Institute For The Future

Getting Powered (and Customers) on the Run

In the competition for mobile subscribers, particularly in urban India, mobile carriers have colonized much of the open space with advertisements and messages. Storefronts, street corners, shop windows, and billboards are all splattered with brand names (e.g., Airtel, Tata Indicom, Hutch, Idea) and images of brand ambassadors (e.g., celebrities from Bollywood and sports) smile at you from every direction. Even the Nokia brand can be found at every turn and wins the messaging race hands down. I guess it's no coincidence that several recent newspaper articles give Nokia the enviable distinction of being the preferred handset in India.

 

Travelling from New Delhi to Bangalore, I came across this advertisement for Hutch that doubles as a recharge station at the domestic terminal at the airport. You'll notice that it's got a stamp of approval from the Airport Authority of India (I can only wonder how many forms Hutch had to fill to get this approved!). It warns you about the risks of theft if the phone is left unattended. Still, plenty of people use it. It's a simple solution that fits into otherwise wasted time and above all its free and it works. Now if only all advertising could be as useful!