News - Asher Wen

Jun 22 2013

THE SATURDAY BRIEF // 22.06.13

It’s that time of the week again, for THE SATURDAY BRIEF! Time passes really fast doesn’t it?

While we are enduring the haze here in Singapore, let’s take a quick look at what we missed in Marketing news around the world this week.

1. Haze Prompts Creativity From Companies in Singapore
MAJOR:MARKETING!

This week was all about the haze, haze, and more haze. From Singapore at least. Find out what companies are doing to capitalize on the bad weather in order to build their brands or to sell their wares (the latter is probably a bad idea, frankly).

2. Apple Finds Its Footing Again With Evocative Film About Third-Party iOS Apps
Ad Freak

Apple shows consumers what its iPad can do with a long-form video. It’s not about selling more, it’s about meaning more.

3. On Heels Of Countless Famous Collaborations, Converse Launches “The Simpsons” Sneakers
Time

We are seeking more and more collaborations across brands, both from onscreen and off. The Simpsons are coming alive in your Converse sneakers this time. Isn’t it ironic how this is kind of a reverse product placement?

4. Researchers Explain How Brands Make You Fall In Love
FastCo Create

Now we can finally find out why we can’t get enough of Coke!

5. Microsoft To Reverse Xbox One Policies After Fan Revolt
Forbes

About time! Microsoft is going to allow you to play games from your friends, and without an Internet connection too. I guess there are only very few brands who can pretend the competition doesn’t exist, and get away with it.

6. P&G Hosts Massive Everyday Effect Giveaway Event in New York City
Brand Channel

I would be uncomfortable with this normally because I always thought the idea of a House of Brands approach was to make lessen the power of the corporate brand. In this case, however, P&G did a great job in showing New Yorkers how its products improve their every day lives. They need that awareness too, seeing how they didn’t do too well last year. Now, COME TO SINGAPORE!

7. Apple Wants to Drive Future of Infotainment, but Will Car Brands Move Over?
Brand Channel

Never one for standing still, Apple now wants to own the car infotainment market. Would auto companies let it? From what we read from Ford, it seems that most consumers still prefer traditional knobs and dials over touchscreens in their cars. We’ll see how this goes, Apple.

8. At Cannes, Brands Find Themselves Redefining the Boundaries of Advertising
Brand Channel

It was the Cannes Lion Festival of Creativity last week! If you missed out, check out this summary from Brand Channel. Also, you can go to the Cannes’ Lion website to find out more about the amazing campaigns! Advertising never looked less itself.

9. Introducing Video on Instagram
Instagram

Now all the selfies and food shots would be able to move… erm. Yay? But honestly, this is a better offering than Vine, I feel. By virtue of the fact that it is built to be shared on an existing platform. Not much of a stretch to use it.

10. Transgender Marketing: 12 Campaigns That Defy Sexual Stereotyping
TIME

Interesting look at how marketing has evolved. We are no longer “targeting” traditional segments. With big data and social media, more of these will follow,where we break down stereotypes.

Jun 20 2013

Haze Prompts Creativity From Companies in Singapore

**Edit (June 22, 2013): Added Starhub to the list!

The PSI Index has hit a high of 371 in Singapore today. Even as the rest of the country post increasingly hazy shots of their country, businesses are coming up with creative ways of making the most out of #SGHaze. Here’s some that I got off Facebook:

1. Oreo
As the company which more or less pioneered “real-time marketing” with its successful “Dunk In The Dark” campaign in the American Superbowl, it is not surprising that Oreo is one of the first brands to come up with a social media response to the #SGHaze. Check out their gas mask with Oreo stuffing.

2. Cadbury Dairy Milk
Sister brand of Oreo, Cadbury has also come up with an interesting post on its Facebook page that is relevant to the haze. What I felt would have been a real coup would have been for them to really put this in the papers. After all, we all know how effective the newspapers are for the Singapore market. It would have had a much greater reach!

3. Costa Coffee
Costa Coffee advices us to keep our masks on and come indoors for a cup of coffee with their interesting mask coffee art.

4. Scoot
Scoot thinks we should just fly out of Singapore to avoid the the haze altogether with their low fares to different locations around the region. Well, we all know where we don’t want to fly to, don’t we? Not after they called us childish!

5. Adidas
My favourite, and one of the earliest to come up with any sort of response, is Adidas’ “Go All In(doors)” advisory on their Facebook page. I love how their tagline is embedded, and how it gives an added meaning. Parentheses are pretty overused after (RED) campaigns, but this is just right.

6. Physical ABuse
Local gym Physical ABuse has also decided to alleviate the pain of not being able to be out and about in the horrible weather. They are offering free gym access until PSI levels are stabilised. Of course, we have no idea what “stabilised” means. I hope they mean “back to normal levels”.

7. LifeOpp
Job-matching community LifeOpp has taken it one step further and gave out free face masks to locals at different malls around Singapore. Definitely a good way to boost awareness of the company. I do hope that they somehow managed to brand those masks though. Otherwise the mileage of this campaign would be limited.

8. McDonald’s Peak Sauce Index
Looking at how high the PSI really is, McD’s approach is fast lousy its humour, in my opinion. Then again, the new Wasabi and Honey Mustard sauce might offer sweet respite from our smokey woes.

What is truly laudable about McDonald’s is that it has decided to suspend McDeliveries because of the haze to protect its delivery riders. It’s one of the very first companies to do so today.

McDelivery is halting until further notice

Since McDonald’s move, other companies have also followed suit. Amongst them, competitor KFC:

As you can see, most Singaporeans are approving of such moves. Most are of the opinion that employee well-being is more important than the sales that these companies might lose.

The #SGHaze has become an excellent platform for brands to show that they care, and to show how their brands are relevant and fit into the lives of consumers.

9. Starhub Offers Free Previews
Reader Tan Teck Heng has shared Starhub’s Facebook post as well. They are offering free TV previews for those of us staying at home!

How did you like their attempts? What’s your favourite? Tell me more at the comments!

Jun 15 2013

THE SATURDAY BRIEF // 15.05.13

The Saturday Brief brings to you Marketing news from around the Internet in case you were living in a hole this past week.

This week was all about technology with Apple’s WWDC and the E3 happening earlier in the week. Here’s the TOP 10 Marketing stories this week that you might has missed on the Internet.

Apple Enchants Once Again With iOS7 and Mac Pro
MAJOR:MARKETING!
How Sony May Have Won E3 With the PlayStation 4
TIME Tech
Facebook Adds Twitter-Like Hashtags
Forbes
Here’s what businesses can learn from the brand currently known as Kanye West
Forbes
Too Little, Too Late? Abercrombie Sponsors Anti-Bullying Scholarships
Brand Channel
To Celebrate 150 Years, Perrier Re-Issues Warhol Designs
FastCo Design
Interbrand Releases Top 100 Global Green Brands 2013
Interbrand
Mondelez Enters Coffee War with Pods for Rival Nespresso Machine
Brand Channel
For Consumer Brands, Asia Is The New Peoria
Forbes
Apple introduces bold ‘designed by Apple in California’ message
Brand Republic

What do you think about the news this week? Will Apple be able to win back the hearts of consumers with their new iOS? Or is it too little, too late? Leave your comments below!

Jun 11 2013

Apple enchants once again with iOS 7 and Mac Pro

iOS 7 with a new interface that is not too foreign

Apple has been under attack lately on multiple fronts, from patent wars to tax issues. Wall Street analysts have also cast doubt on whether the company can innovate new and attractive products again with the demise of the great Steve Jobs.

It may be too soon to say, and we may yet hear naysayers come up with more things to hate in the coming days, but I believe that this WWDC has shown that Apple still has its mojo. Many of the innovations here are things that we will use and appreciate rather than frivolous functions for the sake of.

Apple has proven once and again that it has the ability to enchant and capture the imagination of its users. I believe that is because they know exactly WHY they are in the business – designing for customers rather than for themselves to shine or for a visual aesthetic that a lot of other company are still stuck at.

With WWDC, Apple has also updated the Mac Pro. Long overdue in my opinion. It looks gorgeous, radically different from any other desktop. I wonder why no one has thought of this before? Maybe my next Mac will be a Pro…

What do you think? Write your comments about what whether Apple has done enough to win you back.

Jun 09 2013

5 Marketing Lessons From “Now You See Me”

The movie “Now You See Me” opened this Thursday with a stellar line-up with big names such as Morgan Freeman and Jesse Eisenberg of “Social Network” fame. The well-paced plot was always one step ahead of the audience, keeping them from guessing the movie before its fruition, leading up to an unexpected twist for the clincher. Spoiler alert!

What caught my eye though, were the lessons that we can draw out from this movie. There is much marketing departments can learn about Marketing from “Now You See Me” in order to stay ahead of the pack and come out winning. [Read more…]

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