I will refer to two of the advertisements published in the recent dailies.
First one is published on The Daily Star on Oct 26 is by Brac Bank. No doubt it is a leading private bank. A bank respected by many, built an image as a pioneer in SME banking. A modern, tech-savvy bank.
The agency responsible for the ad creative is Bitopi, an affiliate of Leo Burnett.
So, what is the problem here? Nowhere it mentioned how much part of the credit card's annual fee would be donated to green fund. So, if at the end of the year Brac Bank pays altogether tk. 2 to green fund, it can certainly claim, it kept its promise. "Hey, we have just donated 0.000000001% of your card's fee to green fund. Be proud of yourself, and your bank." Neither the ad mentions which green fund it is going to donate to. Maybe Brac Bank will plant a sapling in its MD's house. That's a green fund!
However, the ad clearly conveys a message without a mistake. That the advertiser thinks the audience are a bunch of idiots. They will jump into getting the 'green cards' with a big hope that SOME part of the annual fee would be donated to SOME kind of green fund on SOME day. And believe it, this not coming from an ordinary organization. This is coming from a bank, that deals with numbers as its day job.
Now the other one. Also from a bank. Equally revered. Published on Oct 21 on the first page of The Daily Star.
The ad reads:
MTB Centre, A green building.
MTB Center is a unique project with each floor attributed to one of the major energy sources such as trees, water, wind, sun and earth; and these components together define the critical balance of sustainability.What should I call it? Exploitation of the word Green? Again a bank, that believes in numbers only, did not mention anywhere how the building is energy efficient. Or, how much part of its energy is sourced form alternative or green energy source. In short, how on the world the building is green.
I visited Gulshan to see the building myself. I tried without success to spot any kind of visible solar panels or whatsoever. However, I found a little part of the building is covered with green sticker. Maybe that's how the building is claimed to be Green.
Central Bank's governor a few days back encouraged banks to go green. Look at the responses. I feel like I am a complete idiot. The readers of The Daily Star must be idiots. Prospects and customers of these banks must be idiots.
