Dancehall/Reggae superstar Shaggy ‘Mr. Boombastic’ is the official spokesperson for the Jamaica Tourism Board. He has sold millions of records worldwide (over 20 million to be exact) and has copped himself a Grammy award. Shaggy is known for doing very positive ‘clean’ music and I believe this is what inspired the JTB to snatch him up and make him into a scape-goat for all their tourism campaigns. Ok, so shaggy is renowned worldwide but so is Mavado ‘Gangsta for Life’; both artistes have sold records worldwide and if you ask me Mavado, though a new sensation, has been dominating the airwaves and steadily making his mark in the industry. There is just one little problem, the message from both these artistes differ extremely, but the reality is that Mavado highlights the social issues of the country in almost every song he does. This doesn’t look too good now for the JTB – does it? Why tell people that people get killed everyday in our streets in the presence of police/mothers/children?
Then there are the Rastafarians who always have a positive message in their music and their everyday lives. The funny thing is that Dancehall music and Rastafarians are aspects of the Jamaican culture that has been snubbed by the Elite Jamaicans. These elites are the same people that make up the JTB and the Ministry of Tourism. For decades, these features have been loved, admired and recognized by people worldwide. For instance the Rastafarian colors – red, green and gold: I can bet you that if you walk within a mile you are bound to see a few people adorned from head to toe in these colors. These are the aspects of the culture that the JTB seeks to promote...even though they have criticised it. Are they just a little bit too late?
Then there are the Rastafarians who always have a positive message in their music and their everyday lives. The funny thing is that Dancehall music and Rastafarians are aspects of the Jamaican culture that has been snubbed by the Elite Jamaicans. These elites are the same people that make up the JTB and the Ministry of Tourism. For decades, these features have been loved, admired and recognized by people worldwide. For instance the Rastafarian colors – red, green and gold: I can bet you that if you walk within a mile you are bound to see a few people adorned from head to toe in these colors. These are the aspects of the culture that the JTB seeks to promote...even though they have criticised it. Are they just a little bit too late?
Simon Anholt had this to say in his blog ‘Jamaica might have something to learn from Switzerland’
‘Jamaica has scarcely ever benefited economically from its national identity: the American and Spanish-owned resorts make most of the money from its tourism, the foreign sports shoe and clothing companies that decide when Rasta is cool make the money from its colours and images, the foreign record companies make the money from its music - and the extraordinary thing is that Jamaica keeps producing the culture without ever enjoying more than a small portion of its benefits.’
The country may not benefit from this economically but the JTB are surely enjoying themselves. This is what makes it seem as if the JTB is actually doing a GREAT job.
Then there is the amazing Usain ‘Lightening’ Bolt. Smashing three world Records in one Olympics is definitely a tremendous achievement. I mean 9.69 seconds in negative wind, is this guy superhuman or is it the ‘good ole’ Jamaican food? Well it surely had journalists visiting the country to find out ( read this article).
His success in the Beijing Olympics 2008 has got the JTB in a frenzy. I can just imagine it now, Usain on every Billboard, the face of every JTB Campaign, and you just might see him up in the sky next to AirJ! Who knows where the creativity begins and the stupidity ends? Well Shaggy is definitely playing his part in jumping on the Olympics Band wagon. The video below is just a taste of what I think is yet to come.
According to Simon Anholt, (…again, I love this guy) Dramatically enhanced reputations gained from sports prowess seldom lasts for years until the next competition, unless the country works very hard to capitalize on the improved reputation and build it into something more solid (Anholt, 2003 p.117). So the JTB has definitely got their work cut out for them - at least until 2012.
‘Jamaica has scarcely ever benefited economically from its national identity: the American and Spanish-owned resorts make most of the money from its tourism, the foreign sports shoe and clothing companies that decide when Rasta is cool make the money from its colours and images, the foreign record companies make the money from its music - and the extraordinary thing is that Jamaica keeps producing the culture without ever enjoying more than a small portion of its benefits.’
The country may not benefit from this economically but the JTB are surely enjoying themselves. This is what makes it seem as if the JTB is actually doing a GREAT job.
Then there is the amazing Usain ‘Lightening’ Bolt. Smashing three world Records in one Olympics is definitely a tremendous achievement. I mean 9.69 seconds in negative wind, is this guy superhuman or is it the ‘good ole’ Jamaican food? Well it surely had journalists visiting the country to find out ( read this article).
His success in the Beijing Olympics 2008 has got the JTB in a frenzy. I can just imagine it now, Usain on every Billboard, the face of every JTB Campaign, and you just might see him up in the sky next to AirJ! Who knows where the creativity begins and the stupidity ends? Well Shaggy is definitely playing his part in jumping on the Olympics Band wagon. The video below is just a taste of what I think is yet to come.
According to Simon Anholt, (…again, I love this guy) Dramatically enhanced reputations gained from sports prowess seldom lasts for years until the next competition, unless the country works very hard to capitalize on the improved reputation and build it into something more solid (Anholt, 2003 p.117). So the JTB has definitely got their work cut out for them - at least until 2012.
References
Anholt, Simon Brand New Justice: How Branding Places and Products can Help the Developing World Revised Ed. Elsevier Great Britain 2003
Anholt, Simon Placeblog Jamaica might have Something to learn from Switzerland posted Nov. 9, 2007 http://simonanholt.blogspot.com/2007/11/jamaica-might-have-something-to-learn.html [Accessed Jan. 7, 2009]
Big Yard Music Group Limited Shaggy
http://www.bigyardmusic.com/index.php?option=com_bigyard&artist=1&show=biography&Itemid=20 [Accessed Jan. 07, 2009]
Signonsandiego.com Jammin
Jamaicans : Small island's spectacular sprint success brings a few quick questions by Mark Zeigler http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/olympics/20080823-9999-1s23olyjam.html Aug. 23, 2008 [Accessed Jan. 07, 2009]
Jamaicans : Small island's spectacular sprint success brings a few quick questions by Mark Zeigler http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/olympics/20080823-9999-1s23olyjam.html Aug. 23, 2008 [Accessed Jan. 07, 2009]You tube Shaggy Live in Germany Jamaican Olympic Tribute http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YQRSjJC1Ivc posted by Jay Will Sept.19, 2008 [Accessed Jan. 7, 2009]
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Very interesting Kim, it highlights truly what makes up Jamaica and if only the good is highlighted half as much as the bad then that would be a good thing for the nation and you never know it just might motivate the "bad ones" to stop the crime
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