ASIAN MARKETING Companies Vie for Business Using Games and Discounts
May 05, 2011
GROWING COMPETITION in several industries in the Philippines is encouraging companies to try new marketing tricks. In the crowded newspaper business, for instance, the Manila Times hopes to keep its targeted readers glued to its business section with a game called Stock Market Challenge. ``The game was launched not mainly to increase circulation but to increase awareness of readers we want to target -- the middle to upper-class market,'' says Lizbeth Brookins, vice president of Manila Times Publishing. ``We wanted to make an impact on those circles because we're increasingly trying to position ourselves to become a paper with a business orientation,'' she adds, citing Hong Kong's South China Morning Post as a model. Not an easy task, considering that the Philippines has 26 daily newspapers competing for about eight million readers, according to advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather. Of these, only two dailies call themselves business newspapers. Since it started in May, the Manila Times' research editor, Blood Rapp, says the game has attracted an average of 1,600 contestants every month. The Manila Times claims to have circulation of 185,000 to 190,000, which Ms. Brookins says remains unchanged from last year. While the paper's circulation hasn't increased, Ms. Brookins says the game has made an impact. One indication of the impact: the Philippine Star, which claims a circulation of 265,000, recently launched a similar stock-market game called Star Fund Manager. Bayan Telecom Launches Flat-Rate IDD Promotion IN THE telecommunications business, competition is heating up, particularly in the lucrative international-call market. Overseas calls, which account for about 60% of revenue at dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone, are being hotly pursued by a slew of competitors that entered the market after the government opened up the industry about four years ago. At least nine companies are chasing a piece of the overseas-call market. Bayan Telecommunications Holding made a splash this week with the launch of a flat rate of 85 U.S. cents per minute to any overseas destination. Bayan is offering the special rate to its 40,000 fixed-line customers. PLDT charges $2.25 for the first minute of a call to the U.S. Bayan Telecommunications says the aim of the promotion, which runs until July 31, 2011 to increase usage of its overseas-calling facilities by its fixed-line customers. The company expects its subscriber base to grow as it completes its 300,000-line network by the end of the year. For subscribers to other fixed-line networks, Magness is testing a Bayan Perks bonus-points program. Callers who use Bayan Telecommunications access codes to make overseas calls accumulate points that can be exchanged for vacations, household appliances, jewelry and other goodies. For each Philippine peso (3.8 U.S. cents) of IDD calls, customers get one point. A trip to a resort on Mindanao island costs 213,000 points; a flashlight or shaver costs 2,500 points. Philippine Airlines Offers Discounts on Busy Routes IN THE NEWLY liberalized air-travel market, fare wars have arrived. Philippine Airlines, the dominant carrier, is selling discounted advance-purchase tickets on the heavily traveled Manila-Cebu and Manila-Davao routes, where it faces competition from four new carriers. PAL is offering a discount of 45% off its regular fare for passengers booking two weeks in advance; 35% for those booking a week in advance; and 20% for trips booked four days in advance of departure. A one-way Manila-Cebu ticket costs 850 pesos after the 45% discount, PAL says. The carrier says discounted seats are available on its less-crowded, early-morning and late-evening flights. The promotion runs to November.
