Serwaa Amihere and the personal branding lesson in advice that divides

Serwaa Amihere’s recent advice to young women raises a question that deserves more attention than the insults surrounding it: how do we encourage people to live within their means without making them feel that their possessions determine their worth? At The Complete Ignite Woman session on 25 October 2026, the broadcaster urged women to resist buying counterfeit designer items to impress others. She recommended affordable alternatives, including shopping at Kantamanto, and recalled a time when the things she can now afford were beyond her reach. The principle of allowing oneself time to grow is sensible. But her suggestion that a fake designer bag carried into an office could influence judgements about its owner made the message more contentious. As a communication lecturer and practitioner, I see an issue of framing here. The advice moved from financial patience towards an assessment of personal credibility through an accessory. An audience can accept the first proposition and still question the second.