Updates... Missing Kwaku Doe...

The "Deadly Billboard" I've been going on about has been removed. I'd like to think my writing about it had something to do with its removal (I seriously doubt it).

The "Active Advertising" billboard was taken down not long after my post. Again I'd like to think my writing about it had something to do with its removal (seriously doubting). The ad has been replaced with another, advertising a prayer summit, and guess what? The advertisers don't want us to actively guess when the summit is taking place (somebody wised up or different advertisers).

At least this one tells us the programme is in June (no more guessing)

I stopped watching "Twisted Tips". I guess I got tired of criticising plenty. And then the Saturday before last Saturday, I happened to be watching the station that shows "Twisted Tips", at the time "Twisted Tips" is supposed to be shown, and guess what? It didn't show. They rather showed a programme about people with weird eating habits. There was something about a guy that ate raw meat (imagine that). Interesting thing is, I figure I'd enjoy eating raw meat myself more than watching "Twisted Tips". After the weird eating thingy, there was another Ghanaian series that didn't exactly blow me away, but was so much more refreshing than what I'm used to from Gh. That was my first time ever watching "xoxo". I must admit, it wasn't bad at all (for once I'm not critiquing some programme out of Gh. if it's good, I'll say it). What really got me is, that was my first time watching, and though it's a series, I was able to follow (just hoping it wasn't a one-off thing and I just caught them on a good episode).

I came across another garbage truck a couple of weeks ago, and in my estimation, what I saw seemed a whole lot more dangerous than the first one I wrote about (this one was so much smaller). Still makes me wonder how safe it is.



At least the truck was moving real slow.

 I MISS KWAKU DOE!



Took this not too long ago, and guess what? He's still in the same business.



Domestic Violence Secretariat

I'm two weeks behind (at least one post a week). I'll get to the reason in another post. What I got today had me in stitches this morning and I just got to share.

The Domestic Violence Secretariat is in the Osu Cemetery (I am so serious). You know how I've been going on and on about deadly billboards, well, this billboard (if you can call it that) is the embodiment of deadly.

The white wall is the wall of the cemetery, the trees are in the cemetery and the Domestic Violence Secretariat signpost has a red arrow underneath pointing into the cemetery.

This has got to be a joke. If it is, I'm not 100% sure it's funny (doubt if victims of domestic violence will find it funny).

I use this route every morning but I'd never paid attention to the signpost advertising the Domestic Violence Secretariat up until this morning.

I'm just curious. Does it mean something? Are victims as good as dead so the secretariat might as well be in the cemetery? Or is the secretariat really situated in the cemetery with live people as workers?

I wonder if the secretariat gets live visitors.

As for the call to advertise here, I figured there'd be ads next to a cemetery on funeral insurance, coffins and related stuff. And then I saw an ad advertising Stephanie Benson's album. Ummmmmmm... are the songs dirges or for people about to die or for dead people or something?

Don't mind me. I'm just wondering why I would want to mount an ad right next to a cemetery (aren't there other available spots?). Or maybe more people look that way (making it an ideal spot to advertise) and I am just being someway. If more people do look that way, is there a reason? Or is it just an open available spot to advertise? Maybe the rates to advertise right next to a cemetery are cheap.

Again, my mind in overdrive. But seriously, a secretariat in the cemetery, very curious.

Active Advertising (Seriously?)

I know I said I won't talk about billboards again, but I just couldn't help this one. Billboards just seem to keep beckoning me (so not my fault).

I'm calling this active advertising cos I just don't know what to call it. What do you call an advertisement that requires you to research to find out what the advertiser wants to tell you? Well, since it appears the advertiser wants to involve the audience and wants them to work actively to understand what is being advertised (I hope all that made sense), I'd call it active advertising.

So, I came across such an advertisement on a billboard at the same location I saw the billboard of the Pastors that I said bothered me. Matter of fact, aside the message, this billboard too bothers me cos it has a pastor with a ring, which he appears to be advertising. Do the rings have some kind of powers? (just wondering)

Yeah, nice ring!

Date: 23 Tuesday - 28  Sunday. I guess I'm supposed to pick up my calendar and find out in which month 23 and 28 fall on a Tuesday and Sunday respectively. Should they happen to happen twice in this year (who says it's even this year), I guess I'll just have to guess when the conference is. This billboard has been there for a while and it is actually still there. So, I thought I'd check against this month, since it's still there (just in case), plus it caught my attention this month. And guess what? 23 this month (yesterday) was a Thursday and 28 is a Tuesday. Oh boy! Do I have to work that much to find out when your conference is going to be so I can attend? Or those who are to attend know it?

It really wouldn't have hurt if you'd just put there April 23 - April 28, 2013. That way, when it takes you forever to take your billboard down, we will know the conference is old news.

Updates...

Curiosity got me using routes I've not used in ages, and routes I usually wouldn't use in the morning (cos of something called traffic).

Kwaku Doe is still exactly where he's always been (since I started writing about him at least). Since I was just being curious and wanted to just see, I ignored him when he knocked on my window (to ask beg for money). Yep, I got a new car that has constant air conditioning (windows perpetually rolled up).

For the love of my new car, I dint risk taking a picture of my next update, as it was next to impossible to get one without having my car mangled. The metallic frame of the billboard is still in the same shape it has been for a while now. The flexi/sav (printed material) is still removed and I can't help but wonder what is going on. Of course, possible possibilities have run through my mind.

There are companies that construct metallic frames for billboards, pay AMA to have them sited (as well as monthly rental charges) and charge advertising companies nice sums to mount their printed material for a certain time period. Organisations hire advertising companies (or companies that profess to do just that) to do some advertisement for them. It is very possible that:

1. the poorly constructed/poorly situated dangling metallic frame is the fault of the company that constructed it. Has absolutely nothing to do with the organisation being advertised, so that company has had its advertising company retrieve its flexi/sav, which can be reused (dint seem damaged to me).
2. the organisation being advertised owns the metallic frame (very possible, very possible) and has removed its flexi/sav and will get to removing/fixing the metallic frame (I wonder how long that takes cos its been days weeks and trust me, there's no work going on there).
3. a different company does own the metallic frame, it removed the flexi/sav and will get to fixing the metallic frame (most probably leaving it at the same place in the same position) in due time.
4. the time period for the organisation's ad to be displayed has expired and that coincided with the collapse of the metallic frame, so, for both parties, "why bother?" (I guess the metallic frame constructing company will bother when another organisation or even the same organisation shows an interest in mounting an ad on this frame.)

Any other possible scenarios?

Definitely Deadly!

Yep, keeping to my "at least one post a week" plan.

Sometime last month, my friend, Enyonam put up a post about Deadly Billboards and I commented on it, mostly cos I know just how badly billboards in Ghana are put up by anyone (that feels like it), without consideration for certain rules, regulations and guidelines eg. wind direction, I guess no one takes into consideration the fact that if something goes wrong, these billboards could just fall on a passing vehicle or on a pedestrian or cause major havoc (who cares, until something terrible happens?).

I really do wonder who gives permission for some of these billboards to be put up in the first place. AMA? Sad thing is, even when something does go wrong, and fortunately, there are no casualties, and these billboards are hanging dangerously by the last thread (metal equivalent), they remain that way until someone decides to do their job (which of course they take their precious time in deciding to do) before it is either removed or fixed.



Deadly Billboard at Labone Junction

This billboard is located at Labone Junction, and it remained the way it is, as seen in the picture above for about a week (was prolly more. I took this picture after seeing it like that for a week). When something was done about it (last Friday), the flexi/sav (printed material) was removed leaving behind the metallic frame. I'm yet to see the billboard today.

The billboard advertises an IT school in Ghana and has Ghanaian actress, Jackie Appiah on it (I guess as icon). I'm guessing y'all know which IT school I'm talking about.

Who do we blame? The organisation/product being advertised that paid for the billboard? The advertising agency handling the billboard? The regulatory body (if there is such)?

My Big Day!

Last two weeks I'd say was my happiest day thus far (waiting on my wedding day and the birth of my first child to outshine this one though :D). So, what happened two weeks ago? By the grace of God, I graduated from the University of Ghana with an MPhil in Communication Studies *whew!* (felt like I'd been waiting forever for that day to come). It wasn't an easy journey at all (total understatement). It was quite a tortuous journey but guess what? I wouldn't trade it in, not for all the tea in China (I always wanted to use an idiomatic expression :D).

Ok, so I believe a brief history leading up to last two weeks would be in order (like I said, brief). My undergraduate degree was in Home Science and in school, I did a couple of internships with diet therapy departments in hospitals and a nutrition unit of a research facility. My national service was even with the diet therapy department of a hospital in Ghana. Obviously, the next logical step would be to train as a dietitian. I should say that I hadn't seriously thought of doing grad school after my 1st degree, matter of fact, I was just too excited to be done with school. The thought of opening a book again just sent shivers up and down my spine. Seriously, reading a textbook wasn't exactly on my list of things to do any time soon *bowing my head in shame*

ummmmmm... so where was I? Yep, it made sense that I'd probably study dietetics in grad school (that's if I decided to go) but during my national service, I had one of those light bulb moments and I honestly couldn't see myself doing what I was doing and loving it for the rest of my life. I did some soul searching and that was when I realised, I love reading (seriously? *raised eyebrow*), writing (ummmm but totally lazy about it) and talking plenty (oh yeah, very true). I should probably add that I sometimes am people sometimes think I'm a smartass and that I thrive on sarcasm (I wonder where they'd get that idea from *incredulous look*). Ok, this brief history is getting kinda long and winding, so let's get to the end.

I thought of stuff I could do that'd involve me doing stuff I loved, and then I had another light bulb moment. Yep, I decided I should definitely do grad school and I should definitely study something communication related so, I got into the School of Communication Studies of UG (long process. I'd say my charming smile and even charming personality got me in) where I specialised in Public Relations and Advertising.

Now that the anything but brief history is over, let's get to the morale of the brief history (yeah, there's actually something to learn from all this).

• No matter what, never settle.
• Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, cos you just might find something more interesting and worthwhile.
• Don't be afraid to take risks especially when you got people discouraging you (you have no idea the number of times I heard "what has Home Science got to do with Communication").
• Do think outside the box (I always wondered what box people were referring to when they used this phrase. now I got you to wonder too :D)
• Finally, even if it takes forever, the rainbow does come after the rain.

Now, that said, I'd like to say a huge huge thank you to the Almighty God for bringing me this far, and to everyone that had my back during this journey. My wonderful family for believing in me and seeing what others refused to see, and my lovely friends for understanding when I dint have time to hang out cos of that thesis that took forever to write. And to all those that dint believe in me and tried to discourage me, IN YOUR FACE! (I love you too though. your unbelief egged me on :D)

Yay! I made it *huge smile*