NationHela Money Transfer - Assignment Example

English 19 October NationHela Money Transfer International money transfer has always posed numerous challenges for many people living in Kenya. Most people doing freelance online jobs receive payments in US dollars through methods such as PayPal, Moneybookers, wire transfers and ACH cheques. There are several ways that a Kenyan, for example, can withdraw funds from PayPal including Payoneer, e-pay Kenya, and now the recently launched NationHela. NationHela is a corporation among three organizations Diamond Trust Bank, Nation Media Group and Hela, which uses a visa debit card to withdraw money from PayPal accounts. Users can then withdraw money from their NationHela cards using the readily available mobile phone money transfer schemes. Alternatively, a user can pay for purchases using the loaded NationHela card at outlets that accept debit cards. Using a NationHela debit card is extremely convenient for most people as it eliminates the risks involved in carrying cash. One does not also need to go to the bank for each withdrawal since the system allows users to withdraw money through their mobile phones. NationHela is the best money transfer method, for Kenyan freelancers to use in receiving money from abroad because it is dependable, trustworthy, and versatile. The advert is trying to sell NationHela as dependable way of receiving money from abroad and does so in a manner that psychologically and visually convinces the reader. It employs factors such as symbolism, color, and psychological manipulation. The African people have always visualized the dollar as a symbol of financial freedom and emancipation from poverty. Portraying the money in US dollars plays with the reader’s mind such that it gives the impression of added wealth. This way, a reader is convinced that they are going to experience the much needed financial liberation if they use the NationHela card. Therefore, NationHela is a dependable way for freelancers to improve their financial status. Color plays a significant role in conveying messages. The lady in the picture is wearing a pink top, pink necklace, pink earrings, and a blue pair of jeans. In addition, she is carrying a black and white stripped handbag and portrays an image of a successful, well-groomed woman. These features influence the female customers to think that using NationHela will give them success in life. Pink is a symbol of feminism mostly associated with affluence. The use of pink works on the psychology of potential female customers. It convinces them that they will be able to acquire beauty and style with the money received via NationHela. A handbag is a lady’s accessory that primarily carries money among other things. The handbag in the advertisement consists of black and white. Black symbolizes wealth and power in Western culture (Symbolism of color. Using color for meaning) whereas white symbolizes simplicity and precision. Therefore, a combination of the two colors on the handbag implies that the woman is carrying power and wealth and that this wealth has been obtained in an effortless and precise manner. A blue NationHela debit card is included at the bottom left corner of the advert. People perceive blue as “trustworthy, dependable, and committed” (“Color: Meaning, Symbolism and Psychology”). Thus, the blue debit card together with the symbolism of other colors in the advert give the impression that NationHela is a trustworthy venture for freelancers, making it the best money transfer method. A lucrative commercial also employs the right models to portray the intended message correctly. The advert uses two models, a male and a female. The female model has a pleasantly surprised look on her face, seems extremely happy, and looks back at an outstretched hand holding 500 US dollar notes. It looks as if like she was on her way to a different place before a hand holding cash beckoned her. The other model’s appearance is not fully shown with only the hand appearing in the picture. In spite of this, one can deduce that the model is male by carefully examining the physical features of the hand, which displays masculine features. These details (a male hand holding cash beckoning a woman who is on the move) evoke the thought that NationHela is versatile and that an individual can utilize it anyplace and at any time. Therefore, the versatility of NationHela as displayed by these models convinces freelancers that NationHela is an unsurpassed money transfer technique. The setting of picture plays a substantial role in providing hidden details. The pictorial setting is difficult to determine going by the plain white background of the advert. However, use of appropriate words in the right proportions compensates for lack of a clear setting. The words printed in the advertisement are “NationHela. The easier way to receive cash from abroad. On your prepaid card.” “NationHela” is in a large font, an occurrence that draws attention to it as the main focus of the advert. The words “The easier way to receive cash from abroad” are in a font smaller than “NationHela,” but larger than the preceding two statements. This statement explains to the reader what NationHela is and its font assigns it second priority in the advert. The last two statements give details on the working of the system. At the bottom right section, are the words “NationHela Pesa Mfukoni.” The advert’s slogan “Pesa Mfukoni” is a Kiswahili translation for “Money in the pocket.” These words give promise freelancers a constant supply of money in their pockets, further depicting NationHela as a dependable and trustworthy means of money transfer. The proportion of images is higher than that of words in the advert. According to Rayner, Rotello, Keir, Duffy, and Stewart, people tend to look more at the pictures than on the words in an advertisement (219). Therefore, for effectiveness, an advert’s pictures ought to speak more than words. For this reason, the infomercial appears effective in capturing the reader’s attention. There are few inadequacies displayed in the commercial, for instance, there are no indications on how to receive money from abroad or the necessary steps to do so. However, indicating website name and the name of the partner institution (Diamond Trust Bank) at the top of the advert probably makes up for this insufficiency in the hope that the potential customer will follow these links to obtain more details. Apart from symbolism, color, and psychological manipulation, a brilliant advert ought to have its target population in mind. The advert intends to reach all people (male and female) and both targets have equal chances of falling for the ploys employed. Females are most likely to fall for the advert going by the main model that the advert uses. Also, males are equally likely to fall for this advert to fulfill their nature-bestowed role as their families’ breadwinners and caregivers. This is because depicting a man stretching his hand to give money to a woman is likely to trigger men’s instincts to provide for their families or spouses. The fact that NationHela intends to serve both male and female customers effectively convinces all freelancers that it is dependable as a money transfer means. However, the advert does not suggest anything about an audience from the past. A careful evaluation of the pros and cons of this advert indicates that NationHela has a lot to offer to its customers. It is dependable because it assures freelancers of financial wellbeing. NationHela is a trustworthy venture since it guarantees all users a constant flow of money. The method is also versatile as freelancers are able to use it anywhere and at any time. NationHela’s advantages outweigh its drawbacks. This thereby brings the reader to a conclusion that NationHela is the best method for Kenyan freelancers to use for receiving money from abroad. Works Cited “Color: Meaning, Symbolism, and Psychology.” N.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2012. . Rayner, Keith Rotello, Caren M., Stewart, Andrew J., Keir, Jessica and Duffy, Susan A. “Integrating Text and Pictorial Information: Eye Movements When Looking at Print Advertisements.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. 3.7(2001): 219-226. Web. DOI: 10.1037//1076-898X.7.3.219 “Symbolism of Color. Using Color for Meaning.” N.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2012. . Read More