Bhutanese commercials

When I was in Bhutan, someone drew my attention to a TV commercial aired in the state television. The ad showed a car that went up and down in the main road of the capital for many times without the need for more fuel and the commercial message was clear: this car consumes less fuel. However, people who bought this type of car due to advertising said to me that their new car actually consumed much more than other cars in the same category. They were very disappointed and realized that the commercial lied. They have learned a hard lesson about advertising and its credibility that we in other countries already learned long time ago.

Conducting a training session on marketing to young entrepreneurs at Loden, I highlighted this ad as a bad one that misleads consumers and ultimately disappoints and alienates them. I asked the participants not to lie in their promotional activities, because it is not only immoral, but also the wrong business strategy, especially in a small country like Bhutan.

Advertising is inevitable in a consumer society Bhutan has developed into and I collected a few Bhutanese TV commercials for you to demonstrate the current development level of the advertising industry:
































One of Loden entrepreneurs, Dawa Dakpa, produced the following advert for his Shoe Laundry:



This ad for a car brand was produced in Bhutan and tries to use the country as an attractive background for the promotion of their expensive car. In my view, they provide a rather shallow, superficial and one-dimensional image of the country and I hope they paid enough to the Bhutanese authorities in fees and taxes to compensate the damage they might do:




Once a country has commercial advertising and brands, soon they become part of  the youth culture and they are referred to, played with, twisted and customized. This is a non-professional TV commercial made by Bhutanese youth with or without the consent of the portrayed cosmetic brand:




If you know of more Bhutanese commercials, please share them with me.

My shoes get a facelift at Shoe Vival

My pair of shoes got dirty and I decided to take it to Shoe Vival in center Thimphu, opposite the Clock Tower Square. First time when I saw their poster in the street I was a bit skeptical whether they could deliver what they promised. Now, I understand why it is called Bhutan's First Footwear Laundry and Refurbishing Service and not simply a shoe shine service. My shoes look much better than before and I only paid $4 for the service that includes free pick-up and delivery.

Before

After

Shoe Vival is a clean little place where footwear in bad state of repair re­ceives not only stitch and glue but also washing and sterilization.  In that compartment sits a tallish young man and some several pairs of shoes, mostly ragged and worn-out. Mr. Dawa Dakpa, a college dropout, works with his two colleagues at Shoe Vival. On one side of the wall hangs the ornately framed certificate that testifies their professionalism. Last November, Dawa’s innovative shoe laundry service was among 11 other business start ups selected by the Loden Foundation for support. 

Dawa studied India, but did not graduate. "I got into serious drink­ing habit, which is why I could not complete my graduation," he says in a muted tone that suggests regret. However, after re­turning home, he found many jobless youth loiter­ing in the town. It dawned on him then that he should do something on his own.

Sandeep Gajakas of The Shoe Laundry, Mumbai (India), who trained Dawa in the art of shoe-cleaning, believes that this business model works due to its simplicity. "Everybody wears shoes; they get dirty and need re­pairs. Somebody has got to do it nicely." he says.

When Dawa contacted Sandeep with the proposal, he wasn't sure if there was going to be a market at all. If he had any doubts earlier, all of them van­ished after he came to Bhu­tan and saw the lifestyle of the youth here.

"I honestly did not ex­pect the kind of night life that I saw there. The youth are fashion conscious and willing to spend on prod­ucts and services," he says. 

Last time when I met with Dawa he was proud to tell me about a sports event where he had the opportunity to promote his new business through large banners and about his first commercial he just finished shooting with one of the most popular local comedians. Listening to him, I secretly looked at his shoes which looked shiny, happy and tip-top and I wondered what sort of marketing advice I could give to this young businessman at our next coaching session which he didn't know yet?

This post is based on personal experience and an article in the Bhutan Observer.