Jerusalema challenge headache for companies

Langalakhe Mabena
RIDING on a gravy train that was the Jerusalema Challenge – a hit song by South African muso Master KG – is slowly turning into a nightmare for local companies who have now been given an ultimatum.
Pay up or delete your content online videos.

Failure to do and Warner Music Group will take you to court for using Master KG’s music without authorisation.

Warner Music Group is a multinational entertainment and recording label conglomerate which is amongst the “big three” recording companies in the world.

They are the new handlers of Master KG’s music.

Local companies that include Greens Supermarket, Dream House Construction Company, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation Television (ZBCTV), Deloitte and Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) are feeling the heat for doing the challenge.

Greens Supermarket Bulawayo is amongst the first local companies to participate in the challenge.

KBM Media, the company that shot the Greens Supermarket video, has agreed to pull down the video.

“Warner Music is trying to handle things professional and we agree to the implications that have been made courtesy of the Jerusalema dance challenge. We are going to pull down the theme song for the Greens Supermarket on the advertorial.

“Using a person or a company’s production material without acknowledgement is a serious offence in the world of marketing and advertising, therefore, to whither the storm, their move (Warner Music) has to be obeyed,” said Allen Phuthi, KBM head of strategy.

Fast rising Dream House Construction Company pulled down the advertisement the day Warner Music released the statement.

“We pulled down the advert because we were aware of the implications that would come to us if we still used the dance challenge with acknowledgement or paying the owners of the song. Jerusalema is an international property and we respect their decision because as a company we don’t want to end up being sued for their copyrights,” said Mandlenkosi Zulu who is the Dream House Construction Company’s marketing manager.

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