Weekly winners for SMS adverts

by Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

The weekly winner among advertisers who channel classified advertisements for the Sunday Observer and Silumina newspapers through Dialog, Etisalat and Mobitel cellular phones will get the opportunity to spend a weekend at the Citrus Hotel, Hikkaduwa. Here the July 28 winner, M. Lushanthi of Kandy and the August 4 winner, D.C. Withanage of Kiriwaththuduwa receive their vouchers from ANCL Chairman Bandula Padmakumara. Pic: Sarath Peiris.

Taking a revolutionary step in the advertising industry, the Associated Newspapers Ceylon Limited (ANCL) introduced a novel facility to place advertisements through mobile phones.

This facility is available for Dialog, Mobitel and Etisalat customers via mobile phones to SMS the advertisement to be placed in the Sunday Observer and the Silumina. The classified advertisements will be printed in these newspapers giving customers the option of sending it at any time. The ANCL has organised a promotional campaign to select weekly winners among the advertising community.

The convenience in time and cost saving facility has been well received by customers and a great deal of enthusiasm has been evinced in this service patronised by a growing clientele.

Two lucky winners received gift vouchers for a stay at the Citrus Hotel, Hikkaduwa.

The winner for July 28, Lushanthy Muthukrishnan told the award ceremony that she came to know of this facility through one of her friends.

"I am working for a leasing company and I have to advertise constantly to attract customers. This service is easy and convenient and I have spread the good news among my friends. This is a unique service and I use it often," she said. The winner for August 4, D.C.S. Withanage, a tour guide said that he learned about the service through an SMS from Dialog.

"I have to tour the country in keeping with my profession and a service of this nature is of immense benefit to us. The time and cost saving offered by this facility is a plus point and I recommend the service to customers who have a busy life schedule.

As there is no timeframe we can place the advertisement at any time convenient to us as you do not have to call over at the counter personally.

This mode of placing advertisements needs to be promoted and I am confident that this service will be a boon to customers," he said.