Text message ads sent through smartphones are booming in North Korea, with users receiving over 10 commercial messages a day as companies compete to sell electronics in an expanding consumer market.
“People’s smartphones have been getting flooded recently by text messages advertising products,” a Daily NK source in South Pyongan province said recently. “The amount has noticeably increased, with people getting over 10 such ads a day—so much that they complain.”
According to the source, more than half of these smartphone text message ads are for newly released electronic products. In addition to basic product descriptions, including specifications, the ads also tempt readers with lines about “free repairs” or “direct delivery and installation.”
Marketing strategies are evolving, with ads recently including detailed information such as “protecting purchasers’ personal information,” “store locations” and “phone numbers for inquiries.”
The kinds of goods and brands featured in text message ads are also diversifying.
Advertised products include not only smartphones, but also notebook computers, tablet computers, desktop computers, flat-screen TVs, refrigerators and air conditioners. In the case of smartphones, prominent brands include established ones such as Jindallae and Myohyangsan, as well as newer ones.
Improved power supply drives consumer demand
People are generally positive about these sorts of ads.
“It’s a bit of a pain because there are so many ads, but many people welcome them because they can learn about products just by reading them,” the source said. “People appear very interested in how they also offer services such as free repairs or direct delivery and installation.”
“In particular, people are surprised and interested simply by how the ads include new slogans like ‘We protect the purchaser’s personal information,'” he added.
Driving this growth in text message marketing is the spread of consumer sentiment regarding electronics.
“Electricity is being managed much more efficiently than before due to the installation of power systems, so power supply times have increased,” the source said. “The improvement in conditions for using electronics has caused consumer sentiment to grow, and the trend nowadays is that every home has a flat-screen TV and refrigerator.”
However, consumption of these electronics is taking place under strict state control.
“In the case of flat-screen TVs, units are still imported from China, reassembled in North Korea by affixing control devices such as channel locks, and sold under local brands,” the source said. “If you install a Chinese-made flat-screen TV without going through this process, the authorities will unconditionally confiscate it.”
