Marketing warfare: Telecel and Econet at each other’s throats

Staff Writer Avatar

August has been a great month for those of us that love creative fighting in marketing warfare.

So Econet went first deriding Telecel for copying a SIM Promo they had started.

econet-sim-promo

Clever yes, in making it clear that they had been copied. But then came the response today:

sim-promo

We hope it continues… We hope they try to outdo each other more and more coz we the consumers are the likely winners when this happens!

Just curious… which ones is cleverer? Let us know in the comments!

37 comments

  1. ic0n1c

    At least netone is not incolved in this war. they would be burnt lol… bt i think telecel is clever… just tht there are too many pple like me who are just loyal to econet for some reason…

  2. Battle Ad 2: Vengeance

    Telecel wins on execution, but I wonder why econet’s right hand is upside down

  3. Farai

    Econet outdid Telecel….considering that Telecel is responding to Econet

    1. chirau

      Seriously? That’s your criteria for winning? Whoever hits first and gets a response… Ayas

    2. Mhuka Huru

      Are you mad?

  4. naldo

    as for me i like telecel so much the way their are not afraid of econet i just love it kip on the gud work telecel usatyiswe ne econet hapana hapana

  5. mikedee

    Telecel, way to “GO!!”

  6. jaytee

    After all, Econet remains the giant telecoms co. Its truly a Buddie 🙂

  7. Mhuka Huru

    Look closely, that Econet Right Hand is busy hiding something, on teir own advert, thats exactly how Ecoshit promotions are, to hell with Econet mhani

    1. G-squared

      Mr Kahiya Econet has become a lovemark to the consumers. nomatter how hard Telecel will try there is only one secret to Econet’s success and if Telecel overcomes that and try to change their way of doing business for sure they will win. Econet has gone beyond being a brand in the Zimbabwean market to become a lovemark.

    2. The King

      I have observed your comments on TZ for a while now. You hate Econet with a passion, tell me, what did they do to you?

  8. Ndiniwacho

    lool kikikiki Seka hako inini if yu cant beat them just join them.mukungtaurawo henyu nyaya zvichingofayira Econet.HAMENO>>>>>>

  9. Ndiniwacho

    Ende chokwadi munochiziva kikikikikikikikikikiki

  10. Khal Drogo

    The cleverer MNO should reduce voice and data tarrifs and win more subscribers but should also comeup with a backup plan to upgrade the network as a alot of subscribers will migrate and use the service

  11. apo

    Econet kwaakumberi!!!!!!!!!!

  12. mellisa

    @Drogo, Telecel has always been trying to win customers on reduced tariffs, but where are they now? still trailing behind….Give customers assurance of not necessarily perfect service (coz its impossible), but a reliably consistent service and you will keep them

  13. Dee

    Who started this marketing wars between the two? I don’t like where this is all leading.

  14. Machinda

    When you talk better execution what is the criteria really…I think it should go beyond the mere artwork but also look at who communicates their real position in a cleverer way. There is no doubt that econet wins, hand down. We all know that telecel never, and probably will never innovate anything. They try to bring down econet by unsustainable promos which backfire, not only to the business but to the very customer they intend to serve. The service becomes unreliable because of a wishy washy business model which chokes the business. So while telecel is trying to free itself from its own chock hold, it struggles to give service. Because there is no money that the customer literary pays, there is no value that they will come to expect. So telecel subscribers (whoever they are) are not empowered to demand a service, because they do not pay for it (makes sense)

    1. Proudly Zimbo

      You could have not said it better than that, Econet knows wat they do. Proudly Econet customer !!!!!

  15. Evans

    kkkkkk. Telecel won this one hands down! On another note, Zimbos are struggling but they dnt seem to respond to cheaper services from Telecel, whats going on here? Kwadzinorohwa matumbu ndiko kwadzinomhanyira zveshuwa!!!

    1. Libbs

      The switching costs are too high. ECONET has made it difficult to switch to another network. After all their story is even more inspirational than the TELECEL story. Who doesn’t know where they came from, who doesn’t love a fighter. In the end it involves a lot more than just a cheaper service. In the end its about the BRAND. The ECONET brand is much bigger than TELECEL and compares with some of the continental best. Its all about MARKETING period.

  16. conny

    wy innovating by coppying…econet must ask telecel

    1. G-squared

      econet is a lovemark. emotionaly attached to econet

  17. Mao Tse Tung

    i have asked this before and i will ask again….. Is Telecel making money? Considering that they are yet to pay Portraz $137mil. Telecel mustnt forget that they are in business to meet needs and making money.

    1. collen

      kkkk, u got a point, they dont have a license , econet should block them again kkk

  18. M3YA

    Telecel seems in it to just fight Econet, not in it to forge its own path to success. To those that really want to ‘Tell Someone’, please may ‘Someone Tell’ just one innovative product and game changer that Telecel has brought to the table.

    1. Libbs

      Well they coined what is now being regarded as juicing your phone when you want to recharge. So yes they have had some clever marketing in the past but it is not consistent. Now everyone talks about kujuicer phone – thanks to TELECEL.

  19. Max Million

    Ladies and gentleman the real reason why consumers use Econet is primarily because of Dr Strive Masiyiwa, that man has sacrificed so much for the people of this nation be it in the form of scholarships to our kids, the orphanage he runs and various other people centred investments. That is what Econet rides on fullstop, their service has deteriotated, their charges are ludicrous and customer service questionable. The staff well are not exactly as professional as they could be, Telecel on the other hand goes the extra mile be it service delivery, customer care and related services.

  20. G-squared

    Econet has grown to become a lovemark to its consumers, this is one of the brands that when removed from the market the consumers will fight for its comeback. i have seen this brand evolving and i tell you its success is so inspiring. Why is it Telecel is loosing subscribers since the launch of their telecash food for thought. Francis Mawindi and the recently suspended kahiya are the people who can drive telecel to were they want to be. This is now a two horse race and the winner is a company that is always there for its consumers. inspired to change your world. 9 000 000 + Buddies. its more than a friend its a buddie. buddie brought to you by Econet Wireless.

  21. alecnyans

    i would have to give it to Telecel their marketing team is exceptional its their service execution which is a bit problematic. imagine 90% of subscribers call topping up their phones kuJuicer irrespective of the network they are on.

    1. Mao Tse Tung

      i would disagree with you on that one simply because Telecel DO NOT have any single catchy advert of their own, they wait for Econet to come up with something then they(Telecel) then respond. In other words Telecel are responders and are busy fighting Econet and forget to come up with “game changers”.

  22. Mee Too

    Econet seems to have paid some people here to defend their nonsense. Big up to Telecel for forcing Econet to loosen up on their profit hungry approach. Thanks to Mhuka Huru for fighting these paid Econet supporters

  23. mutape

    telecel is cheap and by cheap i mean cheap econet though unobuda u get what u paid for. Asi kugadzira maposters and adverts telecel wins asi musakanganwe kuti econet ine bag

  24. TheObserver

    Which of these service providers has managed to give consumers exceptional service at an affordable price. How many of us can honestly say that 80% of the time they are able to make a call, send an sms or app with both the providers? The other question is why is that you can get similiar services at such price variances. I have both a telecel and an econet line and I keep bouncing from one to the other cause quite frankly they are both unreliable. Both have pros and cons but they should both remember that time is money and nothing is constant and we can opt out of using them both if a reliable consistent service provider would enter the telecoms arena. Personally I think the competition is healthy as it keeps people on their toes and reminds them that the ultimate goal for consumers is to get value for their money.

  25. Mal

    Guys lets be serious for a second. TELECEL is not an innovator. They follow the same strategy every time
    1) Copy whatever Econet Does
    2) Run a cheap promo

    They will always be behind econet. as much as people complain about econet, many of those same people will never leave. With econet at least you know you are on the cutting edge

  26. Sub-Zero

    of lovemarks and what not, econet hasnt done anything special, its merely just a case of the perception of status. i’ve never heard of anyone on telecel complaining about poor service as much as econet subscribers. MaZimba munoda zvinhu thats all. We’d rather buy an ex uk Range Rover from 19-chakuti than a brand new almera (which is actually a very nice car btw). as for the copying part, one could say that econet just took and copied MTN for absolutely everything. even down to the shady promotions that magically make your airtime dissappear. Bal: $5.19 *poof* gone

  27. chokwadi hachiputse hukama

    FACT : Telecel and other(Netone) have all rebranded since launch….ECONET still standing strong, why?…they got a vision and a plan?…The others just respond to market forces havana kusiyana nema price eku Mbare musika vanomirira mood yemurimi. INNOVAtors vs IMITATORS,LATE ADOPTERS and LAGARDS!!…

2023 © Techzim All rights reserved. Hosted By Cloud Unboxed