ANALYSING CHARLES CHUKWUEMEKA OPUTA "CHARLY BOY" AS A MODEL OF PERSONAL BRANDING IN NIGERIA

The study “Analysing Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa (‘Charly Boy’) as a Model of Personal Branding in Nigeria” seeks to unravel a Nigeria enigma who has consequently evolved as a brand. Personal branding is a strategic process whereby individuals define and communicate their unique value proposition. This paper provides valuable perspectives on the tactics employed by “Charly Boy” to sustain his brand identity. The research was anchored on Aaker (1997) brand personality scale (BPC) showing how Charly Boy embodies certain traits which has given his brand a personality and perspective in the mind of his teeming audience. The objective of the research is to highlight the key elements of Charly Boy's personal brand identity, examine the strategies employed by Charly Boy to build and maintain his brand and assess the impact of Charly Boy's brand on Nigerian popular culture and social discourse. The qualitative research method was employed to garner data and gather insights using purposive sampling technique with a sample of 20 participants across five generations (Gen A to Gen E). The findings revealed that Charly Boy’s brand employs music, social activism and fashion weirdly as vehicles to maintain his presence in the public eye, consistently reinventing himself while staying true to his core values which has resonated with his audiences for decades. The researchers recommend that further research could explore the specific strategies Charly Boy employs to maintain his brand's consistency across different media platforms.