Hyper-local advertising

Hyper-local advertising seems to be on the rise.

Posters, messages and scrawls you get to see at street corners, on TNEB junction boxes and on the avenue trees.

They seem to offer leads to life trends.

Jobs are always on offer.

So are cures for cancer and impotency.

Between the two, the host of services can range from offering to teach you how to download songs or arranging to clean your overhead tank.

Across our office, in the corner of a busy junction we have a hugely popular fruit juice shop. The shop has been written about by all the city dailies and is counted to be among the ten most popular ‘joints’ for young people.

I think it scores high on four counts - range of juices, the quality, the speed with which they are served and the refills most customers enjoy, for free.

I still have not tried out the Sharjah Special here.

At any given time, there are 25 to 30 people hanging out at this joint. So now I know why the abandoned traffic police booth that some sponsor erected at this junction has become the notice board for hyperlocal advertising.

Somebody is looking for housewives, retirees and youth to canvas for SBI Life.

Another is promising assignments that allow you to work from home. Rs.8000 if you work part time, Rs.16,000 if you work fulltime and Rs.5000 if you work all through Sunday. There is a promise too - you don’t have to make phone calls, you don’t have to attain targets. Just work!

There is also a dirty war of handbills that is going on in this nook. Between agents of internet services providers.

Last week, a leading newspaper launched its campaign - it had part time jobs for young people.

Fighting for space and produced on cheap recycled paper are the posters of a Sex Clinic located in a lane of Triplicane.

Hyperlocal advertising does work. You have to choose the locations in the neighbourhood.