It is one of the most popular, prestigious and beloved musical events not only in Jamaica but in the region and with its new leadership, branding, focus and philosophy, it will probably have a global reach in short order. Over the years Reggae Sumfest has earned its enviable reputation for killer performances, stellar acts and iconic collaborations that still get talked about even to today. While we all enjoy the on stage shenanigans of the various artists, we often times forget the people behind the scenes who make it all come together seamlessly.
While most of the music festival fans may not know her by name, the ‘whose who’ in the entertainment, events and marketing industries recognise the name Marcia McDonnough, as it has long been synonymous with the promotion of some of the biggest brands in Jamaica, first as a marketing mogul and now as an events planning siren. McDonnough has definitely stamped her quality on these platforms hence; people know if they want the job done right the first time, they had better look up her business card and make that call.
As part of the Reggae Sumfest crew, she and her team have smoothly transitioned from the Johnny Gourzong led management, to Joe Bogdanovich’s a few years ago. The show has also experienced steady but seismic growth having been positioned as the not-to-be-missed summer event that offers you something for both your musical intellect and appetite.
Nicola Cunningham sat down with Marcia recently to get her take on the whole journey from boardroom to banner placements and now band changes. We wanted her perspective on how the festival has changed over the years and what acts or moments are etched in her mind as Sumfest is more than just a staple on the Jamaican entertainment calendar,it is a musical institution itself.
As Marcia tells it, she got involved with Sumfest more than a decade ago when Johnny Gourzong, who she dubbed ‘Mr Sumfest’, reached out to her. “I used to work with Air Jamaica and we used to sponsor the event so later when Johnny asked me to do sponsorship, I initially joined to manage their sponsorship arm. Now I am the Sponsorship and Marketing Consultant for Sumfest.”
Over the years, she has seen a variety of acts show up and show out in front of thousands of fans and some have been memorable in more ways than one. “Lionel Richie stands out strong plus Chris Brown and Usher in terms of their performances. R. Kelly’s performance was also great but as a person we had challenges. First he was very late but when he did hit the stage you forgot all about that. He was eccentric yet interesting and a bit difficult to work with. I remember he gave his shoes away and then wanted them back!”
Other moments that had a musical impact for her included the lyrical sparring between Beenie Man and Bounty Killer in the years when they were ‘beefing’, the presentation of the King of Dancehall award to Beenie Man and the Queen award to Lady Saw, in addition, the tribute to the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson where they made the presentation to his brother. “We took the man in the mirror picture blew it up and framed it in an actual mirror. Many people said it couldn’t be done but we don’t do anything half way so we got it done.”
The biggest change for the festival now, she explained, is the absence of international acts. This however, has not negatively impacted its ability to pull crowds or sponsors as the quality of
the line-up remains both powerful and professional. “It has not hurt the show as last year we had the largest crowd to date and the best thing is that it no longer depends on one act or artiste. Nowadays people concentrate on the overall product which is excellent.”
Three years ago Sumfest transitioned management from Johnny to Josef. Some of the old crew stayed on like Robert Russell; hence the public did not see a big change. “Johnny understood the artists, the festival and was probably the person I related to the most. What the Downsound crew brings is a different kind of energy. There is social media, working on the road with the trucks etc, so the energy behind the promotion of Sumfest is fascinating. Joe thinks that Sumfest will be the biggest event ever; his focus is getting it seen by eyes all over the world so he wants it streamed globally. Additionally, the way the team markets is different and he believes in spending to ensure that it is an event that people want to go to. He doesn’t think inside the box and is always looking at different ways to expose and promote it. Joe is not afraid to take on that challenge.”
When it comes to challenges When it comes to challenges, Marcia has always been up for them. While many know her from her days at Air Jamaica, few will know that she has a lot of mileage with other airlines as well as a stint as the Marketing Manager for Burger King for four years. “I have worked at Eastern Airlines, Continental Airlines and jump out of the airline industry to work with Burger King and then when Air Jamaica called me, I jumped back in.”
Indeed, Marcia has always had the knack of jumping into new scenarios and adapting effortlessly. Born in Kingston but raised until aged ten in Clarendon, Marcia Maureen McDonnough is the last child of seven for her parents who were both educators. Her father was a school head master and her mother, the deputy which meant that education was not only important, but integral to her early existence. She however was also determined to follow her own path. “I moved to Kingston at age 10 and went to St Andrew High. After high school I left there for Barbados to do natural sciences. I never particularly wanted to go to 6th form and the opportunity presented itself in Barbados and I took it up. Honestly, it was the best decision in my young life as it exposed me to a lot. I met a set of people who were similar but different. It was a melting pot but still unique as we had similar historical backgrounds, I island hopped and then got exposed to soca and that’s where I developed my love for soca. I actually entered the carnival queen competition in Barbados. Overall, I think it helped me to be more open minded.”
While at university McDonnough discovered that natural sciences was not her forte. “I asked myself what am I going to do with a natural sciences degree and couldn’t figure it out. I took a leave of absence from school but
didn’t come home to Jamaica. I stayed in Barbados and became a beach bum, making extra money braiding hair for tourists. It was heavenly. The biggest decision I had to make each day was what to eat for lunch and which bathing suit to wear. I had a thriving enterprise doing braiding and making US dollars.”
She credits her mother for nurturing in her, the need for balance and the philosophy of work hard, play hard. “I lost my father at an early age so it was my mother who developed in me my strong work ethic. She made sure we understood the value of hard work. She was that driving force. My mother was the teacher of the common entrance class and there was no favouritism shown to me. I couldn’t fool around. You worked hard and do the job properly the first time. That philosophy never left me. She was however very balanced and felt that
24Buzzz Caribbean Lifestyle Magazine
if you worked hard, you deserved to enjoy yourself. She was a religious person but she never knocked me for going to and enjoying carnival.”
Though her job title may say marketing, doing events is where her passion currently lies and she outlined some amazing new plans for the biggest summer showcase. “This year there are even more exciting new features in the Sumfest cards. It will be 8 events over 7 days and the fans will totally enjoy every moment of it. So last year we decided to change how we did the food so we revamped it. We concocted a nice experience with a food court and in the centre was the Acoustic Cafe. At first the vendors were a bit sceptical but now they love it as it proved very profitable for them. This year we are concentrating on merchandising so we will create an enclosed mall with 22 booths. We will have artists; ceramists etc so there will be authentic, quality Jamaican products that anyone would want to purchase.”
“There will also be a number of new events including a street dance which will be free to the public; a world clash on Thursday and a reggae symposium on Friday at the conference centre. And for the people who don’t want it to end we have also introduced a breakfast party on Sunday.”
With all that she has on her plate with these high profile entertainment events, one would think that at times the hectic pace would have her frazzled. Nope, not Marcia. “Burn out? No sah! I love it. I’m energised when I’m there. Even though it is stressful for some, it has the opposite effect on me. I keep going. So when it is over, I do get a little depressed at first and then have to adjust and reacclimatise. You just have to love it or it will drive you crazy. For me, events is my baby, it is where I belong.”
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It is one of the most popular, prestigious and beloved musical events not only in Jamaica but in the region and with its new leadership, branding, focus and philosophy, it will probably have a global reach in short order. Over the years Reggae Sumfest has earned its enviable reputation for killer performances, stellar acts and iconic collaborations that still get talked about even to today. While we all enjoy the on stage shenanigans of the various artists, we often times forget the people behind the scenes who make it all come together seamlessly.
While most of the music festival fans may not know her by name, the ‘whose who’ in the entertainment, events and marketing industries recognise the name Marcia McDonnough, as it has long been synonymous with the promotion of some of the biggest brands in Jamaica, first as a marketing mogul and now as an events planning siren. McDonnough has definitely stamped her quality on these platforms hence; people know if they want the job done right the first time, they had better look up her business card and make that call.
As part of the Reggae Sumfest crew, she and her team have smoothly transitioned from the Johnny Gourzong led management, to Joe Bogdanovich’s a few years ago. The show has also experienced steady but seismic growth having been positioned as the not-to-be-missed summer event that offers you something for both your musical intellect and appetite.
Nicola Cunningham sat down with Marcia recently to get her take on the whole journey from boardroom to banner placements and now band changes. We wanted her perspective on how the festival has changed over the years and what acts or moments are etched in her mind as Sumfest is more than just a staple on the Jamaican entertainment calendar,it is a musical institution itself.
As Marcia tells it, she got involved with Sumfest more than a decade ago when Johnny Gourzong, who she dubbed ‘Mr Sumfest’, reached out to her. “I used to work with Air Jamaica and we used to sponsor the event so later when Johnny asked me to do sponsorship, I initially joined to manage their sponsorship arm. Now I am the Sponsorship and Marketing Consultant for Sumfest.”
Over the years, she has seen a variety of acts show up and show out in front of thousands of fans and some have been memorable in more ways than one. “Lionel Richie stands out strong plus Chris Brown and Usher in terms of their performances. R. Kelly’s performance was also great but as a person we had challenges. First he was very late but when he did hit the stage you forgot all about that. He was eccentric yet interesting and a bit difficult to work with. I remember he gave his shoes away and then wanted them back!”
Other moments that had a musical impact for her included the lyrical sparring between Beenie Man and Bounty Killer in the years when they were ‘beefing’, the presentation of the King of Dancehall award to Beenie Man and the Queen award to Lady Saw, in addition, the tribute to the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson where they made the presentation to his brother. “We took the man in the mirror picture blew it up and framed it in an actual mirror. Many people said it couldn’t be done but we don’t do anything half way so we got it done.”
The biggest change for the festival now, she explained, is the absence of international acts. This however, has not negatively impacted its ability to pull crowds or sponsors as the quality of
the line-up remains both powerful and professional. “It has not hurt the show as last year we had the largest crowd to date and the best thing is that it no longer depends on one act or artiste. Nowadays people concentrate on the overall product which is excellent.”
Three years ago Sumfest transitioned management from Johnny to Josef. Some of the old crew stayed on like Robert Russell; hence the public did not see a big change. “Johnny understood the artists, the festival and was probably the person I related to the most. What the Downsound crew brings is a different kind of energy. There is social media, working on the road with the trucks etc, so the energy behind the promotion of Sumfest is fascinating. Joe thinks that Sumfest will be the biggest event ever; his focus is getting it seen by eyes all over the world so he wants it streamed globally. Additionally, the way the team markets is different and he believes in spending to ensure that it is an event that people want to go to. He doesn’t think inside the box and is always looking at different ways to expose and promote it. Joe is not afraid to take on that challenge.”
When it comes to challenges When it comes to challenges, Marcia has always been up for them. While many know her from her days at Air Jamaica, few will know that she has a lot of mileage with other airlines as well as a stint as the Marketing Manager for Burger King for four years. “I have worked at Eastern Airlines, Continental Airlines and jump out of the airline industry to work with Burger King and then when Air Jamaica called me, I jumped back in.”
Indeed, Marcia has always had the knack of jumping into new scenarios and adapting effortlessly. Born in Kingston but raised until aged ten in Clarendon, Marcia Maureen McDonnough is the last child of seven for her parents who were both educators. Her father was a school head master and her mother, the deputy which meant that education was not only important, but integral to her early existence. She however was also determined to follow her own path. “I moved to Kingston at age 10 and went to St Andrew High. After high school I left there for Barbados to do natural sciences. I never particularly wanted to go to 6th form and the opportunity presented itself in Barbados and I took it up. Honestly, it was the best decision in my young life as it exposed me to a lot. I met a set of people who were similar but different. It was a melting pot but still unique as we had similar historical backgrounds, I island hopped and then got exposed to soca and that’s where I developed my love for soca. I actually entered the carnival queen competition in Barbados. Overall, I think it helped me to be more open minded.”
While at university McDonnough discovered that natural sciences was not her forte. “I asked myself what am I going to do with a natural sciences degree and couldn’t figure it out. I took a leave of absence from school but
didn’t come home to Jamaica. I stayed in Barbados and became a beach bum, making extra money braiding hair for tourists. It was heavenly. The biggest decision I had to make each day was what to eat for lunch and which bathing suit to wear. I had a thriving enterprise doing braiding and making US dollars.”
She credits her mother for nurturing in her, the need for balance and the philosophy of work hard, play hard. “I lost my father at an early age so it was my mother who developed in me my strong work ethic. She made sure we understood the value of hard work. She was that driving force. My mother was the teacher of the common entrance class and there was no favouritism shown to me. I couldn’t fool around. You worked hard and do the job properly the first time. That philosophy never left me. She was however very balanced and felt that
24Buzzz Caribbean Lifestyle Magazine
if you worked hard, you deserved to enjoy yourself. She was a religious person but she never knocked me for going to and enjoying carnival.”
Though her job title may say marketing, doing events is where her passion currently lies and she outlined some amazing new plans for the biggest summer showcase. “This year there are even more exciting new features in the Sumfest cards. It will be 8 events over 7 days and the fans will totally enjoy every moment of it. So last year we decided to change how we did the food so we revamped it. We concocted a nice experience with a food court and in the centre was the Acoustic Cafe. At first the vendors were a bit sceptical but now they love it as it proved very profitable for them. This year we are concentrating on merchandising so we will create an enclosed mall with 22 booths. We will have artists; ceramists etc so there will be authentic, quality Jamaican products that anyone would want to purchase.”
“There will also be a number of new events including a street dance which will be free to the public; a world clash on Thursday and a reggae symposium on Friday at the conference centre. And for the people who don’t want it to end we have also introduced a breakfast party on Sunday.”
With all that she has on her plate with these high profile entertainment events, one would think that at times the hectic pace would have her frazzled. Nope, not Marcia. “Burn out? No sah! I love it. I’m energised when I’m there. Even though it is stressful for some, it has the opposite effect on me. I keep going. So when it is over, I do get a little depressed at first and then have to adjust and reacclimatise. You just have to love it or it will drive you crazy. For me, events is my baby, it is where I belong.”
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