A New TV5

A full page ad in the major broadsheets has caught my attention this week. It's a full page ad inviting the public particularly owners of small businesses to participate in a presentation for a week long at the Crowne Plaza for an opportunity to get equal exposure on TV.

This morning, I just attended the presentation to explore the probability of getting media exposure for OpenSource, Inc. and the products that we carry. The Client Service Representatives have explained to me that the model they're doing here in the Philippines is more or less the one that they have successfully launched with a similar TV network in Malaysia.

The idea is 15 seconder spots for one week each month and the contract is for a year. Consistency in advertising is what the presentation is claiming and that the most powerful medium right now is TV. I didn't realize TV5 is what used to be the familiar ABC 5 that is now sporting the new red and TV5 logo.

Advertising costs range from Php850k to Php1.6m VAT exclusive per year. Not quite bad. But I am not really sure at this point if the critical mass for our business will be achieved. There could be brand recall with repetition, but initially, I am of the opinion that for software products and services, would still be good on the print medium as there's the pass-on rate to be considered even with a small number for exposure. One thing that bothers me is that with the type of software we carry are very high ticket items for an individual to afford. Repeat purchase can be about two to three years.

If OpenSource had the cash, I am willing to go for a calculated risk!