Harriet Ntabazi the state minister for trade inspecting some of the locally produced textiles and spices at Hotel Africana yesterday after launching the annual Build Uganda, Buy Uganda Fashion and Bill Board Awards scheduled for December this year. PHOTO BY STEPHEN OTAGE
The Ministry of Trade says it is launching the annual Fashion and BillBoard Awards aimed at enlisting local artistes and entertainment personalities to promote locally manufactured goods and services.
While launching the awards yesterday, Harriet Ntabazi the state minister for trade said the annual Build Uganda, Buy Uganda Fashion, and BillBoard Awards which are scheduled for 17th December this year, are aimed at exhibiting the role artistes, entertainment personalities and the creatives industry plays in promoting consumption of locally produced textiles, leather products goods and services to create jobs and market for locally produced goods and services.
“Performing arts, entertainment, comedy, music, dance, and drama play a very important role in creating a positive attitude towards global brands and products. This is a strategic move to use our artistes as ambassadors who will promote our products using their social media following and influence,” she said.
She explained that her ministry has dedicated a whole week for exhibitions to be held in the different regions of the country to exhibit locally produced fabrics, leather products, goods, and services so that the Ministry of Trade identifies the sectors where to inject more money into to produce the goods and services which Uganda will market as global brands.
Hannington Bugingo the president the Uganda Comedian Association said the awards they launched yesterday are meant to bring encourage local artistes to become brand ambassadors by using their influence and followings to promote and market locally produced goods and services so that Ugandans can change their attitude towards them.
Isaac Rucci the Chairman Uganda Musicians Association explained that the music industry is a very powerful tool that the corporate world is using to push its brands and products into the market.
“The Corporate World Worldwide spends millions of dollars on Music Industry because Music is a powerful medium to sell our country and the opportunity we have to sell our country is amazing. Some of us have travelled over 60 different countries because of music and people referred to us as roving ambassadors,” he said.
Hillary Mbabazi the founder of Soko Uganda the company promoting locally made products and services in Uganda said they engaged to artistes because they are vital in influencing the acceptance and promotion of the consumption of locally produced goods and services.
“We have realised that these people are vital in influencing our products. We are introducing the awards to motivate them to promote our products. The awards will be based on criteria like who has created an impact, we shall embed them in different programs of spreading the gospel using that industry,” he said.
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