Politics is an interesting occupation. Every move triggers an effect- positive or negative as shown by the Kalyppo story.
Ghanaians have for long regarded politics with negative lenses all because players have denied the occupation the necessary sincerity needed to turn its image around. Little wonder people shy away from the occupation, claiming ‘I don’t do politics,’ yet politicians formulate policies which impact on their businesses and even lives.
All of a sudden, the fruit drink Kalyppo has been given a whiff of freshness that has increased its demand on the market. It is an unplanned promotion for a Made-In-Ghana product and which the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is turning around to its advantage. After all, it is a promotion of a Made-In-Ghana product which ties in with the flag bearer’s vision of enhancing local industries, especially the agro-based.
Politics, when handled well, can change the fortunes of a people and knock off the usual cynical ‘they are all the same’ mindset hurled at politicians by frustrated citizens.
We are witnessing an amazing politico-marketing development which scholars of advertising and marketing should be kind enough to explain to us.
We have observed in the past few weeks the endorsement of the flag bearer of the NPP by celebrities, development which whether we like it or not, has a certain impact on the campaign fortunes of the politician at the centre of it all.
In the course of these endorsements, we have seen the arrival of personalities like Lucky Mensah and now Agya Koo, among others, following suit. For those with little knowledge or none at all about marketing and advertising, they could not care a hoot about such developments. Not so those who have studied the subjects and appreciate the positive impact of such endorsements.
Interestingly, we are now dealing with a subject of an endorsed politician being associated with a product ironically and mischievously for political leverage. The effect has been stormy on the political realm as Kalyppo now represents a political statement to the effect that with the right leadership, our agro-industrialisation dream can come to fruition.
We are talking about a simple fruit drink – the kind you would buy for a kid when they are crying on their way to school – being adopted informally as a political party’s face of agro-business.
Interestingly, Nana Akufo-Addo did not touch Kalyppo recently but rather in 2008 when he drank it just simply to quench a thirst. Today that action represents a Midas touch giving fillip to a local product.
With concerted effort therefore as a people, we can do a lot to push our agro-business agenda and indeed our private sector development.
Let us believe in Ghana. What was impregnated with mischief has turned out to offer us an important lesson in what concerted efforts can do for our dream of enhancing the private sector, especially in those areas that we have comparative advantage in such as fruit production.
Nana Akufo-Addo and his party have shown us.