrities now form networks and associations to promote their choice of candidates-the first time this is happening in our electoral history. Whilst some are on the side of the biggest opposition NPP, many others are for the ruling NDC and one is out for PPP.

The NDC’s President Mahama has been endorsed by Abeiku Santana, John Dumelo, Mr. Beautiful, Kalsum Sinare, Amanzeba, Bull Dog, Papa Nii, Rex Omar, Belinda Akua Amoah (MzBel), Paapa Yankson and others.

There are groups like Celebrities for Mahama, Ashanti Faithfuls for Mahama etc. On the other hand, we have individuals like Okraku Mantey, Daddy Lumba, Wisa, Kwabena Kwabena, Sidney, Socrates Sarfo, Matilda Asare, A-Plus, Kwaw Kesse, Cwesi Oteng, Great Ampong, Nana Ampadu, Leo Mensah, Maame Dokono etc. together with groups like Agya Koo agenda 57 for Nana Addo, all solidly behind the NPP’s Nana Akuffo-Addo.

Papa Kwesi Ndoum has also received endorsement from Kumawood star Kofi Essuman Davis (known in showbiz as Rev Salinko), after which he was reportedly wooed to run on the party’s ticket as parliamentary candidate for the Atwima Kwawomang Constituency.

Although his ‘Mahama paper’ is played at most party events, sensational Shata Wale has joined the neutral train, indicating that his song is not a campaign song and he is not going to endorse any candidate in this elections.

It is true that democracy allows everyone freedom of choice and therefore all who are eligible (celebrities inclusive) are entitled to decide who to vote or campaign for.

Celebrities have fans from different political backgrounds just like chiefs and pastors, and one may expect that they do not get involved in politics because of the fun base.

Article 276 of the 1992 constitution forbids chiefs from engaging in active politics, and religious leaders are as well expected to restrain from campaigning for political parties. But when we have some chiefs and pastors endorsing political candidates, there is no point in discouraging celebrities from doing so.

The should be at will to endorse whoever they want to endorse without threats or discrimination whatsoever visited on them.

Interestingly, all celebrities that have been contacted by the media on their endorsement so far have vehemently denied getting ‘benefits’ for their endorsement.

The genuineness of these endorsements face questions. Some of these endorsements may be out of sincere conviction, but some may come as ‘punishment’ for neglect or ill-treatment, reward for a favour, a bait for an expected reward when the candidate wins, among others.

Personal interest underscores many of such endorsements. For example, If a celebrity has been a party faithful from childhood (unknown to fans) and comes out to tell us to vote for the candidate of his party, he or she has done no one good, it is a matter of personal interest. Many are of the opinion that celebrities are paid money to campaign for the candidates and may not even vote on election day.

It is alleged as well, that some of these celebrities are coerced with money, cars and big promises to announce their support for a candidate or compose a song, and the deal ends there. Nevertheless, when people say celebrities who endorse candidates are opportunists, I hold that there is nothing wrong with that. After all, celebrities are into industry, not ministry.

The bad news about political endorsements is that, our kind of politics sees supporters of the party we do not support as enemies.

Considering that celebrities have huge following from all political quarters, they end up laying off fans who do not support the side they are at.

On Radio Gold’s political program on 22nd September 2016 for example, Mr. Beautiful alleged that a decision was arrived not to give him a role in Kumawood again after he came out openly to endorse Mahama.

At NDC’s campaign launch this year at Cape Coast, John Dumelo told the crowd that he and his family are under attack and suffering insults because he aligned himself to politics.

Lucky Mensah has had his own share of the insults, attacks, and discrimination that celebrities are visited with when they choose a side.

After cross carpeting and composing a song for the opposition leader, he comes to tell us that his life is under threat.

Today, Kofi Adu (Agya Koo) is visited with attacks and insults on social media and other platforms because he announced support for the experienced politician last week.

It happens as well that after a person endorses a candidates, supporters of the opposing factions go on a fault-finding expedition.

Whatever bad thing the person does as well is linked up directly to the party and candidate the celebrity has endorsed. We quite remember how many people were pointing fingers to President Mahama and the NDC when Bokom Banku went bleaching and got involved in some issues of abuse.

After endorsements, the celebrity is closely linked with the party and its candidate so much that whatever bad that celebrity does is seen as what the party approves. There is a lot we need to change as a people, our kind of politics is not one we can boast of.

So how effective are celebrity endorsements in winning elections? Actually, politicians need not to rejoice so much when celebrities endorsed them because it does not at all guarantee victory. The candidate have gained nothing more than a famous (I didn’t say influential) person assuring them of a single vote -that is if they are able to vote successfully on election day.

Pundits and scholars argue that celebrity endorsements have no effect whatsoever when it comes to persuading voters one way or the other. In the Ghana situation however, citizens will follow you and like you as long as you do what they like. In 2012 for example, Diana Asamoah turned her spirit filled and much-loved ‘M’abor wodin na m’afr3 wo’ gospel song into a Nana Addo endorsement song.

Daddy Lumba killed it with ‘Nana ye winner’ and even till date that song is a hit, Philipa Baafi did also ‘Nanalized’ her hit song ‘Go High’. None of them went to the grounds to campaign for him, and the assumption was that people will listen to the songs and vote for the candidate, but it doesn’t work like that.

This year, MzBel has done for President Mahama with her popular song what Diana Asamoah did to her gospel song for Nana. Lucky Mensah, Daddy Lumba, Kwabena Kwabena and A-Plus have all composed very beautiful songs for the former lawmaker and respected diplomat. But the important question is, is that enough to get win the needed votes?

Our political culture as a country is such that, a whooping majority of Ghanaian electorates ascribe to the Party Identification module. This is to say that most people are either NDC or NPP supporters regardless. The few who we describe as floating voters (many of which are Rational Choice voters) are not the kinds who will hear a melodious song or listen to a popular figure and decide on who to vote for.

Neither will they vote for a party simple because their favourite celebrity endorsed the party’s candidate. It comes to reason then that the impact of celebrity endorsement on election results are minimal.

Perhaps, the greatest success of political celebrity endorsement over the years is ‘the Oprah Effect’ in the US, where it is believed that Oprah Winfrey’s endorsement of Obama was one major factor that gave him a win over Hillary Clinton and subsequently over.

The dynamics are worthy of nothing, Oprah was a female who chose a male candidate, supported him with funds (she is riiiiiiich), featured him twice on her much patronized magazine, openly campaigned for him on many counts, joined and spoke at rallies, and featured Barack and Michele Obama on her show close to the elections.

That is the kind of effort that gets results! The efforts of Oprah Winfrey is believed to have raked in a million votes for Obama to beat his contender. Is there any celebrity doing close to that in Ghana?

Whiles celebrities come up with tweets, Facebook posts, press releases or press conferences to endorse presidential candidates, their mere endorsement rakes in little votes.

It’s really difficult to get people to do something they otherwise wouldn’t do or to switch teams because a popular figure has done same.

The thousands of followers who admire these celebrities so much, is what gives these celebrate weight. Thus, their ability to pull their fans along their decision is what scores the impact they bring to the election.

The deal is in canvassing votes and convincing people. Well, it is true that most of them cannot leave their schedules and go campaigning.

Notwithstanding, one thing celebrities who endorse candidates in Ghana have failed to do is raise funds or donate towards the campaign of their candidates like it is done in other parts of the world.

It remains then, that the sure impact of celebrity endorsements is agreeably threefold. They draw more people to campaign rallies or events, create a thrill in the media, and entertain supporters. Goodluck Jonathan had more celebrity endorsements than Buhari, but we know who won that elections.

Obama had more celebrities to his side, and he won too. Other factors do contribute to election victory, but if celebrity endorsements will have an influence in elections, more is expected of endorsers.

Wait, let me ask you this as I end, will you vote for a candidate because your favourite celebrity supports that candidate and have asked you to vote for his or her choice?