Documentary is a shout-out to a Brand Doing Dope Sh*t
by an agency or the media or marketers at the Loeries or the brand. It’s the people who the brand is engaging with to leverage the brand who have their say.”
The many artists featured in the documentary are of one mind regarding the way the brand is investing in the culture – that it demonstrates great respect for the artists and the culture, that it allows the artists creative freedom in designing their own performances, and more.
Comments include: “It’s pretty cool having a brand that brings you in as to what you would like to see happen on stage. It’s authentic. Normally you just get the booking fees. Any brand that involves itself in hip hop authentically, to me always gets a plus.” – Reason (rapper)
“Any type of brand that goes against the grain and takes a bold step to push its native culture forwards will always remain the hero. That’s cool.” – Siyabonga (Scoop) Ngwekazi (TV presenter)
The documentary also emphasises how the brand gives equal standing to local and international artists on stage – the local artists aren’t supporting acts for the international headliner, they get the same support, and what that means to the local (often surprised) local artists.
Metane says that, in this instance, the brand’s investment in the urban music culture is going some way to promote the culture and show it in a new light.
The artists are seen to be big deals in their own productions and it is helping to change the perception of the artists, to value them more.
“When brands work with artists in that way, we all win.”
One of the aims of the documentary is to express the need to protect the integrity of the urban music culture. “We don’t have a brand manager for urban music culture. We need to work together to ensure the integrity of our culture – and to gain respect.
“The urban music culture is related to black culture – we don’t have someone looking after us.
“We need to learn, to do things better, to understand what’s happening on the ground, and ensure that we aren’t victims of the many brands that are culture vultures out there, out only to promote them- selves without giving anything back to the culture.”
The message of the documentary is that brands that are trying to leverage the value of the urban music culture or even the broader black culture can get it right.
It emphasises how to build relationships with the influencers, and how the relationship between brands and culture can be bridged.
Summing up the vision for Brands Doing Dope Sh*t, Metane says: “Culture and business are two separate worlds. The conversation between brands, media and managers or artists from the culture has been long overdue since the days of S’dumo with Chicken Licken.
“How we move forward is by first giving recognition to what works and then addressing what needs to be done better.
“Our hope for this documentary is that it builds the conversation between brands, artists and media on how we change the perception on the African narration.
“At the end of the day, we all influence thought one way or the other.”
“Slik, this is a beautiful thing man. It fills me with so much pride,” says Proverb.
“Thank you so much Castle Lite, you did it!” adds rapper Riky Rick.
To view the documentary, go to https://we.tl/PzhpkCYoD2