Urban Yard Jamaica

Brand Jamaica and the Politics of Protest

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 01:01:00 +0000

Today one of the Jamaican papers carried an article titled, "The Smallest World Cultural Power" in reference to Jamaica's impact on the world. This is quite a common fare these days and parallels the title of the cultural policy, Towards Jamaica the Cultural Superstate, that outlines an approach to have Jamaica benefit economically from the influence it wields globally. What might not be evident to the ordinary Jamaican is that in many respects these documents rely on the associations the Jamaica brand conjures, which among other things is that of protest; speaking out for truth and rights and also standing up in defense of them. Jamaica can't therefore divorce itself from these associations because it might be convenient to do so, rather, offering clarification of what values of protest the brand represents would be more strategic. However, I recognize that this may be asking too much within the current construct.

This global influence is far from merely being a figment of the imagination in the minds of a few Jamaicans. Some are not at all surprised that in the midst of the recent four days of rioting in the UK the Jamaican culture would have been singled out as a culprit. Charles HE Campbell in another of today's papers cites the bewilderment of a French promoter that Jamaica's contemporary music has stepped away from the "glorious tradition of promoting progressive world causes". There will be a price to be paid for that stepping away later, but for now many do associate Jamaica and its culture with progressive protest. This is a not a bad thing. However, it gets bad when we cross the line into thuggery. It appears then that the lines are being blurred and the Jamaican authorities have a responsibility to clear it up. Surely, mention in the context of the razing and looting in Britain is not the most complimentary, but thankfully the emerging accounts go a far way in contextualizing Jamaica's influence upon these events (see Of Riot Rastamouse). When the truth is told Jamaica cannot bear the blame for the mayhem that ensued.

Unfortunately, it did not help that these riots occurred smack in the middle of the Jamaican independence celebrations in the UK, a period where the flag and other patriotic symbols were being proudly displayed in some of the affected communities. The article "Who Are These Rioters? Jamaican Brits Give Their Take On UK Riots" provides a perspective. It is by no means definitive but their first-hand accounts mean something.

Among the many media accounts and discussions that I have read or seen is the discussion captioned "England riots: 'The whites have become black' says David Starkey" on BBC's Newsnight aired on August 12, 2011. I have included the discussion below.

Among the outrageous points made by historian David Starkey I found it intriguing that he sought to introduce and blame what he describes as a "wholly false" Jamaican patwa as the language of the "black culture" that is responsible for the mayhem. He was clearly mistaken and very imprecise in his expressions as he attempted to describe what was happening in Britain. Lots more may be inferred from all he has said. Suffice to say that listening to him was a painful experience. His entire approach was unfortunate. He is a dangerous man.

At this juncture I don't believe the solution is a simple one. There are a number of threads to sort through and it will require nuanced understandings of the intersections of cultures from Africa, Britain and the Caribbean. It will also require an appreciation of the histories and the economic legacies that endure from these relationships. It is always disappointing to me when privileged persons who you would expect to have an appreciation of these factors don't. Nevertheless, life must move forward. With this in mind I thought it useful to post in this blog a March 2011 interview (below) with the brilliant Jamaican born cultural theorist Stuart Hall who spoke to Laurie Taylor on the program Thinking Allowed. The interview provides a useful framework from which one may get a more nuanced insight into some of the issues that might be informing the context of the UK at present.

We are in the moment of a backlash, in live and living color. How it is negotiated will impact on the Jamaica brand.

Entertainment and Cultural Enterprise Management: An Account of Its Becoming

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 21:08:00 +0000

This short version of the development of the bachelor of arts degree in Entertainment and Cultural Enterprise Management (ECEM) at the University of the West Indies, UWI, Mona should have been told long ago. It is entirely my fault because there has been many a word of encouragement from Professor Carolyn Cooper to write it, and in fact her suggestion is that I should use the experience to pursue my PhD. That I am not currently a PhD holder in the first place is also entirely my choice as in fact I was a candidate with a full scholarship in the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cultural Studies PhD program. I opted out, taking the MPhil instead, I think much to the displeasure of the then Director of the Institute of Caribbean Studies. One factor that went into my decision was that I had always maintained that I did not want to pursue a career in academia. Perhaps that was shortsighted, but I felt I was being true to myself. I had seen the promise of black liberation in the culture business and so my mind was made up that I was going to pursue my masters in entertainment business, even if it sent me to the grave; well I did, a few years later.

The Idea
The story of the present ECEM bachelor's degree began in this period of my life. In November 1999 I attended the inaugural Caribbean Music Expo (CME) meeting in Ocho Rios. It was there, while listening to the grouses of Jamaican and Caribbean music sector players about the lack of support for them that the idea of offering training support for the sector began to stir in my thoughts. I asked myself the question why didn't the UWI have a program that prepared personnel for this sector, which on the surface was so definitive of what it meant to be Jamaican or Caribbean. It was shortly after my return that on a casual ride on my bicycle I ran into Prof Carolyn Cooper. In conversation I posed the question to her about the absence of a program at the UWI to service the entertainment industry. "Den why yuh nuh develop suppen", was her response. As it turned out that was all I needed.

Precedents
I immediately set about researching similar degree programs from other universities. My main inspiration was to come from NYU's Entertainment, Media and Technology program, which had both a MBA and an undergraduate component. I also looked at other US university programs such as Columbia University and a few in the UK. I must confess that at the time there was not the many that exist now from which I could draw. I enlisted the support of Mrs. Carolyn Hayle who was then the Special Programmes Coordinator at UWI - presently Dr Carolyn Hayle is the Executive Director of HEART/Trust NTA. Mrs. Hayle was extremely supportive and allowed me her time and access to resources that would have otherwise been difficult to obtain.

My initial approach was to use the model that had been followed for the then two year old African and African Diaspora Studies major, assembled by Profs Maureen Warner-Lewis and Rupert Lewis. Essentially, they sought to bring together existing African and Diaspora courses within the UWI system to offer the concentration. The program has been a success and I am proud to stand as its first graduate. This precedent was to serve the ECEM initiative well. I was able to comb through courses that were offered at all the UWI's then three campuses (Cave Hill, Mona and St. Augustine). This was important because it meant that if a course that could serve the ECEM program was already on the books in Cave Hill or St. Augustine, then on the surface the hurdle of course approval was already behind us. Therefore the major concern would become provision for its delivery at Mona. Much to my surprise I found a fair number of courses on both campuses that would have been beneficial, some of which did not make their way to Mona. Nevertheless, the innovative ECEM degree still remains a respectable offering.

The Philosophy
The program was developed in the context of a personal academic quest to understand the nature of our collective identity as a Caribbean people, and it evolved as more knowledge was unearthed to inform that understanding. In my quest to understand this identity, much of my thought, and the paradigm through which I analyse the Caribbean context drew heavily upon the regionalist (not global in this instance) perspective of Jamaica's national hero the Rt. Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey. It was therefore very important that a program such as this, while including the content that is necessary to function in the international arena also ground its majors in the unique demands that face our Caribbean region. In the original document I wrote that:

The specific goals are to produce graduates who will become innovative business and industry leaders. A major focus of the programme is entrepreneurial development and innovation. Graduates will have gained a full appreciation of the importance of the convergence of media, computer based technology and culture within the global context and be prepared to harness their benefits for the Caribbean.

These goals were not arrived at arbitrarily, but were informed by articulated sector needs. Up to that point scholars such as economist Dr Keith Nurse, first operating out of UWI St. Augustine, and now Cave Hill had done commissioned research on the way forward for some of the Caribbean entertainment sectors. Lloyd Stanbury and Andrea Davis were also among those who had put out work on this subject. UNCTAD, WIPO, JAMPRO, TIDCO and the Caribbean Export Development Agency are some of the funders for some of these studies, the results of which remain shelved waiting on an elusive government buy-in. After more than ten years many regional governments have still not moved to take these sectors seriously. With the benefit of hindsight one is forced to acknowledge that conducting the research for presentation to government representatives has failed miserably. We have little meaningful progress to show for it. It would appear then that the current approach needs review albeit the research is necessary.

Giving Form
To put this in context it should be understood that the ECEM program was deliberately focused away from a reliance on government, and what they should do, towards the very broad scope of the capitalist entertainment enterprise; and this ought to be seen as a significant break in the focus of cultural studies as it was then practiced at Mona. Cultural studies had hardly engaged business except to critique the underlying assumptions of its practice. Evidence of this can be seen with the more traditional arts oriented content of the Post Graduate Diploma in Arts and Cultural Enterprise Management developed virtually in parallel (not known to me until months after I had gone through a few drafts) that is offered at the Department of Creative and Festival Arts at UWI, St. Augustine campus.

The bold stance of the ECEM called for me to outline in very clear terms the kind of graduate we could expect from the offering. The targeted groups of the offering were to be current industry practitioners as well as entry-level individuals. The ideal graduate would be poised to become:

A dynamic leader and innovator within the entertainment and culture industries.
A highly self-motivated entrepreneur and product manager.
A balanced dynamic leader/entrepreneur who understands and is appreciative of both the Caribbean cultural context, as well as, the business of culture industries regionally and globally.
An individual who is capable of creative application of the knowledge of technicalities within his/her specialization.
A sensitive presenter of the culture, who eschews demeaning and insensitively commoditizing the product.

It was very important to me then, and remains so today, that the ECEM program not be seen as a music business focused degree. I am very aware that within Jamaica the word "entertainment" and "music" are used interchangeably. However, entertainment takes on greater meaning globally. It was with this in mind that I included what I labeled the "culture and industry areas of focus", which were:

Computer-based entertainment (gaming, etc)
Film and Television
Music
Fashion
Tourism
Sports (in association with G. C. Foster College)
Visual and Performing Arts (in association with Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts)

Upon completion of my first draft the offering was designed and laid out with the options of a special (four years) and a major (three years). However, the powers that be suggested the option of the major for moving forward, as the university had by that time decided that they were moving away from offering specials.

Beginning the Approval Process
By far the approval stage of bringing this program to reality proved to be the most difficult part of the task. By March 2000 (approximately three months after the idea had been born) I had a first draft of the program ready for presentation to the powers that be. The program as initially designed would have best found a home in the Faculty of Social Sciences at Mona. This was so primarily because many of the existing courses were to be found in the Departments of Management Studies at Cave Hill, Mona and St. Augustine. It was in fact designed as an entrepreneurial business management degree. The Humanities courses were drawn from the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC), the creative arts (CA coded) and two general arts (AR coded) courses. It is useful to mention here that since there was a need to develop some specific courses, any department that took the program on board would have effectively become owner given that they would own the courses as coded, at least for the moment. Unfortunately, this was a fact that never helped us in the early stages.

My first approach was to present the draft to the head of my department, the Institute of Caribbean Studies who happened to also be the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education. He lauded the effort but in a frank response he said he would not pursue it in the faculty because of a prior experience with one major they developed that ended up in the Faculty of the Social Sciences. He graciously suggested I present the draft to the then Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, the late Prof Barry Chevannes. A meeting was arranged with his assistance. Both deans, Prof Cooper, Mrs Hayle, and I attended that meeting. Prof Chevannes welcomed the initiative and was seemingly excited about the prospect but as he explained it would require a department to take it on board. He sent us on to meet with the then Head of the Department of Management Studies, Prof Alvin Wint, who made a lasting contribution to the name of the program. He suggested the insertion of the word "enterprise" rather than "industry", indicating a focus on the units of economic activity rather than their collective output. Up to that point the initiative was called the "Programme in Caribbean Entertainment and Culture Industries Development and Management", a name that I am sure most will agree was very unwieldy.

The years 2000, through to 2004 were to come to a close with me not being able to garner any further support for the program. All was not lost however. The floating drafts foreshadowed some meaningful developments in the Department of Management Studies. From a January 2001 edition of my draft I extracted the following analysis I wrote:

From the survey done on the Mona campus offerings, one is yet to find a course that speaks directly to entrepreneurial development and innovation. The focus has overwhelmingly been on product management, rather than product “creation”, harnessing and development. One cannot emphasize enough that it is of prime importance that this programme gives focus to issues such as new venture creation, financing new ventures and the science of successful entrepreneurial practice.

The analysis was followed up with a note acknowledging that:

Subsequent to this suggestion the course Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation was introduced at the Mona campus for summer 2001.

It was also satisfying to see that in 2008 the Department of Management Studies began to offer a minor in Entrepreneurship.

Languishing
In October 2001 I left the UWI to begin my job at the Ministry of Culture as Coordinator of the Culture in Education Program, a post I held until July 2003 and subsequently on to the VTDI as Lecturer/Coordinator of their very own Entertainment and Events Management diploma until October 2004. I followed that up by becoming the Program Manager for the CARIFORUM Cultural Support Fund until November 2005. By the time 2005 arrived, Prof Cooper and I had agreed that a BSc via the Faculty of Social Sciences was not likely to materialize and so she felt it best to move the program forward under the Reggae Studies Unit in the Faculty of Humanities and Education given that this was a unit that she coordinated. As it turned out Reggae Studies was to be the program's mother and Prof Cooper the mid-wife. Of course, I was the willing baby-father.

Up to that time, I had earned my own stripes within the cut and thrust of the sector through my jobs and had attended my fair share of meetings and business development initiatives that got their funding from the government, non-profits and international development agencies. Not least of all was my stint at VTDI in developing courses, coordinating their new diploma and a sustained set of entertainment business professional development courses. With the wind of these real world experiences to back me I expanded the plan for the Entertainment and Cultural Enterprise Management initiative. The program was now associating specifically with the Reggae Studies Unit and started to include the Post Graduate Diploma mentioned earlier as a offering here at Mona, through a partnership with the Phillip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts, a series of short courses designed specifically for the music sector, the delivery of consultancy services for the entertainment sectors, as well as the BA program. In May 2005 a whole set of meetings began at the University of the West Indies and this time the players were different. The tourism interests had come to the table.

Rays of Hope
In April 2006, the tourism concentration in the Department of Management Studies, Mona asked for my help in developing the course that is now Entertainment Management and offering it to their finalizing students. Work on the outline began initially with the help of Mr Wayne Wright who was then the Music Business Consultant at JAMPRO. The course was approved and with much behind the scenes anxiety I began delivery in September 2006; it was show time! Fast forward to November 2007 and I was ecstatic when the second cohort of students in this course successfully mounted the inaugural Entertainment Expo. The video below captured a few moments from this historic event.

Inaugural Entertainment Expo, November 2007, UWI, Mona.

The successful start of the Entertainment Management course in September 2006 was a small victory, but it was important in building our cache of courses. Unlike the African and African Diaspora program, the ECEM major was one that I realized from very early would have needed the support of its own courses to make it more relevant. In the very first draft while bringing together the many courses existing on other campuses I outlined the need for some new courses that were to support this major. In that draft I asked for,

a specific survey course possibly titled “Caribbean Entertainment and Culture Industries”, which gives the historical development and introduces theories of the specific entertainment and culture industries that are the subject of the program’s focus.
a course examining the legal issues within Caribbean entertainment.
a course to be named The Business of Producing Culture: Event, Festivals, Music and Film.
a specific entertainment and culture industries accounting/finance course, and
the inclusion of an internship.

All these have been achieved with the exception of number four. In fact, to date other courses have made their way to the books, namely Entertainment and the Digital Convergence; Fashion, Culture and Development; and Creative Industries Marketing.

With tourism expressing its interest with a patently clear tourism agenda Prof Cooper and I realized we needed another game plan. I was very clear about what the objective of the program was and it could not have been subsumed under a tourism umbrella. Ultimately, we negotiated a minor that would suit the tourism interests, while we began to look elsewhere for institutional support.

In August 2006 CARIMAC became our next stop. In spite of my expanded 2005 Entertainment and Cultural Enterprise Management initiative that was centered around three distinct entertainment industry empowerment projects in the Reggae Studies Unit, we still made the effort to bring other departments onboard. In retrospect, these overtures must be ranked among the most selfless that I have undertaken in my time. In my generosity I passed on the entire program and the foundation course I had developed so that CARIMAC would have pursed approval and taken the program as one of their offerings. Though we had cordial meetings to help this process along we were not successful in having them bring the program to light. The conclusion then was to go it alone using the Reggae Studies Unit as the base. It worked. Prof Cooper had managed to get the succeeding Dean, Prof Aggrey Brown interested and in turn he began to throw the weight of his office behind it. With the help of Dr Camille Bell-Hutchinson, then Deputy Dean, the program would ultimately gain approval in July 2007 after many meetings.

The Students Come
The program began with twenty-one students in its first intake in September 2007. It was an exciting process and I had a hand in the selection of them all. There were many who wanted in but could not have been accommodated. Selecting the 2008 intake was even more difficult. My colleagues and I were amazed at the outstanding academic strength many of the applicants had. The Faculty of Humanities and Education had found a new winner. Many who were prime candidates for UWI’s prestigious law program, with excellent grades in nine Ordinary Level subjects and Advanced Levels pending, were opting to do the ECEM as their first option, and many very good ones had to be turned down. The writing was on the wall and the program was going to be a contender if it lived up to its promise.

As fate would have it I chose to exit the program at the end of July 2008 despite Prof Cooper's counsel to stay on. But this was not before I had ensured that even more courses had been written and approved. In my mind the foundation was laid and so it was time for me to be on my way to answer the call of my dreams.

In 2010, the ECEM major put out its first set of graduates. I was not on hand to witness this but it must have been a moment like few others for those who attended that inaugural graduation ceremony and fully comprehended the arduous journey. Finally, the sacrifices had shown themselves to be well worth it, and I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to have made this bit of history in the exemplary spirit of Marcus Garvey. I am proud of the fact that, because of my initiative, these graduates had been given an opportunity to pursue their dreams.

“The world has a habit of making way for those who know where they are going”
- unknown

Caribbean Cultural Economy, What shall we do?

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Hickling) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 17:10:00 +0000

We are said to be in the era of the cultural economy. As one of the regions/nation of the world best known for our culture...we still have a lot of work to do.

Caribbean, and in particular Jamaican cultural industries are an untapped/underutilized/underdeveloped/marginalized resource that can kick-start the growth agenda if properly facilitated.

Unfortunately, this lament has now become cliche. Development requires more than just the observation that this is so. What it requires in the reexamination and redevelopment of policy(ies). It also requires the d...evelopment of specific programmes, with specific deliverables emanating from that re-conceptualized policy and a clear plan of action.

First of all it requires clarity about what 'creative' and 'cultural' industries mean and - their ideological differences. That will help us to decide what we see as cultural/creative industries - ie is sport a cultural industry...is tourism a cultural industry for us? Can we leave it all to the 'market' or is a greater level of state facilitation required? Are what we have actually industries? How do we make them so? All critical questions left unanswered and well, un-asked.

Then it requires the hard and complex task of really engaging the players within and without the formal 'industries'. A labour market survey and mapping research are required. I'd like to test it, but if you go into any community and offer a young man (or woman) the choice of a job as a welder or a carpenter, or a sound technician or stage manager...they would trend towards the cultural industries, within which there are hundreds of categories of jobs.

Training and professional development are therefore an important part of that process - but not willy-nilly, based on the needs of the 'industries'.

There needs to be an examination of the integration of the cultural industries agenda and social/cultural/economic development - "culturization" is what its called 'officially'. We can solve problems of health, security, education, housing, environment etc. etc etc. by sorting our the cultural industries.

We can address the economic woes of so many people...next time you go to the airport, have a look around you. I bet you'll see a musician en route to tour...thousands of people are making their living by simply using the talent they have.

We have to teach people how to become effective entrepreneurs rather than embarrass them into it. Many persons who have not filed taxes either don't know here to start or just cant even afford to engage the professionals who do, much less pay the taxes themselves. Many are simply afraid of or intimidated by the registration/taxation/capitalization processes. This can be fixed with training and professional development. These are real issues.

Funding and capitalization are also critical issues. Many proposals have been made for funding options. Those have to be engaged. Public/private partnerships need to be developed on a planned and structured basis. The Culture Health Arts Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund has introduced an important funding source but it is not nearly enough... and is increasingly propping up the central budget. In this regard (and others) government is competing with industry for resources. This has to be re-examined.

Most importantly, building the cultural industries takes will and work. Every week a young person calls or comes into my office, or students engage, just seeking guidance as to how to get a project off the ground, looking for creative work, outlets for their creative work and funding for projects...hundreds, thousands of fantastic ideas - stunted. What do we do with these ideas? Do we send them back into the realm of the hopeless?

In my production management class at the Creative Production and Training Center (CPTC), I ask students to develop a treatment for a film or television programme that they would produce if they had the complete budget...some fantastic ideas have emerged - with no outlet.

Many of these ideas are not original...this fight has been going on for about thirty years, before I even became interested. Studies have been written, meetings have been held, task forces have been formed, policies and programmes have been drafted....but the struggle continues. We just have to do what we can until the political will becomes, well, willing.

It is now time to engage. If we must grow, and we must, why not do it by emphasizing the things we as a people love to do? If our competitive and comparative advantage lies in just being who we are, we are further ahead of the game than we even realize.

Jamaica Jamaica

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:28:00 +0000

There used to be a hotel on the north coast in Runaway Bay named Jamaica Jamaica until its name was changed. The facility is still in use today. There is perhaps some regret over that change in name done years ago because as it turns out the name is a powerful brand name. Hindsight is 20/20 vision we are often reminded.

Much of this blog has been focused on extracting value out of the Jamaican brand and particularly doing so by investing in Jamaican creativity and culture. I have previously referenced Prof. Vanus James' August 2007 study for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that shows,

Each dollar of foreign exchange invested in the leading elements of the core copyright sector contributes about J$6.18 of value added to Jamaica, mainly in the form of wages and indirect taxes. These elements are: authors, music composers, and independent artistes in allied activities (not music); authors, music composers, and independent artistes in the core music industry; dance studios; and theater and related entertainment services. Each dollar invested yields as much as J$6.57 in certain partial copyright sectors, such as manufacture of other leather products, luggage and handbags, footwear… and boots and shoes from leather fabrics and other materials… [read branded merchandise]. On the other hand, the same dollar of foreign exchange in communications (say, cable television) yields only J$1.49.

He added, “this simple arithmetic” makes a compelling case.

Two recent publications in the Jamaica Observer newspaper have prompted me to write this installment. One being their Wednesday, December 8 article titled Jamaica? Big Problem! and the other being Usain Bolt is our key brand asset - Puma.

Jamaica? Big Problem!
In this article the writer shares with us the story of a French band that is excited about using the Jamaica name and quotes one rather irrationally exuberant member as saying, "our choice is, of course, a homage to Jamaican music." It is within Jamaica's right to feel wronged by what the band and others like them have done, but we should not pretend that it could not have been mitigated.

I am unable at this point to say what the registration status of the JAMAICA trademark is with the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO), however, a visit to the US government’s trademark registration site reveals that the JAMAICA used by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) is a registered trademark in the US. So too is the term "no problem" in select classes, but the latter is not owned by any agent of Jamaica. Curiously, I do not recall seeing the insertion of the “TM” or ® symbol when the trademark is used by the JTB, at least up to the time of this writing. The US government website reveals that this registration was done through the services of a US based attorney for use solely in Class 35 – Advertising and business. I do not know if registration in other classes was discussed, but given the distinction of the Jamaica name it should surely have been a consideration for registration in as many classes and across as many jurisdictions as is possible, providing the respective international treaties do not offer this protection. Is it a possibility that further protection against brand poachers could have been assured if the name were registered in some of the following: Class 25 (Clothing), 28 (Toys and sporting goods), 29 (Meats and processed foods), 30 (Staple foods), 41 (Education and entertainment), 43 (Hotels and restaurants)? I suspect that this move was made in the absence of a policy as to how the state will approach the registration of its intellectual property internationally. It would appear that what we see unfolding is the result of the absence or the lack of implementation of such a policy. Failure in the system is evident and wringing of the hands is unacceptable. Which department of the Jamaican government will be given the responsibility for registering these elements of the state’s property? In an earlier blog I pointed to the example of how New York City achieves this. There are other options as well.

It is my firm opinion that moving the Jamaica brand forward is not going to be led solely by the Jamaican state. Instead, it will take a strong partnership between a visionary private sector and the state. Indeed, there are some things that the state will need to do in order to facilitate private enterprise taking full advantage of what the Jamaica brand can offer. My hope is that the authorities and investors can arrive at the same page in short order.

Usain Bolt is our key brand asset - Puma
The Jamaica Observer on December 3, 2010 carried a story saying, "global athletics brand Puma listed Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt as its key brand-asset amidst a 16 per cent rise in sales to 784 million euros over the third-quarter." This is good news no matter how you may choose to look at it. Jamaicans should be happy for Usain Bolt and they should be proud of the development work done in Jamaica for athletic talent. The question is, if Usain Bolt is Pumas key brand asset then what is his value to the broad Jamaican economy? What does this say of the contribution that could be made if a structured approach to the business of sports and entertainment were made priority? What is the real value of the Jamaican culture (lifestyle, if you will) broadly? Many in the world have been curious about the world that Jamaica made™; much of it due to the marriage of a rich music heritage with rastafari philosophy that the brilliance of Bob Marley and others made untouchable by the local detractors. The sun, sand and sea have their place, even with the focus on a "non-invested" client that spends less, but the evidence that suggests what is in demand globally is overwhelming. Consumers across the world are buying into the Jamaican people; their skills, talents and the culture that spawns them. What then is the plan to extract this value?

In his December 10, 2010 article Jamaica's new growth path, Dennis Chung lauds the effort being put into agriculture and agro-processing by the minister responsible. With the visibility that Jamaican sports and entertainment have earned, how does one effectively marry that to agro-processing? The silos need to be dismantled and meaningful engagement of all sectors started because the greatest chance of success at exporting processed goods is by taking full advantage of the brand equity; and this is not simply label slapping as too many of the Jamaican labeled products that are presently on the market are not well conceived, packaged and delivered. To rescue Puma's quote from oblivion by denial I will repeat it, "Puma views its brand image as key to its marketing of apparel, clothing and footwear," and the Jamaican lifestyle is a big part of that image by their own admission. How then does Jamaica tap into the same Jamaican source as Puma? The bottom line is the Jamaican image, challenged as it is by the negatives, moves products in the international marketplace at present. The days of speculating about the value of the Jamaican culture and entertainment product should be rapidly coming to a close.

‎One reviewer in commenting on Amar Bhide's The Venturesome Economy: How Innovation Sustains Prosperity in a More Connected World noted, "wealth arises not so much from creating new technological [scientific or cultural] breakthroughs as from the capacity to benefit from those breakthroughs. This 'capacity to benefit' is a higher order capacity that includes elements such as the ability to create products based on those technological breakthroughs [and] the ability to market those products well." If this is so, then it would appear that opportunities abound in the world that Jamaica made™.

PS. Click this link for an explanation of how the Classes as referred to in the post above are structured. Generally, each trademark should fit within at least one of the 45 International Classes as agreed by WIPO. You are not restricted from registering in more than one Class if it suits the nature of your business.

Monetizing Your Brand

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 07:26:00 +0000

It has been more than a year since the Nation Branding website published their article "Brand Jamaica: Copyrighted". Sparked by discussion generated by our earlier blog titled "Licensing Brand Jamaica" we are compiling a list of some Jamaican entities we think might be prime candidates for licensing as an outgrowth of their own brands and by extension that of the Jamaican brand.

From the "Brand Jamaica: Copyrighted" article we detect that government administrators are aggressively on the defensive while private enterprise is challenged with how to monetize the brand. It is true that the process begins with seeking copyright, trademark or patent protection for the property which then needs to be followed up with a number of other steps. Protection is good but there should be a perceptible balance. The response in the following extract explains why:

Last month [September 2009], the government introduced a National Branding Committee. Its task could include researching whether the word jerk, which refers to both the seasoning and a specific way of cooking chicken and pork, can be protected.

Even the name Jamaica is being considered for a trademark, officials say. But [Simon] Anholt, the international image expert, said trying to legally protect the nation’s assets through branding is a “dangerous” idea that is ill-advised. “It’s surely more important for Jamaica to work on ways of leveraging and profiting from its wonderful image,” he said, “rather than dreaming up ways of preventing others from doing so.”

The value of the brand to Jamaica is having manufactured products with Jamaican names and cultural content marketed and delivered globally. Protection on the part of any agent of the state should be with the explicit understanding that the rights will be readily made available to anyone subject to them meeting certain fair and sensible criteria, irrespective of nationality.

Local brands owned by private businesses will need to start doing some basic things like protecting their trademarks. In going forward it is advised that they seek the professional advice of expert agents as they can help to, brainstorm opportunities, scope the market, and develop opportunities among other things.

Licensing is not for everyone but with the right partners who understand your products you will get ahead in the business much more quickly than you would on your own steam.

Would your brand make our list? We would like to hear from you.

Nation Branding

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 06:14:00 +0000

Simon Anholt's explanation of nation branding is sure to be a disappointment to well-meaning civil servants and "fans" in search of the next big thing to save the day. Simon Anholt is the gentleman who coined the term "nation branding" in the 1990s and has since traveled the world promoting the concept. The disappointment is his website explains that his work "has nothing to do with marketing, advertising or public relations," because "places can’t construct or manipulate their images with advertising or PR, slogans or logos". I wish to quote the rest of the story at length from his own website:

The only sure way places can change their images is by changing the way they behave: they need to focus on the things they make and do, not the things they say. Simon Anholt’s approach of Competitive Identity, (which is also the title of one his books), is about helping countries, cities and regions to earn a better and stronger reputation in the following ways:

* through courageous and enlightened social, economic, environmental and foreign policies;
* through the dynamic development of tourism, foreign investment and exports;
* through carefully chosen international cultural, sporting and political events;
* through improved cultural and academic relations with other countries;
* through a strategic commitment to international development and poverty reduction;
* through productive engagement with multilateral institutions, regional organizations and with NGOs at home and abroad;
* through effective coordination between government, industry and civil society;
* through enhanced public and private diplomacy overseas;
* through a visionary long-term approach to innovation, investment and education.

If this is so then where does that leave the well-meaning civil servants and "fans" of brand Jamaica? The experience suggests that it won't be so easy to package and promote Jamaica's challenges away without serious commitment from any incumbent political directorate. It appears stakeholders are called upon to face the real hard issues of policy development, management, and financing among others. To my mind this explains a lot about why brand Jamaica still languishes.

Licensing Brand Jamaica

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 16:47:00 +0000

Recently I had the opportunity to peruse the Guide to the Licensing World 2010, 18th edition. The document was published January 2010, so I’m a little late. Nonetheless, I think these ideas are still relevant so I will share them.

The publication claims to be:

The most comprehensive international directory available on the licensing industry. This year we have over 25,000 property listings, 1,900+ licensors and licensing agents, as well as 1,100+ licensees and hundreds of specialist services… Over 500 pages of licensors, licensing agents and licensees covering characters, brands, TV, films, personalities, sports licensing, artists, and more.

I was very disappointed that the only Jamaican originated brands I could find listed in the guide were Bob Marley and Red Stripe. Bob Marley shows up with representation in Canada, Great Britain and France (the company listed in the index for France does not show up in the body of the directory and therefore it may be possible that Marley currently does not have representation in France. This omission may in fact be an error so I will grant them the benefit of the doubt). Without surprise, Red Stripe appears under Daigeo USA.

I combed through looking for the top earning music personalities of Shaggy, Jimmy Cliff, Sean Paul, Ziggy Marley, Sean Kingston, as suggested in the Jamaica Observer September 17, 2010 article titled 'Reggae's top earners', but was met with zero success. Neither could I find a listing by VP Records or Riddim Driven. This does not mean that these artists and entities do not have accompanying merchandise, instead it just speaks to the scale and emphasis that is put on that stream of revenue. Some of these artists do have merchandise available via their label partners (eg. Atlantic). However, there is the opportunity available to other artists to negotiate independent agent representation. Artists with significant brand equity do not need to wait for a major label partner to initiate merchandise or service extensions of their brand and that is certainly reflected in this publication.

I was disappointed that a regional institution such as the University of the West Indies (UWI) is not represented in a publication where there are quite a few universities. I suspect though that the institution is challenged to develop a licensing strategy for its properties. In an environment where there are budget cuts all around, this is certainly one budget-augmenting avenue worthy of consideration. I do not believe that UWI graduates, both in and outside the Caribbean, would be any less willing to purchase quality relevant university merchandise were it made available and reasonably accessible.

I have often wondered if the government, perhaps through the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office, has examined licensing Jamaican properties in a similar fashion to how the city of New York has established NYC & Company Licensing to handle the business of licensing the City’s intellectual property. As a result, all official merchandise from the New York City police, taxi, fire department, parks and recreation, and the transport department benefit the city. We know that there is merchandise sold with the Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Negril and Kingston city/town names and replicas of other property. Then there is Jamaica Tourist Board’s signature 'JAMAICA' trademark and related property that serve tourism. In addition, there are the cultural creations that become the property of the Jamaican Cultural Development Commission each year. I wonder to what extent local business, and by extension the state, could benefit from greater sales of products around these properties? This is certainly a business opportunity.

The Guide to the Licensing World 2010 is filled with information about relevant trade shows that creators may attend to seek a licensee or an agent to represent their properties. It would definitely be a plus for Jamaican businesses if they should get more representation at these shows with the name recognition some among us have. I think more of Jamaica's businesses and institutions should seriously seek out a licensing agent. I thought it embarrassing that not one of the English speaking territories in the Caribbean has a licensing agent or specialist service (licensing consultants, attorneys, designers, accountants, etc) listed. The Caribbean agents are to be found in Costa Rica and Panama according to the guide. I think this says something about the expertise Jamaica has on the island. The level of play needs to be raised.

One hopes that these omissions are corrected before the 2012 edition, Jamaican business and brand Jamaica will be better for it. The guide may be purchased at www.licensingworld.co.uk and you may find them on Facebook here.

Stop by my Urban Yard Jamaica shop some time and check out what else I've been up to. You just might see something there that you like. If you don't see anything then make a suggestion.

Words to Live By

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:25:00 +0000

Arising from a genuine concern for the betterment of the Jamaican nation I began to wonder how useful much of the talk generated on the question of development has been. It would appear to me that the parties responsible have stopped engaging in meaningful conversation long ago and are now involved in monologues of various sorts. You see, much of the time it's really about them, their ego and their interests. What a tragedy this has become for the ordinary folk, who have become accustomed to artful talkers telling us nothing in a great harangue. I went searching for a particular quote that speaks to arguing with those who know-it-all and came across these from the Quote Garden below. I chose to include them here because they contain ideas I don't want to ever forget to apply to my own life.

To speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks. ~Ben Jonson

Most conversations are simply monologues delivered in the presence of a witness. ~Margaret Millar

Of those who say nothing, few are silent. ~Thomas Neiel

The older I grow the more I listen to people who don't talk much. ~Germain G. Glien

I am annoyed by individuals who are embarrassed by pauses in a conversation. To me, every conversational pause refreshes. ~George Sanders

Don't speak unless you can improve on the silence. ~Spanish Proverb

Isn't it surprising how many things, if not said immediately, seem not worth saying ten minutes from now? ~Arnot L. Sheppard, Jr.

Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving evidence of the fact. ~George Eliot, Impressions of Theophrastus Such, 1879

The difference between a smart man and a wise man is that a smart man knows what to say, a wise man knows whether or not to say it. ~Frank M. Garafola

In the course of my life, I have often had to eat my words, and I must confess that I have always found it a wholesome diet. ~Winston Churchill

And, the quote for which I initially searched:

Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference. ~ attributed to Mark Twain

I encourage those who have ideas and are able to act to do so because those who have nothing of value to add will likely continue to talk. I learned in school that "empty barrels make the most noise" (these days they do so eloquently) and I suspect that much hasn't changed.

Stop by my Urban Yard Jamaica shop some time and check out what else I've been up to. You just might see something there that you like. If you don't see anything then make a suggestion.

Independence 48

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 22:22:00 +0000

So today is Jamaica's 48th year of independence from British rule. For better or for worse, many nations stand in awe of the world that Jamaica made. Its unbelievably twisted I know, we claim to value freedom and life on the one hand and then we take them back with the other. I am disappointed in what the nation has become because what I see is not what my ancestors fought for. Today is a cause for reflection more than a mindless celebration. We can and should do better!

Nevertheless, in recognition of the many positive achievements despite the odds feel free to mount this badge of honour somewhere where it makes you feel proud.

Stop by my Urban Yard Jamaica shop some time and check out what else I've been up to. You just might see something there that you like. If you don't see anything then make a suggestion.

Marijuanaman Comics? No Sah

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 01:48:00 +0000

So Ziggy Marley is throwing his hat into the ring of publishing with a new comic project titled Marijuanaman. This project is slated to hit the retailers come April 20, 2011. According to the Image Comics July 1 blog,

Ziggy is blazing into the comic world with his latest project, MARIJUANAMAN. Ziggy's new superhero, Marijuanaman, is from a planet that is in desperate need of THC. Marijuanaman seeks to save Earth's marijuana fields from destruction by the drug company PharmeXon, and thus saving his home planet from destruction.

With Marijuanaman being heralded as "the hero for a new generation", I hope we can all handle him when he arrives because some parents we know aren't likely to take too kindly to a herbsman for kids, assuming that's the new generation they're talking about. I wonder if this is likely to be a winner? Surprisingly, this is just after his "Family Time" album as well as other projects aimed at kids. Maybe I'm the one who's getting it twisted but the message seems all wrong here. I can see through the brilliance of targeting kids to grow your audience with your music, but I think the theme in this new comic is a bad idea. Kryptonite and marijuana don't exactly have the same effect on kids.

"Damagement" is on the loose it appears. Then again, maybe it's all a prank.

Here's the official website.

P.S. Check out my new Urban Yard shop, there's something there for you. If you don't see it then suggest it.

In the World that Jamaica Made: Make Your Vision Count

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:56:00 +0000

In life one thing leads to another and so true to form my participation in the Caribbean Cultural Conference in New York opened an opportunity for me to be the guest speaker at the first annual Reggae AMPPS (Artistes, Musicians, Producers, Promoters and Songwriters) Awards ceremony. This event happened on Saturday, June 26, 2010 in Brooklyn. It was a very enjoyable night and by all appearances it will get better over the years. Among the night’s top honorees in attendance were: Pat McKay of Sirius XM; Howard “Sir Tommy's” Mapp, Producer; Anthony “Downbeat” Rookwood owner of Downbeat the Ruler sound system; Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke; Junior Forbes, Chairman, Caribbean American Cultural Caucus; Sharon Gordon & Carlyle McKetty of the Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music. This was indeed august company and I was honored to be among them. Below are some lines from the delivery I gave as the event’s guest speaker. Judging by the feedback, the ideas were well received and I am happy that I could have provided the audience with some meaningful words.

Give Us Vision Lest We Perish
I want to ensure that my delivery is one that communicates a vision, that is, a vision for a better Jamaica (and a better Caribbean). This is something I’m very passionate about and it has been a very consistent message since my school days at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona. I’m at heart a Garveyite, I swear by the essential principles of this first national hero of Jamaica: 1) self-reliance, 2) nationhood, and 3) pride in self. Marcus Garvey was a pan-Africanist, and so am I. Mr. Garvey was very clear that development was not going to happen by magic, but that it was going to take serious work, and the same holds true today. Notwithstanding, this is an ideal and it is in striving for this state of being that we become our best selves.

In the World that Jamaica Made ^™
After I had an exchange with Nick Da Silva in February 2010, a Brazilian artist who has created a Jamaican comic book series named “Dread & Alive” here in the US, I wrote,

There is a lot Jamaicans take for granted, and it is a national privilege that just might be short-lived. Jamaica’s patrimony in a very tangible way now belongs to the world. The better part of our national ideas articulated by the best of our folk philosophers have long migrated to create an independent Jamaica. A place that is independent of the island known as Jamaica that is to be found in the Caribbean Sea - and there is no place for the petty there. Welcome to the world that Jamaica made, where “to di werl” means just what it says. Embrace it.

My friends, this is the reality that faces us in 2010 as lovers of reggae music and the Jamaican culture. Much of what we love has been received and claimed by the world. In many instances they have made it their own. Just think of the many reggae events and festivals on which Jamaicans are merely guests. What does this mean for us who were born into the culture? Do we resist this appropriation or do we accept it? Does it make their (foreign) reggae inferior to our reggae or is it just one other type of reggae expression? We’ll have to answer these questions going forward because the answers have implications for how we conduct our business.

As much as we’d like to look inward to move forward, I believe that we will have to embrace these other developments that take place outside to make more successful strides. Friends we have very little choice.

Vision: Jamaica A Cultural Super State
I was fortunate to have entered the work world when I did, after the experience of the ill-fated Caribbean Music Expos (CME) in Ocho Rios, which set me on a path to develop training solutions for the region’s entertainment sector. In October 2001, I landed a job at the Culture Division in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture that saw me coordinating the Culture in Education Programme. Inspired by a January 1996 interview with Marcus Garvey Jr. on Mutabaruka’s Cutting Edge on IRIE FM, I gave life to the idea of a “cultural super state” applied to Jamaica (not Africa as was the original Garveyite intention).

I argued then and I still believe now, that the music sector has the potential to become a cash cow for Jamaica’s ailing economy (by virtue of the convergence of entertainment, media, technology and culture). When I first gave full expression to the notion of the cultural super state in October 2001 at the Culture Agent’s workshop I contended that a focus on this idea could help to bring about:

Economic prosperity for all
A world-class educated population
A healthy nation
A just society; with little or no crime
Respect for the elders and every human

These are ideals that later appeared as the national goals in the “Vision 2030 Jamaica: National Development Plan” a document prepared by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) in 2009 (eight years later). Notwithstanding, from as early as 2003 the ideas got written into the National Culture Policy of Jamaica, titled “Towards Jamaica a Cultural Superstate”, a project for which I carried some of the development responsibility at the time. Happily, the National Culture Policy was passed by Parliament in December 2003.

So what does all this mean for us? If words on paper were all that was needed to develop Jamaica, reggae music, and the rest of the Caribbean then we probably would have been developed. Unfortunately, we need more.

Dr. Michael Witter in his 2003 Bob Marley Lecture told us that any strategic development plan for the Jamaican music industry, “must be informed by the industry’s vision of its own future, and it must continue to commit its resources to realizing that vision. The industry’s vision in turn will probably derive from the vision of a few forward-looking investors, similar to the dynamic, even catalytic, role that Chris Blackwell’s investments played in the emergence of reggae as an international commodity in the 1970s.”

For those who still want data as to whether or not investing in Jamaican creativity and culture (a.k.a. brand Jamaica) makes sense, Prof. Vanus James in completing a study for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) August 2007 shows from his research that,

Each dollar of foreign exchange invested in the leading elements of the core copyright sector contributes about J$6.18 of value added to Jamaica, mainly in the form of wages and indirect taxes. These elements are: authors, music composers, and independent artistes in allied activities (not music); authors, music composers, and independent artistes in the core music industry; dance studios; and theater and related entertainment services. Each dollar invested yields as much as J$6.57 in certain partial copyright sectors, such as manufacture of other leather products, luggage and handbags, footwear… and boots and shoes from leather fabrics and other materials… [read branded merchandise]. On the other hand, the same dollar of foreign exchange in communications (say, cable television) yields only J$1.49.

He added, “this simple arithmetic” makes a compelling case, yet we have not had any meaningful action on the part of the authorities nor from enough of our homegrown investors who have the requisite capital.

Despite the struggles on the rock, it is true that within the community of world cultures Jamaica is not dwarfed. Unfortunately though, the money that Jamaica earns stays primarily in the major northern states of USA, Canada, Japan, UK and her EU neighbors under the control of foreigners. This money could otherwise be used to provide better healthcare, a more equipped education system, better roads and an overall better quality of life for Jamaica’s families. Having recognized this, a priority contribution to the national development process is to prepare Jamaican citizens to take control of their cultural products. The change needed to achieve this will only happen through strategic work.

It can no longer be considered a joke when a child says she or he wishes to become a singer, dramatist, entrepreneur or some kind of a sports person. We all see on spectacular display before our very eyes the materially bedecked stars. It should not be too difficult to imagine that from the music sector the related occupations of fashion designing, cosmetology, filmmaking, dance, marketing, tourism, culinary arts, digital design and technology services all grow to support these activities. This cycle continues as each of these areas grow. It might very well be the most apt description of Jamaica’s current situation as regards the entertainment, media and culture segments of the economy to say that the proverbial “stone that the builder refused is becoming the cornerstone of the building”. Increasingly, we have to seek our economic salvation from the creative/culture sectors such as:

Visual & Performing Arts
Music
Fashion
Events and Festivals
Audio-Visual (Radio, Film & Television)
Digital Technology (Animation, Digital Arts & Design, Game Art & Dev)
Publishing
Sports
Tourism & Travel
Amusement/Theme Parks
Gaming & Wagering
Toys & Games
Culinary Arts/Cuisine

All of these areas stand to benefit from the strengthening of the others. Unfortunately, we have not organized ourselves in ways that have allowed us to benefit from these opportunities that exist. Part of the reason for this may be a collective disregard for things Jamaican, but also our feeble efforts at converting very good ideas into reality - manifest entrepreneurial weakness. This is what Prof. James calls the paradox of entrepreneurship in the Caribbean, explained by saying that, “entrepreneurs with substantial capital are usually not drawn to invest in the key creative activities of the copyright sector, such as music; those entrepreneurs who are drawn typically have only small amounts of capital”.

My challenge then to this group of Jamaicans and well wishers in the Diaspora is, organize yourself into business units that aim to invest in the opportunities that emerge from the Jamaican cultural product both on the island as well as overseas. Do not wait on the Jamaican government! Contrary to the December 2004 music industry study done for the UNESCO Global Alliance Programme, I am now very convinced that more than any government, private individuals are better suited to turn this sector for the better, by:

Creating the intersectoral linkages (tourism, manufacturing, IT, etc)
Marketing and promoting the music product
Protecting/policing their intellectual property
Developing standards of professionalism and holding yourselves to it, and to refine new talent; continually innovating for the markets
Celebrating and commemorating industry achievements and heroes
Finding creative sources of financing
Establishing and partnering on industry training

The conclusion then is if we want greater success we should encourage education and the refining of skills, as these are primary forms of capital for the entertainment and culture sectors. The fact is, the more you know, the more you are likely to earn in these sectors. The future is in your hands.

I applaud the development work of Reggae AMPPS and the other activities in which you are involved. More of this kind of effort is needed. I will also encourage you to take what you currently do to the next level. You may very well find that you can act as incubators for a range of other entities that need to emerge in support of the growth of global reggae. If you believe Mr. Garvey’s admonitions that say, “without vision the people perish”, then you have no choice but to stick steadfastly to your vision for yourself.

Distinguished guests, and friends, I thank you for your time.

Building Your Brand

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 21:55:00 +0000

On June 18, 2010 I made a presentation titled "Building Your Brand" at the second annual Caribbean Cultural Conference held at the Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York. I am humbled by the response to the ideas presented. My hope is that those who participated will take the ideas I presented and run with them. There is hope for the Jamaican entertainment product both on the island as well as globally but we must work at this wisely. It is very evident that alternative sources of revenue need to be tapped as creative folk, and I'm confident that we can find the right sources that match with the personality of each creative. The engagement and other feedback received after the presentation says that at least some persons who were present thought that there could be some promise in building themsleves and a brand. These sentiments give me hope.

My commitment to the unearthing, showcasing and development of the Jamaican entertainment and culture output still stands and I will endeavor to share whatever information I can to help this process along. The conference organizers, the Caribbean American Cultural Caucus, recorded my presentation and they have plans to share it on their website in a few days. When it becomes available I'll share a link here on my blog.

P.S. Check out my new Urban Yard shop, there's something there for you. If you don't see it then suggest it.

In the World that Jamaica Made: The Nicholas Da Silva Story

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:08:00 +0000

There are times I think that I should have named this blog, “In the world that Jamaica made”. I say this because on my journey I have encountered so many great non-Jamaicans who are so versed in and passionate about the culture of Jamaica. The output of the collective Jamaican “kingdom of the mind” is an enviable possession that we too often take for granted; with local shenanigans being nothing but bold displays of a lack of vision and a sense of self (history).

On March 1, Brazilian born Nicholas Da Silva reached out to me after reading my last post about his Jamaican inspired comics Dread & Alive. We chatted about his project, and I took from him great inspiration and hope for the Jamaican culture, all of which he became familiar with through friends, books, films, music and a singular visit. He is living testament to the world that Jamaica made. His story is inspiring and I said to him that I wanted to tell it. Thankfully, he agreed to have me take some text from our exchange for this post. Have a read and learn about this remarkable artist who is more attuned to and passionate about Jamaica than many Jamaicans I know. He is a man with a purpose and a vision, and somehow I think he will be successful at fulfilling his purpose and attaining his vision.

Kam-Au Amen (KA): So how did you even think of this project?

Nicholas Da Silva (ND): Well, when I was 22 my father passed away, he was my hero, he showed me the world before I even started high school.

KA: Was he connected in to the Maroons [of Jamaica]?

ND: No, but he was adamant about being independent, and a history buff, he loved knowledge and believed knowledge was power. I can still hear him telling me that if you want to learn something, go to the library, it's a place of knowledge.

So I went home to the funeral, and then returned to San Francisco where I worked during the day and also worked a nightclub for reggae nights. My bouncer was a Rastafarian who really helped me get through the pain of losing someone very close to you. I found refuge in reggae music and that began to pique my interest in the country of Jamaica; this is back in 1989.

KA: I noticed that Rastafarian characters and the [Dread] talk feature in a few of your projects.

ND: Yes, I try to always give thanks and praise to those who influence me.

KA: I actually wondered if you were Rastafarian.

ND: I’m not a Rastafarian but I have so much respect for Rastafarians.

KA: In many ways tapping into Rastafari is tapping into the essence of Jamaican culture.

ND: Yes indeed. You know, the one thing that really spoke to me about the history of Jamaica was the Maroons. Here, you have a group of people who wanted their freedom and would fight by any means necessary to protect that freedom. I told myself a story must be made and told to future children to show them the plight of freedom. [So] I set out to write Dread & Alive.

KA: You tapped into a great medium to tell the story too.

ND: Thank you, my friend! When I produce things, I like to mesh cultural fact with fiction.

KA: How many issues do you envision for the series?

ND: A lot. I want to have this story as a mainstream story that we can all feel proud of, inspire others and show them the path.

KA: I agree. For my whole academic life that is the point of view I’ve been articulating.

ND: I’m tired of the boring stuff I see in the US with the movie industry and how Marvel and DC [comics] depict us, we can be heroes too. Your article really touched me. From the heart. That's why I reached out to say hello.

KA: Thanks man.

ND: I’m going to be releasing issue #2 this month, and have already drawn issue #3, it just needs to be colored and lettered.

KA: The music on the website is original, right?

ND: Yes indeed, I’m doing a CD series too.

KA: Is it just your music only?

ND: No, I’m inviting others to join me, I have the first CD line up ready, and I am looking for CD #2.

KA: From the Adobe article I read on you I could see that you are a [workaholic], you hardly take a break, I admire that.

ND: Thank you! I love the arts, music, writing, and drawing. I think I sleep 5 hours every day (7 actually); but I always wake up refreshed and ready to create.

KA: How are the sales on Panelfly, [the iPhone/iPod comic downloading service]?

ND: I don't know because I just joined them. We will get the first reports next month; the issue is #8 on the top ten which is a good thing.

KA: Is the print uptake good?

ND: Yes, it is. I’m producing this project totally independent, and loving every minute of it.

KA: Do you think this will do well in Japan?

ND: I think so, I get a lot of traffic there, and I have a nice following through ZOOLOOK.

KA: What is your overall vision, do you see a TV series perhaps?

ND: I would like to see a movie produced based on the stories, and a TV series, animated and live action, I’m open to both. If you noticed on the site, I have 2 stories.

KA: This is such an inspiration. So how did the link with HELP Jamaica! come about?

ND: I was looking for an organization that was trying to make a difference, one that is close to me. I told my dad that one day, I would build a library in his name. I believe he is with me in spirit.

I have to tell you, I do get tired of having the wrong role models forced on the kids who will be our future. Sports can only take us so far. With the mind, the journey is endless, and that’s why I do this.

KA: [You mentioned in the email to me that you are getting the comics translated into Patwa.] Its great that you reached out to the folks at the University of the West Indies. How is that going?

ND: [Professor Hubert Devonish and the Linguistics Team] are translating the comic book issues now.

KA: I know I mentioned it in my note, but full translation would make it virtually incomprehensible to an English audience.

ND: I know, but you know, I like that.

KA: Hehe.

ND: One of the things I will do is help Hubert Devonish; he is trying to make Jamaican Patwa an official language. I will join him and use the series to help him.

ND: You know, there is one thing I want to share with you. I think it's sad that it takes a major catastrophe for people to come together to help those in need. We should do this every day. That's Drew McIntosh's moniker - everyday, I will fight the good fight to make the world a better place.

KA: Thank you Nick for your time and allowing me to share this.

I must say that after this discussion I was moved. Rare are the moments when you meet people and their spirit so energizes your own. I emerged from this chat with even greater conviction that the story of the world that Jamaica made needs to be told. It was also very clear to me that the army that will be summoned to tell it won’t all be recruits from the rock. Instead, they will come from among some of the good people we meet on our journey.

There is a lot Jamaicans take for granted, and it is a national privilege that just might be short-lived. Jamaica’s patrimony in a very tangible way now belongs to the world. The better part of our national ideas articulated by the best of our folk philosophers have long migrated to create an independent Jamaica. A place that is independent of the island known as Jamaica that is to be found in the Caribbean Sea - and there is no place for the petty there. Welcome to the world that Jamaica made, where “to di werl” means just what it says. Embrace it.

Keep doing what you doing Nick for the love of Jamaica.

Walk good, and good duppy walk wid yuh!

P.S. Check out my new Urban Yard shop, there's something there for you. If you don't see it then suggest it.

The Dread & Alive Jamaican comics

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:26:00 +0000

In reading up on the non-profit HELP Jamaica!, I happened upon what has been described as the first Jamaican superhero comic book series titled "Dread & Alive". The series is produced by San Francisco based Nicholas Da Silva, who hails from Brazil. According to the site Better Flash Animation, Nicholas Da Silva is,

the founder and creative director of ZOOLOOK, a San Francisco-based new media agency established in 1996 that develops entertainment properties for the web, video, television, film and wireless entertainment. Nicholas Da Silva has been featured in Web Designer magazine HOT 100 List for the past 2 years (2008-2009). Nicholas is also an award-winning graphic designer, music producer and published author. He has developed projects for TechTV, the Beastie Boys, Charles Schwab, Wyclef Jean, Front 242, to name a few.

The first issue of Dread & Alive was launched on February 6, 2010 (Bob Marley's 65th earthday) in both digital and print versions. The story follows Drew McIntosh, the Roaring Lion, who confronts the evils of Babylon - illegal smugglers, human traffickers, illegal loggers (this IS fiction) among the Maroons in Jamaica's Cockpit Country. I found an unillustrated version of the story online here, feel free to flip the pages and read it for yourself. The dialog has little to no hint of Jamaican Patwa. I was somewhat disappointed there, but I recognize that we didn't write it. Follow this link if you are interested in purchasing a $0.99 digital copy for your iPod touch/iPhone. If you are going to order the print version it will cost you $4.99 plus shipping.

One other fascinating thing about this project is that Mr. Da Silva will be donating 30% of all digital sales, and 10% of all print sales from Issue #1 to HELP Jamaica!, thereby assisting in the establishment of libraries and other educational projects in Jamaica. For all subsequent issues his operations will donate 10% to HELP Jamaica!, this giving back initiative is commendable.

I expect there will be accusations of cultural exploitation and I'm sure that a lot of that will be tantrums of the moment. These days I know not to get too stirred by arguments in defense of opportunities that we fail to take advantage of as individuals and as a people. There is some truth to the point that very little else comes from talkers but talk. We can choose to participate or excuse ourselves, and believe it or not we have made a choice. From the days of the admonitions of Marcus Garvey, through to the present admonitions of experts, we have allowed our leadership to guide us to poor choices. These days we just live with the consequences.

A point worthy of discussion is the giving back model, which I hope will likely be used by more cultural entrepreneurs to prop up the weak educational infrastructure in Jamaica. This funding approach may also force more relevance out of the national training initiatives, particularly since these entrepreneurs see the inadequacies daily. This is to be encouraged, because as Maxine Stowe has been at pains to point out, it is only by bringing in untainted investments into the creative sector that we will truly begin to see more positive output and greater returns to the Jamaican economy from the creative product.

Though there are a few questions in my mind with regards to matters of representation in Dread & Alive, I will only offer up congratulations to the team at this time for taking this bold step. No matter what happens hereafter, a door has been opened. I trust that those with vision and talent will step in.

Go check out Da Silva's Dread & Alive site for more information, you might find the themed music and free downloads interesting. His primary Zoolook site links to some very good work. I found that his ultrafunkular animated music mix was very entertaining.

Walk good!

P.S. Check out my new Urban Yard shop, there's something there for you. If you don't see it then suggest it.

Remembering Miss Lou the Cultural Icon

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:48:00 +0000

September 7, 2009 was the 90th birthday of the Hon. Louise Bennett Coverley, the Jamaican cultural icon more popularly known as Miss Lou. Miss Lou has had a positive impact on the respect and appreciation I have for the Jamaican language and culture. I really do believe that the Jamaican culture is a very good foundation upon which we can build a viable entertainment economy, therefore, it is on this premise that I pause to remember the contribution of Miss Lou to reinforcing that foundation. I hope you can enjoy her in these youtube videos as much as I have.

The Jamaica Gleaner carried the articles Queen of Creole still reigns and Ode to 'Miss Lou' in tribute to her work. They give very good insight into how her work has contributed to the foundation upon which we can build, enjoy!

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The Fastest Cat on the Planet

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:59:00 +0000

"We're the fastest cat on the planet", so says Puma CEO, Jochen Zeitz in talking to CNN's Jim Boulden about the company's partnership with Usain Bolt and sponsoring other athletes. Who says you don't get what you pay for? This is a great example of how Puma has tied themselves to the brand Jamaica and monetized that relationship. If only the national leaders were able to lead us in monetizing all this attention to the nation's benefit.

The Financial Times on August 22 reported that, "an independent organization has estimated Mr Bolt's media value at €250m ($358m)." If he is worth that much to Puma, he is at least of similar value to Jamaica. However, the difference is Puma has products to sell, and sell they did and continue to do. The same article pointed out that Puma sold out of their "Yaam" shoe, "a lifestyle version of [Bolt's] shoes and a Jamaican sports cloth collection." The CEO made it clear that Puma is moving to incorporate more of the Jamaican lifestyle into their lines. According to him, desirability is key, and clearly Jamaica can deliver on that desirability.

For the record, brand Jamaica is not the only lifestyle Puma is targeting. He made a point of speaking to how they will position the company to take advantage of, as he calls it, "the African way of life" for the World Cup in South Africa. If there still exists doubt about the rise of a new economy, rooted in culture, there could never be a better example to illustrate and connect the dots for the doubters. The dynamic of our world is changing, and if the opportunities are not grasped now, then I'm afraid we might very well be witness to history repeating itself. With ill-equipped post-holders aplenty, leadership and vision are lacking. So, as we fight one another for the power and the glory, Jah kingdom goes to waste.

You can watch the full interview on CNN Video here.

P.S. Check out my new Urban Yard shop, there's something there for you. If you don't see it then suggest it.

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Entertainment Business Schools

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:18:00 +0000

A number of persons have reached out to me wanting some information on where they could consider attending school for entertainment industry training. I've found that a great resource is the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association (MEIEA) website. They maintain a list of schools that offer certificates, bachelors and masters programs in the field of entertainment. I must confess that the majority of programs are geared towards music business preparation. The list includes the BA in Entertainment and Cultural Enterprise Management at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

If you want to focus on other areas of the entertainment business, including sports management, Full Sail University may be one place you could consider. I find they have a very diverse offering:

BACHELORS
Computer Animation
Digital Arts & Design
Entertainment Business
Film
Game Art
Game Development
Music Business
Recording Arts
Show Production and Touring
Web Design and Development
Graphic Design
Internet Marketing

MASTERS
Entertainment Business
Entertainment Business: Sports Management Elective Track
Internet Marketing
Game Design
Media Design
Education Media Design & Technology

MEIEA is a good place to start, but I know for a fact that some other good programs are not listed here, like New York University's BSc and MBA in Entertainment, Media and Technology or Columbia's MBA in Media that has significant entertainment business focus. I suggest you spend some time researching outside of this list just to be sure that you are exploring all your options. You will know what is right for you when you see it. One thing is for sure though, getting yourself qualified is an investment that could go a long way in ensuring your success in the entertainment business.

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Bolting to the Bank

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:36:00 +0000

As Usain Bolt marks another birthday, many track and field fans are celebrating the occasion with him, being very mindful of his establishment of another set of world records. There's really no greater gift he could ask for, is there? How many persons can boast that they earned a gift of two world records? The man is in a class by himself, an extraordinary phenomenon that defies explanation. I couldn't help but think about what this continued success means for him, and his economic well being, not that the latter is under threat.

I have written in the past about the role alliances between entertainment and traditional business can play in contributing to the development of an entertainment economy in Jamaica, and by extension the Caribbean. So I went searching on the Internet to discover how the Bolt phenomenon is being leveraged. The fact is, athlete Usain Bolt has moved from being a mere runner to become a celebrity, known not only for his record breaking achievements but also his likability. The media love him because he provides good entertainment. I can't say I've found out all there is to know, but I'll share some of what I found along with some of my thoughts. I do discuss some legal issues that should not be taken as legal advice. I suggest consulting with an attorney-at-law if there is some idea you want to act on.

Sneaker Freaker Magazine on July 25 had this release:

Olympic sprint star Usain Bolt has just released his Gold Collection online at Puma's e-shop, giving fans and aspiring athletes the chance to rock his golden steez. Capitalizing on his unbeaten record for fastest 100 and 200 metre sprints, Bolt in collaboration with Puma bang out a metallic menagerie of product.

The products they spoke about can be seen here on the Puma e-shop.

So what might all this mean in dollars and cents? Usain Bolt has a standing endorsement arrangement in place with Puma, which includes the grant of a license to use his identity (image and likeness) for the sale and promotion of products.

Licensing serves a number of functions depending on the objectives of each party. It benefits the licensor, or brand owner by, 1) helping to build their brand, 2) helping to protect trademarks, and 3) generating revenue. One the other hand, a licensee, or manufacturer may benefit by using a license arrangement to, 1) grow market share, 2) build competitive advantages, and 3) generate revenue. From the list of benefits we can conclude that it appears to be a win-win situation for both parties.

For a star like Usain Bolt, endorsement contracts along with a licensing provision could be very lucrative ways to supplement his revenue. For instance, it could allow him to take full advantage of his fame by having his image and likeness translated into merchandise that fans buy and want to be associated with. In the case of licensing for consumer products, a typical licensor could expect to earn royalties representing 10% of wholesale sales (5% of retail sales) paid to him usually on a quarterly basis. It is also quite typical of these deals to include an advance payment that is non-refundable and fully recoupable. Of course, all of this is subject to the specifics of the individual contract and the relative celebrity power of the talent. That said, for the sake of my point assume that wherever you see official licensed products the talent's representatives are probably collecting about 5% of the selling price (mind you, all 5% will not end up in the hands of the talent) - let me emphasize that this is not necessarily the structure of Usain Bolt's Puma contract, but rather it is the general expectation of licensing contracts based on the current licensing practices. This is not bad return for just being a star. As far is I could see, there are two official Usain Bolt licensees, Puma of Germany and Sun Island of Jamaica. (I'd be happy to know if there are others). The latter making it very clear that the license they have restrict them to sell only in Jamaica.

This therefore begs the question, who are all these other folk selling Usain Bolt merchandise? A quick peek at www.zazzle.com reveals a slew of vendors trying to cash in. The point I'll make here is that licensing is not the be-all and end-all of the process, because after the agreements come the policing. Many of those who are trying to hustle the name are in fact in breach of intellectual property laws. Bolt's image and likeness are his, and only he, or his assignees have a right to determine how they are used/exploited.

Typically, licensing deals will be specific on matters having to do with territory (as with Sun Island) in which the licensee can sell the products, the time period, and the product category. Often the initial deal will be 3 years with an option to renew, while the agreement will also speak to the matter of exclusivity (or non-exclusivity) granted to the licensee. There are a number of other elements to consider, but I will explain them at another time. Suffice to say that with these agreements artists and other celebrities can design for themselves a solid source of revenue.

I am not going to suggest that landing some of these arrangements will be a walk in the park, but it can be done. Neither will I suggest that they are for everyone. Recently, I wrote a post about reggae artist Levi Roots and his arrangement with the Subway restaurant chain in the UK. The more recent story is that, "Mighty Crown Celebrates New Sneaker Deal with Explosive World Tour". According to the release the Mighty Crown is the most successful non-Jamaican dancehall sound system worldwide. Here's a quote:

The super sound Mighty Crown has once again collaborated with Nike to release the Dynasty High sneaker. The unique studded sneaker is an elite revamp of Nike’s 1981 original Dynasty High. Blazoned with the Crown logo on the tongue, the sneaker is being released in conjunction with the Anniversary of Mighty Crown’s Yokohama Reggae Festival (SAI) — Japan’s largest Reggae stage show.

This is the third sneaker deal for the Japanese sound system, and they currently have two clothing lines and a dancehall magazine. There is a lesson in here somewhere for the Jamaican originators, so take from it what you will.

It would seem to me that our entertainment economy is not a pipe dream after all, hinged as it is upon Jamaican entertainment (music, arts, sports) and culture (cuisine, language, rastafari). If we can get past the fact that we may not all become mega stars, earning mega bucks, to looking at the ways that we can exploit the niches and through creative arrangements secure for our talent some steady sources of revenue, we may be surprised at what the combined revenues begin to look like. Licensees may not all be able to sign on with a Usain Bolt, but there are lesser-known stars with commercial potential worth considering.

So then, while I think Puma is willing to ride this wave to the bank, thanks to Usain Bolt, I doubt they have the long-term interest of making any significant contribution to the growth of the Jamaican economy, and why should they? The long-term exploitation of this revenue option is really up to Jamaican talent and their management. The question is, are these Jamaicans up to the challenge?

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Writing Jamaican the Jamaican Way

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:19:00 +0000

I really appreciate the dialog that has gone on, mostly on Facebook, around the post titled The Reggae Artist as Entrepreneur. I am confident that we can successfully build this business, but it will have to be a collective effort. I think everyone has something to contribute.

Having drawn attention to Reggae Chicken Sub website hosted by Subway UK, I also brought attention to some mis-representations. As I understand it, some disagree with the interpretations given to two of the commonly used Jamaican words. I'm sure that if this were pointed out to Subway UK a correction could be made. Individuals, corporations and even news media make mistakes, that are later corrected. In my humble opinion that is hardly a reason to malign the effort. The fact that the product is there is an achievement, and represents an example to our entertainment sector. The glass is half full.

It doesn't end there though! This gives rise to a related issue, one I think I should bring attention to by showing the connections in a more concrete way, so that more persons understand the relationships, particularly between academia and popular culture, including the entertainment business.

The Jamaica Language Unit at the University of the West Indies, Mona (UWI) has for years been trying to bring across the message of respect for the spoken language of the common people, referred to as Patwa, in Jamaica. They have refined a standard writing system, and they have sought the intervention of the relevant government bodies to have the system used in schools. They have met massive resistance. An explanation, among the many they have advanced in favor of the system, is they are of the opinion that teaching in the native language better enables the students to learn their second language, English. Apparently, from experiments conducted with the assistance of the UWI, this has shown itself to be favorable. From information gathered from their website it appears they even went as far as to a Committee of Parliament. It says:

In May, 2001, representations were made to the Joint Select Committee of the Parliament of Jamaica on the draft Charter of Rights (Constitutional Amendment Bill) on the need to include within the charter freedom from discrimination on the grounds of language.

That said, the point I want to make is that if efforts like these are not given legs to stand on, then on what basis can we advance a substantial argument against what interpretations local or foreign institutions or individuals give to our language? Clearly, this becomes a case of what you think a word means versus what I think it means. Increasingly, as brand Jamaica gains prominence and commercial value, primarily through music and sports, what are the standards that apply? The Levi Roots and Subway partnership is but one example of the commercial application of the Jamaican language, there are many more examples on which we can draw. As many different individuals as there are, there will be as many "versions" of the speech being written, and we will forever continue to protest about mis-representation with no credible basis on which to challenge. I'm not saying that this cannot continue as presently obtains, but it is not the most efficient way to do business.

I'm reminded of an example a professor shared. She recalled getting an inquiry from Japan wherein she was being asked to recommend a school in Jamaica that this Japanese could attend to learn Jamaican. There was none she could have recommended. There being no such institution that was income lost for a nation in financial trouble. That could have been a Jamaican teacher employed, more so now in a time when we complain about "can't find work". With there being few serious grammar texts, no CDs or DVDs Rosetta Stone style, that is income lost. I could go on but I hope my point is made. All is not lost though as small steps are being made. Here's a video produced by the Jamaica Language Unit to promote the June 2009 launch of their new publication on writing Jamaican. You can also check in on their very current TV Fi Wi here as well.

There are those who advance an argument that the language cannot accommodate serious discussion. In response, the Unit produced a series of academic discussions in Patwa. Have a look at the video below.

There is also the argument advanced about the language being purely a spoken one. Evidently, with the changing times there is need to write it, and since necessity is the mother of invention, we need to invent and move along. Time will not stop for us friends. I am not equipped to give a lecture on the dynamics of language, the linguists can do that best, but writing a language does not cause it to lose its vibe, its nuances, its color, and its energy. As far as I have learned, for the most part you first write what you speak, and as a result we create ways to express the beauty of the language in writing, I suspect that is what the better poets (dub poets), and writers (novelists, songwriters) do.

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You Don't Need a Hit to Survive

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:28:00 +0000

One thing always leads to another, and in true form, Scott Kirsner's recent list of The Four Kinds of Fans led me to the Kevin Kelly's 1,000 True Fans article. I'll get to Kelly's article after I give you Kirsner's list.

The relevance of this lies in the question Kirsner asks, how do you get your fans to do something? The truth is, getting a response is a major preoccupation of ours in the entertainment and culture business, since if our targets don't respond to what we do we would be advised to do something else. In light of this, his rationale for categorizing the kinds of fans make good sense. The four kinds of fans as he sees them are:

1. The Impulse Fan. The impulse fan sees a video you've made, or hears about your band from their roommate, and signs up to follow you on Twitter or joins your Facebook group.

2. The Prospective / Occasional Fan. The prospective fan is someone who can be lured out to a show or screening, or convinced to buy a new CD/DVD, but with some effort.

3. The True Fan. Kevin Kelly defined the True Fan as "someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce."

4. The Super Fan. The Super Fan is a True Fan who is willing to help you out in some way.

Kirsner has a discussion about this going on his blog. He also details the characteristics of each there. Click here to read it. It can't hurt to learn more about building that relationship with your different kinds of fans.

That said, according to the blogger Kevin Kelly all you need is 1,000 True Fans. In his blog he says:

You don't need to aim for the short head of best-sellerdom to escape the long tail. There is a place in the middle, that is not very far away from the tail, where you can at least make a living. That mid-way haven is called 1,000 True Fans. It is an alternate destination for an artist to aim for.

Young artists starting out in this digitally mediated world have another path other than stardom, a path made possible by the very technology that creates the long tail. Instead of trying to reach the narrow and unlikely peaks of platinum hits, bestseller blockbusters, and celebrity status, they can aim for direct connection with 1,000 True Fans. It's a much saner destination to hope for. You make a living instead of a fortune. You are surrounded not by fad and fashionable infatuation, but by True Fans. And you are much more likely to actually arrive there.

There are possible negatives though, since this suggestion is calculated based on you being a solo artist. It varies also based on the kind of creative work you do, singing, writing, graphic work, etc. The medium will also determine if this successful, that is, if you are a musician, a painter, or a film-maker. No doubt, your location and the spending power of your fans will also impact the final numbers. Click here to read his full post.

The blog goes on to talk about Fundable as a useful way for creatives to fund their projects. This source may not be available to all who might read this, but the principle is that the fans help to pay for the production of the work by making contributions. This in some ways translates to pledging as we often do for a range of social projects, but in this case, its pledging to a creative project. Its worth considering in my opinion. He wraps up his post saying, "the usual alternative to making a living based on True Fans is poverty." Could this be for real? You bet!

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The Reggae Artist as Entrepreneur

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:30:00 +0000

Reggae singer Levi Roots has been on a roll, and "putting music in your food" in the process. Since 2007 he has become known as the singing chef and noted entrepreneur. His more recent, July 2009, success seems to be his Reggae Reggae Chicken Breast Sub offered by the Subway chain in the UK. Click here to view the site. The site is complete with the nutritional low down on the product, a Levi Subway song, and a guide to speaking Jamaican. The last two are offered as free downloads. Check out the TV ad for the sandwich below.

Levi Roots has an interesting website, I like the promotional video on the site. He is evidently a very busy entrepreneur who finds the time to create new music, promote his sauce, promote his Reggae Reggae Cookbook, speak to students, and do some TV cook show gigs. Click on the highlight here to watch his "How to prepare jerk chicken" video. Based on the info on his website, Subway is not the only restaurant where this artist has his product on the menu. He does have his sauce associated with a fish burger at Hungry Horse in the UK. Here's a video of Levi Roots cooking on the BBC Good Food Show to promote his recipes as featured in his Reggae Reggae Cookbook.

Levi Roots' success has not come easy as he testified. He did much on his own, but things took off after he received £25,000 from two investors who took a 20% stake in his business. This apparently wasn't a bad deal, one of the investors made one phone call and got his products into the Sainsbury's retail chain. There's been no looking back since. Here's a video of Levi Roots talking about what it takes to be an entrepreneur, the video is part of the Inspiring Entrepreneurs series in the UK. Take note of his thoughts on Caribbean food at the end.
(USP = unique selling point)

I remain a champion of the idea that we need to introduce more Jamaicans to the possibilities of cultural enterprise. I led the design of the BA in Entertainment and Cultural Enterprise Management at the University of the West Indies (UWI) so that we could address this. However, the buy-in at the top has been very very slow in coming. Part of the challenge comes from what economics professor Vanus James identified as the paradox of entrepreneurship in the Caribbean. He wrote, "entrepreneurs with substantial capital are usually not drawn to invest in key creative activities of the copyright sector, such as music; those entrepreneurs who are drawn typically have only small amounts of capital." I'm pretty confident that Levi Roots would never have attracted that £25,000 investment from the Caribbean. This is a sad reality, because there are many many more business opportunities I see coming out of Jamaican music and culture by leveraging the range of our intellectual property in a variety of ways.

For starters, creatives will need to take themselves more seriously and think big, but equally, the folks in the Caribbean with capital need to seriously work on their biases. I think Levi Roots is an entrepreneur that we should invite to impart some of what he learned along the way if we want to take what we do to a higher level.

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Marley Coffee Brews Canadian Distribution Deal

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 12:37:00 +0000

The story of the Marley coffee brand continues to unfold. Here is a recent update from the Global License magazine:

"La Grotta Del Formaggio has been tapped to distribute Marley Coffee throughout Vancouver, British Columbia. The coffee brand is also awaiting approval of its Jamaican coffee industry board license to expand its presence internationally.

“My first priority is to ensure that our farm reflects my father’s dream of a better world for all people,” says Rohan Marley, co-founder and chairman of Marley Coffee. “My day-to-day job is to share his dream with the world and to help guide this company so that the dream is embodied in all of our business activities.”

Rohan Marley, son of iconic musician Bob Marley, and friend Shane Whittle launched the coffee line in June. The beans, cultivated from the Marley family farm in Jamaica, are certified organic and feature five blends with titles such as Mystic Morning Wake Up, Simmer Down, One Love, Lively Up! and Jammin Java. Proceeds from the sales of the coffee will go to the Marley Coffee Foundation, which helps youth soccer programs in rural coffee-growing regions in Jamaica. The coffees are also available at www.marleycoffee.com.

In February, Hilco Consumer Capital was tapped by The Bob Marley family to handle the musician’s licensing and retail ventures."

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Considerations for Design Contracts

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:04:00 +0000

"Creative ... is the soul of entertainment, but copyright is the key to the cash", wrote Al Lieberman, professor and Executive Director of the Entertainment, Media and Technology Program at NYU's Stern School of Business, in his book The Entertainment Marketing Revolution. Ignore the legal side of the business and your sojourn within the entertainment business is bound to be one with many regrets.

On the other hand, its not terribly difficult to ensure you always have the law on your side. To do this will require some common sense decision making and discipline on your part. The truth is there are many who know the right thing to do, yet not do it. It's a human condition.

In virtually every business project that I've been involved with I've had to work with a graphic artist at some point. Given those experiences I know that this design contract post by Brian Hoff from The Design Cubicle is relevant. The post is titled, What to Include in Your Design Contracts. As he points out, this is just a start given that so much more can be included. However, if you consider these pointers when you begin to engage design services you will be well on your way. It is true that knowing is half the battle. Of course, there is no harm done in consulting a lawyer when doing your project since this should not be understood as a substitute for legal advice.

I am thankful to Donnie Crawford for this link, What to Include in Your Design Contracts.

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Licensing and Brand Management for Musicians

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:07:00 +0000

I recently gave an interview to Music Business Consultant Simone Harris for her new online program Mind Your Own Business. We had a good chat and it was an honor to share some insight on the business of licensing as a way to move forward for our creatives. You can listen to the interview here, its a little choppy since we chatted using Skype, but you will hear the important stuff nevertheless.

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS - LICENSING- featuring Kam-Au Amen

SIMONE HARRIS Entertainment Business Consultant

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Evian Puts Internet Marketing To Work

noreply@blogger.com (Kam-Au Amen) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:43:00 +0000

The Evian Live Young campaign seems destined to be an advertisement campaign we'll be talking about for a while. Things seem to be going exactly as the Evian marketers expect and the proof is the fact that people are actually going online to search out these advertisements. Check out the campaign's Evian roller babies page when you have some time.

The videos were released July 6 on YouTube. Since then I've seen many mentions online, including them being the feature of news reports in print and on TV. That kind of exposure is the envy of many. A quick check on YouTube shows that each of the released versions has already passed the 5 million views mark, and I don't think that will slow down any time soon. The plan from the start was to go viral and make full use of social media. On facebook you will find an Evian babies fan page as well as at least 3 profiles for some of the 96 babies used to create these commercials (no kidding). And just in case you want your own copies of the music there are links for that too.

Here is a paragraph from the press release:

The new ad campaign personifies the “Live YoungTM” message in a humorous and entertaining fashion with a pop-culture slant. Directed by Michael Gracey (part of the creative circle behind Baz Lurhman’s “Romeo and Juliet” and “Moulin Rouge”), 96 babies were filmed for the spots, which feature roller break-dancing routines set to a Rapper’s Delight remix by Dan the Automator. The famed California hip-hop producer’s remix will be available as an MP3 from all major international digital download sites, just one way Evian is placing the Web at the heart of this campaign.

Here's the US version of the ad:

Below are two teasers the company released in their viral pre-launch. Ebru TV reported that these were released on YouTube and DailyMotion as well as to a platform of about 8,000 bloggers who would help generate some buzz. Have a look.

Teaser #1 - Baby Breakdance

Teaser #2 - Baby Moonwalk

Of course, no recent film production would be complete without a behind the scenes look, so here you have it - the making of Evian roller babies.

I'm interested to know how much was budgeted for this campaign and what percentage of that went into production versus distribution. We can be fairly certain that going viral would have reduced the company's distribution costs of this advertisement. By all appearances the viral spread has traction and it seems that Evian is walking away from this a winner. I suppose then that the question is how will this campaign impact the sales of the brand? Are you more likely to buy the Evian branded water when you go shopping?

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