Popular Ghanaian rapper, Sarkodie, has allegedly taken legal action against Ecobank Ghana for using a lookalike in one of its advertisements without his permission.
The ad, part of the bank’s anti-fraud campaign, featured a young man who strongly resembles the rapper. The message behind the campaign was to warn customers that appearances can be misleading.
However, Sarkodie allegedly believes the ad misled the public into thinking he was part of it.
Court documents shared on social media suggest the case has been filed at the Commercial Division of the High Court in Accra. Sarkodie, known privately as Michael Owusu Addo, claims the ad violates his image rights and damages his reputation.
The writ also argued that the campaign created confusion, especially because he was currently a brand ambassador for First Bank, a direct competitor of Ecobank. His team believes the use of a lookalike could harm his business deals and public image.
In the writ, Sarkodie is asking the court to declare that Ecobank breached his image and intellectual property rights, stop the bank from using any image or likeness of him in future campaigns, order Ecobank to remove all ads connected to the case, and pay him damages for the harm caused
The legal document also warns that if Ecobank does not respond to the court within eight days, the case may go ahead without them. The drama has got many Ghanaians debating on who is right or wrong.
The Sarkodie and Ecobank saga stirred reactions.
“You guys don’t like reading, read carefully the concept behind it. The post it says, looks can be deceiving. They are fighting against fraud. It wasn’t like they were using the guy to replace King Sark.”
belikerekey
“So if the person looks like you, does that mean no brand should use him aaah, very funny country.”
true_kyn
“Is the entire purpose of this ad going over EVERYONE’s head in the comment section as well as Sarkodie’s?????”
latashalagos
“They both have a case; they had every right to do the AD with a look alike, also they should have pitched it to Opana before they started and maybe found a way to include him.”
i_willsaidit
Sarkodie’s Stylist on Not Repeating Sneakers
Trendy Rail, stylist for Rapper Sarkodie, said the celebrated musician has never repeated a pair of his iconic Air Force sneakers.
Trendy disclosed the realities of styling some of the top African music stars.
“We can’t count the costumes in Sarkodie’s wardrobe. His Air Forces, for example, he doesn’t repeat them. He has a room just full of trainers.”
Trendy Rail
Trendy further expressed worry over the trend of artists throwing expensive costumes and clothes into the audience during performances.
As a stylist and fashionista, Trendy noted that she gets upset with such acts.
“Some of these clothes are very expensive. If custom-made, they can cost between £8,000 to £10,000, but it is the artists’ daily lives and they don’t see anything wrong with the throwing of costumes, but for a stylist like me, I get upset.
“Sarkodie had this red jacket during the 2022 Rapperholic concert, he took off the jacket and threw it in the crowd and I kid you not, that jacket was probably £3,000 or £4,000.”
Trendy Rail
Trendy Rail’s comments have sparked reactions online. Many fans expressed surprise at how much Sarkodie spends on fashion.
While some were impressed, others argued that not repeating sneakers was unrealistic, especially considering how expensive pairs of Air Force were.
This is not the first time Sarkodie’s fashion choices have drawn attention. In May 2023, he performed at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, wearing a Casablanca blazer worth over GH¢13,000.
Sarkodie wore a Casablanca blazer with matching wool pants. The outfit, which featured colourful embroidery and a clean white look, was part of his expensive luxury collection.
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