FreeLists / gsmtoday / [GSMToday] September 1 2006 - Who wants to be a Millionaire in Kano?

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               Nigeria's FIRST GSM Newsletter
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            A Fr-ee Weekly E-zine Newsletter By 
           Wonderful Counselor Nigeria Limited   
                "Our Ideas Give You The Edge"
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Volume 5, Issue 18                  September 1 2006
Editor: Sagai "CoolApostle" Adam    Subscriptions:  1,202
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           Who wants to be a Millionaire in Kano? 
                       By CoolApostle
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



===========================
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AS MUCH
AS 1O MILLION!!!

To Qualify for a special 
anniversary edition of the 
Who wants To Be A millionaire 
T.V Game Show, where you could 
win as much as N10 million, 
simply buy an MTN SIM for just N380, 
load airtime and text or call 132. 

For existing customers, 
simply recharge your phone 
and text or call 132. 

Each call to 132 is charged at N200 
and each text costs N100.00

Only the best can bring you the world's biggest!

Source: MTN website
===========================



INTRO
=====

On my recent trip to Kano in northern Nigeria, I was 
disturbed by the numerous MTN billboards advertising the 
"Who Wants to be a Millionaire" TV Game Show ("WWTBAM" 
from now on) to the inhabitants of the ancient city.

The billboards were all in hausa -obviously targeting 
the average Joe in Kano- and promised "millions" if you 
will just send an SMS to 132. 

There were pictures of happy, jumping men in Kaftans 
jubilating at the millions they have made.

Knowing MTN, there is probably another forest of billboards 
targeting the Igbos in the East and the Yorubas in the 
South West. 

All will be saying the same thing: send an SMS to 132 
and you could be a millionaire.



===========================
 "Who Wants to be a Millionaire, is in 
contrast to most other TV prize winning 
programmes, since it is a KNOWLEDGE 
BASED CONTEST, even if, admittedly, there 
is an element of luck involved ? like all 
human endeavours. 

It is therefore proper to differentiate 
the reward accruable to winners of such 
competition because of the intellectual 
element involved. 

I believe the people at MTN must have 
considered this factor before increasing 
the prize money to 10 million 
Naira and I commend them for it," 
===========================



LOOKING FOR TROUBLE
===================

With what I saw in Kano, I believe that MTN is aiming a 
gun at its foot and is about to pull the trigger. 

Here are my reasons:

>> There is no mention in those billboards that there is 
a N200 charge for the SMS (which is included in the 
English billboards in cosmopolitan Abuja)

>> There is no mention that the WWTBAM Game show is a 
game played ONLY ENGLISH

>> There is no mention that the Game is elitist and 
requires at least a Secondary School education to go 
beyond the first few questions

>> There is no mention that you will be required to 
travel to Lagos to participate.


===========================
"I am impressed by the mode of entry 
for the programme. I have tested it 
and it works like clock. 

I sent a text to 132 after watching the 
launch on TV and reading the handbills 
which the helicopters dropped around 
Lagos. I received an instant question, 
which I answered correctly and qualified 
for the programme. 

My friend in Lagos who also answered 
the question correctly has already 
been invited to participate in the 
programme."
===========================



"BABU TURANCHI" 
===============

So, what is the reason for marketing such an elitist Game 
to the average hausa-speaking fellow in Kano? 

Is MTN really serious about having a hausa-speaking person 
on the show? 

Will there be an adjustment to the Game format to 
accommodate people who cannot speaka-da-english?
(who will probably say, "Babu Turanchi"... no English)

Or is MTN hoping to cash-in on the ignorance and curiosity 
of the common folk in Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto or Zaria?

The WWTBAM is a game for the city folks. It should be 
marketed to them. They can understand the rules. They can 
play the game. 


===========================
 "I am generally impressed with the 
reward system. Though I will travel 
from my base in the North to Lagos to 
participate in the programme, it is 
worth the prospect of winning the 
new jackpot of 10 Million Naira. 

Even if I do not go to Lagos, I still
stand the chance of answering any of 
the questions asked by the presenter 
at home and win N20, 000 as against 
the former prize of N10, 000."  

===========================



MISLEADING BILLBOARDS
=====================

Now, I hope I am just worried over nothing and the MTN 
people have Radio and TV jingles that explain to the people 
of Kano what the game is about and their chances of ever 
becoming millionaires on the show. 

I also hope that it is because I did not see the MTN flyers 
that have explained the WWTBAM Game Show in details that is 
why I am grumbling.

But, putting out huge billboards that promise millions to 
someone in a predominantly hausa-speaking state with just a 
teaser to send an SMS to 132, is misleading ?even fraudulent. 

It shows that the network still does not know about the 
cultural background of Nigeria after five years of operation. 

Or we can conclude that MTN just wants people?s N200 to 
make up the 10 million jackpot.



HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED
======================

I got this from the MTN website:


HOW TO PLAY
-----------

Send an SMS with your name and phone number to 132. 
A question will be sent to you. 
Send back your answer through SMS.

You can also call 132. 
You will be asked a question and you are expected 
to send back the correct answer through SMS. 
Call or SMS charges are: N 200.

Successful subscribers will be notified via a 
confirmatory message inviting them to participate 
in the studio programme.


IN STUDIO PLAY
--------------

120 subscribers will be invited to the studio 
from which 8 will be short-listed for the hot seat. 

The remaining 112 people will form the in-studio audience.
The 8 short-listed subscribers take turns on the hot seat.

Questions will be asked and as the participants gets the 
right answer to each question, they win prize money.

The ultimate prize is N 10million. 

The remaining 112 people invited to the studio can contest 
for the twenty N20,000 wining slots.


HOME PLAY
---------

20 viewers can contest from home and win N 20,000 each

To participate in the home play, you will be required to 
SMS the correct answer to 230 at a cost of N 65.00 per SMS.

Showing on NTA Network, Channels TV, Silverbird TV and MITV 
every Friday at 8:00pm 




CONCLUSION
==========

The MTN Marketing people have gone wild and need to be called 
to order. WWTBAM is not for the un-educated masses and the 
marketing should remain in the urban cities of Nigeria. 

And please, the Billboards should be in English.




LINKS IN THIS ISSUE
===================

Quotes used in this story from Vanguard Online
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/features/technology/tec309082006.html

Note the educational qualifications of some of the past
winners in this article in Guardian:
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/compulife/article04

MTN website materials from:
http://www.mtnonline.com/product/retail.asp#whowanttobe


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