Digicel partners with Marley Foundation

Hasani Walters, Gleaner Writer

Jamaica's young are being targeted. Digicel is taking aim at that age group and has partnered with the Bob Marley Foundation to do it.

The launch of the partnership between two of the Caribbean's biggest brands was held at the Bob Marley Museum on Wednesday.

One of the main aims of the partnership is to keep the memory of the reggae icon alive and well in the minds of the youth and for them to know and recognise the contribution he made to reggae music and which his legacy continues to make.

In the words of Donisha Prendergast, granddaughter of Bob Marley, "... to get to know the man beyond the music, not the man behind the music."

Vibrancy and positivity

Of the partnership, Digicel Jamaica head of marketing, Donovan White, said, "Like Bob Marley's lyrics, Digicel is synonymous with vibrancy and positivity in Jamaica. This is a wonderful and exciting collaboration between two of Jamaica's favourite brands."

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Olivia Grange echoed similar sentiments, saying she was anticipating great things from the partnership in the short speech she delivered at the launch.

"I want to wish this partnership all the success. I want to say to Digicel, if you keep going like this then you will become truly a Jamaica company, you won't be Jamaican/Irish anymore ... . And to the Marley Foundation and the Marley family, I want to say may God continue to guide you, to keep you, to bless you and forever will keep loving Jah," said the minister.

Those in attendance were treated to what Donisha Prendergast called 'conversations' where she asked a Rastafarian elder who knew Marley questions about him and he tried to answer.

A performance from the Bob Marley Foundation's Inna Di Yard band was well received by the audience.

Among those who turned out to support the launch of the partnership were Digicel brand ambassadors Yendi Phillipps and I-Octane. The latter gave a good performance, delivering a few of his hits.

On Sunday, Digicel will be hosting a free concert at Emancipation Park to honour the reggae icon. There, several local acts will pay tribute to Marley.

Digicel will also be supporting several other tributes to the reggae legend. These include the ongoing Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's Bob Marley Symposium, the Trench Town Festival, and the Bob Marley 'One Love' football match.

The company will now be the exclusive telecommunications partner of the Caribbean icon in a sponsorship which is proposed for two years. It will offer exclusive mobile content, such as images and recordings of the reggae legend, to its customers directly to their mobile phones through InTunes, ring tones and wallpapers.