Over the weekend, Diamond Platnumz graced the coffee marathon, which took place in Ntungamo district in western Uganda. Diamond Platnumz has, throughout the years, managed to build a strong reputation and appealing brand worldwide. He has also made sure that he doesn't come cheap whenever needed.
According to media debate, the award-winning musician was paid almost a billion Uganda shillings, with figures thrown around so far indicating 750 million Uganda shillings. Other critics, including artists, have already called out the government over the waste of taxpayers' money. Noise is still going around, with many suggesting the 750 million would have been shared by all local artists and believe it would have created more buzz about coffee in the country.
However, we need to understand that the marathon didn't only target Ugandans; they created the event to increase coffee consumption both in the country and the world at large. Diamond Platnumz's appearance at the event might not bring a direct coffee consumer, but it has surely given the coffee marathon the much-needed publicity.
For the last few days, boda boda riders have been drawing budgets of how the 750 million would have benefited millions of people across the country. The same discussion has dominated social media; it's also a trending topic on local radio and television. When you walk around Kampala, the buildings will murmur about the 750 million given to Diamond Platnumz. Every person, with or without an idea of coffee, will at least discuss how Diamond was paid a whopping sum to perform at the event.
Eddy Kenzo, who happens to be our biggest music export and a Presidential advisor on creatives, spent hours lamenting how he was never valued by the organizers because of Diamond Platnumz's appearance. His lamentations continue to influence the discourse around the coffee marathon, and in this, he brings more value to Diamond Platnumz. Kenzo would have played the safe route, just like Bebe Cool, who chose to join the Tanzanian award-winning artist for the press conference over the weekend.
Diamond Platnumz, in this context, was used to draw attention to coffee, and it has been achieved. The company, however, faces a hard task as they will now need to sell the products to consumers, and many of them are not among those influenced by Diamond Platnumz. They will need another strategy to get their money back.
This disruption marketing is similar to Rwanda investing billions of cash advertising with Arsenal Football Club. Arsenal has numbers across the world, and it brings attention. Not all the football fans will visit Rwanda, but they have a bigger chance compared to other countries like Uganda, who are still chasing Zari as a goodwill ambassador.
The international clout which has come with Diamond Platnumz has benefited the organizers of the coffee marathon. It's the same reason why no one is discussing the POATE event, even when people spent a week in Munyonyo talking about Uganda's tourism potential. No one is discussing Kabuye Semboga's flopped concert at Serena Hotel, and for the same reason, we are not reading headlines related to Full Figure, Bajjo Events, and Salongo Siraje.