ADVERTISMENT REVIEW

GROUP – C

UFONE- BACKGROUND MUSIC

Submitted to: Najeeb Agrawalla

Marketing Management

Fall-2009

Group members

Aali MuazzamAdnan Dohadwala (8454)

Huma AsmatJavaria Said (8423)

Maqsood AhmedSadaf Haque (8422)

Syed Hasan Raza Rizvi (8421)

Introduction

Pak Telecom Mobile Limited (PTML) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation Limited (PTCL) that started its operations in January 2001 under the brand name ‘Ufone’. As a result of PTCL’s privatization, Ufone became a part of the Emirates Telecommunication Corporation Group (Etisalat) in 2006.

Since its inception, Ufone has focused on the people of Pakistan, empowering them with the most relevant communication modes and services that enable them to do a lot more than just talk, at a price that suits them the most. Along with the claim of lowest call rates, clear sound and best network, Ufone offers its customers simplified tariffs with no hidden charges. With a strong and uniquely humorous communication direction that has now become Ufone’s signature across all advertising media, Ufone gives its customers many reasons to smile.

This customer focus and best offering has allowed Ufone to build a subscriber base of over 20 million in less than a decade. Ufone has network coverage in 10,000 locations and across all major highways of Pakistan. Ufone currently caters for International Roaming to more than 260 live operators in more than 150 countries. Ufone also offers Pakistan’s largest GPRS & BlackBerry Roaming coverage available with more than 150 Live Operators across 105 countries. More recently, Ufone has become a focused and intensive leader in VAS, constantly introducing innovative services, which have been the first of their kind in the Pakistani cellular industry.

As the world of telecommunications advances, Ufone promises its customers to stay ahead, developing and evolving, to go beyond their expectations, because at Ufone, it’s all about U

The Ad that we have selected to review and Critique is the launching ad of Ufone’s new service of Background Music published in the Urdu Newspaper “Express” on … January 2010.

Text

The slogan for the package is

These words reflect the most significant aspect of the package which is to play a background music of your choice during discussion on phone. The slogan depicts that the user will enjoy special atmosphere according to his discretion.  

Apart from the slogan another phrases which occupies a central position in the advertisement has been used.

The phrase is

It is unique because they have a powerful pull for the target segment according to their desire. The pull is the desire to stay connected with long talk time with your loved ones & to promote the feelings of closeness and togetherness. It also succinctly describes the product in a few words.

The text also contains two other major parts. The first is a logo specific to the product as shown below.

The second is the statement that this product has been introduced for the first time.

The rest of the text is about package details.

Demonstration

A couple is shown in the advertisement. Both individuals are in state of happiness and adoration. This state of love & enthusiasm depicts freedom from all worries & surrounding noise.

This advertisement is in the major color of the Ufone campaign, Orange along with grey. The color theme invokes Ufone in the mind of customers & general public. The upper portion has the picture of one of the famous comedian on television at the moment along with a female model in formal dress.

This ad has used colors effectively. The background of the advertisement shows bars of music and the bottom of the images has swirls interwined with music notes to denote music.

Moreover the figure shown belong to the target segment of this advertisement which is “Youth”. 

The name of the company has been displayed on the middle right hand corner of the advertisement. Next to company name are the package details. The name of the package along with the slogan has been displayed in the top central position of the advertisement. 

The charges detail of this package details are explained in the bottom portion of the advertisement along with detailed terms and conditions. 

Message Execution

Message execution of an ad depends on the market research conducted by the company and the target audience. 

The message has been executed in a colorful and eye catching way. This execution style is designed to attract youngsters as its target market. This is why the advertisement has been given this youthful look. It is part of an ongoing campaign by Ufone to make it a distinctive brand that appeals to the young through humor and wit.

Offering

The product

This ad is made for introducing a new product/service “Ufone Background Music”.

The product/service is offered by Ufone for its “Prepay” and “Postpaid” customers, targeting the “Youth”. By keeping its tradition of being trend setter in the industry, Ufone brings this service first time to the Pakistani market and they claim this on the upper right corner of the ad, by stating “Pakistan Main Pehli Bar”.

Now you can play the background music of your choice, that would be playing a part of non-verbal communication while talking to your love

ones, the music could be a representative of your moods and emotions as well. The tag line clearly execute the message “ Ab Back Ground Music Lagao Jesa Chahay Mahool Banad”.

Stage in product life cycle

Ufone was launched back in year 2001, at that time Mobilink was already the Market leader. Owing to the growing competition in cellular telephonic services, Ufone strategize to increase its effect on market through aggressive promotion & advertising. In a short span of just a few years, Ufone is enjoying the maturity stage of life cycle.

As the mobile users are highly increased in past few years and there is high competition between the telecom networks, Ufone always try to come up with better and innovative package to retain its position and to grow.

As far as this new value added service “Ufone Background Music” is concerned, it`s in introductory stage of product life cycle and Ufone endeavors to persuade its existing customers through this campaign to retain them and get the competitive advantage.

Market share

Ufone is one of the best cellular company in Pakistan with reliable network and coverage in more than 5885 locations and across all prominent highways of the country.

Ufone has maintained itself as the 2nd largest cellular operator in Pakistan with a subscriber base of around 20 million and a market share of nearly 22%, amongst the various genres available in Pakistan Telecom industry. Ufone has seen a subscriber growth rate of over 200% in the last year.

Ufone’s operational performance has been very encouraging. We believe that mobile services are the toughest market to enter and survive. And in this tough market Ufone isn’t only surviving but growing at an exceptional rate.

Despite the stiff competition in Pakistan telecom market which has led to reduction of prices to bare minimum level, due to its aggressive policies and exercising strict control over expenses the Company managed to improve its revenue and after-tax profit by 87% and 54% respectively, as compared to last year.

Communication objectives of the advertisement

The competition in the telecommunication industry, especially among cellular service providers, is quite strong in Pakistan. We have seen aggressive advertisement campaigns, both in electronic and print media, by the leading cellular service providers lately. Although the preferred medium of ad campaigns is electronic media, i.e. TV, FM Radio etc, these companies also utilize the print media for their ads.

Ufone has a large market share of the cellular industry, and it is considered an industry giant for telecom. It has become one of the pioneers of various value added services, which help in retaining their customers as well as keep them interested in Ufone's services.

Their slogan shows the intent of focusing on the customers.

The objective of this advertisement is to introduce yet another value added service, “Ufone Background Music”. The advertisement is focused on the 'mood' of the customers and the way they can make the 'environment' of the phone call, lively. 

One of the Ufone brand ambassadors, Jawad Bashir, is featured in this advertisement. Jawad Bashir,

Faisal Qureshi, Adeel Hashmi and Mikaal Zulfikar have changed the Ufone theme over the past 2 years by adding the ‘fun’ element in their ads. Jawad’s introduction in this ad is also the part of the strategy to make the overall cellular service experience a ‘fun’ experience.

The tag line of the ad, “Ab Background music lagao, jesa chaho mahol banao” also associates ‘fun’ with the Ufone ‘experience’.

Target Audience

Ufone has emphasized on its differentiating features in the shape of fun, experience and YOU as a customer. In this advertisement Ufone is targeting its existing users of post paid and pre-paid packages. The target audience comprises of Secio-Economic classes, A+, A and B, of the age between 15 to 25 years, because young people from urban area in Pakistan are innovators and adaptors for the new value added services.

Message Design

Appeal

The message has been designed to appeal to the emotional instincts of the customer. Mood and emotions combined together have been targeted and are the idea behind the entire advertisement and product package.

Listening to background music of your choice once you are talking to a person you love or admire or are friends with- hits right to the soul of the human body (Music is the food for soul).

The Unique selling proposition is:

Pakistan main Pehli Baar – Ufone Background music

Ufone maintains the same humorous theme to its advertisement casting the “Adeel Hashmi, Jawad Bashir and Faisal Qureshi trio” as their brand representatives. This advertisement feautures only Jawad Bashir.

Structure

Ufone advertisements are usually always Conclusion based. The Pakistani market audience is reluctant to open advertisements in general. However the theme, USP and the entire Ufone campaign on its own requires a conclusive advertisement for the audience to easily figure out the positioning strategy of the offer.

The strong argument has been placed at the bold parts in the upper right corner. Proclaiming evidently in bold black terms – PAKISTAN MAIN PEHLI BAAR

The USP has also been placed in the centre upper position of the advertisement – so as to let the audience read it on the very first glance setting strong impact on the minds of the target market and potential market.

Format

The advertisement uses a bold color theme in the unique brand colors of Ufone – Orange and green.

The expressions on Jawad Bashir’s and the Female’s face are both friendly; inviting the consumer to avail the benefits of the offer. The smile on their faces generates warmth, happiness, invitation, hospitality and trust on Ufone. The more inviting a look the ad entities have on their faces- the greater are the chances of grabbing the markets attention and desired response.

Source

Ufone improvises Credibility by Using the Unique tag line:

“TUM HE TO HO”. This makes the consumer consider himself as the most important asset for the company. His trust and credibility about Ufone automatically enhances.

The Likability factor moreover has been reflected through the Humorous comedy Trio’s - Jawad Bashir

MediumPlacementTime / Date / Day etc.Costs

Critique

The ad is another example of an ongoing campaign of Ufone to introduce fun and innovative products for its end users

Positives

The positive features of this ad are

The first thing that catches your eyes are the models. The male model, Jawad Bashir is a recognized face all over Pakistan whereas the female model is very pretty.

It cleverly introduces a brand new feature for the first time in Pakistan

It again highlights that Ufone is the premier telecom service provider which continuously introduces innovative products for its consumers.

The use of brand colors and graphics draws attention

It clearly states the features of the products.

It provides easy instructions to how to get this service activated on your phones.

All charges are clearly defined.

It provides information of how to contact the service provider for further information

This service is not available only for Ufone customers but is valid for calling to other networks.

Negatives

The ad doesn’t have a lot of negative features. The few that can be pointed out are

The advertisement is not linked to its television campaign.

It is not easily understood by everyone because of the new features advertised.

It alienates the older age group users.