We live in a time when endorsements are shortcuts to doing real impressions, persuasions, and convictions on people. Endorsement is one of the products of quick consultancy birthed at the same period as Packaging. Endorsement is not bad in itself but does little [not much] in verifying contents, but more on hype. Endorsements are smart ways of getting online/offline traffic/patronization (customers, clients, leads), most times at the expense of ensuring content/capacity (delivery, quality, and quantity).
Hard work, good work, thorough work, and finished/completed work pay more any day, but it seems it is slower and takes a longer time. This is the reason for too many packaging, endorsement, and other smart works.
Smart life is a product of Artificial Intelligence, AI. AI is the engineering science of making machines act like humans i.e. reason, learn, recognize, and act. This smart consciousness is been deployed in every other facet of life – smartphones, smart beds, smart houses, smart cities, smart TV, smart card, smart services, smart everything, and maybe smart love. It seems the world is trading in content/quality to speed/easiness…and woe to them that are at ease in Zion says the Holy Book.
This smart concept of speed and easiness promoted endorsement at the expense of delivery, capacity, conviction, and services.
Nature of Endorsement
Endorsement goes like this:
Soccer Phenomenon Lionel Messi or Winner Lewandoski or Maestro Cristiano Ronaldo voiced, “I tune in and listen to radio FM 88.5 in Iberibe city Nigeria every day”. This is an Endorsement of the radio station FM 88.5!
[I, therefore, start tuning to FM 88.5 in Iberibe city].
Billionaires Bill Gate or Elom Musk and Jeff Bezos voiced, “I eat at Rumuokoro Restaurant, Port Harcourt when I’m in Africa where a delicious meal cost N300.00.” This is an Endorsement of the Rumuokoro Restaurant!
[Because of that, I start eating at Rumuokoro Restaurant, Port Harcourt.]
Presidents Bihai and of North Koor voiced, “I endorse Senator BAM to be the next President of XYZ country”. This is an Endorsement of the political candidature of Senator BAM.
[I now prepare my mind/PVC to go to vote for Senator BAM].
The above are shapes, natures, and forms of endorsements.
Further, in the town I live, there are banner pictures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi carrying plates of food served in restaurants.
This seems endorsement. Does it make me go and eat there so as to see the soccer maestros? That’s the spirit – what the architect of that banner wanted to achieve.
[Because of that, I may be cajoled to start going there as been endorsed by the soccer maestros, perhaps meet them.]
Also, I see the picture of former US President Barack Obama in many barbing saloons barbing. Does it make me say that Obama barbs here, hence has endorsed this barber, so let me barb here?
An endorsement can also take the form of renting/hiring wear e.g. jerseys from dry cleaners to give traders, or artisans on the streets and ask them to come to the unveiling of a presidential or vice presidential candidate of a party so that it will give the impression that the sports world endorse the candidatures of VP and president since it appears sports enthusiasts are not comfortable with the candidatures of the president & VP: perhaps some are muttering that the candidate cannot represent their interest.
Exactly, endorsement can be shown in renting wears of a particular confession say cassocks or bishopric outfits, and giving them to some artisans, mechanics, and yam sellers to pose as bishops and go to the unveiling of the VP or president at a rally ground to show that their presence conveys impressions of approval, censorship, or endorsement of them, to their religious groups, diocesans and fellow faithful of the acceptance of candidates that many have described unacceptable/inconsiderate.
This brings me to the reason, meaning, and implications of endorsement.
What is Endorsement? Definitions
An endorsement is a marketing tool.
An endorsement is a quick-fix tool. Endorsement is a kind of referring.
Endorsement is a product of present-day marketing consultants’ advice.
Endorsement is used in business promotions strategy to command traffic or leads.
Endorsement according to Online Merriam-Webster Dictionary is defined as endorsing. To endorse is to approve openly. It is to express support or approval publicly and definitely [e.g. I endorse a mayoral candidature.] Thesaurus defines endorse as to recommend [something such as a product, or service] usually for financial compensation/reward or the likes [e.g. honor].
Why must I believe that Argentine captain, Lionel Messi and Portuga captain, Cristiano Ronaldo listen to FM 88.5 FM Iberibe City? I’m not senseless to know it’s untrue. Though they voiced it and are recorded… this can tell us the “sincere” nature of endorsements.
Messi, Lewandowski, and Ronaldo can’t be listening to 88.5 FM…they live and play in Europe. I doubt if any of them have been to Nigeria officially, and talk less about serving food in restaurants.
President Bihai and the President of North Koor cannot tell me who to vote for in an election when I’m holding my PVC and have my sense. Endorsing somebody BY ALL MEANS for me to accept him, BY ALL MEANS, negates one’s sensibilities, sensitivity, and intelligence. Just campaign…it’s enough…voters decide, endorsement notwithstanding!
Bill Gate (17 times the world’s richest man), Elon Musk (today’s [2022] world richest man), and Jeff Bezos (immediate past world’s richest man) told me that they have their lunch in Rumuokoro Restaurant Port Harcourt at N300.00 and I believe them and start going to Rumuokoro Restaurant makes me a daft, and animal. But I’m not so. Beware of endorsements they present to you…use your sense. Accepting endorsements anyhow can tell them you are gullible, illogical, and daft.
Note whether it’s voiced by the endorser or not [like the case of banner pictures], is still an endorsement of a sort.. Messi and Ronaldo weren’t aware of the banners where they are serving food, but let us say that they voiced listening to FM 88.5 Iberibe City Nigeria…it doesn’t harm their careers but can mislead the person on the receiving side of the endorsement.
Just like Messi and Ronaldo in the banner picture, former President Obama didn’t do that barbing endorsement and was not aware of it, yet it’s calculated to be an endorsement by the designer…it also doesn’t harm Obama’s career, but a person who wants to barb may be misleading to go to the wrong barber because he sees Obama haircut pix.
Implications of Endorsement on Product/Person Endorsing & to HRM
I have written that a celebrity voicing by himself that he listens to FM 88.5 Iberibe city or eats in Rumuokoro Restaurant is not harmful whether it’s true or lie. This is because the person voiced it by himself. The same is even when not done by the celeb.
But what of an alleged fake bishop attending an unveiling of a VP candidate to use their presence to endorse a vice presidential candidate? Two things are possible:
– clear the air that you are a real bishop or
– own up to allegations of fakeness.
To clear yourself; name your diocese/parish, list your classmates, use TV to show/display your certificates, or publish them on social/news media daily for free.
About To Go
I want you to see the emptiness inherent in most endorsements that fly around on your radio, TV, billboards, and around you.
How can, a Christian believe that seeing a bishop or someone allegedly wearing a bishop cassock in a political meeting or unveiling of a VP can make him vote for the endorsed candidate? Too cheap an act! There’s a lot of desperation people are getting into to get what they want by all means.
Can I shock you?
I have many things to contact when I want to make a political choice. The same is with you!
I have a conscience,
I have since judged candidates’ antecedents and programs,
I have spirit, and
I have His Spirit.
Same with you.
So, beware of endorsement! Just like I said some time ago, look beyond packaging, and look more into the content. Human Resources Managers take note.
In endorsement, look beyond the statement of endorsement, but look into the character and integrity of the ‘endorsor, look into the reasons behind the endorsement: is its marketing promotion, is it compelled endorsement [presenters of TV/Radio programs these days after interview/presentation will compel you to make a statement to be recorded which they will use as ad/jingle/signature], is it a sincere referring? Don’t be cajoled by the endorser. Use your sense. Be careful.
Mike Ihezuo is a speaker, writer, author, consultant, and researcher. Reach him on Inquiry, #leadershipxcellence, #mikeihezuospeakshq, #businessroundtable.
What do you think? Your comments, please.
