Asher Wen

Strategist, Marketer, Nerd

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Jun 22 2013

THE SATURDAY BRIEF // 22.06.13

The Saturday Brief
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.

Written by Asher · Categorized: News · Tagged: Apple, brand channel, cannes, everyday effect, Fast Company, Forbes, haze, instagram, P&G, sghaze, simpsons, time

Jun 20 2013

Haze Prompts Creativity From Companies in Singapore

SG HAze

**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.

Oreo
Oreo Face Mask

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!

Cadbury Hazelnut Chocolate
Cadbury Hazelnut Chocolate

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.

Costa Coffee
Costa Coffee

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!

Scoot
What The Fog

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.

Go All Indoors
Go All In(doors)

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”.

Free Gym
Free Gym Access

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.

LifeOpp
LifeOpp gives out free face masks

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.

McDonald's Peak Sauce Index
McDonald’s Peak Sauce Index
McDelivery is halting until further notice
McDelivery is halting until further notice

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

Screen Shot 2013-06-20 at 9.02.43 PM

 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.

More

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!

Starhub offers Free Previews
Starhub offers Free Previews

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

Written by Asher · Categorized: Digital, News · Tagged: adidas, cadbury, costa coffee, Facebook, flyscoot, haze, kfc, lifeopp, McDonalds, oreo, physical abuse, PSI, scoot, sghaze, Singapore

Hi there, I'm Asher.
Passionate about Brands, Marketing, Strategy and letting Data speak for itself.

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