Monetizing curiosity.

First question - what does it take to be a planner?  You have to be curious.

But doesn't everyone in advertising... or as a matter of fact, in any industry (last I checked most Nobel Peace prize winners aren't from the communication business), should be curious?

Then the question becomes what makes a curious person, a planner?

When you can monetize curiosity.

Being curious is not enough, you need to be resourceful.  Experiencing a moment is not enough, you need to understand how to draw that moment into the creative process.  Discovering trends is not enough, you need to know why and how people's behaviour is changing and how that would affect brands.  Researching a problem is not enough, you need to find illuminating solutions.

Yup.  2013 - monetize curiosity.  Because curiosity stems all creativity.

And in case I don't see you, hope you have had a Merry Christmas and most importantly, an awesome fruitful 2013.  Take care and see you in business.

The issues of price and morality.

Is there such a thing called 'just price'?  A pricing level that has a moral dimension, which does not include excessive profiteering.  Long ago in the 13th century, that's what philosophers thought when religion was so prevalent in the local culture.  The elements of Christianity and 'sin' went beyond what was obvious which is politics to a more hidden dimension - economics.  A 'just' price should include some form of profit that should not be excessive because avarice is considered a sin.

A very interesting take indeed.

One could almost see how religion was treated as a true cornerstone of the society especially to settle the dispute of different opinions.  The common ideology was that if we can't decide which one of us is right, then let religion decide what is the common good for mankind.

Pros and cons.  While I understand the noble intention of religion but in reality, it's much more complicated than that.  Some economists believe that the society itself will determine the 'just' price.  If the price level was too high, people will automatically stop buying thus forcing it to come down.  So if left to society's own antics and decision, even the participants of economies follow the principle of Darwin - the survival of the fittest, which in this case - is the survival of the richest.  Because once the price level is set, anyone who falls below that 'affordability' level will not be able to enjoy the product and/or service.

Something to really consider when setting the price for 'common good' products no?  Think medication, think eco-solutions, think education, think health care, think water, think electricity.  Only if you come from X level of income background would you then be able to enjoy basic necessities, better education and health services and even to a certain extent, eco solutions.

No right, no wrong.  But a very interesting perspective.  Thoughts?

On the word 'Encouragement'.

The feeling of being encouraged is foster when someone is given the affirmation and/or appreciation upon an action or a certain situation.  So you would think it's only logical that someone becomes discouraged when they're given a negative feedback given the same circumstances.  Is that only so?  I realised that discouragement also occurs during silence.  A non-feedback.

As adults, we learn to build walls for self-protection - the defence from others and also the defence from our own biggest critic - Self.  Which is why, there are some with great minds of steel iron that have been trained to plough through any discouraging circumstances.  And which is also why, some turn to God - where the world forsakes them, God will never.  Personal and/or professional development, of which I have learned, can never fully be a one person's struggling journey because as much as nature had the upper-hand in deciding who we are, it is nurture (and our surroundings) that shapes us.  Think of a relationship, a family setting, a battling workplace - we find identity in relation to others.  I discovered the lesser known meaning of 'no man is an island'.  It's not about us needing friendship so much, but it's about finding our identity in relation to our surroundings.  We are not just our names, but someone's child, parent, partner, boss, staff, etc.  The lifelong journey of growth is therefore made up not only by our own actions but as well as the encouragement/discouragement from others.  We do more of something because we feel appreciated.  And we do less of something because we feel unappreciated.  Simple isn't it?

But not so simple during childhood.  A child, tween or dare I say, teen, will not be able to perform such advance trickery to their own mind (called determination) at such a tender age.  Their future is shaped by encouragement from their parents, siblings, teachers and little friends.  Imagine all the closed doors that your child could have opened if you encouraged them to cook more, play football, love trains, build stuff, etc.  We never say no, but sometimes our silence connotes the same meaning to a child.  Don't worry, there're no psychological scars because they will grow up without ever wondering why they are not a train conductor, a landscape artist, a chef, a zoologist, a whatever-that's-outside-your-office-environment because they never knew these doors were closed even while they were young.  But as a parent, wouldn't you think, what could have been?

I must say, even well into adulthood now.  It's hard not to wonder if I'm good at what I do every now and then.  At work or personal because, perhaps in Asia - encouragement in words are hard to come by.  I blame it on all the Ladybird series my parents fed me when I was young which drew me an entirely utopian image of a British family!  But jokes aside, I come to understand that encouragement usually comes from a leader not in position but in form.  God, parents, bosses, teachers, coaches, even husbands and wives.  They may give affirmation in a different way - a parent is perhaps always more loving than a coach.  I believe a coach is more creative in a sense that they have to sugar-coat the shit they give you so that you don't give up, yet you are self-motivated to push on.  I've been thinking a lot about becoming a coach, not because I want to but because I know I'm fairly good at that.  To some who are reading this, I hope it puts a smile on your face :) I've been thinking about pursuing that seriously because I believe in BIG people.  I believe with the right partnership, people can be the best they can be.  They can stretch and give more.  Everyone has an ideal projection of themselves.  But not everyone feels that they can achieve it.  And that truly baffles me - why?  I know why.  Because I know what it feels like to be 'not good enough' too.  It's strange, sometimes it takes a person to believe in you, even more than you believe in yourself, to help you be the optimum you.

We're all still like little children, aren't we?

Think about it.

Why you should never mash religion with politics and finance.

I spent two hours watching Zeitgeist: The Movie today.  I've always been sceptical with edited films - bits and pieces of information edited by someone with a strong point-of-view.  Given the same footages, through the hands of someone with a totally different perspective, tells a different story.  The uncanny skills you pick up from being in advertising.

Anyway, I still hold scepticism although yes, it seems like it makes a lot of sense.  At the end of the day, who knows what the truth is?  We all like to believe, we'll finally find it when we die.  Or when this age dies.  Well, until then, what can we do except to live responsibly as a human being?  And be accountable to one another?

One major take-out that I have to thank film director and social activist, Peter Joseph is this: NEVER ever mix religion with politics with financial goals.  These are important pillars in building a society, or a nation as a matter of fact, or any organisation for that matter.  But when you mix them together, you get pure potent evil.  Money controls government controls what the people should believe in.  Then it's a downward spiral of mass destruction for everyone.  Even those who are 'in control' because one thing we can be sure of is, there's no such thing as immortality.

If you think this only happens in America, you're wrong.  It's everywhere.  In your own country, and perhaps even your own organisation.  Since I'm in no governmental position, I should only make brand-related inference.  Brand philosophy should always stand alone, uninterrupted by the financial guys, undeterred by operations.  Yes, it's a fine line especially between operations and finance but they should always be governed and treated separately.  Each its own entity, for fear one takes over the other.  When you start losing control of these three pillars, you lose three wonderful visions.  You only get one.  And that's the one driven by money.

The Good Samaritan Shop.: MNG 3/4 sleeve denim jacket.

The Good Samaritan Shop.: MNG 3/4 sleeve denim jacket.: Size: S or a small medium :) (I wear an S but it's a little big for me) Colour and design: Grey soft denim with inner seam piping and 3/4...

The Good Samaritan Shop.: #firstworldproblems are NOT problems.

The Good Samaritan Shop.: #firstworldproblems are NOT problems.: I'm convicted. Whenever we're inconvenient, we complain.  Because we're so used to having everything at a push of a button, at a single ...

Cost of punishment versus cost of prevention?

Well.  As you can see.  Blank.  I have no answer.

But my previous post on rising vigilantism in Malaysia has really got me thinking.  Logic tells us, surely the cost of prevention is a lot lower than the cost of punishment (total cost incurred related to crime).  But I really want to put a figure to it.  Because nothing convinces us better and harder than seeing black and white numbers straight up in our face.  Nothing helps us crystallize solutions better than hard facts.

So, I'll need any help that I can get.  If you could just kindly point me to available resources (Malaysia or best practices on international shores), that would be deeply appreciated.

Who commits the crime, where, when, how and most importantly why?  It's so easy for us to generalize criminals as 'immigrants' but yea this is public perception but does it help the solution if we're so polarized?  So who else?  Poor people?  School drop-outs?  Who?  If we could intervene when they are 5, we not only spend less public funds on punishment but we're able to prevent hundreds and thousands of crime unfolding a decade later.  But before we decide the point of intervention, we need to know, exactly 'the point of intervention'.  What if they are not Malaysians?  

Much much much appreciated.  Thanks in advance :)

Strategic planning available.

If you have a job (that's not made up of under-table doings), which requires strategic input and planning, feel free to contact us!

:)

Do I really want to quit my job?

This is brilliant.  The brilliance lies in the stark truth of what the ad is saying to me because... I was about to quit my job! (and I kid you not).  To save the world (I seriously kid you not).

How many of us are locked in the routine cycle of the corporate world, breathing in the mundane money-powered lifestyle and finally realising that there's something missing that's really bigger than our paycheck?  Either after being exposed to a one time pow-wow campaign (think KRONY) or incessant exposure to causes that pull our pity strings in all directions, that we decide to call it quits because we're (true to the following ad below) sad, angry, guilty for not doing what we can to save whatever we feel we should be saving.

Yup.  That's me.

But what if we're all meant to be play our part in this ecosystem of superheroes.  What if we all have different super powers?  There's only one of each in the Avengers.  So it wouldn't work if 80% of us quit to join the 20% Greenpeace advocates to stop the capitalistic world from misbehaving.  I mean, if 100% of us is on the other side fighting the cause, then logically speaking there's no one to fight against anyway, right?  Right.  That's one solution.

But here's another one, probably a better one given there're 80% of us scattered across the globe; Sit at your desk, do what you're skilled to do, live the life you're creating but make better smarter choices.  Maybe it's time for us to redeem our guilt by practising some self-compassion that we're not so bad after all.  We could choose a cuppa from free-trade versus a mugga that's not.  Maybe there is an easier way to do things.  And the easier way is presented here:  Enjoy.

Is there really equality between genders?

Something that caught my attention today.  From the graph below (click to go to original publisher's website), get this: In jobs common for men, men are paid on average 2 to 3% higher than women.  In jobs common for women, men are still paid higher!  Granted women tend to hit a pay ceiling because when they have kids, they are more willing to trade off money for time which subsequently affects performance and remuneration.  But what if she does not have a family?  Hmm.  I can't really tell if this is true because I don't know how much I would be getting if I was a man.  I don't think my boss, who's a man, would tell me in all politically correctness if I should be earning more if I grew a pair :/ but frankly I'm really quite curious to know.

I remember some years ago, an American friend told me that job seekers in the US of A normally do not state their biodata in CVs.  That is to remove biasness from potential employers - you should be hiring me for my experience, skills and potential and not gender, colour and age.  I wonder if this holds water in Asia?  Because everyone prefers a hot young thing (tell me it isn't so especially in the advertising business?).  So the next time your new boss takes you in, don't be too enthusiastic.  It could be for all the wrong reasons.  But I suppose it's only when you get in, you show them who's the boss ;)

Or to just make it simple.  Give everyone a set of Google interview questions.  That'd gauge their IQ, EQ and mental agility pretty well.  But for heaven's sake, give a fair pay.  Inequality is so out of fashion!

When the testing stops, the manipulation stops too?

Recently read an article on Campaign Brief with regards to the latest 'facial coding technology' by Milward Brown.

Says Daren Poole (global brand director for Link, Milward Brown's existing copy testing solution): "Traditional methods of measuring emotion are not always capable of capturing a true emotional response. Facial coding allows us to track how a person really responds, rather than what they claim to have felt. There's no substitute for a real smile, laugh or frown and for the first time in Australia we can measure this all in the viewer's home environment. 

"Facial coding as part of Link can measure factors such as how well it captures a viewer's attention, how they respond to it and ultimately provide guidance in the analysis of the ad's impact on the brand. If a campaign is pushing the boundaries in terms or humour or controversy this is a controlled means to test how consumers really respond."

Neuromarketing is almost like the perfect matrimony between science and art.  Finally, marketers can make scientific sense out of the art business (called communication or more crudely some say, advertising) via MRI scans.  Getting neuro-scientists to decipher brain activity when 'respondents' are exposed to different storyboards, subsequently helps them to put the dollar on the best one that brings the most profitable emotion home (kaching).

It may sound fine and dandy and even awesome initially, as Morgan Spurlock professed after one of these scans, that he wanted a Coke but didn't know why (The Greatest Movie Ever Sold).  That is how powerful an ad message can be.  More explanation of the usage of MRI scans in marketing here:



Now.  Let us pause for a minute.  Let's take a minute to consider the effects of such testing in Political Marketing.  Are we still in awe?  Let's take another minute to consider the result of neuromarketing in say... pharmaceutical business?  Are you just burnt out from 21st century-living that a good old vacation can't fix or do you really need to be fixed with a drug?

I always felt FGDs fall short of something - people are back-rationalizing what they did in a room with a two-way mirror hence making findings a lot less accurate.  Gives you a sense of direction but hardly provides any crux to the issue.  But to now pay them to sleep through scanners?  Hmm.

I've always thought marketing or advertising as a courtship.  Between us and the consumer.  You don't really know what makes them click unless you put (a hell lot of) effort in trying to understand their world.  It's like a real relationship isn't it?  No effort, no depth.  If you don't bother finding out what they like, dislike, what makes their heart pulpitate and what makes it stop, you'll never develop that dream partnership of a companion they truly want to exist!

Well, hang on a sec.  That's where neuromarketing comes in.  Pay them, scan them, and they'll fall in love with you because amidst of the 10 storyboards of words, surely you must have said something right.  And them walking out of the room, falling in love with you but have no idea why.  And yea, you sustain that relationship as long as they don't fall in love with someone else.  And you extrapolate the findings and make hundreds and thousands and millions of others fall in love with a can of whatever-you're-selling.  Brill.

But that takes away so much romance isn't it?  Whatever happened to good old ethnography?

Neuroscience in consumer courtship - aye or nay?

Does the rise of crime make us 'Spiderman' in our own rights?

It's an appalling situation.  In Malaysia, it's deemed not safe to walk alone, in pairs, in triples, in groups.  It's not safe for man, woman, young, old.  It's not safe to park your car, pick up your car, drive on the road and heaven-forbid, stop at the lights. It's not safe if you accidentally hit someone's car, or someone hit your car.  It's not safe to be out and about and it's also not safe to be at home.  It's just.  Complicatedly not safe.

Not to scare you guys who are potential visitors to our lovely country, please come.  So far, we've not heard a lot of cases involving foreigners.  You see, we get robbed by foreigners (apparently).  So, tourists should definitely be fine.

When these heinous crimes go unattended by the local police force, it is natural for the citizens to take matters into their own hands.  The upside which I've seen: People are more bothered to look out for one another within their own network.  Detailed information is shared on Facebook and travels through many many many degrees thereafter, tagged with apt advice for people to be kinder, and more alert to their surroundings.  The downside?  Some unlucky 'baddies' who unfortunately were not able to make a run as fast as they've planned got beaten up, ran over, and God knows how else they were punished before they were handed over to the police.  It's bad that our faith in our law-enforcer is at an all-time low.  But for us to enforce 'law' as deemed justified in that situation?  Well, I don't have an answer.  It's a very grey area.

I suppose this is what happens when the official law-enforcement system is not upheld with integrity and trust.  It forces citizens to become your neighbourhood 'Spiderman/woman'.  The burning question is: This 'unofficial' system seems to work fine if everyone one of us are on the same defining page of what is 'good' and what is 'bad'.  'Good' - protect one another.  'Bad' - beat bad people up.  'Good' - share criminal 'hotspots' to warn one another.  'Bad' - share bloodied criminals so it becomes a lesson to other wannabes.  What happens if we're not on the same page anymore?

Hmm.  Has this noble responsibility of fighting crimes make us better people?  Or.  Worse?  I don't know.  You tell me.

Car Thief Got Beaten like CRAP shared by jovi jun from honda club lover it seems they were trying to steal one of the honda club member car, which they treat like their wife and all of them beat them up before the cops came, they took their photo just in case they do it again to warn others - PJ Community Alert.

Stopping crime and punishing criminals are poles apart.  Strategic or scare tactic?  Prevention or punishment?  Which do we do first?  Check-in with ourselves or cast that stone?

Sparks' Open Library Project: Yasmin How You Know: An unfinished tribute to Yasm...

Sparks' Open Library Project: Yasmin How You Know: An unfinished tribute to Yasm...: I've only had a brief encounter with Yasmin.  Okay, no, make that TWO brief encounters.  The more memorable one was when I was a junior p...

How to receive Joy?

Love with faithfulness,
Without idolising and infatuation,
Or blinded obsession,
Love without pride,
Without being consumed,
Always remember to give it due rest,
Love out of gratitude,
And love to overcome anger,
Love without cheating,
Love not things that can be stolen,
Love truthfully without lying,
Love without jealousy.

Then truly truly truly you will receive Joy.

The Good Samaritan Shop.: VANS checked zap-on canvas.

The Good Samaritan Shop.: VANS checked zap-on canvas.: I got these Vans from Greece, originally priced at RM 279.75 :) Size: UK 3.5 EUR 36 JPN 22.5cm Colour and design: Checked turquoise a...

The Good Samaritan Shop.: 24" Raleigh Pioneer XC Bike.

The Good Samaritan Shop.: 24" Raleigh Pioneer XC Bike.: Donated by a Good Samaritan! Size: Good for both male and female teenagers (4' 5" - 4' 9", 135 - 145cm) Colour and design: 24" wheel wi...

De-pressurizing a national hero so that he can finally win.

Last night, 28 million Malaysians witnessed a heartbreaking moment.  Yes, we were disappointed with the lost of our first gold medal from just 2 points away, but that wasn't the most heart-wrenching part.  Our hearts broke when our dear champion, Lee Chong Wei fought hard to hold back his tears on the silver podium.

He was just two points away.  And it was a really extremely eye-opening heart-gripping 3-match game between him and China's Lin Dan.

I've always thought that Lin Dan was a faster player.  His speed is almost unmortal-like.  Every time Chong Wei is fast, Lin Dan is faster.  Always seemed to be half a second faster and that half a second seems to make a hell lot of difference.

Or is it?

Personally, watching Chong Wei played so many games against his nemesis, I think they are just getting better and better, feeding on each other's skill and upping the challenge.  Well, Chong Wei is definitely getting better and better, closing his scores against Lin Dan in every match.  Though he always carries a cool, calm and collected posture, we could only imagine what it must have felt to have the hopes of an entire nation rested upon one shoulder.  His.  Every time.  All the time.

And therefore I thought, perhaps the secret to winning Lin Dan is not about his physical skill, which to me, Chong Wei is already pretty immaculate.  Perhaps the way to win the game is for him to have a strong second national player.  A competition.  A partner.  Someone to help him shoulder the nation's hope, someone who can half his burden, so that he can finally concentrate on winning the opponent on the other side of the net.  And not focusing on how he would be disappointing millions if he doesn't bring back the championship.  The single biggest proof of this is when he tweeted, 'I'm sorry' after the match.  And you know it's not a physical fight that he has succumbed to but a mental one.  I mean why on earth would a 2-point-to-Gold Olympian who arose from hundreds of other professional players to bag a silver at the Olympics apologise?  If it wasn't because he felt that he HAD to and that he had disappointed millions.  Lin Dan could hack it because he has Chen Long and if it wasn't Chen Long, there are a troop of others (athletes can be manufactured in China anyway).  But who can Chong Wei rely on?

The strategy of winning isn't just focusing on the match at the time of game.  Perhaps, it's really to look outside-the-box and search the core of the problem and fixing that first.  Offload his shoulders, Malaysian team!  Step up.  You have to really step up if you want Chong Wei to win.  Ironic isn't it?  In order for one person to win, you need a few more to rise up.

Anyway, this is just MHO.  And I guess to have Chong Wei as our national emblem, we are already winners. 

Can we FREAKING STOP plagiarizing already!?

View:

Compare:



DAMN IT!  If you're a Malaysian, you'd get what my 'damn it' means!  Didn't Picasso teach us to STEAL but DON'T copy?  And if you want to steal, steal it with class yo! Daymnnnnnnn... all these Merdeka sh*t is an insult to our creative industry!

Malaysia needs better management and accountability!

No, seriously.

Read this: http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2012/07/just-in-musicians-federation-calls-for-world-boycott-of-malaysian-philharmonic-auditions.html

And then read my support mail (to-ed, cc-ed and bcc-ed):

Dear big shots of MPO,


I'm sending this email because of two reasons.
1) The published article regarding your... 'management' decision on laying off 9 musicians for NO REASON:  http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2012/07/just-in-musicians-federation-calls-for-world-boycott-of-malaysian-philharmonic-auditions.html, and 2) I'm a HUGE ARDENT FAN of the MPO. 


 Just by reading the article, I was really disappointed.  Even if it was a 'cost-cutting' measure that needs to be done, I'm preeeeeeeeeeeeetty sure there are other ways than to just lay-off resources as your immediate priority.  Maybe you've done your calculations and all that she-bang and came to this final decision, maybe you still carry that 'age-old' Malaysian government mentality of, 'So what?  I throw money out there, there are THOUSANDS who would play for us', or maybe someone will sack you if you don't sack them, well I don't know.  The maybes can be quite creative if leave to public interpretations.  Therefore, I urge you respond with an official press release so that we can view the situation as a whole and not in half.  I still give you the benefit of doubt and still believe there is such thing as 'innocent till proven guilty' though not widely practised in this country.  So... for the sake of MPO's reputation that it's able to continue to churn quality music and raise the appreciation of classical orchestras in this nation and beyond,... say something?  And please... say something intelligent (you don't want to follow the footsteps of the local government).  Petronas is the country's cash cow, EVERYONE knows that.  If we stop pumping unnecessary money to the government's alternative agenda, I'm pretty sure we could sustain 900 of these mentioned musicians and maybe more :)

Looking forward to your reply.

Cheers and looking forward to your 2012/13 season!  Very good line-up and it'd be a shame to have the stage empty, no?

Sue-Anne

And then your turn to support.

Sigh. Shame shame.

When one campaign needs to top the last.

To be very honest with you, I don't think we always came out with stuff that we really like or that we're really proud of.  Because that would be really ideal.

Yesterday we launched the new Civic in Malaysia, and I'm very very very proud to share with you the fruits of the entire team's hardwork.  Team includes the clients and our business partners.  The campaign took one year to complete because of the unfortunate incidences that hit Honda in both Japan and Thailand.  It was a risk that we took because we've never dared to pushed the boundaries with what we can or cannot do with our precious car.  I'm glad we took the leap and did not look back.

It was a lot of hardwork, a lot of frustration, a lot of laughter, a lot of 'I-so-wanna-punch-you' moments but you know, every single bit of it is worth every single bit of it.  Here's the TV commercial that's on air right now :)



So go on and witness for yourself what happens when you simply allow your intuition to take control.  It truly is an adventure and I promise, an amazing joyride :)

Click here to experience the all-new Civic's web movie, starring you!

I was born to spark.

Good to know that I have a Force behind me :)

What would I say to myself in 20 years time?

I came across this awesome video today and really got me thinking.  If I was 20 years younger, what would I have recorded then to say to myself.  Well, that's the past and nothing can bring that back.  But if I get to do it now, what would I say to myself 20 years later?

Here, watch the video first:



20 years ago, actor and filmmaker Jeremiah McDonald used a video camera to send a message to his future self. This year McDonald — now 32-years-old — took that message and created this awesome video of himself as an adult talking himself as a child (source: Petapixel.com)


To be honest, I'm pretty sure I'd turn awkward the minute I hit the record button.  I'd be dumbfounded and tongue-tied, getting all shy.  Yup, getting 'all shy' with myself.  I'd probably have more questions for my future self than answers really.  Because I'd like to know if I'm still alive (duh~), if I'm still doing what I'm doing (or less, or more), if I'm loving a wonderful person (or he's loving the wonderful me back), if I'm still anal in things which I shouldn't be anal about (or I simply cbf anymore), if I have a lot of kids that will drive me up the wall (or none at all), if I'm a millionaire (bank rich but health poor), if I'm gonna be spiritually rich living on top of some mountain (but bank poor)... you get my point.  The future is really intriguing isn't it?

But if I were to project myself 20 years forward and answer my own questions now, I realised that I only have one simple answer for all the complicated questions, which is, "I am who I am now because you've already decided for me 20 years ago".

"I'm alive now because you took care of yourself and had a strong will to live"
"I'm successful now (in our own terms) because you never gave up your passion to create ideas that would change the world"
"I'm loving and being loved by a wonderful person now because you decided that that one person will be the most precious person to you forever"
"I'm anal in things which you were anal about because it's ingrained in us but it doesn't bother me as much now because you've learned to be able to let go"
"I have a lot of grand kids now because you decided to have a lot of kids"
"I'm both bank and spiritual rich because you've made a strong effort in taking balance in life"
"You get my point too right?"

The video that you just watched, isn't just a video with a neat idea, a 'oh-wow-why-didn't-I-think-of-that' idea. It's a video that shows us who we are now was decided by who we were 20 years ago.  And if we are enlightened by that very simple idea, who we will be in the future is now decided by who we are now.  As little Jeremiah showed us; a film director (the easy way out) or an animator (true passion)?  20 years is a long way.  And I realised that, we don't need to get all intrigued with a 'mysterious' future anymore.  Because we're writing our future every single day.

A simple Facebook post today really put me back into perspective :)

What happens when Love and Venus collide?

You get Lu.V. - our new campaign presenting the latest Lumix GF5 featuring the Travel Photonista.



And also another TVC with Nat holding our GX1, that's our girl - the runway rebel :)

And it's a huge wrappppppppppppp!

There's a Lumix G for every Photonista, which one are you? ;)

What happens when hybrid meets art?

Them guys had a ball creating this masterpiece which is currently up in KLCC Convex tunnel :) The idea ties back to being 'naturally driven'. Driven to inspire change in the way we look at and do things. Why print when we can paint? Sure hell takes a lot more effort, but it's way more rewarding :)

What happens when you're fed up?

You don't know when it hits you.  You just wake up and realise that everything has been accumulating.  That your patience has run dry and you just wanna call it quits.  You don't know how you got here but wish you could start all over again.  Somewhere else, some place else.

I seriously need a heavy dose of optimism today.

Like seriously.

The Good Samaritan Shop.: Dotted and pin-striped black hat.

The Good Samaritan Shop.: Dotted and pin-striped black hat.: This hat was a gift from a dear friend.  I've never worn it before because it was just too big!  But for some strange reason, now that I've...

What happens when you're in the 'flow'?

Something beautiful happens when you are in the 'flow' especially in the midst of creation. Whether it's a physical thing or whether it's an intangible idea, spend some time today just to create.

I get a calming effect when I do marketing, brand and communication plans.  I don't know about you, but it does for me.  Same calming effect when I work on The Good Samaritan Shop or when I cook or when I doodle or when I try to create something that isn't even remotely beautiful.

If you've tried but doesn't seem to experience the aforementioned 'flow', maybe it's not that you're not good at it, it could be because you haven't reached the peak of your concentration :) Don't give up.  Do it over and over and over again and you'll know what I mean ;)

How do you 'know' in a relationship?

From years of observation and participation, this is my humble opinion.  I hope to share some insights so that you could learn to love better ;)

Level 1: You don't know one another.

Level 2: You just know one another.

Level 3: You're beginning to know one another.

Level 4: You know one another and found differences.

Level 5: You know the differences and you know why.

Level 6: You know why and you accept the differences (because there's no two of the same you right?).

Level 7: You know the person is there only when you see them physically.

Level 8: You know the person is there if you hear from them (a text, a message, a phone call) even though they may not be physically present.

Level 9: You know the person is there even when you don't see nor hear from them.  You just know.

Level 10: You know for a fact, the person is always always always always in your heart, even though they're not in your life anymore.

Could be your partner, your parents, your siblings, your friends, your whomever.  I suppose especially in romantic relationships, 'knowing' is a form of assurance and security.  Which is why, the fairer sex who seems forever 'insecure' needs to 'know' so much about her partner.  Of course, it's easy to brush them away and call them clingy but truth be told, I'm sorry... there's nothing really you can do about it. Because insecurity is a personal challenge.  Sure you can help by making it 'easier' for them and in time, they may be inspired to let go which I'm sure all your efforts will be much appreciated.  And it will be paid off by a beautiful wonderful understanding partnership of two diverse personalities.  But first, you've got to hack it yea?

Sounds like a lot of work?  Well, nothing worth having is easy anyway, no?  Good luck and happy loving one another ;)

Tell me if this isn't true? And I'll do whatever you want.

Yup, like wow right?

Women make decisions according to the 'information' they gather from their surrounding on a daily basis.  Therefore, note to men: If you don't want her to keep 'changing her mind' then be consistent with your information.

Men make decisions according to their choice despite their surrounding and usually stick to it unless circumstances change.  Therefore, note to women: You can't change that fact.  Live with it.

Is perfect 10 really that elusive, or maybe not?

Gentlemen (and ladies), we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence. I am not remotely interested in just being good - Vince Lombardi

What happens when words ain't enough?

From Autogridz May issue:

"We're entering a sharp right hander and Young comes off the throttle.  You can almost feel the rear lightening as the weight is pushed forward; the front wheels dig-in to the tarmac under the inertia and steer towards the much loved 'apex' of the turn..."


I know what that says.  But I need to know how that feels #damnit

By the way, the machine in description is the 911 GT2.

Is supermarket, the new age fantasy?

I've been a supermarket vulture recently and oh my, how have our civilization has evolved.

We used to have one type of cooking oil. Maybe two or three choices of brand but essentially the same stuff. Then the choice widens as more and more brands push through the shelf. Some independent, some a few sub-brands from the same company, designed to dominate visual space with little product differentiation. And then the range started growing roots vertically. Within cooking oil, you now can choose peanut, canola, palm, etc etc. Brands of each sprouting like branches. And then the budding specialist oils (raspberry mango, olive and spice, etc etc) blossoms to confuse you even more if you're not confused by now. Welcome to grocery 2.0. And that's just the oil. Wait till you see the other stuff.

What happened to us? How much variety can we really consume?

But I must say that going grocery window shopping has become a new hobby of mine. I don't cook much nor great. But I simply couldn't resist the fascination of being awed by the powerful but mostly overlooked little inventions of mankind. Inventions that not only sustain us but nourish and enrich us. Amazing isn't it?

If you believe in the theory 'paradox of choice' then you must agree with me that the business of grocery shopping might be a lot less prosperous than it actually seems to be. What do you do when you click on a website that has nothing but 8 point size text and no matter how long you scroll, the page knows no end? You x it of course. So imagine being overwhelmed by rows and rows of colourful bottles and boxes and packages and what not. With no recipe in hand. You thought you would come for an exploration and an exploration it is. And find yourself at a complete lost, paralysed by the paradox of being able to whip up almost infinite types of dishes yet you could decide on none. Brilliant.

Now for the swift sighted, there's a blatant gaping hole of need that begs to be fulfilled. Perhaps in more than one way but nevertheless a great opportunity to help ease this shopper paralysis and make us all better cooks, chefs, homemakers, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends, sons and daughters. If you can spot it, why not share it? See if we're on the same page? ;)

Meanwhile, I should stop blogging and get on with my cart. I'm causing a supermarket jam.  Happy shopping y'all!

What kinds of leaders do we want to be?

Nothing inspired me as much as this.  I've had similar thoughts scattered for the longest time but never managed to string them together into such beautifully orchestrated symphony of grandeur, like The MBA Oath.  I used to share these ideals (scattered as they were) to others and many thought it was ideal but sounded extremely far-fetched.  And then I came cross the MBA Oath, a broad coalition of MBA students, graduates and advisors, representing over 250 schools from around the world whose mission is to facilitate a widespread movement of MBAs aiming to lead in the interests of the greater good and who have committed to living out the principles articulated in the oath (as follows below), and I was blown.  The idea wasn't far-fetched!  We were just separated thousands of miles apart!

Anyway, watch this video.  Open your mind and ask yourself those same questions.  And then take the oath below and stick to it :) We need new purpose not profit-focused leaders.  Welcome to World 3.0.

The MBA Oath

Preamble

As a manager, my purpose is to serve the greater good by bringing people and resources together to create value that no single individual can build alone. Therefore I will seek a course that enhances the value my enterprise can create for society over the long term. I recognize my decisions can have far-reaching consequences that affect the well-being of individuals inside and outside my enterprise, today and in the future. As I reconcile the interests of different constituencies, I will face difficult choices.

Therefore, I promise:

I will act with utmost integrity and pursue my work in an ethical manner. My personal behavior will be an example of integrity, consistent with the values I publicly espouse.

I will safeguard the interests of my shareholders, co-workers, customers, and the society in which we operate. I will endeavor to protect the interests of those who may not have power, but whose well-being is contingent on my decisions.

I will manage my enterprise in good faith, guarding against decisions and behavior that advance my own narrow ambitions but harm the enterprise and the people it serves. The pursuit of self-interest is the vital engine of a capitalist economy, but unbridled greed can be just as harmful. I will oppose corruption, unfair discrimination, and exploitation.

I will understand and uphold, both in letter and in spirit, the laws and contracts governing my own conduct and that of my enterprise. If I find laws that are unjust, antiquated, or unhelpful I will not brazenly break, ignore or avoid them; I will seek civil and acceptable means of reforming them.

I will take responsibility for my actions, and I will represent the performance and risks of my enterprise accurately and honestly. My aim will not be to distort the truth, but to transparently explain it and help people understand how decisions that affect them are made.

I will develop both myself and other managers under my supervision so that the profession continues to grow and contribute to the well-being of society. I will consult colleagues and others who can help inform my judgment and will continually invest in staying abreast of the evolving knowledge in the field, always remaining open to innovation. I will mentor and look after the education of the next generation of leaders.

I will strive to create sustainable economic, social, and environmental prosperity worldwide. Sustainable prosperity is created when the enterprise produces an output in the long run that is greater than the opportunity cost of all the inputs it consumes.

I will be accountable to my peers and they will be accountable to me for living by this oath. I recognize that my stature and privileges as a professional stem from the respect and trust that the profession as a whole enjoys, and I accept my responsibility for embodying, protecting, and developing the standards of the management profession, so as to enhance that trust and respect.

This oath I make freely, and upon my honor.

Amen!

Sparks' Open Library Project: Drive - Daniel H. Pink.

Sparks' Open Library Project: Drive - Daniel H. Pink.: Sometimes you come across a really good book which you can't put it aside till you finish devouring every insight it has to offer.  Drive i...

What is enough?

This is gonna be my word of the season :) Word as in WORD.  Not word, singular word, word.

I think this WORD can easily be misunderstood.  There's a difference between us wanting to be more as in gaining mastery of oneself - skills, emotions - and us wanting to have more - more money, more fame, more whatever.

They are somehow related anyway.  When you want to have more of something, you've got to be more of something.  But notice how sometimes when you want to be more of something, you don't necessarily need to have more of something.  Now, that's class :)

Stop wanting, expecting, gaining more from your surroundings and the people around you.  It is in fact, enough.  Now, is all you need.  And it's all there is.

Peace guys and have a good weekend x

What is UX design?

UX design is human-centred design process.

Question.  If planners are representatives of the human population within an agency, then logically planners must also give a lot of input in UX when it comes to any sort of production.  I thought the author, sylvaincottong.com, explained it rather clearly:

Since we're not manufacturers, our main production would be creative campaigns and more relevant than ever, anything that requires interactivity - within a space or behind a screen.  Maybe not a strat planner planner, but some kind of human researcher planner, no?

I'm a 2.0 planner, not yet a 3 so I'm intrigued...

I thought this was a good example for UX framework consideration by Wikipedia:

Example

Lisa is on her way home by bus, and wants to know how her husband is doing on a business trip. The bus is crowded and she did not get a seat, but she wants to use the time to contact her husband by phone. What affects her user experience with the mobile phone?

• Lisa’s own mental state and characteristics (motivation, expectations, mood, know-how) and current physical resources (only one hand available for the phone)

• The context, i.e. the current situation:
  • Physical (moving bus, views passing by, lighting, noise – the environment Lisa feels via her senses);
  • Social (fellow travellers, code of conduct, husband's availability - how other people affect user experience);
  • Temporal (the duration of the bus trip – time constraints);
  • Infrastructural (availability of network, cost of calls and text messages, legal restrictions); and
  • Task (sending a text message is part of a bigger "task" of two-way dialogue, other ongoing activities such as monitoring when to step out of the bus, possible interruptions).

This context motivates Lisa to use text messaging as the means to communicate with her husband. The context also affects the interaction with the mobile phone and thereby the user experience.

• The system needed for text messaging (mobile-phone and text-messaging service in this case): user interface and functionality (e.g. text-messaging software and keypad), design and brand, the replies coming from the husband. The primary value comes from the discussion itself, and all other parts of the system should support this purpose.

Depending on the husband's messages, Lisa's emotions may range from delight to sorrow, from excitement to despair. User experience focuses, however, on Lisa's feelings about using the mobile phone, not those about her husband. Did the system enable her to communicate with the husband in the way she wanted in this context? Did the system delight her by exceeding her expectations or by attracting positive reactions from others?

Any thoughts?

How do you survive an attack from a grizzly bear?

I laughed when I read this joke from this month's Wired.  And this is something that I totally have to share :)

Once upon a time, there were two campers whose tent is besieged by a hungry bear.  One of the campers starts to lace up his running shoes, to his pal's puzzlement - grizzlies, after all, are much faster than humans.  His pal asked him, "What are you doing, man?  Shouldn't you be running for your life already!?"

Pause here.  Now, if you were the camper with those fancy Nikes, how would you reply him?

Hold that thought.  Now, here's my humble analysis of the situation:

Problem: Hungry bear (macro problem affecting us).

Potential outcome: We get eaten (industry game over).

Constant: Speed of bear > speed of human (doomed).

Potential solution: Abandon camp and run for our lives (immediate (logical) solution).

Risk calculation: Possibility of outrunning bear = almost zero (we used to word almost because we like to be optimistic).

Very nice.  I'm pretty sure most of us follow that logical plan of action at first response.  After all, how much time have you got to spare in between bear saying first hello and you being dinner?


But if you spare 2-seconds to calm the f*** down and devise an action plan, it may totally change the outcome of the story.  So let's revisit the situation:


Problem: Hungry bear (macro problem affecting us).

Potential outcome: One of us get eaten (bear needs time to chew, which will give sufficient time for one to escape).

Constant: Speed of bear > speed of human 1 > speed of human 2 (break down facts to find your golden insight).

Potential solution: Being human 1 increases your survival tremendously (Constant versus Potential outcome = your clear solution).

Risk calculation: There's no way you will outrun the bear, but outrunning your fellow camper is still 50-50.  Therefore, survival = 50% chance (now compare with first situation).

Geddit?  Amirite?

The printed answer was:

"I don't have to outrun the bear, " the first camper explains.  "I just have to outrun you".

Exactly.

This 'joke' provides great insight to how we tackle business 'problems' don't we?  While, I don't suggest you do that to a 'pal' in the event of such unfortunate incident but it does make you think about how you approach your business, manage your competition and tackle end-of-the-world macro problems.

There are many ways to solve a problem.  But there's always one that is a clear winner. Just need a bit of calculation ;)

The Good Samaritan Shop.: ZARA sleeveless loose vintage tee.

The Good Samaritan Shop.: ZARA sleeveless loose vintage tee.: Size: S/M Colour and design: Off-white cream, vintage Hansel & Gretel in watercolour print. Condition (newness): 8/10 Price: RM20 ...

Alas, what makes Malaysia, Malaysia?

Truly truly truly, it has to be this!

I really thought Malaysians couldn't care less. Being there, yes I saw a lot of people. But hell, I didn't know it was THIS MANY PEOPLE. We've studied in history, iconic leaders who had to wrestle independence back for the people. Against the Japanese, against the British, whomever. But who would have known? Today, it is MALAYSIANS themselves who are fighting for independence of election against these so-called leaders? If this is not called beautiful, I seriously don't know what is. F*ckyeah Malaysians unite! (Sorry, too excites). But yeah, don't EVA forget that spirit in our everyday life k :) We can change. One step at a time. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

What kind of Malaysian are you?

Malaysians are really, the most colourful bunch of truly Asians that I'm really proud of.  If my newsfeed had a colour, it would be yellow and it's been ongoing up till now.  Been reading a lot of people's opinion about what happened.  Been watching a lot of videos on people's action during the protest.  And here's my humble summary of what type of Malaysians are there :) This is... a hypothetical truth and purely my personal opinion.  Please don't shoot.  The 'x' button is at the corner right, in case you need to reach out for it!

1) The political hijackers: Opportunists who sidetrack the participants to other causes (e.g voting for them) by taking advantage of the high spirits.  The strategy is to sell, "If you don't want BN, means you want XYZ".  Mixing people's motivation to create a new logic.  Smart-nya.

2) The chant leader: Comprehends the facts about the cause and understand why they are there for.  They lead in songs and war-cries to lift and maintain the spirit of the people during the protest.  May or may not be neutral in their political stance but they are definitely cause focused.

3) The hardcore 'blind' protester type: Almost the jihad kind without a cause.  Look for every opportunity to cari gaduh with the authorities.  Must have been rejected many times to be an extra in movie shoots.

4) The neutral type: Participates because of a single reason (e.g need electoral reforms), and understand basic supporting facts (e.g why need electoral reforms) but not the iceberg details.  Basically peaceful.  Not there to be a hero, but there to support others to make a point.  Usually quite level-headed and prefer to not scuffle (e.g peaceful come, peaceful go).

5) The tourist type: Participates because it's a one in a lifetime national event.  May have initially gone for the cause, but got sidetracked by the carnival-ish atmosphere.  But when things turn ugly, they go home with a lot of photos and suddenly remember why they were angry in the first place.

6) The accidental hero: Their instinct is to get people out of trouble because they are wise enough to know some of them will get into serious trouble.  They sometimes appear in photographs helping others to get to safety.  But there are many unsung ones too.  Those who helped indirectly, feeding and giving refuge to teargassed protesters in their shop, letting down the shutters to keep them safe.  Whoa~ gooseys! x

7) The PERKA... 'buat-kacau' infiltrators: 'nuff said.

8) The samseng police: Police who feels a snowballed oppression (may come from the government but he cannot identify the source anymore).  So when protesters taunt them, they feel the need to 'teach them a lesson' and to show the citizens, who's the boss.  So they group up and beat em' like a boss.

9) The neutral police: He doesn't have a choice but to uphold the orders of his superior.  He doesn't agree nor disagree with the protests but generally prefers things to be kept in order.  Therefore he doesn't respond nor react to taunters.

10) The undercover police 1: He pretends to be one of the protesters and creates a drama to give the authorities a reason to do a 'Die Hard' (minus the explosion) clamp down.

11) The undercover police 2: Actually, he really wants to be a protester, wearing his yellow spirit under his uniform.  He looks at the situation and tries to be strong.  He feels the spirit of the people yet he cannot defy the orders that came with his FRU uniform.  Normally, these type will sit and start questioning themselves, post-event.  Amazed by what happened and what he saw today.

12) The citizen journalist: They take themselves as independent media recording the event from their perspectives.  But without training and experience, they easily misunderstand the situation without further investigation, taking only what they see as proof of events.  Objective contexts are usually absent from most of their reporting causing bias.  But they are the strongest advocates of the event.

13) The independent media versus mainstream media: 'nuff said.  They only see what their own medium aims to report.  No matter what happened, there will always be two sides to a story pro their own beliefs.

14) The convenient Malaysian: Fairly oblivious to what's happening in KL.  Continues their shopping spree in 1U, Mid Valley, staying out of KL because there are 'road blocks'.  Curse when it's jammed and blame the protesters, oblivious to the fact that LDP is jammed every day at every hour.

15) The outposters: Malaysians who are in other countries, sat down and chat with other Malaysians to give their home country support.  They may or may not realize their fellow citizens are running for their lives, while they meet new friends and set new 'makan-makan' appointments should there be a next gathering.

16) The quiet supporters: Secretly, they want to be there but due to unforeseen circumstances (or whatever circumstances), they can't.  Normally, they have at least one or two close friends who are participating.  They are generally affected by the turn of events, providing encouragement to those who participated, secretly promising to themselves, I WILL BE THERE NEXT YEAR DAMNIT!

17) The commentators: Those who were not there and experienced nothing but share their opinion based on photographs and for/against write-ups online.  Usually after one or two monumental artefact then they will fly into judgement.  Read: No.12 + No. 17 = Pretty potent.

18) The I'm-greater-than-you-oh-who-are-stupid: Those who did not participate but are greatly inconvenient (e.g my FB feeds are all about Bersih, you guys are getting in between me and my other content you know!) by what happened.  So they start calling protesters and all who support the event, names.  Oblivious to the fact that what the participants fight for, also benefit them.

19) The born again Malaysian: They transformed and became REAL Malaysians post-event.  Because they finally experienced first hand a united spirit and kindness extended by other races (albeit living in this country all their lives).  Their birthright and nationality renewed and now they want to fight even more for their country.

20) The VIPs: Political figure, NGO figure, celebs, someone's daughter, someone's son, whatever.  They are a spirit-booster to the protesters.  When they turn up, they heighten the spirit of the people.  They may be with the crowd but somehow always have an exit planned (that no one knows).

And finally...

21) The blur nut: "What happened last weekend?  Haaa, got meh~"

OH AND ONE MORE!

22) The I'm-not-a-Malaysian-anymore Malaysian: "I'm a ___________" (e.g Londoner, New Yorker, Australian, whatever).

So which one are you?  Not part of the list?  Then let me know, I'll add on.

(Don't lar angry, joke joke aje...)

The moral of the story is... there are many kinds of us and it's okay to be who you are, so long your conscience is clean and you stick to your guns, instead of poking it at other Malaysians who simply fall into a different category.  No?

What does it feel the day after BERSIH?

It feels strange.  Surreal.  Unreal.  Almost like a dream.  Like you're not sure if it really happened.  And you're not sure what exactly happened.  And you're not sure if it happened at all!  Until you fire up your computer and read about all the sweet and bitter stories about what really happened.

I won't go into detail of my experience yesterday.  If I have to sum it up in one sentence, then it would be 'a carnival on elm street'.  A peaceful protest turned sour because of whatever whatever whatever happened (and still no one can be sure).  It turned nightmarish when innocent citizens 'dikepong' (surrounded) within the area with tear bombs, exit points sealed.  To the police strategist - I'm not sure what was the brief but your objective in retrospect sure looks iffy and your strategy a mess unless you're telling me that the intention was to punish the citizens and smoke em' like rats so that they either sit down to 'enjoy' the gas (because the old ones can't run anymore) or run, scurry or even jump from high places as your form of enjoyment.  Oh well.  You'll be screwed fo sho' if we were to do a PDCA :Pp

As a result, I now can proudly say that I was one of the FRUs smoked rats :D the tear gas, as my fellow yellow bellow friend rightly put it, was no pussy gas as he thought it was before.  YA MAN.  It really stings.  Imagine we're not even in direct inhalation, forget 'tearing', your entire breathing system burns.  Thereafter, panic comes from your inability to breathe especially if you're a newbie.  I started panicking a) after realizing that the burning sensation is growing and b) there seem to be tear bombs everywhere - at the back and in front of us - where to go now? But luckily a good Samaritan who owns a bookstore (www.xuelin.com.my), let us into his shop on the 1st floor in one of the buildings.  And we were safe.  And there were a lot of good Samaritans trying to be helpful but you'll be surprised, everyone was VERY calm.  Looked bit wet and uncomfortable, bit worried but generally CALM.  Wow, amazing isn't it? :) The strength I never knew we had :)

After all the John Woo drama, I reached home safely (thank God and thank you all who prayed for us) and even went out for dinner.  I must have been really animated during dinner, like I just watched a Hollywood piece at the cinema earlier that afternoon.  Well, I hope at least I was entertaining :)

And then I went home.  Suddenly, very exhausted and very sleepy.  My eyes were still bit stinging, perhaps remnants to remind me that it was very real.  And I woke up today, recharged and reading all the perspectives of everyone who was there.  I saw this, no it wasn't true, I saw this, yes it's true, no I saw this, it's not true, yes I saw this, etc etc etc.  All are wonderful stories and all are worthy because all are true (plus minus the real context, at least it was truly what the person saw).  But it doesn't matter, does it?  The aftermath of Bersih isn't a blame game.  We went for it, means we were prepared for things to turn ugly and we even expected stupidity to surface itself in many stupid forms that can cost a life.  And that's just what it is.  I heard there are deaths and I'm truly truly truly sorry to hear that.  As well as to those who are hurt.  Don't give up the fight.  Yesterday was just the second phase.  There will be third, fourth, fifth and perhaps many more.  But we will be smarter next time.  Because none of them is as clever as all of us right?  Right :)

So I'm gonna leave you with my favourite pics from yesterday's rally.  Only two in fact (maybe I'll add on later if I come across more) but the meaning is monumental.  The protesters yesterday truly cover ALL WALKS of Malaysian life - every shade, size, tongue and faith.  We became friends because we have the same want for a 'clean election, clean government'.  But what in fact united us was when we protected each other, placing ourselves second to this new friend whom we just met.  Now, THAT is worth going to BERSIH for again and again and again and again.  Hey, we could even make that an annual tourism event like the Mardi Gras except it can get Hollywoodish!  Our very own national street event :) Anyway, so here are the pictures and a very well produced video (somehow, things are just more dramatic when you add a soundtrack :) Enjoy and keep protecting, keep uniting and keep on fighting x

A member of the public lies on the road in order to stop the police truck from spraying the chemical-laced water on the Bersih 3.0 participants. Picture from @Michael The II (Source: FB)

Can't find the source for this one.  But the image is self-explanatory #winning

And this one kinda gives you an idea what it felt like to be there (music makes more drama, so you may take it a notch down :))

Bersih 3.0 Same Day Edit by lumierasia

Oh and one more thing.  Some of my friends thought Bersih was a total waste of time and the people are being used by the opposition as pawns, causing unnecessary chaos (and roadblocks and traffic jam) in the country and worse, the problem of massive litter the day after.  Well, point taken.  Maybe.  Sorry about the litter though (I kept mine in my bag by the way).  We will do better in cleaning up and looking harder for a rubbish bin while running away from water cannons and tear gas next time we get smoked ok? :)

But anyway, a serious question popped up in my head: What happens when half of us want to move forward and the other half is contented with where we are.  Then what will happen to us, as one?  How do we deal with that?  Surely surely surely, if the electoral commission reforms AS A RESULT of these protesters, o-stay-home-and-comment-on-others YOU must also benefit?  But did the protesters care who benefits and who doesn't?  Did they not stand up to fight for all Malaysians?  Heck, I went for my children and I don't even have children!

Truly truly, that's a very important question that needs to be considered by our thinkers.  Hmm.  Really, think about it and share ;)

Recommended Bersih 3.0 Reads:

Marina Mahathir's POV
Lim Kit Siang's POV
The chronicle of yesterday's event from Malaysia Chronicle (time stamped)
On the importance of this fight by the Malaysian Insider

What will win us a revolution?

Prayer.  And faith.

Well, here it is again. The famous infamous Bersih rally. Last year, I was saddened because I couldn't make it there but this year, I have no excuse. I will be there with my fellow Malaysians of every shade, size and tongue. For those of you who know me, don't worry. I promise to take good care of myself and finally, this is where all those years of learning to be street smart and independent will be put into a test. I know you have heard and seen horrid stuff about what happened last year. To be honest, I'm nervous too. Unlike many truly courageous ones and those whose spirit is stirred by the PR hype, I'm truly nervous because in reality we really don't know what can happen, whether maliciously planned or due to someone's stupidity and we all know what stupid can cost us now, don't we?

 I'm not going for any political parties and my vote remains neutral. I don't even have a Bersih T-shirt because I don't buy commercialization. I go because I have had enough of BS. I can understand why my parents' generation is sceptical and dead worried because they've seen some pretty bad stuff. As a result, they've been bullied into silence, consent and worse, coercion. While we just sit here, generation after generation, watching every country overtakes us in every area of development.  I have had enough. My unborn children, my 4-year old nephew, my cousins and friends' children and their children will NOT go through the same medieval era. They will not be bullied into silence, fear and such crippling attitude. They will grow up in an environment that is empowering, progressive, competitive and most importantly, FAIR. And they will grow up right here in their own motherland and not someone else's country.

Maybe after tomorrow, things may return to normal but truly you must have witnessed some change from the last year's event? We are NOT at the same spot if you care to know. For one, Malaysians now have a voice. The opposition now has a voice. And that shift albeit small to some, is the most important thing. Wisdom tells us overnight success takes place 25 years later. The question is, do we want to give up now?

Change on a national level goes by an inch. You will not wake up the next day and see reformed governance. Will you give up the fight then? Then let me ask you a question. Have you ever tried kicking a bad habit? Quit smoking, quit biting your nails, quit being impatient, quit being critical, quit anything. Did you decide to quit and wake up the next day having really quit it? Was it not an uphill struggle that took some time before you finally claim victory? Exactly.  Then what more on a national level?

So before the big day, I'd like to make a small request. No, not that I will ask you to participate. No, stay safe at home but be vigilant on social media and help channel accurate information to those who need it and to those that will hold the authorities accountable for breaking peace. And most importantly, pray.

Pray that the Prince of Peace will go with us that we march in goodwill instead of anger.  Our spirit is fired up but our mind is calm. Pray that God will provide special mercy and protection to all Malaysians who are finally showing that they care and love their country. Pray for grace  for the authorities and that they will remain neutral and helpful instead of responding in arrogance under any circumstances. Pray for change to happen and our demand for fairness, equality and electoral cleanliness to be granted. Pray for God's wisdom and righteousness and not men's in response to each other. Pray for unity amongst the people and amongst the authorities.  Pray for non-violence.

Pray.

There will come a day where we will give up this uphill battle and return to a duct-taped silence. But tomorrow is not the day.

And to all fellow yellow marchers, keep safe, look out for one another, bring peace and I will see you in the Independence Square to reclaim our birthright freedom in our own nation.

Jobs in Dentsu Utama, updated 26/04/12.

(Last update on 26th April 2012)

If any of the following hits a note with you (or someone you know), please direct enquiries here.

1) Account Director: To oversee our key Electronics account, handling a team of Senior Account Manager, 2 Account Managers, a Senior Account Executive and an Account Executive.  Obsessive constructive leadership is absolutely necessary.  People prone to emotional breakdowns need not apply.

2) Senior Account Manager: To handle our 2-wheeler account with primary focus to expand.  Driven and enjoys travelling.  Being able to converse in local dialect automatically adds 10-points to your score.  People who know how to drink and socialize but can't do sh*t need not apply.

3) Account Manager:   To handle three reasonably-sized accounts: Pharmaceutical, Automotive-related industry and FMCG/alcohol. Someone who has experience in a media agency is preferred.  With knowledge and experience in PR (I mean the discipline, not drinks with clients) adds 10-points to your score.  Driven to expand current business.  People who say they know media but don't know how GRPs are calculated need not apply.

4) Senior Account Executive: To work on women and baby products, working closely with a shared Senior Account Manager and a dedicated Senior Account Executive to manage the client and be apt to business growth opportunities.  Preferably female for obvious reasons (but hey if you think you can hack it but are born a bloke, why not).  People who are attention-deficit and always need to be recognised for menial work done, need not apply.

5) Associate Planning Director: 2nd in line to the Planning Director.  To assist in overseeing the planning department when the Planning Director is away and handle a telco account independently.  Looking for someone who has a good track record in either winning new business and/or expanding existing accounts.  Leadership is commendable.  Needs to be adept in research methodologies and practices.  People who hold two titles; one their actual position and the other called something like 'Strategist' need not apply.

6) Senior Planner/Senior Planning Manager: To primarily manage our automotive account (both 4 and 2 wheeler) and assist in other small accounts as well as pitches.  Needs to be adept in marketing and research.  People who want to experiment with planning because they dislike being a suit, need not apply (and refer to number (5)).

6) Planning Intern: Coordinator for the planning department, assist in research and basically a management trainee.  Strawberry-generation mindset (poke, bruise, cry) need not apply.  By the way, if I have to talk to your parents, I will.  Trust me.

7) Digital Media Marketer: To market creative concepts in the digitalsphere with adept knowledge in (minimally) GA, online media channels, KPI-setting and ROI measurement.  Able to produce digital-translation of integrated campaigns is a major plus point.  People who can only plan and can't execute (or vice versa) need not apply.

8) Mid-heavy weight creative: Art + Senior Copywriter + Designer (team of three) to work with a dedicated planner of similar weight.  Primary role is to push the creative envelope, producing strategically sound integrated campaigns for an Electronics account.  People who cannot ideate and try to cover up by using vavavoom execution, need not apply.

9) Mid-weight creative team: Art + Copy + Designer (team of three) to work with a dedicated planner of similar weight.  Primary role is to push the creative envelope, producing strategically sound integrated campaigns for an Automotive account.  Primadonnas need not apply.

10) Content strategist and writer: To plan and write for publication and engagement (both printed and digital).  Huge opportunity to grow in content creation.  Copywriters whose sizzle fizzles after 3 lines, need not apply.

People with 10 years experience in 10 different agencies, need not apply.

To an awesome year!

p/s: Sorry, I just realized this is on social global media.  This Dentsu is Dentsu Utama, Malaysia (an integrated advertising agency).  Not to be mistaken for another country, an auditing and finance firm and/or a certain spark plug manufacturer.