Brands want to use Afrobeats in their advertising. The genre's global dominance has made it impossible to ignore. But the cultural rules around Afrobeats are specific, and brands that ignore them pay a reputational price.
Rule one: credit the culture. Partner with Nigerian producers. Feature Nigerian artists. Make the Nigerian origin of the sound visible. Rule two: don't use Afrobeats as shorthand for generic "Africa." Rule three: earn access before claiming belonging.
A brand that has consistently shown up for Nigerian music has earned the right to Afrobeats adjacency. A brand that shows up only when the genre is profitable has not.
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