Over the last couple of years, Bangladesh has gradually improved in the technological field. It has made some good progress in the internet arena in particular. Just about 10 to 12 years back, most of the home based internet users considered them lucky to have a slow and limited dial-up internet service. The services were limited in only a very few selected areas of the country. In recent times, speedy advances in internet technologies have transpired within the country. After the dial-up connection era dissolved, there came broadband, USB GPRS modems, and then WiMAX. All these three were ridiculously slow so to speak. In 2013, 3G mobile internet is released; first by Telitalk and then by other private telcos. Along with the services, many amusing and heart-touching advertisements came to light.
Teletalk is the first company that introduced 3G has many ads running on TV, each promoting its handiness. For example, one depicts a young man watching football on his smartphone. “Don’t miss another game with 3G!” This sort of promotion is likely to make 3G highly popular among fans of sports in general. Ads like these make the most impact.
Grameenphone, which launched 3G service in October 2013, came up with a good TV ad. Although it’s funny and marginally informative near the beginning, it swiftly dwindles down to being related to flying. 3G doesn’t come down to being able to “go places”, but rather the aspects of 3G that are incredibly advantageous to the people of the country. This ad creates plenty of excitement, but not enough yearning to have it.
Banglalink also launched 3G earlier in October. Banglalink has an ad that express that anyone- regardless of their position in the “class system”- can have access to learning something new from the internet with its ability to stream videos. This broadens the spectrum of potential users of Banglalink’s 3G services since there are very few people in this country that can afford bewilderingly priced packages.
Airtel’s ad surprisingly makes a lot of sense. It advocates lying to parents which almost every teenager do time to time. Airtel’s ‘Life After 3G’ ad perfectly sums up the essence of the youth’s vibrant potential to exploit the absence of their parents. Bad news for the parents but great news for the teens! It’s understandable why 3G would be marketed to teens- they are after all the next generation of consumers and undeniably use internet services a ton more than older people do.
Although many of these ads are more pointed towards educating viewers on the advantages of 3G, there is one particularly touching Teletalk 3G Video Call advertisement. It’s about a deaf rural girl’s ability to finally use the phone. 3G video calling enables her to communicate with her brother at long last, contributing greatly to her emotional welfare. Ironically enough, Alexander Graham Bell- inventor of the telephone- had a deaf wife and mother. He would have been happy using 3G in his life!
Advertising in Bangladesh has reached the level of expertise that exists in developed countries. From this streak of amusing and informative advertising, it’s clear that the skills of this nation are improving just as fast as the internet services. The companies however should deliver as boundless internet services as they’ve portrayed in their commercials.
Links to the videos:
Teletalk3G “Flying Ad”
Grameenphone 3G “Flying Ad”
Banglalink 3G Ad
Airtel Life After 3G Ad
Teletalk 3G Video Call Ad