image via wordlink

This is Worldlink’s pitch for a VOIP solution -“World Call” that it launched time ago.

The first thing that came to mind when I saw the hoarding board on a rooftop in New baneswor,

– “What a crappy piece of advertisement!”

The slogan “The feel of BEING LEGAL! Be legal. Be safe.” almost feels like the advertisement is targeted for an audience of immigrant aliens :D. On the contrary, the model with her relieved expression and arms wide open against the scenic setting, fits the setting for ads for sanitary napkins! Please, excuse my awry sense of humour!

Making calls over VOIP is illegal in Nepal and in a number of countries (because you skim off the cash that the national carrier gets). Nonetheless, communication stalls/cyber cafĂ©s all over Kathmandu, brandish their wares – fliers citing dirt cheap call rates to America, Australia, India, Iraq and you name where countries. The likelihood of them getting incarcerated for doing so – NULL so far! And the likelihood of someone becoming illegal for using such a service – NULLER (nonexistent is probably a better choice of words)!

On the plus side, WORLDCALL provides the same VOIP service accessible from your laptop/desktop at home/office payable in local currency unlike other VOIP solutions like Skype, VOIPCHEAP, Yahoo!Voice and numerous others that require you to have a Paypal account or a credit card. The rates are a steal compared to NTC’s high ISD rates and are comparable to any VOIP solution available.

I’d probably check out WORLD CALL soon enough, but I still think they are better off redoing the ad.

Categories: rants

12 Comments

shreeza · November 13, 2009 at 11:33 am

I agree… when i saw this one at jawalakhel i thought it was ridiculous.kk nai legal bha jasto. but i didn’t think of sanitary napkins when i saw the poster, rather i thought of detergent adds where they emphasize on the floral fragrance they add to it. add is a must redo…

shreeza · November 13, 2009 at 4:33 pm

I agree… when i saw this one at jawalakhel i thought it was ridiculous.kk nai legal bha jasto. but i didn’t think of sanitary napkins when i saw the poster, rather i thought of detergent adds where they emphasize on the floral fragrance they add to it. add is a must redo…

Utsav · November 13, 2009 at 6:04 pm

i have an awry sense of humour, lol. thanks for stopping by 🙂

Utsav · November 13, 2009 at 11:04 pm

i have an awry sense of humour, lol. thanks for stopping by 🙂

Bidisa · January 8, 2010 at 5:23 am

gosh i left a comment ..didnt realize had to sign in first..sheesh got wiped away..

    Utsav · February 25, 2010 at 3:54 am

    It didn’t get wiped away! It queued up for moderation !
    using a new commenting system and kicking off the moderation queue, so fire away!

Bidisa · January 8, 2010 at 10:23 am

gosh i left a comment ..didnt realize had to sign in first..sheesh got wiped away..

    Utsav · February 25, 2010 at 8:54 am

    It didn’t get wiped away! It queued up for moderation !
    using a new commenting system and kicking off the moderation queue, so fire away!

adhikariji · February 22, 2010 at 2:57 am

“Making calls over VOIP is illegal in Nepal”
Dear Utsav,
Please be aware that making calls over VIOP is not illegal in Nepal. Only termination of international calls in local network from international origin is illegal in Nepal. Worldlink is a tax paying company in Nepal which pays huge tax as deemed fit by the laws of Nepal for making calls in VoIP. The advertisement is suggesting why use illegal, non tax paying services when tax paying rates are cheap too (call to US: Illegal cyber accounts Rs. 1 per minute, Worldlink's VoIP Rs. 1.25 per minute).
AND yes the girl is so relieved and stress free only because she is using tax paid legal accounts.
Utsav, it is sick that you see the advertisement of something which is used by girls during their menstrual period which is shocking for most of the teenagers and they have to go through trauma. It is sick that you find use of sanitary napkins humorous. GOD bless you.

utsavmaden · February 22, 2010 at 4:13 am

Dear Adhikariji,
Thank you for your comments!

Your point duly noted.

Making calls over VOIP is illegal in Nepal!
receiving calls over VOIP is illegal in Nepal

On your second pointer, I guess we're digressing from the topic – my problem is not with service or Worldlink. The service is probably great, It isn't readily available as yet (i can't find it on my cornerstore).

Its just the ad that sucks, and big time too (hence my blogpost) !
I am probably part of the consumer demographic that WLINK's WORLD CALL is going for and I see a flaw in the ad campaign – it doesn't appeal to me. If you still have to explain your ad (like you just did), there's no point to it, is there?

Periods are a fact of life, I never find them funny. Its strange how you've assumed I'd find that or the “use of sanitary napkins” funny! Please do reread the post 🙂

The ad and the model (no offence to her either) would better suit a sanitary napkin ad, why?

Clear sky/meadow = outdoors!
show of relief + teenager+ outdoors????

Haven't you seen the Whisper, Stay free ads?

Sick is too strong a word, I think my intended humour is quirky at best.

I still use the cyber to make calls and the home service they provide (when I am not Skyping or using Gtalk, Yahoo) and he's a good guy, probably pays taxes, smiles when I make an entrance and also makes small talk. No one's pointing a gun to my head as I dial a foreign no. from the booth, so I will let the “be legal, be safe” part a rest and make do with my conversation.
Peace!

legalvanitynumbers · April 13, 2010 at 3:48 pm

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