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On Wednesday, Asamoah Gyan’s family held a clear-the-air press conference in Ghana’s capital to kill the bad press haunting their family ever since the Black Stars captain landed from Brazil.
It has backfired spectacularly- both at home and abroad.
At home
Within hours of the presser, a popular Ghanaian lawyer, Maurice Ampaw, told Citi News that he was very sure the Gyans are still hiding something.
Ampaw began: “What they are giving out there, there are others that can also give that same information. For example when they went to Ada, they left details as to the number of people who went to the trip and how they were grouped, who slept with who in the room, what room did they sleep, whose holding Castro’s phone as of now, there are so many questions…”
He emphasized the need for the statement issued by the family to be subjected to serious interrogation.
“…the people who have the right to do that interrogation is the Police… I am going to add my information that I have and forward it to the Police…I don’t have any problem with the people[Gyans]. The only problem I have with them is the attack on him[Castro]”
But even before Ampaw’s shots were fired, the internet was buzzing, and the news wires were not being kind to the Ghana star.
Focus on murder
If Asamoah Gyan’s PR team took a trip to Google this morning, ten hours after they sought to clear-the-air, they’d notice that they polluted the air even more. Here’s a sample:
The Guardian: “Asamoah Gyan denies murdering rapper in alleged human sacrifice”
SB Nation: “Asamoah Gyan holds press conference to deny he used rapper as human sacrifice”
The Mirror: “Former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan denies killing rapper friend Castro in human sacrifice ritual”
Fox Sports: “Ghana World Cup star Gyan denies sacrificial killing.”
Yahoo Arabic: “Al Ain’s Asamoah Gyan denies murdering Ghanian rapper in alleged human sacrifice”
Sports Illustrated: “Striker Asamoah Gyan denies killing rapper in human sacrifice”
Standard (Kenya): “Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan denies killing rapper friend Castro in human sacrifice ritual”
The 7 key mistakes
Shocked at how the international media are reporting Wednesday’s press conference by the Gyan team?
Don’t be.
Asamoah Gyan thought today’s presser would help leave him alone, he’s mistaken.
1. Gyan should let his money work for him.
He should hire a competent team to control the narrative. It is shocking that a man of Asamoah’s stature cannot steer the conversation.
What do I mean?
There has never been a point after Brazil 2014 when the Gyan family have been ahead of the narrative.
All their PR has been reactionary. Bad. Bad. Bad.
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2. Gyan PR team fail to recognize that failure of Ghana team in Brazil is rubbing off them
Ever since Ghana contrived to crash out of the World Cup, Asamoah Gyan – whether he knows it or not – his leadership is already under scrutiny.
There is a vast school of thought that feels the Brazil fiasco could have been averted if Gyan had stamped his authority on the players and forced them to play while waiting for the cash.
3. The Gyans’ relationships with journalists
Gyan’s PR team also can’t see that the same journalists who will tell their story want their blood for (unwittingly, some may say) denting their collective reputation with how they handled the beating of Graphic journalist Daniel Kenu.
And they keep saying things that make journos look stupid.
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4. Misreading public opinion
Gyan’s PR team seem to think the general public treats ‘Gyan the player’ (prolific goalscorer) the same way they treat ‘Gyan the friend of Castro’ (slightly dodgy guy who isn’t open with information).
The moment the player’s profile blossomed, he no more became a household name.
5. Lumping all the Gyan brands together is dangerous
In my opinion, this is where the player may lose out on brand credibility the most. Using the phrase “the Gyan family” to paint a picture of a united front is not a bad idea, usually.
But in this case, the Gyan PR team must de-link the two.
I believe for the sake of Asamoah Gyan in particular they should do the following:
a) Accept the reality on the ground that Asamoah is, and will always be, a bigger brand than Baffour and the entire family name combined. They should separate the two brands NOW!
b) The continuous use of ‘Gyan family’ to talk about the Castro issue, the Kenu issue and Asamoah Gyan the player in one breath sends confusing signals.
That is to say, to the general public, the phrase “Gyan family” currently means:
Journalist beater + alleged complicit murderer + failed Black Stars capt = One thing (Asamoah Gyan).
This is wide off the mark, of course, but if they don’t separate Baffour’s image from Asamoah now, it will harm the player later.
6. Neglecting the international media
Asamoah Gyan is Ghana’s biggest football brand now. He should behave like it.
His PR team think too locally.
Asamoah should use his star power to get the international media on his side. The reporting of the press conference has been very unfair to him, and it is his own fault.
Someone of his clout must have done his homework with the CNNs and APs and Xinhua’s of this world.
It is very clear he didn’t.
7. Stop taking the public for granted.
Everything relating to this Gyan mess – the journalist beating and Castro’s disappearance – have transcended local and national borders.
But the Gyan PR team do not seem to see that and treating the public’s thirst of information flippantly.
The Ghanaian public loves to be pampered and made to feel in control. The Gyan family should appeal to pity, and not act as aggressively as they are.
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By: Gary Al-Smith/citifmonline.com/Ghana