A switched-off idea
Eskom's questionable radio ads
Eskom seems to be seeking to draw power — and rebuild its shredded reputation — with a quirky campaign of radio ads, despite being told by the minister to stop spending money on advertising
As you switch between radio stations, between songs and between segments, you’d be hard-pressed not to hear an Eskom advert reminding you how much you need electricity— in case you’d forgotten. It’s a given that you need energy, along with water, food and shelter, and that people will buy into this need regardless of an advertising campaign. After a slew of stereotypes – “like an Indian needs toilet paper after curry” to “like the Zulu say Limpopo” – Eskom makes its case: “SA needs electricity.” Given the magnitude of the campaign, Eskom’s extravagant spending on advertising raises the question: why does a monopoly — particularly a monopoly that is struggling financially — need to advertise? It sparks the debate about whether a state-owned entity should advertise at all. Eskom has admitted that its financial position is not where it should or could be. A report by EE Publishers says that without further funding‚ the utility would move into negative liquidity of about R5bn by the end...
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