I don't know if singer/rapper Wyclef ever was really serious about running for president of Haiti, but it was definitely a very smart thing to do when it comes to public relations.
In my opinion, I believe that Wyclef already knew that Haitian officials would deny him the opportunity to run because he hadn't lived in the country for at least 5 years. Despite this, he filed for eligibility as a presidential candidate anyways because he knew it would make headlines and cause the world to view him differently. And guess what? He was right.
Prior to his presidential interest, Wyclef was only known as a successful singer, rapper, and songwriter. Now he's known as a leader and a philanthropist, and those two title alone will open up many new doors of opportunities.
Already he has been invited to headline this year's Great Leaders Conference in New York, and he's been chosen to star in Ritz Crackers commercials that are aired globally. Ritz, if you didn't know, is owned by Nabisco - which is the one of the largest food snack companies in the world.
No doubt, Wyclef is also now in high demand for speaking engagements, conference panel sessions, high profile television interviews, and of course - new musical collaborations.
That's the ability of public relations. Just like that you can shift the public's opinion about you, and suddenly you're an asset to everyone. People respect you. They want to hear you speak, they want to read your book, they want you in their song, they want to buy what you're selling, and they want to support the brands you represent.
Sometimes the best way to build your brand is to do something that will make headlines. Whether it's nationally or locally, find a way to make people notice you. http://www.dantelee.com/
