MTN Zambia giving away 1 Meeta

MTN has joined the bandwagon of SMS-based daily competitions and plans to give out K1 Million or as the catchy phrase says – 1 Meeta.

Here’s an excerpt from the press statement, which quotes the MTN CEO Abdul Ismail:

MTN Zambia is customer centric. We have been operating in Zambia for close to ten years now and we owe our unprecedented growth to the loyalty and support of our customers.  We therefore feel mandated to show appreciation and what better way than through an exciting promotion that will see various customers win a number of prizes culminating into the grand prize of One Million kwacha.

Mr. Ismail added that MTN Zambia is committed to uplifting the lives of Zambians through its various initiatives under its Corporate Social Investment programme and through the introduction of various innovative products and services.

K1 Million cash is the grand prize and is the same amount that was given out on live TV in their last effort. That promo was hit by a scandal as one of the MTN employees hijacked the process and made his own ‘winner.’ If this is an effort to win back the customers’ trust after that sham, then we would expect a more creative and appealing promotion.

Catchy as the hashtag is, that is #MTNSummer, they should have learnt from their South African counterparts and try a more engaging approach to salvage their reputation. MTN South Africa will host a 45 day family event at Monte Casino, dubbed  MTN Festival, with music, stand-up comedy by the popular Trevor Noah, a food festival and circus. This will bring out the entire family and cut across segments, and is a step in the right direction for the brand, usage and customer retention. Bravo to that Team for putting together such a fantastic event!

To MTN Zambia, we only hope they will think of their customers more and do better next year. Gone are the days of a simple SMS-based competition or promotion. More innovative offers are needed to grow the mobile telecommunications industry in Zambia. Details of promo are on their facebook page.