Mirai Mechanism Tokyo.

Simple effects can bring so much futurism into an otherwise normal city shot.

How to be alone.

Beautiful and inspiring. Even videos have learned how to multi-task.

What’s the trouble with love?

The trouble with love is we all get used to it at some point. We get used to having a companion, we get used to having someone doing certain things for us and we reciprocate with other deeds for our partner. There’s nothing wrong with companionship and this act of reciprocation but the trouble happens when we get used to it. We become demanding, we demand time, attention and respect and we stop earning and/or working for it. I guess as with everything, when we get too comfortable, the zone turns grey and becomes uninteresting.

On a really bad day, sometimes we don’t even know how we ended up in that unkind spot in the first place. It would be futile to question anyway since a place like this, isn’t built overnight. Respect and trust can erode very dramatically over a specific incident, and at the same time unnoticeably gnawed away by our ignorance over time – 1 year, 5 years, 10 years. It is difficult to say whether the relationship can be saved (although I would like to believe that everything is possible if you want to) but it is really quite difficult to expect two persons to be as loving, or even as caring as couples of a decade or more ought to be. That’s right, too much fairytales. Reality is like viewing the sun without Raybans and it’s a lot more harsher than we thought.

So before you continue to spiral into oblivion with your partner, take some time out and think if something is amiss. The best judge of whether you both are on the same vector, I supposed, is to see if you’ve been growing close along the years. If you are distant, then suck it up and admit the distance. Don’t figure it out on your own as it will only prove that your relationship is handicapped. Clapping is an act achievable only by both hands, no? Well unless of course, truth is you’re only interested in a relationship with yourself, then why not :)

Well, my advice will be - Life’s too short. So don’t mess it up for other people.

Good luck and have yourself a very merry Christmas.

Picture credit to Behance Network.

Celebrating Dongzhi Festival ;)

It's been a long time since I attempted to create something. I've been producing and producing and producing a lot of stuff at work (both useful and of lesser use) but it's been a long long long time since I've done anything at home. So today, we're making tangyuan ;) We're doing a pre-Winter Solstice Festival since I'll be travelling to Singapore on Wednesday night. And the result? Yums ;)

Everyone tells me to think out of the box, I thought, heck. Why not just make em' boxes then.

*burp*

Honda 'Innovation in Motion' voted as the best booth in KL Motorshow 2010.

I remember my last trip to Tokyo Motorshow and I was very much inspired by the strategy taken by our Japanese counterpart in Dentsu who produced the booth for Honda as well. Although the production is very much different, but the idea of not using an exhibitor's space in a conventional manner really challenged my initial thought.

So we came back and threw a lot of 'what ifs' around. What if we could utilize the 11-day event to send a message out to the public on what Honda is all about? What if we could integrate online and offline, at KLIMS and outside, with an activation that could engage people even without them having to do too much? What if we could make people feel good about themselves when they engage with us? What if we 'host' the visitors instead of just exhibiting? What if we could design structures and mechanisms that would make sense to what would otherwise be very boring static exhibits? What if we present ourselves and our dreams and let transparency judge our worthiness?

So many what ifs, and finally we say, let's just do it. And we did it. We designed the entire space based on the thought of 'Innovation in Motion' within the given budget, to serve as a media vehicle instead. Honda is a company beyond a mere car manufacturer. It was a manufacturer of dreams and power products and the story was told via a 19ft wide LCD screen(s) with an awesome presenter. We produced additional videos to share a vision of forming a new wave of generation that is simple, smart and responsible called The Insight Generation. We connected our visitors with the general public via a simple insight that everyone is happy when they give and receive so we gave out a potted plant outside of KLIMS on behalf of every person who voted to be part of The Insight Generation, who basically supports green mobility. We did not showcase any concept cars, but we shared aspirations of very real, today's models. We brought to the public for the very first time in Malaysia, one of Honda's many innovative endeavors in designing for the next generation of mobile society, the U3-X. We challenged the visitors with race simulators that winners are defined in the most unexpected manner - on how good of an eco-driver they are instead of the usual fast and furious scoring system - in line with KLIMS 2010's theme that focused on green technology and concept cars that encouraged the public to adopt an environment-friendly lifestyle.

When the news was announced, needless to say we were as ecstatic as our clients. And we want to thank them from the bottom of our hearts for this awesome opportunity, since it was our first Motorshow project. The dream of seeing all your blood, sweat and tears coming together at one single consumer touch point was truly satisfying. The award is awesome, but what's more priceless is the various positive feedback we got from fellow exhibitors, media and client associates. That my friend, is truly truly priceless. Till 2013 :)

Transformers - Dark of the Moon.

Oh boy oh boy oh boy!

Being in love gives you a sense of confidence - fleeting or permanent?

Observe a person in love and you'll notice how each footstep starts with a confident heel touching the ground and then bounces off at the ball of the foot, with the 'springy' energy spread right to the tip of the toe. Notice how his or her head is held higher, the chin is up and that sparkle in the eye. All these are cues of self-confidence. The sense of assurance and self-worth that's free from doubt. Why? Because someone loves you. The power of assurance from that one single source is able to defeat years of doubt brewed internally and solicited externally. It's almost a sense of self renewal. The question is, is this temporary or is this true confidence just needing someone to unleash it?

Let's face it. Everyone's self-worth to a certain extent is relative to what others perceive them to be. There is no definitive measurement of how much a person is worth. Let only the Divine judge these things. Therefore, every human being is worthy in an absolute way. In an ideal world, there isn't a case where someone is worthier than another. But such is the reality of life, especially when we are so used to measuring our own worthiness via the level of acceptance by other people, especially our partners. Which I guess explains why when we're in love, we feel like we could do extraordinary things. We could take on the world and be the next Brave Heart. Why? Because of Love. The most powerful four letter word in the world. But such confidence sizzles and eventually fizzles out, especially in the modern times where the term 'ever-lasting love' has expired. It is such an amusing observation, not what we will do in the name of love. But what we think we can do, due to the chemistry change in us that boosts the serotonin level in our system. Truth be told, that really is the spark that started the 'temporary high'.

Of course, be in love! Be confident about it! It's an awesome feeling and should not be robbed of anyone. But just be wary that it may not be something that's permanent. Permanent confidence takes a lot more than just feeling airy about a relationship. Permanent confidence is built up through the years via encouragement and love (a verb, not noun) from our partner and also the people around us.

It's funny that we're all born equal with the same absolute measurement of self-worth. Yet, as we grow older, we need others to validate our existence. And the more important that person is to us, the heavier the evaluation will be worth.

*pic from www.underconsideration.com

An epiphany.

Something sparked in me tonight. I've forgot what it feels like to not have people telling you what you can and cannot do, what you should or should not do, telling you to compromise. Forgot what it's like to be liberated and at the same time, completely focused on what drives me. Tonight, that spark came back and I am inspired. Fame and glory pale in comparison to originality and passion. Sometimes, we may not need to know where we will end up as long as we continue to believe in that hunch that if we keep doing what we believe will make a difference, we'll end up somewhere that's beyond our expectation.

I believe in that hunch.

And I will move forward.

Creating a new insightful generation that supports green mobility!

If you have voted for a better future, congratulations and thank you. You are now part of The Insight Generation. If you have not and wish to do so, visit www.honda.com.my ;)

For every vote garnered during KL Motorshow (3rd to 12th December - on ground and online), Honda will give a potted plant to the general public on behalf of the voters. A small gesture to paint the town green but big meaning ;)

BMW's flash projection - is it ethical?

This is cool. But I'm not sure if this is entirely ethical. It's like why 2 seconds commercials flashing only the logo of the advertiser is banned because it's considered to be priming the audience's subconscious, making the brand sticks during recall, unaware by the consumer. Hmmm. What do you think?

Innovation in Motion at KL Motorshow.

Before the show starts. Some of us have been camping here since the first day. And some of us have been going in and out like zombies. But it's okay! We're counting down till the final finale :) Hang on, team!

Meanwhile, come say hi. Get an awesome magnetic calendar and a trendy tote bag (that is IF you are part of the Insight Generation), and I'll try to sell you some cars ;)

More pics here.

Insight: The hybrid generation that breeds a new way of thinking.

Well, it's a wrap. All the hard work for the past quarter, put into the launch of the new Honda Insight has finally paid off. To be honest, the production timeline was super tight but we finally saw everything come together. And it's the reason why I'm doing this again and again and again ;)

I can't help it. Of all the cars that we have launched for Honda, Insight somehow seems to strike the closest chord in me. I guess it isn't just because it's a hybrid that's in trend right now, but more so due to it being a real challenge to distill the right message for the public since eco is still a superficial concept in Malaysia. Honda almost never does anything trendy just for trend sake. We really believe that Insight was a noble brainchild - the world's most affordable hybrid (at time of blogging). But the problem was it wasn't really true in Malaysia. And then the wind changed when the government announced the latest status for hybrid tax incentives. Having said that, Insight will never be a 'people's car' in this market due to its price tag. But from the way we saw it, it stood for something bigger than just Ringgit and sen. It is an idea that beckons a new kind of thinking that will help change the world, little by little, starting from our everyday choice, starting from the moment we sit inside our car and drive to work every morning.

***

Simplicity really makes our life cleaner and more efficient. And simplicity need not be boring and monotonous. Simplicity as defined by Honda has an element of excitement. And that brought to life in design form is known as the Insight. It's a product that doesn't just represent a new wave of engine technology that's collecting global spotlight. It is a concept that embodies a new way of thinking. Of using only what we need. No more big bulky flashy badge vehicles. But a compact that is simple, light weight and fun to drive at the same time. Insight is a kind of concept that teaches people how to 'un-drive' the way they did before and inspires them to do their part, no matter how small, their effort is always significant in volume. The way we saw it, the Insight represented a new kind of movement that is accessible to all. No more cumbersome technology that makes you pay for super futuristic elements that don't need to be there. Just keeping it simple. Simple to run, simple to care for, simple for everyday driving that is fun.

Welcome to the Insight Generation. Seriously, you should join us and watch the world change ;)

***

Just wanna do some honorary credits by thanking the entire team behind the Insight Generation campaign. Simply because I know how much effort each and everyone of them had put in.

Jacq - For being a super stylist and making the Insight Generation look so awesome in their simplicity

Terence - For being there and providing that sense of assurance that everything will run

KW - For being the 'rock' that grounds everyone and controlling our cost which if left to me and the creative, Dentsu would have gone bankrupt :)

Rizal and V - For the craftsmanship and the 'extra' entertainment ;) as well as for inspiring the creative energy from others (thank you for putting up with MY sh*t!)

Motoki - For ensuring the CI of our client is always treated with utmost care and respect

Carrot Films, especially An, Jefferi and Lani - For putting up with our collective sh*t and being so patient with us and of course, for such a well-made film

2 a.m - For being there and really delivering based on that trust

Pixel Post - For that commitment to deliver and just being awesome

LV - For the roving team who tirelessly gives out the potted plants, always with a smile

e-motion - For living up to that spirit of challenge and putting together another great video over night!

And last but not least, to Honda - For feeding our creative energy with your gracious support.

Seriously, seriously. Thank you.

I have an Insight, do you?