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In 2009, Ghana’s former President, John Atta Mills, set up a new initiative called “Brand Ghana” to help develop Ghana’s national image.
The initiative was to highlight the country’s unique cultural, economic, and social attributes.
But since its inception, Brand Ghana faced several challenges, including funding constraints and a lack of focus, which ultimately led to its demise.
By 2018, the Brand Ghana Office had been replaced by a committee comprising representatives from the Ghana Tourism Authority, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), and the Free Zones Board, with a renewed focus on attracting foreign direct investment.
Over the years, other initiatives to brand the country have taken form.
The “Year of Return”, a program launched in 2019 under the Akufo-Addo administration, encouraged the African diaspora (particularly African Americans) to return to Ghana and reconnect with their roots.
The initiative eventually evolved to “Beyond the Return”, with a shift in focus toward sustained engagement, economic collaboration, and long-term diaspora integration.
But now, with a new government administration in place, another initiative called “The Black Star Experience” has been launched to help promote the country.
The new initiative bears some resemblance to Brand Ghana, which was launched more than a decade ago.
The core question remains: if Brand Ghana didn’t work, will the new administration learn lessons from the past to make this new initiative more effective? Or will the new Black Star Experience fade into obscurity like its predecessor?
What Went Wrong With Brand Ghana?
Brand Ghana was supposed to be the driving force to portray a unified identity for Ghana, something similar to “Incredible India” or “Malaysia Truly Asia.”
But what followed was a classic case of vision without strategy.
The project was passed from one government administration to the next, with little continuity or political will to sustain it.
The initiative faced funding inconsistencies, which resulted in minimal marketing and grassroots engagement. There were also missteps to make the brand resonate locally before projecting it internationally.
In 2016, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Brand Ghana, Mrs Hellen Annan, stated that the office had focused on international branding but neglected to develop locally to appeal to the international audience.
“When we focused solely on international branding, we realised that most of the people the international branding initiative attracted to the country were disappointed somehow because the situation was not exactly as projected internationally,” she said.
Launch Of The Black Star Experience
Launched on 1st May 2025 by President John Mahama, The Black Star Experience is Ghana’s newest nation branding effort, aiming to leverage the country’s cultural influence.
A main difference highlighted at the launch of this initiative and the Year of Return is the intent to make the Black Start Experience a year-long initiative rather than focus on year-end activities.
At the launch, President Mahama stated his administration’s effort to expand Ghana’s soft power through the Black Star Experience.
“We will partner with global icons, investors, and cultural institutions to elevate Ghana’s soft power,” President Mahama said in his speech.
“Imagine international artistes recording albums in our studios, Hollywood filming blockbusters in our castles, and tourists not just visiting but immersing in our way of life.”
The president’s speech echoed some of the initial objectives of Brand Ghana and what it hoped to achieve.
But looking past the event and speeches, there’s still a lot of skepticism about this new initiative.
Why Skepticism Is Justified
There’s been little public acknowledgment of Brand Ghana’s failure, or how The Black Star Experience plans to avoid the same fate.
As a flagship initiative of the Government of Ghana, who is ultimately in charge: the Ministry of Tourism? A private-sector collaboration? Or is it just a Presidential promise that was to be ticked off?
The administration has not published any metrics or milestones on what it hopes to achieve with the Black Star Experience in the next four years.
Although the Year of Return initiative received some criticism for its focus on attracting mostly US diasporans, it managed to help improve some aspects of Ghana’s local tourism.
According to the Ghana Tourism Authority, the country recorded $3.31 billion and $3.8 billion in tourism revenue in 2019 and 2023, respectively.
Tourist visits to local sites like the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park also improved.
Still, some are hopeful that the Black Star Experience bears fruit.
Bernard Sokpe, a brand marketing specialist and co-founder of Jambo Spaces, a creator hub for creatives in Ghana, said he was looking forward to seeing how the Black Star Experience would deliver on its mandate.
"I hope the Black Star experience delivers an immersive Ghanaian experience and ensures people who leave become unpaid ambassadors of the country due to what they experience," he said.
Road of Unfulfilled Promises for Tourism and The Creative Industry
The Akufo-Addo administration fell short in some of its promises made to the tourism and creative industry.
In 2020, his administration announced plans to establish large music recording studios in Accra, Tema, Kumasi, and Takoradi to provide affordable access for artists.
This did not come to fruition.
Several other promises went unfulfilled, including the construction of an amphitheater.
The new Mahama administration has now made promises to the tourism and creative industry. These include rehabilitating the National Theatre and building a new theatre in Kumasi.
Whether the President can fulfil these promises remains to be seen.
But if the newly launched Black Star Experience is to succeed where Brand Ghana failed, it needs to do more than fancy events and eloquent speeches.
The Black Star Experience may have a catchier name and better timing than Brand Ghana, but if it is to exceed expectations, it needs to build on the hard lessons of the past.
Else, it risks becoming just another well-packaged promise that fades into silence.
