I would not like to be Goa’s brand ambassador: Remo (NT)

Published on: September 25, 2013 - 00:28 Story Summary: World renowned musician Remo Fernandes feels that government knows it is safer to appoint a Goan chamcha World renowned musician Remo Fernandes feels that government knows it is safer to appoint a Goan chamcha, or a mercenary national celebrity who will never stand up against our corrupt and incompetent authorities for a Goan issue or cause as brand ambassador to promote the state. In an interview with The Navhind Times Remo says that all the Goa governments, past and present, have had their fingers burnt by him at some time or the other. We hear that Goans on social networking sites are demanding to know why you are not being selected as Goa’s brand ambassador. Will you be happy if they set up a campaign to get you as brand ambassador? There are indeed quite a few people who have publicly and privately questioned why I wasn’t appointed Goa’s brand ambassador by the Goa government. I thank those people for their great regard. But no thanks; I would not like them to start a campaign of any sort, because I would not like to be Goa’s brand ambassador at all. That would cramp my style! I hope I don’t come across as too self-righteous here, but I’d like to say that all the Goa governments, past and present, have had their fingers burnt by me at some time or the other. They are smart enough to know that they could never buy my silence about what is REALLY happening in Goa; that I would never say “Goa Shining!” and be their mouthpiece, however much they might pay me. Why have you never been selected as Goa’s brand ambassador despite your high celebrity status and artistic credentials nationwide? The government knows it is safer to appoint a Goan chamcha, or a mercenary national celebrity from out of town, who doesn’t really care about Goa; someone, who will never stand up against our corrupt and incompetent authorities for a Goan issue or cause; someone, who will use the money and publicity for self-promotion and not Goa’s wellbeing. Those are the qualifications required to be a government’s brand ambassador, and I do not possess them. Among the four probable celebrities to be appointed as brand ambassadors of the state, are Sachin Tendulkar, Dipika Padukone, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor. Who according to you will be the best? I do not understand the concept of promoting a state through someone who is from out of the state. That in itself is negative publicity for the state, as the state government is directly giving out the message that their state has not produced anyone worthy of representing it. It would be the equivalent of appointing a foreigner to be the brand ambassador of India – oops, that has been done already... Anyway, why does a state need a brand ambassador at all? The point is to put the state itself in good condition, and make it an attractive tourist destination; the worldwide tourist guidebooks, travel agents and advisors, and the tourists themselves will do the publicity for us for free. Leaving aside the hippies of the 70s, high-end tourists from all over the world flocked to Goa in the 80s, without any publicity or brand ambassador. They filled our 5-star hotels, because Goa was a pristine paradise comparable to the Seychelles. Then we decided to go cheap and start charter flights. That gave rise to all kinds of haphazard construction, destruction of nature, and illegal ‘attractions’. The Goa government and police force became increasingly corrupt day by day. And that quickly drove away the high-end tourist for good. Now that our subsequent governments and ministers have helped ruin Goa and Goa’s natural beauty, now that even the cheaper tourists don’t wish to come here anymore, they think they can literally put up a pretty film prop in front of the mess they have created, and attract people by fooling them. Worldwide, tourists are too smart to go to a place simply because a Bachchan or a Tendulkar or even a Johnny Depp or a Shakira tells them to. They know that, in most cases, brand ambassadors are nothing but paid faces. They go by what reputed, trusted, incorruptible international travel guides tell them. And international travel guides and tourism bodies are clearly warning tourists against all the unsavoury things awaiting them here, from rape to drugs to pimps to downright murder; leaving alone garbage, inadequate water and electricity, overpriced food and accommodation and taxis. No brand ambassador in the world can change that reality and that image of Goa. Did any government ever offer you to make you brand ambassador strictly on the condition that you will sing their praises? If so, please give details. Every brand ambassador project I have undertaken up till now, whether Pepsi or Shure Microphones or Raymonds Suitings or Montblanc, has had contracts which stated that the endorsee would not say or do anything which went against the brand. They also stated that the endorsee would not do anything which would tarnish his/her own reputation during the endorsement period through any criminal or illegal activity. They even stated that the endorsee would not alter his/her appearance in a way which would be detrimental to the endorsed product – whether through putting on or losing too much weight, getting tattooed, adopting drastic hairstyles and clothing, and so on. I’m sure the same clauses, and quite a few more, would be included in a brand ambassadorship contract concerning a government. If you recall, The Navhind Times bravely published my commotion-causing article on IFFI all those years ago. Someone from the government’s event management agency called me immediately, asking “Remo, we have paid you to perform at IFFI; how could you write such an article?” I answered: “You have paid me to perform; you have not bought my soul, it is not for sale. When there is something going wrong in Goa, I will expose it.” So the answer to your question is yes; once they pay you to endorse their product, they will not only expect, but bind you legally to sing their praises without exposing their faults. Such is the very nature of endorsement http://www.navhindtimes.in/goa-news/i-would-not-be-goa-s-brand-ambassador-remo