theSun | MONDAY NOVEMBER 2 2009
speak up!
Making sense of
advertising ringgit
CHELMSFORD is a quaint town,
an hour’s train journey north-east of
London. It’s home to GEC and the An-
glia-Ruskin University where I stud-
ied law. The joke going around those
days was that if you threw a stone,
it would land on the head of a GEC
employee or a university student.
Most shops are within walking
distance of each other. I held a Tesco
loyalty card and every six months,
would receive “stamps” entitling me
to discounts. Those days, Tesco had
a big sign which read: “We’ll refund
twice the difference if you can find it
cheaper elsewhere.” One afternoon,
I walked into the store to buy six
tubes of chocolate flakes at £1.49
each. Heading home, I stopped by
Sainsburys and saw the same flakes
for £1.47. I marched back to Tesco,
seeking a 12p refund – not much, but
it was the principle that mattered.
The supermarket manager said I
had to provide proof of purchase by
providing a receipt from Sainsburys.
“Why should I buy something twice?”
I asked.
“That is our policy. We need proof
it is sold cheaper,” he said. I wrote
to Tesco’s headquarters. Two days
later, I received a letter saying Tesco
would review its policies on this
issue. Enclosed was a £10 voucher!
This episode has made me a life-long
supporter of Tesco.
Why this old story? It’s to empha-
sise that it doesn’t take huge advertis-
ing expenditure (adspend) to win the
hearts of consumers.
Many moons ago, being top ad-
spenders, the tobacco boys were
the darlings of media owners, being
regularly wined and dined. When
they were banned from advertising,
the telcos became the “big boys” – a
title they held for five years until last
week, when they were overtaken by
the Malaysian Government!
Yes, the Health Ministry has
a budget; the Consumer Affairs,
Domestic Trade and Co-operatives
Ministry has money to spend; the
CitizenNades
by R. Nadeswaran
Transport Ministry spends on road
safety campaigns. The “mother of all
spenders” is the Tourism Ministry
and rightly so. But there are others
who choose to “blow their budgets”.
If you drive along the North-South
Highway, you would come across
a billboard by the Fire and Rescue
Department!
While it is understandable that
the Health Ministry embarked on
a big campaign after the swine flu
outbreak, there is no justification for
others. Here are some facts worth
pondering:
» From January to September, the
government spent RM224.66 million
on advertising – up from last year’s
RM153.6 million
» For the same period, telcos spent
less – RM212.9 million
» The two biggest makers of house-
hold and consumer products, Unilever
and Proctor and Gamble, collectively
spent RM236 million
» Nestle spent just RM72.8 million
As you read this, there are people
presenting “creative ideas” with
story boards and visuals to some
government officer. But does anyone
measure the results and impact of
their advertising campaigns?
How do government reps choose
the agencies? Is there a pitch and
which are the agencies invited?
Who are the people who make the
final decision? Who draws up the
advertising budget? Who monitors
letters
letters@thesundaily.com
the efficacy of the advertisements?
No answers are forthcoming because
in many instances, the agencies are
one-man operations. One man who
calls himself an “expert” gets close to
the powers-that-be and bluffs his way
on what he can do. Having gotten the
nod, he gets some freelancers – the
real “lembus” who do the work – to
come in with the visuals and the ac-
tual artwork. I am aware of one such
person who was a key figure in a
criminal trial who has parked him-
self in a ministry offering all kinds of
services including “media relations”
of which he knows nothing about.
Another “advertising czar” who
received government advertis-
ing contracts paid for a minister’s
“personal trainer’s” air fare to Los
Angeles and Hawaii. When Terence
and I confronted him, he had the au-
dacity to tell us: “That’s how business
is done in Malaysia. To get to know
the minister better, you have to look
after the inner circle.” Hence, if there
had been competitive bids, we would
see more creative advertisements and
even better results from campaigns.
Take the “Smart Consumer” cam-
paign, for example. What does it aim
to achieve? How many shoppers has
the campaign compelled to “compare
prices”. If the previous campaign on
“petrol subsidies” comparing the
prices of fuel in selected countries
was a wanton waste of public funds,
then this campaign takes the cake as
it’s a no-brainer from the word “go”!
The list of “money-making cam-
paigns” is a long one and the people
in the advertising fraternity can relate
episodes of how they lost out to un-
known firms.
While the leaders are talking
about being competitive in the global
market which will in turn spur talent,
some government agencies are doing
just the opposite, giving contracts to
dubious characters.
Just like the private sector where
advertising agencies compete to
provide the most creative and cost-
effective campaigns, the public sector
must do the same.
And those who spend money on
government campaigns must always
remember that it’s taxpayers’ money
they are throwing.
R. Nadeswaran enjoys following the
developments in the advertising indus-
try, especially when it comes to using
public money. He is editor (special
and investigative reporting) at theSun
and can be reached at: citizen-nades @
thesundaily.com.
11
Be firm on corruption
WHILE some will applaud the prime right that government servants are
minister’s realistic stand on corrup- assessed against the rules that bind
tion, others even from among his them in their duties and responsi-
supporters will think that the stand bilities. It is only fair that the action
is not strong enough. While promis- taken against those found guilty of
ing that the task force will investi- committing a clear breach of trust
gate the serious cases highlighted be commensurate with the regula-
in the Auditor-General’s Report and tions that are in place.
serious action will be taken against However, one must bear in mind
the wrongdoers, Datuk Seri Najib that the chain of wrongdoing is
Razak clarifies that the action may long and entangling. Government
be administrative and not neces- departments buy products and
sarily legal. equipment or obtain the services
The setting up of a government and consultancy of parties in the
task force comprising the country’s private sector. Granted there will
top civil servants to investigate be those who are unknowingly or
the wrongdoings of government naively roped in by the unscrupu-
departments and the civil servants lous businessmen and contractors.
managing them may be seen as But there are an equal number of
innovative but the fight against cor- people who act with their eyes
ruption and its perpetrators is not. open and their palms outstretched
The fact that the police and the and ready to be greased.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Com- In order to be dead serious in
mission (MACC) have been actively the fight against corruption, the
involved, especially recently, in government must not be seen to be
bringing to book those involved in soft and compromising, especially
bribery and corruption both in the with their officers whose duty it is
public and private sectors shows to serve the people – not hoodwink
that the authorities are indeed or rob them. If the top leadership
starting to seriously walk the talk. is seen as being compassionate
The fact that more people, includ- in order to win hearts and minds,
ing the whistle-blowers, are com- the public thinking and tidak apa
ing forward to report on real and attitude will not change.
perceived cases of abuse of power Malaysians need to be jolted out
and authority shows that the public of their apathy and lackadaisical at-
want a cleaner, corruption-free titude towards morality and accept
society. responsibility for the society that
Granted the task force is set they themselves have created.
up to investigate the abuses and
wrongdoings unearthed in the Halimah Mohd Said
Auditor-General’s Report. It is only Kuala Lumpur
Purring beamer’s poser
I AGREE with the comments made in “Checks on old cars will be a burden”
(Letters, Oct 30).
I own a 13-year-old Japanese car and am the sole driver of the vehicle.
Merely listening to the slight sound from the engine compartment will give
you the impression that the car is not more than three years old. This is due
to the fact that I have been taking very good care of my car.
Even the paintwork is original except for some minor scratches which
are unavoidable. It is also accident-free.
Do I have to send my car for inspection when my car is due for renewal
in 2010?
I hope the relevant authorities will re-consider any requirement for the
tests to be conducted to confirm my car is in good condition.
One-car Owner
Via email