Brand Safety and the Price of Representation
A reflection on the backlash to a Cameroonian artist's fashion choices at a public event, and what it reveals about how local companies assess risk when selecting brand ambassadors. The writer argues that while integrity and talent should matter most, companies in Cameroon rely on visible markers like appearance because they are easier to evaluate and defend.
Now that we have had the laughs and aired our minds about Mr Leo’s WARDZEE wardrobe episode, I think we should talk a little bit about what all that means for the culture.
First of all, artists, never pose for someone to take a picture of you with their phone unless you ask them and you are sure you will look at the photo before it goes out. Do selfies only. I don’t think I have to explain why anymore.
Moving on.
Tino Foy had a running joke during the whole affair where he was suggesting that the phone used to take the picture is an itel phone. We all know Mr. Leo is on Billboards carrying itel phones. What is the effect of this on itel? - Bringing us to the conversation of why companies in Cameroon usually shy away from adopting someone as a brand ambassador and why it is not really a thing.
An endorsement deal like what Charlotte Dipanda had with CCA was really big for her - to be the face of an entity that survives on trust. I think she kept up the image and still does. We just saw Locko penning a deal to become brand ambassador for Hennessy. Granted that the Camera was a poor one, it is no news to us that Mr Leo generally has a styling problem and whether we like it or not, to very many people, as someone they look up to, they demand things like a good fashion sense.
I am of the school of thought that things like work ethic, people skills, intelligence, and integrity should be things that brands look for in a brand ambassador over physical appearance and style. However, the aforementioned characteristics are hard to examine at face value and many companies do not want to invest the time and resources needed to show those characteristics of their brand ambassadors. They tend to rely on things that we can easily see, like physical appearance.
I see many people bringing up Mr Leo’s case after Locko’s signing with Henessey claiming , it does not matter how you dress…to become a brand ambassador, all you need to do is be focused on your craft. If that was the case, then people like Stanley would not have had some of the endorsement deals he has had post ‘hein pere’ fever. Syndy Emade, just became a brand ambassador for some wine bottler and yet I don’t find as talented as Mr Leo in her own field. At the same time, I cannot really remember anytime when Locko or Syndy caught as much or even did catch some backlash for dressing ‘poorly’ like Mr Leo did at the WARDZEE premiere.
Now, I am not saying that artists should not feel free to dress the way they like or that they must play dress up every time. All I am saying is that you cannot have your cake and eat it. We know things like physical appearance of celebrities is important to very many of the people brands are trying to reach and for many brands, it is easier to work towards what people already believe than to try and change their believes.
Come to think of it, Mr Leo’s dressing might have actually played good for a brand like itel, when you think about their target customers.
In conclusion, if more of our artists want to be making money representing brands, they have to dress as well as act the part. Mr Leo just hosted an event at the Pullman Hotel in Douala. Should the hotel want to use him as their brand ambassador, don’t you think his poor fashion sense might get in the way - for a luxury hotel?
If you are an artist and a purist at the same time, you can dress how you want and not expect endorsement deals from most companies. There are however a few companies that are built on originality who can find a way to use your under hyped brand to their advantage but they are really few and I doubt if there are even any in Cameroon.
We can complain a lot about how big companies like MTN do not do enough when it comes to using our local celebrities for endorsement. MTN after being in talks with many Cameroonian artists later decided to take the money it was going to distribute amongst all of them and gave it all plus more to Eto’o - a tested brand of its own. Now MTN can risk it and give some of our artists deals only for those artists to end up in a club fight the following day. You can now see why companies generally shy away from making celebrities the face of their brand. It is hard when they cannot control what that person says or does.
So yes, whether you like it or not. Fashion matters and I dare say even more than talent (when there is talent) in this watered down culture we now find ourselves in.
- Mata Harri
The piece emerges from a moment of active conversation around celebrity image and endorsement in Cameroon's entertainment industry, where social media scrutiny of public figures was intensifying. It speaks to a cultural moment when local brands were beginning to formalize ambassador relationships, but remained cautious about reputational exposure.
The essay articulates a tension that remains live: the gap between meritocratic ideals and market logic. It does not resolve the tension, but names it clearly—and does so without cynicism, acknowledging both the legitimate business fears of companies and the legitimate frustration of artists who feel judged on presentation rather than substance. The analysis applies beyond Cameroon and beyond entertainment.