Why celebrities should guard their public image jealously – IamDre

A celebrity image-maker, Aladegbola Oluwasegun, popularly known as IamDre, has urged Nigerian celebrities to guard their public image jealously through public relations.

IamDre, who manages the public image of several Nigerian celebrities, including Davido, said PR if adequately employed, plays a significant role in getting the industry to a larger audience globally.

IamDre made the remarks during an interview with PREMIUM TIMES in Lagos.

He said: “Nigerian celebrities need to guard their public image jealously and be mindful of what they post on their social media pages. Except you don’t have an image or persona you are trying to portray, you can’t afford to post just about anything, and this includes lewd jokes or suggestive videos. This is where a good PR team comes in. On the flipside, I understand that some celebrities can be difficult to work with, but any celebrity who has big dreams for their brand must embrace this change.

“PR can help celebrities reach a larger audience globally. So I charge more people to take PR courses, it’s a big business, in years to come. There are different types of PR, so you have to decide which space you can fit in.

“PR shapes the industry puts it on autopilot to a higher level, PR plays a major role in the game, there are a lot of top PR firms changing and shaping the game right now and I’m proud of them all.”

He added that public relations plays a significant role in music-making.

IamDre took up the role as Davido’s PR officer and joined the DMW immediately after his university days.

Struggles and wins

IamDre said his love for music geared him towards a career path in music, but like every other career, the PR had its peculiar initial struggles. For him, getting into the industry was one hill task, and staying relevant in it is another.

He said: “Getting Into the Industry is one thing, longevity is another, a lot of people will disappoint you, you have to be able to prove to people your value, only you believe yourself when your down, so you have to get other people to believe.”

Also sharing some of his most defining moments on the job, IamDre described his job as harsh and exciting.

“In business, there are always tough and exciting times. Sometimes, when the media publishes a false story, it’s bad for business and good because no publicity is bad publicity. But, on the other hand, some publicity can give you enough traction but tarnish your image, and that’s bad for business,” he said.

Working with Davido

IamDre started working with Davido immediately after his university days. Before that, the young PR consultant said that he was doing promotions for the music star at the University of Lagos.

He said working with Davido is stress-free.

He noted, “I met Davido while promoting his music way back in my university days. Our first official meeting was at his house in Lekki Lagos. Upon graduating from the university, we did more work then, and I even got involved in his logistics team, bringing my impact to the movement. Davido is very humane and loves unconditionally.”