Mobile Phone Companies and their Promotions

Recently, I saw this ad from a telecommunications company advertising a new promotion. And what's the grand prize? A house! Okay, it's wonderful and all that these companies find it prudent to try and set up their customers in life but really a house? What's next? They've given out airtime on their network, money, cars and now a house! Seriously, throw in a husband or wife and you just might have set someone up for life. And oh, in a couple of years add a kid or two maybe you can just make it twins (a boy and a girl) and that will really set someone up for the rest of their lives but don't forget to keep the money promotions coming in so I can win and take care of my new found family, my newly acquired house and service the car you so generously gave to me.

I learnt a taxi driver (I stand to be corrected but I got this information from another taxi driver whose car I boarded) won a brand new car one of these companies gave out not too long ago and apparently he spent about GHs600 on airtime just so he could text and win the car. Yippee! Good for him, he got a brand new car for only GHs600. Two problems however come to mind.

• One, where does a taxi driver get off spending GHs600 on airtime? Well, I'm told it wasn't all at once but it was throughout the duration of the promotion (maybe I should think of a change in profession because honestly, I do not see myself spending GHs600 from what I earn right now on airtime just so I can use it to text to win a car). That's actually money he could have saved and used for something else but hey, he did win a car which is worth far more than the GHs600 he spent to win it. Which brings me to my second problem...
• Two, what about all those who spent equally as much or even more than that to win the car but did not win? Do they just dust themselves up and wait for the next promotion or file for bankruptcy? I actually wouldn't be surprised if people actually borrow money in order to take part in these promos because I believe the more you text, the better your chances are.

I was watching this other promotion run by another telecom company on television and the presenter introduced one of the selected participants as a house help (Ei! I should really change my profession). This lady walked away that day with GHs5000. I just wish I could ask her how much she spent on airtime just to be selected. If really the more you text or the more airtime you spend on the network increases your chances of winning then honestly I'd be expecting bank managers and extremely wealthy people to walk away with the prizes (but of course they probably are not interested since they have all that and more).

What I would really like to know is what really is the essence of these promotions? Is it for the companies to enrich themselves because more people will spend more money buying airtime in order to text or are the companies really interested in bettering the lives of Ghanaians? Do you really increase your chances by the number of times you text because if that's the case then it is only rich people who can afford to do that and their lives are better already so really what are these companies going to do for them? If you asked me I'd say wouldn't it make more sense to encourage Ghanaians to work hard, save money and guaranty themselves a better life instead of throwing whatever little money they have away by taking part in these promotions. The fact of the matter is you do not even know what your chances of winning are anyways.

Well, it is after all by choice and no company ever put a gun to anyone's head forcing them to text.

Now, to let the cat out of the bag, I have tried myself like once or twice but looks like I don't have a single lucky bone in my body (mind you, this blog was not written out of skin-pain). What was I thinking anyway? My one text was not going to get me that car when someone was willing to spend GHs600. I guess that is his investment and it worked out.

I will let you know if I take part in subsequent promotions and hopefully, I'll be showing off my new husband or is it my new set of twins if I win...