IF IT’S TRUE that a picture is worth a thousand words, I wonder if the full page advert by FLOW in the July 17 Weekend Nation (Page 15), could not have told a different story.
It shows a wellgroomed young man sitting playing with a cellphone, a bemused smile on his face. The caption is: “This is us”.
It could have depicted a young man, equally well groomed, at work on a construction site using his cellphone. Or a well dressed young man busy at work in an office, also using his phone. Or a young mechanic working on an engine, using his phone. It could have depicted a busy, hard-at-work young entrepreneur in a barber shop, or a farmer in his fields, a taxi driver (oops, not while driving though), a watersports operator, or a student bent over his books – all using a cellphone.
We would still have gotten the message – use your phone. But what a difference, FLOW. Instead of a youngster who for all the world seems to be doing absolutely nothing worthwhile, we would have seen a productive young man, busily engaged in work or study. That’s the kind of image we need to give our young men.
There’s also something in it for you, FLOW. Productive men earn more than idle youngsters. More cash means more spending power. And more money flowing to your account. Win-win.
– Trevor R. Shepherd
