It’s not all about the money, trust me

You may have heard of a big sporting event that happens in America called the “Super Bowl”.

Now the US would have you believe it is the biggest event in the world yet it never ventures past North America.

Heck, even the winner of the Super Bowl is branded a world champion.

But that’s detail. The reason I bring up the Super Bowl is because of the money and hype it generates.

A 30 seconds ad costs a staggering $3.3 million and has millions of fans watching. It is one of the most watched events in America.

But during halftime, the Super Bowl puts up a show for its fans and this only includes the best of the best.

Only A-list artistes get to perform at the Super Bowl. So how much do they get paid?

Did you say a million dollars? You’re wrong. No, it’s not 2 million dollars either.

The answer is, zero, zilch, nada! Yes, that’s true, an event that charges $3.3 million for an ad can’t afford to pay it’s performers?

If you are still wondering who in God’s green earth would take up such a gig then you are looking at it the wrong way.

Look at the potential, look at the free advertising an artiste gets by appearing at half time in a show that is watched by millions.

If you are an artiste and still arguing that if it was you, you would have insisted on getting paid, then I am sorry dear artiste, you need to hang up the mic and exit the stage.

Believe it or not, it is not always about the money and someone like Madonna understands this.

If a 30 seconds ad costs $3.3 million (am I depressing you with these numbers?) then calculate how much free advertising Madonna generated for appearing on the stage for 12 minutes.

Keep the calculator, she got free advertising worth $84 million. (Sh6.9 billion)

That is the kind of stuff even Bill Gates can’t afford to spend on a single advert and all you need to make it work is strategy.

Madonna has an album coming up and she had just released a song which is now receiving airplay worldwide.

In the run up to the Super Bowl, she was all over doing interviews so if you look at the amount of publicity she gained, it is past $100 million.

So see why the Super Bowl cannot “afford” to pay you to perform?

Now, if this was Kenya, the Super Bowl would not have a lot of artistes performing at halftime.

This is because, majority of the artistes all want money and they want it now!

Juliani was recently selected to take part in a Google campaign to help sensitise their new social media website, Google Plus.

I am made to understand he wasn’t paid for that and before they got to the top Kenyan rapper, they had approached other Kenyan artistes who turned them down because they wanted to be paid.

They did not care about how well their profile would have been boosted by working with Google who ran Google Ads all over the net advertising Juliani’s new song and video.

The kind of exposure they gave Juliani was priceless and luckily for the kid, he understood the advantage of working with Google and for those who said no are still at the same spot they were four months ago.

Look at the value dear artiste, sometimes money is a hindrance to greater things.

Just make sure you have a product you can show up with and help maximise on the exposure.

Trust me on this one.

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