Last thursday, Giorgio Armani edited the british newspaper The Independent as part of his involvement with Project RED. As the second issue in the RED series – the first was edited by Bono- the newspaper took a look at issues which are of concern to those seeking to help Africa. While the newspaper had some good articles about “Africa’s gifts to the world” from art to science, celebrity weigh-ins on Africa’s problems, and African Women’s rights, those were all overshadowed by the cover picture of a black-faced Kate Moss. Major backlash ensued at yet another attempt to connect Africans to white celebrities and in this case the fashion world. You would think that after the backlash over the Gwyneth Paltrow “I am African” ad Mr. Armani would have paid special care to provide a better context for the image and not just rely on the resurrected supermodel’s notoriety.
A major part of the failure of such campaigns is the media not realizing that today’s consumer has become smarter and is exposed to a lot more global messages than before. It’s true that we’re still enamored with celebrity and for the most part are still sleep when it comes to politics, but with advertising, even the sheep think of themselves as wolves. The images and associations don’t carry the same weight they used to because they have not been defined in the new society. With reality TV and the internet we are more independent in our information gathering. Today’s consumer is exposed to a lot more, and has new points of references. As Julie of Coutorture proved in her attempts at covering New York Fashion Week, the old media is out of touch with the rise and needs of the new breed of consumers and they prove this constantly with images such as the one on The Independent. While many charities are seeking to involve the public in their causes they are still employing the old media communicate with a new consumer who rebels against it. Some would say that the controversy from both the Kate Moss and Gwyneth Paltrow images helped to bring attention to the causes, but I would argue that most people could not tell you what issues those images were trying to bring to light. The old media has not done it’s homework on what Africa means to the new consumers. And like a parent, the old media’s message gets lost in it’s arrogance.
A recent British newspaper, The People, announces that 
While many hip-hop fans in the US have started feeling that hip hop is dead, it’s becoming clearer that there is a totally different sentiment in other countries. A major reason for the pessimistic feeling of the US hip hop fans is the commercialization of hip hop culture and the preference for rap which, without the other hip hop elements (graffiti, breakdancing, dj-ing etc), loses all reference and meaning. Gone are the days when there was a balanced view of urban life through hip hop. As major media outlets have welcomed/accepted the art form many US artists have have become comfortable and have lost their focus. The hijacking of the rap element of hip-hop culture has resulted in corporations like Viacom (MTV, VH1) creating a rap culture which has no purpose and looks outside of itself for direction.
I received my copy of Business 2.0 magazine last week and was pleasantly surprised to see a number of articles referencing doing business in Africa. But these were not just your basic help the Africans by building water sheds articles. The articles were part of the cover article on the 
Though it is part of our history many young Africans (myself included) cringe at being characterized by drums, spears, and war paint. But one innovative company is hoping to change the implications of those descriptions. With their creation of a virtual Africa circa 1200 AD, Rapid Reality is hoping their game 
Every so often African issues grow beyond the continent and makes it’s way into pop culture. In a capitalist society, social consciousness is a commodity and Africa’s problems are not exempt. As with Somalia (Black Hawk Down), and Sierra Leone (Diamonds from Sierra Leone) the problems in Darfur, Sudan has begun to hit the mass media. What has been a problem for years is peaking everyone’s interest. 
For those who were wondering about 
The NY Times recently published an excellent article on the 
I must give props to