NewzIn the digital age, a name can be worth its weight in gold—and Jamaican creative entrepreneur Ramona Samuels has spent 16 years making sure hers has a voice. Samuels has emerged from a bruising behind-the-scenes battle to protect The Voicebox, the media and production brand she established in 2010, after another party began using the name. “Do you know it is possible to register your business and somebody can just waltz in and use your registered name without your knowledge and you have to fight for your rights?” She believes the ordeal exposes weaknesses facing Jamaican entrepreneurs trying to safeguard their intellectual property.
“The architecture to protect one's rights in Jamaica is very weak,” she said. Following legal correspondence over the use of the Voicebox name, steps have been taken to change the name being used publicly by the other party, she disclosed. Samuels’ attorneys continue to oversee the matter and have sought formal confirmation that the changes have been completed.
For Samuels, there was plenty worth fighting for. Launched on September 2, 2010, The Voicebox grew from a voice-over production operation into a creative enterprise offering entertainment coverage, mini-documentaries, event hosting, narration, commercials, jingles, DJ drops, podcast intros and voice acting. Its productions are currently showcased through Ramona Samuels TV on YouTube, with original programming focused heavily on Jamaican music, entertainment, culture and personalities.
“The Voicebox is something I built from the ground up. It carries 16 years of my work, my creativity and my reputation,” Samuels said. The experience has also left her with a warning for Jamaica's growing army of digital creators.
“We have to understand that our brands are assets. Our names, our creative work, our reputation and the communities we build around those names have value,” she said. Her advice is even punchier: “Build it.
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