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"Bye-bye, sim card” for unregistered users?

“Bye-bye, sim card” for unregistered users?  Last October 10, 2022, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act, which was implemented last December 27, 2022.  In this law, within 180 days or six months, all current SIM subscribers must submit a completed form via a database platform or website made available by different telecommunications companies (Gita-Carlos, 2023).  The advertisement entitled “Mag-SIM Reg para hindi SIM Dead” made by Smart Communications on April 1, 2023, is a 30-second commercial that persuades users to register their SIM cards before April 26, 2022, or else they might not be able to use their current SIM cards.  This advertisement is generally targeted at Filipinos, notably Smart Prepaid, Smart Postpaid, Smart Bro, and Talk-n-Text (TNT) SIM users.

There was no implication that any Smart Communication services or goods were being promoted. Instead, it concentrates on convincing its customers to register their SIM cards so they may continue to utilize the company's services.  Additionally, towards the end of the video, a step-by-step process of registering one's SIM was also shown, serving as a guide.  Although no Smart Communications products or services were advertised, the commercial still benefits viewers.  It serves as a reminder for everyone who sees the ad, regardless of the SIM card brand they use, to register their SIM before the set deadline.

If one were to analyze the advertisement deeply, it can be said that there is a form of media manipulation present. Fearmongering is a type of manipulative information that utilizes fear to affect one’s actions or opinions.  First, looking at the ad's title, "Mag-SIM Reg para hindi SIM Dead," users are forced to register their respective SIM cards to continue using them.  According to the government, the implementation of this law may protect users against fraud, phishing, and other types of scams prevalent with unregistered SIM cards (Beltran, 2023).  However, according to Foundation for Media Alternatives (2017), this act impairs one's constitutional right to privacy and endangers vulnerable people and specific areas, because for someone to be able to register, they must provide their complete name, age, sex, address, and a photo of a valid identification card.  In other countries where this act also exists, it has also been shown to be ineffectual and inefficient.  Moreover, the ad's content also instills fear in users who will not register as their sim, number, online payments, and social media will be dead.

References

Beltran, B. B. M. (2023, February 20). All you Should Know about SIM Registration Act. BusinessWorld Online. https://www.bworldonline.com/special-features/2023/02/20/505990/all-you-should-know-about-sim-registration-act/?amp

Gita-Carlos, R.A. (2023, January 12). PBBM Seeks Update on Implementation of SIM Registration Law. Philippine News Agency. https://pna.gov.ph/articles/1192640

Mag-SIM Reg para hindi SIM Dead. (2023). [YouTube Advertisement]. In YouTube. Smart Communications. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcx6v7hnGG8

SIM Registration: Fueling the Security vs. Privacy Debate. (2017, August 22). Foundation for Media Alternatives. https://fma.ph/2017/08/22/sim-registration-fueling-security-vs-privacy-debate/

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The weirdest advertisement that took social media by storm last 2020

The weirdest advertisement that took social media by storm last 2020—RC Cola’s Nyahahakbkxjbcjhishdishlsab@!!!!  Basta RC Cola!  This commercial was released last November 26, 2020 by RC Cola, a soft drinks manufacturing brand.  Through its bizarre theme, the advertisement penetrated Philippine pop culture, gaining many reactions from netizens.  The story is about a son who has just returned home from school after being bullied and confronts his mother about whether he was adopted.  Similar to typical dramatic Filipino teleseryes or television soap operas, the exchange of dialogue becomes emotional.  That is, until the son lifted his shirt, showing off the four glasses that were affixed to his back.  “Matagal na naming itinago ito sa’yo anak (we hid this from you for a long time, son),” classic emotional line; however, instead of crying, you will be surprised as the mother then shows off what seems to be her severed body with an RC Cola bottle protruding from the neck.  She then continues by pouring the RC Cola into the glasses randomly.

In an interview by Contagious with Jake Yrastorza, Managing Partner of Gigil—the ad's creator, he stated that the ad aimed to differentiate RC Cola from other brands in the minds of younger generations, specifically Gen Z's.  Since Gen Z's tend to 'live in the moment,' they do not need reasons to act on something.  With this, the creators of this commercial adopted that mentality and made the brand embody it, making RC Cola a reflection of their consumers (Contagious, 2021).  The audience may not benefit from the product being advertised to them since excessive drinking of soft drinks can be harmful, particularly to older people, and may increase one's risk of having Type 2 diabetes (WebMD Editorial Contributors, 2020).  However, analyzing the actual message the advertisement wanted to convey, we can notice parallels to our everyday life, including self-doubt, unwavering acceptance, love, truth, family, and spending time with the ones we cherish.

RC Cola's advertisement emphasizes a good marketing strategy rather than a way to manipulate the media.  The manufacturing brand is aware that their market is continuously evolving; therefore, they have to keep up and think of a way to convey its message creatively and effectively, and they did not disappoint!  With its absurd title and theme, the company was able to take the internet by storm and receive a mix of emotions from netizens on different social media platforms.  This can be observed in the ad's performance six hours after its launch, earning approximately 1.6 million views, and within 24 hours, it had 130,000 shares and 203 reactions, becoming a top-trending topic on Twitter.  Today, it has more than 10 million views (Diaz, 2020).  Since this kind of commercial has blown up, several local brands have been incorporating weird themes.  An example is a commercial from Julie's Bakeshop entitled "Harina is Shaking sa Newest Film for Julie's 40th Year Anniversary!" which featured a dough of bread having eyes and being able to speak.

References

Diaz, A.-C. (2020, December 11). This is the Weirdest Ad we’ve Seen All Year. Ad Age. https://adage.com/creativity/work/rc-cola-basta-rc-cola/2300386

Nyahahakbkxjbcjhishdishlsab@!!!! Basta RC Cola! (2020). [YouTube Advertisement]. In YouTube. RC Cola. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXWj5BK7evM

The Strategy Behind RC Cola’s Basta Campaign in the Philippines. (2021, July 20). Contagious. https://www.contagious.com/news-and-views/insight-and-strategy-behind-rc-cola-Filipino-advertising-campaign

WebMD Editorial Contributors. (2020, October 22). Drinking Cola: Is it Good for You? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/drinking-cola-good-for-you#:~:text=Even%20one%20or%20two%20colas