Adoi Malaysia 2002 November Issue

NOVEMBER 2002

ADVERTISING AND MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE

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NOVEMBER2002 REGIONAL PUBLISHER Harmandar Singh aka Ham

Notes From The Editor

EDITOR Nathan Conrad WRITER Michelle Fernandez DESIGNER Eric Chun CONTRIBUTORS lance Dewey Me Abdullah Leonard Tse Alice Freeman OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER Jen Siow/ Jen Studio PRINTER Far East Digital Prints COLOR SEPARATOR Digiscan Services Sdn. Bhd. DISTRIBUTION Efficient lettershop & Data Print HOUSE FONTS: FF EUREKA & FF FAGO CONDENSED alt.lYPE. 32 Pekin Street, #03-01 Far East Square, Singapore 048762.

aDOl magazine is published every month by Sledgehammer Communications (M) Sdn Bhd 228, Jalan Tun Mohd. Fuad Satu, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, 6oooo, Kuala lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 603-7726 2588 Fax: 603-7726 2598 E-mail: ham@pop.jaring.my

AROUND six weeks or so ago, satellite TV network HBO Asia began screening episodes of the acclaimed dark comedy Six Feet Underthroughout Southeast Asia. I have to admit- I was more than a little interested to see for myself just why this programme had been receiving heaps of awards and critical praise in the United States. When the appointed day arrived, I settled in to have a look.

What I saw over the next 55 or so minutes was disturbing, funny, quirky, and ultimately satisfying - all at the same time.

Six Feet Under revolves around the Fishers - a family who runs a funeral home in Los Angeles. Father Fisher has passed on leaving his wife, two sons and daughter to keep an eye on the cash register ... and corpses.

There really doesn't seem to be any boundaries in the programme. In the first four episodes, the Fishers dealt with crime, violence, heterosexuality. homosexuality, religion, and of course death, among other topics. And another

thing .. . the characters are highly dysfunctional.

To tell you the truth, I expected Six Feet Under to be good.

This is after all, HBO. Rarely has the network taken a wrong step in its original programming.

And now for the ubiquitous plug: Six Feet Under stars Peter Krause, Frances Conroy Michael C Hall and Lauren Ambrose. It is created, co-written and executive produced by Alan Ball, the American Beauty screenwriter. New episodes of Six Feet Under air every Tuesday at mpm, repeating Saturday at npm on HBO. Moving on to other matters ...

Saatchi and Saatchi surprised many by taking home the Golden Kancil for its Toyota Unser "Chase" TVC at the Kancil Awards 2002 on 25 October. If you missed out on the champagne-soaked excitement, we've got all the winners for you plus more in our 5-page report beginning on page 25.

Goh Shu Fen of R3 (the company responsible for our newand-improved scoreboard on page six) recently spent time in New York with the heads of all of the major agency networks and independents (aren't too many of those left ... ). She files her 'State of the Industry' report on page 32Copywriters, drop your pencils - Lowe Worldwide chief creative Adrian Holmes is coming to town. He'll be here on 26 November speaking about "Thinking Inside the Box". Look forward to seeing you for the event at KLGCC. Enjoy the issue!

aDOI What's hot in this issue. •• Highlights Chris Howden: Whispers With Sheep Julie lingan: Of Repackaging, Branding Or lack Of It Dean Johns: Geriadrics Tim Clark: Billboard Advertising On Trial Goh Shu Fen: The Global State OfThe Industry Paul loosely: A Bum Wrap Abhijeet Dutta Ray: Hard (To Believe) Rock Cafe Does ANumber

12 12

14 18 26 38 40

Inte ra ctive InterActive: Dennis Biela -The Digital Go-To Man Member of

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Direct Marketing Kurt Crocker: lies About Size

AuditBureauofCirc:ulations

© All rights reserved by Sledgehammer Communications (M) Sdn. Bhd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without prior permission in writing from the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the publisher and the editor assume no responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences of reliance of information in this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or editor. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertisers.

Features/Reviews lVC Showcase: FCB's Goes Around The World In 90 seconds Kancil Awards 2002 Events Management: Hydl - Making It Experiential 1V3's "The Brand" Goes Prime Time

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25 30 34

Exclusive Interviews Cover Story: Datuk Vincent lee Of Naga DDB Experiential Marketing With HYDl

08 30

aDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS 3

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• SIJ/d separately. Š2002 Apple Computer Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iMac and Mac are trademarks ofApple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S.and other countries. iMovie, iPhoto, iTunes are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.

Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

aDOI IU ASIA PACIFIC I

Malaysia New Business Scoreboard October 2002 RANK RANK THIS MONTH lAST MONTH

MAJOR AGENCY

ESTIMATED WINS

BILLINGS (RM)

MAJOR LOSSES

OVERALL

MAINSTREAM AGENCIES Shell (Direct) , Shell Gas BTL, IKEA, Red Bull Parkson, Unilever BTL (project) , Bates Amex BTL (project) Grey Mitsubishi/Citroen/Ssanyong, Hugo Boss (project), Tops marketplace (project), Fairtane Hotel BBDO Guthrie Pfizer {Viagra) , Celcom PrePaid JWT FCB Porosus Leo Burnett Bernas Rice, Sony CyberShot D'Arcy TetraPak Naga DDB Travenet TBWA

4 5 6 7 8 9

5 3 4 6 7 8

16,000

16,000

6,000

6,000

5,500 3,800 6,500 2,000 1,300 1,000 2,500

Shell BTL IKEA, Red Bull

4,500 3,800 2,500 2,000

1,300 Parkson

1,000 -5ooo

MEDIA AGENCES Mindshare OMD

Unilever Sara Lee, Guthrie

WMD(TBWA) Australian Tourist Commission

44,000 13,000 Australian Tourist Commission 2,500

44,000 10,500 2,500

The big mover for October was Grey Global Group, with new business wins of the Mitsubishi, Citroen and Ssanyong brands through importer US F. The assignment includes both a major promotion to run this year as well as ongoing work for 2003. In addition, Grey picked up assignments from TOPS, Hugo Boss watches and the Fairlane Hotel.

After consideration, we've also increased the BBDO Guthrie win, as its clear this will be a significant investment from them over the next year.

No change in the Media ScoreBoard with the Mindshare(Unilever win last month clearly one of the biggest for the year.

A number of agencies unfortunately couldn't share their wins with us yet as they are still in the process of fee negotiations. These periods are never an easy time for either the client or agency, but our experience is that by strong and clear communication on the scope of workand the right team to work on it - upfront, they can be resolved in a far more productive way.

Greg Paull, Principal, R3 Asia Pacific The New Business ScoreBoard is compiled monthly on behalf of Adoi magazine by RJ, a COnsultancy specializing in agency rela-

tionships, remuneration and reviews. All billings figures are annualized and are calculated based on Rj's estimates, adjusted from AC Nielsen ADEX figures or derived from agencies directly.

Agency losses as well as wins are recorded, if not shown. We attempt to accurately capture all new business activity in Malaysia - please email greg@rthree.com ifyou believe we have missed or incorrectly recorded any information.

Upcoming Events Final Cut Pro 3 Training Basic Class at SAE Malaysia (RMr,2oo) 2 and 3 December, 9am to SPm Advanced Class at SAE Malaysia (RMr,8oo) 27 and 28 November, 9am to SPm r6 and I7 December, 9am to 5Pm To r egister, em ail apple@saecreative.com

26 November 2002 Adrian Holmes - "Thinking Inside The Box" 4pm at KLGCC. Call Ragoo at 003 7726 2588 or oor6 383 o68r.

Pietro "Pete" Felix (I) and Ryan Gerard Felix (r) from Positive Tone won rst place at the ESPNSTAR Foosball Tourney (Media). A team from ADOI came in 3rd place.

jane Poh (VP, Corporate Comm Star Cruises) and Michael Chow (TTG) at the Star Cruises Media Preview

I7 and 18 December 2002 Asia Business Forum's Advertising & Promotions Conference at JW Marriott, KL. Call 003 2070 3299 or email abfkl@po.jaring.my

LOOK: Turns 10!

LOOK: production, casting and artists management has established itself as one of Australia's leading resources for advertising photographers, stills shoot production, casting, fashion photographers, hair and make-up artists, and stylists.

LOOK: consists of Photographers: Advertising Sydney -Allan Myles Julian Wolkenstein, Gary Sheppard, Peter Luxton, Geoff Lung, Mark Lever, Adrian Brown and new arrival Neil Bailey. Fashion/Adv Sydney: Steven Murray, Marco Saacchi, Ivan De Petrovski, Paul Giggle, Nadja Berhardt and Gerrard Needham.

Advertising Melbourne Dave Mitchener, Carlos Alcaide, Bobbi Fabian, and Prue Miller.

Fashion/Adv Melbourne: Andrew Vukosav, James Pepino and Gerard O'Connor. ~

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aDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

F&N Coca-Cola Malaysia recently appointed Ben Foo (I) as brand manager ofrooPLUS. He'll be reporting to F&N group brand manager jenny Wong (r)

After 13 years with the Naga DDB Group, Sean Sims has leEr Rapp Collins to take over as managing director of DraftWorldwide

CoverStory

TALK about consistency. In the latest CB Asia Creative Rankings (Campaign Brief Asia Issue #18), Naga DDB ranked second in Malaysia based on the amount of international awards won. But this kind of accolade is nothing new to the agency. It held the same ranking in 2000 and 2001. During this three-year period, the number one spot was held by three different agencies- Leo Burnett, Grey, and O&M. The CB Asia rankings are based on awards won at Cannes, D&AD, the One Show, Clio, Asian Advertising Awards and Asia Pacific Ad Fest. Reputation alone is not enough since awards over two years old are not factored in the rankings.

Datuk Vincent Lee, the venerable founder and executive chairman of Naga DDB is shy to claim much credit for the agency's remarkable record. "Rankings can be transient," he says.

"I think more important is our effectiveness in brand building."

Spoken like a true adman.

But Lee is much more than just an adman. Anyone who intimately knows him will tell you that much. A self-taught painter and artist, he grew up between the din and the dim sum in the Petaling Street area of Kuala Lumpur. He was drawn to advertising and joined his first agency in 1975 as a production executive. He rose through the ranks making stops at several agencies, both local and international.

The first major turning point in Lee's career came when he absconded from the rather stable life as an employee to take on the decidedly riskier role of an employer. His own agency, Naga Inter-Clio, opened its doors with just two clients.

But things worked out well for the young man from Chinatown. In 1989, Lee's agency stepped onto to the main stage when it merged with global agency DDB. "We were already very strong as a local agency," Lee explains. "Most of our business came from the core agency. When we linked up with DDB, we became even stronger."

Naga DDB today can boast many longterm relationships with several Malaysian blue chip accounts: DiGi, Tourism Malaysia, Perodua, Johnson & Johnson and National Panasonic.

How is that an agency can hang on to business for so long? Naga has held many accounts for 15 years or more. Lee is quick to offer an answer to that question. "Consistency and staff," he says. "We have brilliant staff members who have stayed with us through thick and thin."

There's that pesky 'consistency' again.

This must be important. Perhaps Lee has a few more secrets up his sleeve. In a recent tete-a-tete at Lee's office, ADO! made sure notebooks and pens were ready. We didn't want to miss a thing .. . ¡

You've recendy moved to a new office in Kelana Square. What's the reason behind this shift? Is it a feng shui thing?

Mainly, it's because of the expansion of our staff strength and business. Not to mention the fact that the Naga group now offers a wide range of integrated services. Here, we can all be housed literally under the same roof. Feng shui? Feng shui at our old office was also great if past years' rankings are an indication, right? But really, I believe that one creates one's own destiny ... and a lot of it has to do with the culture, the commitment to working hard and smart and the spirit of teamwork in DDB but mostly to the passion we have for our calling.

Tell us about your longstanding accounts.

How would you define longstanding accounts? The majority of our clients have been with us for many years - some exceeding 10 years. The relationships we have with our clients have evolved over the years from a client-agency platform to become true partnerships. A lot of it is based on trust and commitment.

Are there any pitches or new accounts you want to tell us about?

Well, we're looking forward to helping re-engineer the US image in Asia. Helping them change their attitude towards us as

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CoverStory well as the Asian people's perception of them. Ha ha! Seriously, we can't let on who or what our new accounts are, or the pitches that we're in just yet.

How has the creative team at Naga influenced the current standing of the agency?

Our creative team has and continues to demonstrate their capabilities, even excelling in this area by winning numerous awards. They have also proven to be consistent in their output and contribution to our business as a whole. Here in Naga, we are all considered the "creative team". Creativity flows not only from one department, but comes from each and every one of us, from the creative director to the brand planning and account servicing people, and even from our media planners. The key thing to note here, is how an inspirational idea, regardless of who it stems from, sparks both effective plans as well as creative execution. More importantly, one cannot be truly effective without the other.

Where do you intend to take Naga DDB in the coming years?

We'd like to continue on being focused on being an effective builder of brands.

This can, of course, take various directions.

However, there are two key areas that we will continue to intensify. Greater integration of the different marketing mediums advertising, CRM, PR, events, use of web and mobile communications) -all of which will play significant roles in an effective marketing communications plan. We will also continue our efforts to elevate the quality of our output. For this, our in-house CTP (Communications Training Program) initiative will be the key vehicle to aid in the development and growth of our people.

As our recent CTP graduation has shown, several great talents from the junior ranks were unearthed. This exercise definitely

~ MALAYSIA

HAIRDRESSING AWARDS2002

"Showdown" - Kancil 2002 awarded work for the Malaysia Hairdressing Awards 2002

"Table Fans", "Ice Buckets" and "Tissue Boxes".- Kancil2oo2 awarded work for Restoran Narng Fa

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Vincent together with the staff enjoying a break in Shanghai

Naga DDB collected 38 awards- the most of any agen cy - a t th e Kancil Awards 2002

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CoverStory re-enforced our belief that our people are the mainstay of our busi' ness.

Where did the name "Naga" originate from?

Actually, I wish I had this wonderful story of how I had a dream in which a great "naga"- dragon- appeared to me to give me a vision or an epiphany. But really, it's from my Chinese name , which translated means "prosperous dragon" . But the key reason is that the dragon symbolises many great attributes - intelligence, strength, energy, valiancy, boldness, benevolence, heroism, perseverance, and the list goes on. All these being the kind of characteristics which I feel would make up good personality traits for us to aspire to uphold . And as they say, "the name doth maketh the man."

Do you think the 2003 ad spend will follow the increases we saw in 2002?

For the sake of my business, I surely hope so. Seriously, various factors come into play. Current and economic as well as over-riding global issues will definitely affect general market sentiments.

However I have confidence that the stability of our local market and government will prevail and this will ultimately mark contin).led growth.

Please tell us a bit about your own story. How did you get into the ad business?

Well, I was a student of art ... my first love ... by default, when the agency I applied to had no vacancy for artists, I accepted the position of a trainee account executive for a grand RM38o a month.

I went on to take a correspondence course in marketing and later an advertising course offered by the 4As, of which I'm quite proud to say I received a Best Student Award. Having grown-up in Petaling Street, I must say that advertising was not quite the profession my family or friends saw as the path to financial success . Quite ironic, when it was probably the original home of the traditional tonic/ware-peddling touts. But it was important to me even as a child, to excel above my circumstances. I didn't want to be sucked into being a victim of my environment. I believe that resolve and faith in my own capabilities have brought me to where I am today.

The same belief I hope I have been able to transcend to my children and the people in Naga.

You have not held office with the 4As in quite a while? Do you intend to seek office any time soon?

I held office with the 4As many moons ago. Not once but twice.

Then, it was purely a platform for industry people to socialise, so I got out of it. I must say, it has since come a long way. Today, it's being run by a committee of well-qualified people dedicated to their responsibilities as office bearers. As such, I don't see the need for my contribution or interference ... "If it ain't broke, why fix it?"

There's a rumour going around the industry that you may leave Naga DDB to become Malaysia's next Deputy Prime Minister. Any comments?

Well, I may decide to retire from Naga in about 15 to 20 years time. Maybe then I can join UMNO - hopefully by then it would be a multi-racial party. It'll probably take me five years to become branch chairman, then another five to make division chairman, before going on to state chairman, which will probably take another five years. Finally, I'll be able to run at national level, so all in all, I may make it by year 2050 ... Now wouldn't that be something? Ha ha!

Tal<in.ga Chance

Th e sole Packaging winn er at the cil Awards (Bronze)

2002

Kan-

Kotra Pharma has been a Naga DDB client for over I4 years.

Recently the company defied logic by launching an Appeton slimming product in the midst of a public confidence crisis over deaths and illness in Hong Kong and Singapore attributed to slimming pills. Fat Loss - a meal replacement programme, was launched with a comprehensive campaign in three languages and included TVCs, print, point of sale and promotional activities. Kotra Pharma 's managing director jimmy TO Phong recently sat down with ADOI at the Naga DDB offices to discuss Fat Loss and the reasoning behind launching at such a volatile time ...

How did your campaign counter the n egative publicity surrounding slimming products during its July launch?

The government is clamping down on slimming products, so they've acttially helped us to clean up the market. But the good products are still around. When we launched the product we knew there would be people who didn't want to try this product. But it's Appeton, and the branding helps.

We were bold enough to advertise during this time because we figured it was better to stand out.

What went in to developing this product?

We looked into every angle in terms of advertising, marketing, packaging design, that sort of thing. I'm happy to say that if you look at the market right now, none has come close to this sort of packaging. We had to stand out in every angle possible and Naga was

behind the development of this particular design. Inside it contains four flavours actually, mushroom, vegetable, vanilla and mocha. There are two different drinks and two different soups.

It's a meal replacement programme that lasts for one week.

And now the big question ... Does it work?

If you strictly follow the . instructions given, which means replacing the main three meals for th e whole week, based on our study, you will lose from 2.5 to 3.5kg. But th at also depends on your metabolic rate as well.

Besides mass-market media, what are the other aspects of the campaign?

It is a complete programmemedia, point-of-sale, promotions , a call centre, radio programmes.

It's quite a lot of activity. Our media spend is an important component, but the only component in the exercise.

What was in the brief to the agency in terms of the biggest challenges?

At that moment, the biggest problem was the amount of competitors we were facing - those products or services that cater for slimming needs. So how we were going to make a break in the sea of competitors - this is where the challenge came in. Obviously they had to come up with something that was different. It took us quite a while to come up with something that both parties could agree on. I think we spent four to five months developing the creatives.

Is there a long future for Fat Loss?

All of the products we've launched over the years are still in the market today.

Appeton is a good brand, we've spent a lot of effort and money in building this brand. ~

aDOJ MARKFTINr.rnuumurAnnuc â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘

AUCKLANDERS have been having a hard time of it recently. Not only have they woken up to discover that many of their new homes are falling apart beneath them, but they have also been infested by a nasty Aussie pest - the Painted Apple Moth.

The housing crisis has probably created the

biggest headlines. People have poured their life savings into new apartment blocks and new town houses only to discover they are rotting away under their feet.

The cause is difficult to pinpoint but there appears to be a systemic breakdown in the entire building process, from design to construction and the new cladding materials used.

A wave of advertising from different parties has ensued with full page ads exhorting the return to time-trusted building materials. Like tanalised timber and brick. Whereas new developments are now singing "leak-proof' and "made with solid concrete" - as if that was cool comfort to anyone.

And if that isn't enough to have Aucklanders weeping into their Steinlagers - they are now subject to the biggest aerial spray operation ever inflicted on a city in the world.

Starting in October, weather permmmg, some 6o,ooo households in West Auckland will be sprayed from helicopters and low flying Fokker Friendships with an organic caterpillar spray- Btk. Images of Agent Orange spraying in Vietnam can spring easily to the mind and the operation has the potential to become a PR nightmare.

Once again the spin doctors have been in action with TV commercials and full page print ads demonizing the Aussie pest - which, by the way, is not very nice, particularly, if you touch it.

As well as being a major threat to New Zealand's foresting industry and native bushthe ugly little critter can give you quite a nasty skin reaction.

This, of course, is great ammunition and the hard-hitting advertising campaign has used them to the full. I should know, I wrote them! 6.)

Of Repackaging, Branding or Lack Of It IT used to be that we were as conscious of our "packaged" selves as we were of the brands we worked on.

We then lived in the golden age of decadence when our self-imposed rules on dressing championed designer brands and anything less was as despicable as a lousy campaign for an excellent brand. Our closets had nothing but outfits straight from a fashion magazine even if it probably meant budgeting in other areas of our existence.

In the aftermath of the September rr anniversary, some friends who were undeniably fashion victims in a previous life and rationalized their extravagant buys with "packaging", seem to have embraced something totally unheard of in the past: voluntary simplicity.

Almost overnight, a great number of us seem to have shed and even shunned traces of worldly sophistication, the way some monks turn their backs to worldly pleasures before donning saffron robes and go begging in the streets.

The surprising thing about this transformation is, I wasn't the least bit surprised when some friends unveiled their newfound disgust for a former obsession. An art-based CD told me how he packed all his power suits in suitcases, gave them away and now he happily shops at the Factory Outlet. I don't have anything to prove

¡~ ::IMI MADil~INr. fOMMIINICATIONS

anymore, he said. A copy-based CD, formerly not just a citizen of the night but queen of the dawn, has opted to be a recluse, causing his friends to surmise he has either become bonkers, is suffering from deep depression, or has lost his money in the stock market. My friends are shocked, he told me one night over a glass, not the usual bottle, of wine. They have accused me of avoiding them for reasons they don't understand, but I just don't feel like socialising, why, I haven't even shopped in ages! For one who used to shop every weekend the way we normally shop for groceries on Saturday mornings, this was indeed a major transformation. My closest friend who projects a simple lifestyle but for years has been a closet snob, has, without qualms, informed me that he now goes to the budget chains. Though he can afford to buy the network, he has discovered the many pleasures of "value" shopping and has even volunteered to take me and another good friend to the Reject Shop.

What is this transformation disease that is getting to be an epidemic? Will someone please enlighten me on all these coincidences of simplifying our lives? We've been mouthing Been There, Done That for quite sometime, yet the impact of what has become everyone's explanation for saying no, seems to be hitting us only now. Call it mellowing down. Growing up. Even growing old perhaps. Call it Sophistication Fatigue. Call it Wallet Downturn (has the financial climate been so bleak it has even affected our

by]ulieP.Lingan

zest for excesses, our passion for living as though today's our last and tomorrow we're six feet under?) Is this a worldwide phenomenon, the aftermath of grief following a world tragedy, the wake up call reminding us that we are all mortals and it's about time we started thinking about immortality?

Or are we simply tired of this long-playing drama on stage, we now just want to kick off our shoes, take off our make-up, the party's over as the timeless song goes. As a result of which life is now being stripped of all artificiality and defenses, and we are left with our simple, basic selves?

Devoid of all trappings, therefore, we get to know our real selves and the things that should, after all, truly matter in our lives. The hype we have showered our branded selves is fast dissipating and we are seeing the brand with all its imperfections and shortcomings yet it does not affect us anymore. We now know this doesn't make it a lesser brand.

What now then? After the "is that all there is" realisation, we ask ourselves - is this the real us or are we simply undergoing a developmental phase, in which case, how long will it last?

Whatever, it is, with Thanksgiving waiting backstage, it's a perfect time to assess where exactly we're at in all aspects of our life. And no matter what state we're in- the brand needing a repackaging for simplicity, survival or whatever be thankful for all that we were, are, and will be.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. @

Mark every page.

In,ightful. ln-dopU,. lndi,penMb/e - The Edge Sing•po,.

To advertise in orBocd.,,, subscribe,Cheen, call 6232 8622 now" Kinokuniy,, MPH, Populru-, Time, New,link, WH SmiU, •nd m•joc new""nd,.

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Geriad riCS A FRIEND and creative colleague, on his recent exit from an agency he'd been with much too long for his liking, described himself as both relieved and apprehensive. Relieved because, as he explained "I've never encountered worse management and client service in my entire life." Apprehensive because from what he can see around Asia, replacement gigs aren't too plentiful, and to make matters more difficult he is, in his words, "no spring chic." A man's only as old as he feels, I guess. Or, as the late, great Groucho Marx so creatively restated the proposition, "as old as the woman he's feeling."

Except in a youth-obsessed business like advertising, of course, where my friend's thirtyseven years put him perilously close to be

thrown on the scrapheap or put out to pasture.

But only because he's creative. Bright sparks like creative people, so the accepted wisdom seems to go, have a way of losing their fire and "freshness". More solid, stolid citizens like client-service and media people seem somewhat more durable, and stalwarts like managing directors, CEOs and regional directors apparently endure virtually ad infinitum. Or something along these lines. Actually I suspect that the preference for youth in writers and art directors owes more to economic and control considerations than anything to do with creativity. In other words, the younger they are, the cheaper and less challenging.

Despite our industry's infantile preference for immaturity over experience in the creative department, there are and have been many notable exceptions. One of the most vivid of these was the late David Ogilvy who, after working as a chef, stove salesman and market researcher, turned copywriter at the age of thirty-nine and went on to found and run Ogilvy & Mather. Ogilvy had a great deal to say about advertising in several best-selling books, none of it more relevant to my ragings here

Richard Drew Newest Jose ESPN STAR Football Pundit ESPN STAR Sports has announced that Richard Drew has been added to the on-air commentary and presentation team. He joins john Dykes in commentary and discussion on English Premier League football on the STAR Sports channel as well as presenting Spanish Football and commentating on the Champions League.

Drew's broadcasting career began when he got a place on the BBC's prestigious Trainee Reporter Scheme. He then worked as a reporter with BBC Radio Cleveland in Middlesbrough. In Bristol, he was a freelance broadcaster working for BBC National radio networks. He's also worked for Sky Sports, traveling the UK covering everything from Premiership football and top class cricket to the England Rugby team and the Rugby World Cup. ~

"¡ ::IMI MARKFTINGCOMMUNICATIONS

about age than this exhortation to his management team: "If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. If each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants."

There are precious few giants around these days. Many of them are gone forever, and some are not nearly as young as they used to be, or so eminently employable. The oldest of them I've met lately, a creative guy who eventually ended-up running the agency he worked for, is now officially retired. He still writes an advertorial column in the Sydney press for one of his long-time clients, and he recently suggested that he and I get together to devise and teach a copywriting course. I'm very excited about the idea, as he's as dynamic a collaborator as I could possibly wish for. There's a huge bonus in it for me, too. He makes me feel like a kid again, as he's almost eighty-six. And living testament to the fact that even the most youthless creative people can't be written-off as useless. ~ Dean johns is a partner in the regional creative hotshop CreAsia and strategic consultancy StrADegy.

Email stradegy@optushome.com.au

Stril<es Gold

ADDAUDIO's musical director, jose Thomas struck gold at the recent Malaysian Video Awards when he won the prestigious Gold Award for Best Music for the Lux Soap TVC entitled, "Thirst". The win is an MVA first for Thomas while it marks the second time that Addaudio has bagged a Gold at the MVA's for Best Music.

An elated Thomas said that he was very happy with the win more so as the commercial was made for the international market. The client had considered scoring music in Singapore, Hong Kong and Los Angeles before deciding on Malaysia's Thomas and Addaudio.

AXIS's Paul Looseleywho directed the commercial said that the win proves that the standard of Malaysian compositions were of international level. He also paid tribute to the immense talent of

Thomas whom he described as a musician who was not only musically talented but also possessed an understanding of the demands of the advertising industry. "jose is a brilliant, world-class guitarist," Loosely said. "He understands what the advertising clients need in terms of music that project and sell a product. And coupled with Addaudio' s formidable arsenal of state-of-the-art equipment and teams of dedicated and talented engineers they are a world beating ensemble." ~

InterActive

DENNIS BIELA was recently in town to give a tall< entitled "Digital Photography Made Simple and Smart" at the Apple Beyond the PC exhibition. The owner of the Way Ahead Group and one of the world's most forward lool<ing photographers, Dennis is certified as an expert in digital imaging by the us Government and for eight years has been the "go-to photographer and lecturer of choice for Apple Computers and a beta tester for Apple's Quici<Time Virtual Reality {QlVR) software." He is also a beta tester for l<odal< and Canon cameras digital imaging equipment. Given the chance, ADO/ peppered him with questions...

You're all digital now?

I specialise in the automotive industry.

Some of my best clients don't even want to see film anymore. I've been shooting digitally for seven years now. People get worried that they're investment in digital will be outdated.

But as long as you have a manufacturer who's producing good software, the camera will not become outdated. I'm still using the same camera from seven years ago and my pictures look better because of the continuous improvements in the software.

Is digital moving beyond ftlm?

Kodak's new camera has a 48-megabyte file that's technically sharper than any film.The pixels are so densely packed, the sensors are smaller than what the grain of the film is. I think there will always be film, but only for a certain quality or a certain type of effect.

Has digital improved your business?

Digital has made me more creative. always look at my work through creativity.

There isn't a better photographer out there than me because I've never lost a job to a better photographer. He doesn't exist. As for busi-

OneofDennisBiela'stwo-dimensionaldigitalphows.

ness, my business plan is pretty simple: I want to be more creative today then I was yesterday.

Tell us about your use of Quick Time to create virtual digital worlds.

Quick Time started out as a way to playback movies on your computer and then it grew from there. Quick Time VR is made with Apple's latest technology and has allowed me to create a virtual environment. For instance, I can spin around 36o degrees and also go up and down. In one project I'm working on with the Smithsonian Institute, I can place you inside the Air and Space Museum. You could then click on an aeroplane, see what it looks like inside, see where the gauges are.

The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC, USA

This is pretty heady stuff. Is there a lot of demand for this?

This has become around so% of my business. I have people who contact me from all over the place. I just got done shooting the Esplanade in Singapore. I guess for this kind of thing, I'm considered 'The Guy'. @ For more of Dennis Biela's work check out http://www. wayaheadgroup.com/gallery/

Experimental Aircraft Association's museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA

a001 MARKETJNC,fOMMIINifliTJnuc â&#x20AC;˘r

Around the Worl

IN as much as the local arm of global agency Foote Cone Belding was fortunate to be tasked with legend-in-the-making Siti Nurhaliza in the creation of the new 90-second corporate branding TVC for internet player TMnet, the agency was also burdened by the one factor nothing in the world can change: time.

FCB was given exactly two weeks to conceive, create and produce the latest TMnet TVC, "New World". The end result is spiffy, to say the least.

The finished product is really a testament to the amount of effort parties involved expended to get the project in the can on time.

While certainly not the biggest, or most original of ideas, the spot is nonetheless visually stunning, and a testament to the ready accessibility of technology in the production process.

The spot begins as a boy accesses the I~ternet and thus begins his "voyage" in a trio of spaceships - really the TMnet logo broken apart. The squadron begins its flight in space, but quickly break through the earth's atmosphere and begin a whirlwind journey to several international landmarks. The perspective alternates between first and third person, giv-

ing the spot a polished and authentically cinematic feel. A voice-over signals the conclusion of the spot as the ships proceed to nestle up to a TMnet-branded satellite or space station floating in the earth's upper atmosphere.

FCB creative director PH Yap explained that the client brief was simple and concise. The agency was to relaunch TMnet Sdn Bhd as a new, fully independent multimedia entity.

"Whatever we did had to reflect the future-forwardness and the integrity of the company," Yap said.

Timing, or the lack Of it, was obviously a key concern for the agency. But Yap claims that was overcome due to the strength of those that worked on the TVC. "We managed to pull through with everyone - clients, agency, production and post house, working as a team in getting it done," Yap recalled. "The launch was around the corner and we recognised the urgency in it."

The audio for the TVC is recorded in two languages - Bahasa Malaysia and English. Siti Nurhaliza, already the TMnet ambassador, was asked by FCB to lay down her vocals for the track "Sunshine", a new-age pop song made

TVCShowcase

n go Seconds

popular by American singer Gabriel. Along with a recent makeover of sorts, a new and improved bilingual Siti seems to have emerged for the Telco giant. As with her recent radio spot for TMnet Instant Internet, her "Sunshine" English is not flawless, but it stands up.

And her Bahasa Malaysia?

Don't even go there.

And in addition to what is presumably a sizable pay cheque, Siti picked up an additional admirer in creative director Yap, who said that it "made sense to ask Siti to lend her voice. And she was great."

The various international landmarks shown in the TVC were all based from stock photography. A few local landmarks were shot locally however - the Penang Bridge, Petronas Towers. A few models factor in along with a mobile phone or two, but this is largely something far more sweepingly majestic to carry a humanistic storyline. The TVC is nearly flawless, with the exception of one somewhat juxtaposed shot of the floor of the New York Stock

by Lance Dewey

Exchange. joshua Fernandez from PRS is credited with directing the spot, and all post work was done at MFX, by a team headed by Peter Coleman.

The final TVC was finished on 'tremor', the same. machine they used for Lord of the Rings.

Apart from Yap, the team that stayed up night and day for the two weeks it took to complete this TVC included (from FCB) group account director Zamri Mamat, associate account director Ibrahim Harun senior account executive Cameron Cheah, creative directors SP Lee and PH Yap, art directors Steven Tan and Ong Kien Hoe and copywriter Ajay Bakhshi; and (from TMnet) CEO Baharum Salleh, GM marketing access Ghazali Omar, brand communications head Molina Musa brand communications manager Rozana Yahya, events and sponsorship manager Zaina Yusoff brand communications assistant manager Elita Alias and portal head Shahrudin Ibrahim. ~

OutdoorMedia

Billboard Advertising On Trial

By Tim Clark

This old billboard from the UK exemplifies the value ofgetting back to basics.

I'VE heard billboard advertising in Malaysia described as a rogue medium. And I can well see why. For one thing there are no independent ratings given to assess its effectiveness. Ruslan Abdul Rahman, CEO of UPD claims that the gangster image of outdoor advertising is out of date, but he admits that it has always been excluded from the traditional total media-mix and that it still lacks the research support of other media.

Nevertheless, Ruslan is bullish about outdoor and fore~ts a growth of market share from its cur-

High recall of the shark. No recall of the advertiser, Underwater World

rent 3% to s% in a year or so.

But what is the size of today' s outdoor advertising market? According to Esther Chan, media services director of Carat Malaysia, this is difficult to chart because so many small contractors are involved, but she projects billings for outdoor to reach RMr30 million in 2002, accounting for 3-flo of total ad spend. Esther is also optimistic about the future of outdoor, as she says that it thrives on the fragmentation of traditional media.

So, if outdoor advertising is on the rise,

shouldn't advertising agencies and their clients take it more seriously? They might start by creating billboards that succeed in communicating.

Because it's futile to talk about the effectiveness of the medium when the creative work itself is ineffectual.

Have art directors forgotten how to design billboards? Or have creative directors given up trying to explain to clients how they work? The rules are really very simple.

A roadside billboard has to communicate at

2.) RHB- Original shape but far too many words

The survey covered the PJ/Damansara area and comprised 40 large, roadside billboards, chosen randomly. Each was photographed (those whose view was not obscured). Billboards that were purely concerned with branding were excluded (i.e. logo signs).

The Survey

r.) Maggi- Highest recall, popu1M favourite and shining example

The Test

J.) Samsung True i - Vibrant but too many elements -~,

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8.) Lux Beamy Soaps- Pretty but predictable

9.) Telekom Good 2 Talk- Supporting TVC. But negative image

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ro) JtJo Mines- JtJo billboards are awan:I winneis ~ Why noc here?

The 40 digital photos were put on a Power Point so that each one would appear on the screen in tum for exactly five seconds. The starting point was changed each time so as not to favour any one billboard. And the 26 people surveyed were not told in advance what questions they would be asked after viewing the slide show. The sample of people tested was broad. They were all working adults with good understanding of Bahasa Malaysia. And they were all drivers living in the Klang Valley, so some of the billboards would have been familiar to them.

The Questionnaire Immediately after viewing the 40 billboards on a laptop computer, interviewees were asked to recall up to ro of the brand names advertised. Some could not recall that many. Others could recall more but were stopped at ro. They were then asked to name and describe up to

OutdoorMedia a glance to register in the minds of motorists. It should therefore be digestible in a maximum of five seconds. Actually, three would be more realistic.

Obviously if your message requires more time to be communicated it doesn't belong on a billboard. If it's heavy on information, put it in an information medium, like newspapers. Here, if you make your message relevant and interesting, (and try not to make it look too like an ad) people will read it. Because people do read newspapers.

A student once asked me to explain the difference between a press headline and a billboard headline. Fundamentally, a press headline is designed to flag down and persuade a reader to read the complete message contained in the text.

The headline therefore may deliberately be an incomplete statement. It should be arresting and inviting and, most important of all, it should be intriguing.

A billboard headline conversely has to make a complete coherent statement (with the help of a picture). And it has to telegraph its message in as few words as possible. The recommended maximum is between five to seven words including the brand name. And its most important ingredient is impact. Only with impact will the message catch the eye of the distracted motorist and reverberate in his mind long after he has driven by.

David Ogilvy's recipe for billboard advertising

three billboards that they liked and three that they disliked. In some cases a respondent could describe a poster that was liked, but could not name the brand. So a favourable impression did not necessarily indicate a successful communication.

The Findings Let's start with the winner. With a recall of 90% and a top score of 6o% in the selection of those that were liked came Maggi noodles. Not only was this billboard remembered and liked, it could also be described from memory in some detail. When we compare Maggi's billboard with all the rest it's easy to see why it was such a decisive winner. Firstly, it is one of the very few that follows David Ogilvy's simple prescription mentioned earlier. It's not wildly creative.

But simply by getting the basics right it stands out like a beacon from its competitors. And what gives it an extra edge is the fact that it uses cut out figures that break out of the rectangle to demonstrate the appetite appeal of the product. These surprise elements provide the 'creative dissonance' or 'visual scandal' that makes it memorable as well as eye-catching.

Another billboard that uses this technique of breaking out of the rectangle in a meaningful way is the one for RHB Bank. This uses a

is succinct: ''Your poster should deliver your selling promise not only in words, but also pictorially. Use the largest possible type. Make your brand name visible at a long distance. Use strong, pure colours. Never use more than three elements in your design."

What a broad and simple formula! Who would not subscribe to it? Yet how many advertisers actually adhere to it? According to a recent sUIVey, less than ro% of the billboards get even the basics right. And most of the few that do follow the rules, and so stand a dog's chance ofbeing noticed, wind up by being boring.

David Ogilvy offered two more words of advice to prevent this basic failure to attract interest: Create a 'visual scandal'. In other words be provocative. Make an astounding statement.

Or show something shocking. There's no need to do both as ¡ long as the words and pictures complement each other. The impact should spring from the marriage of Tim Gark is the region al words and visual which creative direcror and vice makes them partners president of Chuo Senko Advertising, Malaysia. in communication.

shape reminiscent of house construction to advertise its home loans. Though a long way behind Maggi, with 65% recall, RHB did at least achieve second place in both the recall and the ~ost-liked categories. Nevertheless it also scored highly in the most-disliked category, with rs% of those interviewed pronouncing it too wordy. Actually, it uses around 30 words, including a telephone number, which rather spoils what would otherwise have stood out as an original and quite relevant design.

The F&N billboard was also appreciated for featuring a die-cut of the product. This put it in seventh place for recall but it was criticized for being busy and cluttered. The remaining 37 billboards were variously criticized for being busy, wordy, messy, complicated and boring.

One billboard used the picture of a shark, which was quite noticeable and well-remembered but virtually nobody could tell that it was advertising Underwater World, because the message was impossible to read at a glance.

Only two out of the 40 achieved zero recall and they were for Motorola and Minolta. They were not by any means the worse designs.

They simply weren't memorable. Maybe they should try a different medium. After all, in advertising it is much better to be criticized than to be ignored.

~~

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b/ah,,b/ah~~

ADOIEvent Adrian Holmes started as a copywriter at Grey Advertising in 1976. 14 years and nine agencies later, he landed at Howard-Spink as joint creative director. In 1992, he was appointed chairman ofthe agency and chief executive officer ofthe Lowe Group, Europe. In 1997, he was promoted to chairman and chief creative officer of the newly renamed Lowe & Partners Europe. Adrian has won numerous awards at D&AD, campaign Press Awards, cannes Festival and the One Show in New York. In 1994, he served as President of D&AD. He is still a copywriter and continues to create advertising for various Lowe clients.

Don't miss the opportunity to hear Adrian Lowe talk about ''Thinking Inside the Box" at KLGCC, Tuesday, 26 November at 4pm. call Ragoo at 603 m6 2588 or 6016 383 o681 for more

·w:: ·.. ·. . !

-'

You read about legends. It's not often that you get to meet them too. Yup, one of the world's best advertising minds, the man on page 84, is coming to town to discuss something hardly anyone talks about these days - "Thinking Inside the Box" . For the benefit of advertisingwallahs who don't have the book above (shame on you), it's none other than Adrian Holmes, Chief Creative Officer, Lowe & Partners Worldwide.

Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club â&#x20AC;˘ Tuesday November 26 â&#x20AC;˘ 4pm

Title sponsors

Sponsors

DDDm.~ - PASSIONr!LT~~ f~

Ita AaiA P'AOII'IO

~

Official Magazine Event Organiser

aDOI

Advertising

Sirajudin & Partners put on RM3 million

with innovative DM campaign Local agency Sirajudin f:r Partners have put on over RM3 million in new business with a rather unconventional DM campaign. The campaign, to date, includes some sixty plus executions, mailed at two-day intervals, to the top 300 clients in Malaysia.

According to Creative Director Ben Hunt, it's a work-in-progress. "We write ten or so at a

time, then when we get close to running out, we write a few more. Occasionally, we throw in a long copy ad or a little box with something in it. I suppose we could send a lap dancer if we really wanted to. The framework's there."

Adds Managing Director Siraj, "It's all about establishing then maintaining a dialogue with the prospect. Nothing unusual

there, of course. I suppose the irony is that we're the only agency who are doing it."

The campaign was written by Ben Hunt and art directed by Danny Thong and Shamerullah Zafarullah. Account wins include UTM, Genovate, City Square Centre, KWSP(EPF) and Binary College. Sirajudin f:r Partners can be contacted at 6o3 788o 8433.

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How to beat those clowns from Leo Burnett Ple~se don't get the wrong idea.

We've nothing against the good people at Leo Bumett.

Actually, our headline is a reference to the job they've been doing for Malaysia's number one hamburger chain, McDonalds. (You know, home to probably the world's most famous clown, Ronald McDonald. Geddit?)

And why if you're one of McDonalds' competitors - indeed, if you're looking to take on the number one in any product category - you should talk to us.

You see, at Sirajudin & Partners we specialize in what we like to call 'challenger brands'.

At its simplest, we take brands that have a realistic chance of becoming number one.

And show them how to get there.

It mightn't sound that revolutionary and, in principle, it's not.

After all, it's every ad's job to sell and, as a consequence, improve market share.

Still, we believe focussing on brand leadership forces us to take a significantly different approach to most advertising agencies.

Rather than cobbling a strategy together and then penning a few ads to see you through the next twelve months, we'll put into place a long-term marketing proposal with one goal in mind.

Once again.

Brand leadership .

If you're

already in the top five, it'll probably be a three year plan. If you're outside the

top five, the time frame

will probably be longer.

will be a plan nonetheless. complete with all the ads.

But it One

{We've nothing against talking strategy, per se. But

without the ads, that's all it really is - talk.)

As you can imagine, our presentations tend to take considerably longer than most agencies.

Still, after a couple of hours with us, you may just come to the following conclusion.

You've been wasting years with your current agency.

To find out more, contact Siraj of Sirajudin & Partners on 03-7880 8433.

The Moderne

2003 D&AD Awards Call for Entries Final Deadline 17 January 2003

www.dandad.org

.,

The Golden l<ancil Winner Saatchi & Saatchi, "Chase" For Toyota Unser

Saatchi & Saatchi's "Chase"

26 aDOI

MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

I .¡. '

Copywriting in English Gold Winner- "Whose Earth" for Petroliam Nasional: Corporate by Leo Burnett

Best Website Design Gold Winner- Ogilvy One's "World's Smallest Ad" for Maggi Hot Cup

The Gold winner for the Film categoryr- Toyota Unser "Chase"

by Saatchi & Saatchi

Lim Oon Soon from Leo Burnett was awarded the Young Creative Award.

KANCIL NIGHT 2002 belonged to Saatchi and Saatchi, no doubt about that. The agency was awarded the Golden Kancil for its Toyota Unser "Chase" ad. But there were many other winners during the glitzy, glamorous and dazzling evening, filled with enthusiasm and excitement.

And dress seemed remarkably improved this year - no one showed up to the Shangri-La on 25 October wearing any weird outfits.

The event started out with a bang with tables winning lucky draws, which incidentally was a bottle of Black Label sponsored by Shangri-La. The food must have been delicious because dessert was hardly cleared before the faithful began the usual banging and clinking of cudery and glasses. (it's a wonder the Shang keeps inviting us all back?!?).

A total of 186 awards were given out that evening- five Golds, 15 Silvers, 54 Bronze and III Merits. Naga DDB was certainly making the most noise of any agency, but the staffers had very good reason to do so since the agency took home the most number of awards - 38. Naga was nominated in almost every category, and picked

up two Silvers, 13 Bronzes and 23 Merits. Naga also swept all the awards in the Direct Marketing category.

On the night, Leo Burnett was also a big winner picking up 31 awards -two Golds, two Silvers, nine Bronzes and 18 merits. This year's Young Creative Award went to Lim Oon Soon, also from Leo Burnett.

Two Golds were given out - to Lim Chee Wei of Dasein Academy or Art, and the team of ]ace Wong Mun Poh and Ikram Hafiz from Institut Teknologi Universal.

Ogilvy One also won a Gold in the Website category. and BBDO was awarded a Gold for Typography.

The judging panel for this years event was chaired by Dharma Somasundram, and included Cary Rueda, Edwin Leong, Jules Tan, Lee Szu Hung, Paul Lim, Ronald Ng, Simon Beaumont, SP Lee, Tan Yew Leong and Ted Lim. The foreign judges were David Guerrero, Jureeporn Thaidumrong and Patrick Low.

a001MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS 27

Melissa, Tze Ai, Eunice, Ben and Leon from Publicis

D'Arcy and Arc team up for the night. One last hurrah?

National Panasonic's Shahar Noor and Naga's Vincent Lee

Moon and friends are all smiles ...

Ang, Maxx Marketing, Steven (o&M) and Fulya Fraser and Andrew Kwan from Maxx Marketing

Clare Lim, art director of Grey Worldwide (Silver and Bronze winner for Nike) accompanied by LICT's joseph Teoh

jo-Anne Tan, Rod Strother from Grey Direct Interactive and Chris Leong, President, SEA of Grey Worldwide

4As Eddy Chin, and BBDO's jennifer Chan, Mohamed Adam

The enthusiastic group from Euro RSCG

Peter Anthony Das, Zainuddin M Noh and Stephen Bong

Wee and Paul Regan

Summary, Of Results AGENCY

GOLDEN KANCIL

GOLD

SILVER

SAATCHI & SAATCHI 2. LEO BURNETT 3路 OGILVY ONE 4路 BBDO s.O&M 6. NAGA DDB 7路 GREY 8.FCB 9路 ARACHNID 10. INTERFACE 11. FRIENDS AD. 12. BOZELL IJ.JWT 14. DY&R 15. EURO RSCG 16. LOWE & Partners 17. PUBLICIS 18. AMP RADIO 19. BATES

BRONZE

TOTAL

7

'5

9

18

4 13 8 4

13 23 9

31 4 6 20 38 21 14

II

14

1.

GRAND TOTAL

MERIT

II

4

15

Young Creative Award: Lim Oon Soon, Leo Burnett

2saDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

54

III

186

Patrick Daly, CD of Grey Two and jeff Orr of Grey Worldwide

l<a neil Student Award "NEW BRAND OF SOAP" GOLD Lim Chee Wei - Dasein Academy of Art ]ace Wong Mun Poh I Ikram Hafiz - Institut Teknologi Universal SILVER Teh Lian Siah - Dasein Academy of Art BRONZE Chooi Heng Ming- Institut Teknologi Universal Woon Jun Wei I Loo Chee Kiong I Lui Yit Meng I Pua Chun Seong/ Tam ]ian Zhong I Wong Chee Hong - Dasein Academy of Art MERIT Adeline Chew Phing Yu - The One Academy Hong Xiao Yeen - The One Academy Leong Mei Yee - The One Academy Ong Pei F'ng - Institut Teknologi Universal Lim Chee Wei - Dasein Academy of Art William Chow - Lim Kok Wing Institute of Creative Technology Melvin Pang Jyn Haur - Dasein Academy of Art Lim Lan Sea - Dasein Academy of Art Teh Ee Ling - Dasein Academy of Art

KANCIL AWARDS 2001/2002 Resu Its YOUNG CREATIVE AWARD ::::::;::::::::;:::::::;::::::::;::::::::;::::::::;::::::::;::::::::;::::::::;:::::J LIM OON SOON, LEO BURNETI

FILM

C:::::::::=::::::::==:....=..::::======::=t

AUTOMOBILES & ALLIED PRODUCI'S GOLD - Toyota Unser, "Chase", Saatchi & Saatchi

FOOD BRONZE- F&N Condensed Milk, "Bath", Naga DDB BRONZE- F&N Condensed Milk, "Garden", Naga DDB MERIT- Mamee Noodles, "Celebrate", DY&R MERIT- H:rN Condensed Milk, "Hand Wash", Naga DDB NON-EDIBLE CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS BRONZE- Drypers Diapers, "Interview", BBDO HOUSEHOLD DURABLES MERIT - Nippon Weatherbond, "It's mine", O&M BEVERAGES SILVER- NZM-Essential Milk, "Scoop", FCB BRONZE- NZM-Essential Milk, "Bottle", FCB BANKING AND FINANCLAL SERVICES BRONZE- UOB Visa, "Chetty", Naga DDB HOTEL AND TRAVEL MERIT- Express Rail Link, "Grandma", O&M APPAREL, COSMETICS AND ACCESSORIES SILVER - Nike Dri Fit, "Clothes-Line", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Nike Dri Fit, "Collapse", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Nike Tour Accuracy Golf Balls, "Commentator", Grey Worldwide TECHNOLOGICAL, INDUSTRIAL AND OFFICE EQUIPMENT BRONZE- Olympus Camedia Digital Cameras, "Palm", Lowe & Partners MERIT - Maxis SMS Challenge, "Limber Up", BBDO RETAIL AND PROMOTIONS BRONZE - Tv3 World Cup, "Makan Bola", Leo Burnett MERIT- ntv?, "Survivor", FCB MERIT- Pizza Hut: Black Pepper Pizza, "Symphony", O&M CORPORATE & SELF PROMOTION BRONZE - Perodua: Corp/Festive, "Lolek", Grey Worldwide BRONZE - Perodua: Corp/Festive, "Gift", Grey Worldwide BRONZE - Perodua: Corp/Festive, "Easier Said Than Done", Grey Worldwide BRONZE- Perodua: Corp/Festive, "Dilemma", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Tenaga Nasional, "Rough Rider", Leo Burnett MERIT- Tenaga Nasional, "Reunion Dinner", Leo Burnett MERIT- Tenaga Nasional, "Electric Light Orchestra", Leo Burnett

MERIT- Petroliam Nasional: Corporate, "Whose Earth", Leo Burnett MERIT- Slumberland: Corporate, "Chinese New Year", Naga DDB MERIT- Perodua: Corp/Festive, "Latuk", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Perodua: Corp/Festive, "Roads", Grey Worldwide OPEN CATEGORY BRONZE- Petroliam Nasional: Corporate, "The Prayer", Leo Burnett MERIT- Petroliam Nasional: Corporate, "Brudders", Leo Burnett

RADIO~ ------------­ OPEN TO ALL CATEGORIES SILVER- UOB: Visa, "Ab Loong", Naga DDB SILVER - Toyota Parts & Services, "Headlines", Saatchi & Saatchi BRONZE- Mennen Speedstick Deoderant, "Doorbell", Bozell Worldwide BRONZE- Toyota Parts & Services, "Football", Saatchi & Saatchi BRONZE- UOB:Visa, "Muthu", Naga DDB MERIT- Mennen Speedstick Deoderant, "Basketball", Bozell Worldwide MERIT- Seasons Asian Drink, "Melatah", Bozell Worldwide MERIT- Nu-Prep Tongkat Ali, "Intellect", Publicis MERIT- Toyota Parts & Services, "English Class", Saatchi & Saatchi MERIT - Sklcc-Fashion, "Commandos", FCB MERIT- Light & Easy, "CAT", DY&R

PRINT _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ AUTOMOBILE AND ALLIED PRODUCI'S MERIT- Toyota Unser, "Telescope", Saatchi & Saatchi FOOD MERIT - Dequadin, "Missed Calls", O&M HOUSEHOLD DURABLES MERIT - Panasonic Tau Tiga, "Astronaut", Naga DDB BANKING & FINANCLAL SERVICES BRONZE - The Edge, "The Edge "Contoh"", Bozell Worldwide APPAREL, COSMETICS AND ACCESSORIES MERIT - Optician, "Long-sighted?", Naga DDB MERIT- Optician, "Short-sighted?", Naga DDB MERIT- Orlando Stretch Leisure Wear, "Scary Movie", Publicis TECHNOLOGICAL, INDUSTRIAL & OmCE EQUIPMENT SILVER - Motorola Public Service, "Road Safety", O&M RETAIL & PROMOTIONS BRONZE - Kinokuniya, "Piano", Leo Burnett

BRONZE - Kinokuniya, "Trumpet", Leo Burnett BRONZE -Toyota Parts & Services, "24-Hours", Saatchi & Saatchi MERIT- Ericsson: Corporate, "Kampung Digi", Naga DDB MERIT- Schwarzkopf Hair Care, "Year Of The Horse", Naga DDB CORPORATE & SELF PROMOTION BRONZE- lkea, "Mother's Day", J Walter Thompson MERIT- Astro sth Anniversary, "Missing", DY&R MERIT- Hard Rock Cafe Kuala Lumpur, "Santa", Naga DDB MERIT- Restoran Narng Fa, Thai Restaurant, "Table Fans", Naga DDB MERIT- Restoran Narng Fa, Thai Restaurant, "Magic Buckets", Naga DDB MERIT- Restoran Narng Fa, Thai Restaurant, "Tissue Boxes", Naga DDB MERIT- Recruitment Ad, "How To Create A Good Ad", O&M OPEN CATEGORY SILVER- Matte! Matchbox, "Police", O&M SILVER- Matte! Matchbox, "Worm", O&M BRONZE- Malaysian Hairdressing Awards 2002, "Showdown", Naga DDB MERIT- Mattei Matchbox, "Speed Limit", O&M

OUIDOOR AND TRANSPORT

c::::....:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::J

OPEN TO ALL CATEGORIES BRONZE- Programme Promo-ntv?. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", FCB BRONZE- Energizer Battery, "Monorail", Naga DDB MERIT- Sports Spectrum, "Cardia", O&M MERIT- Malaysian Airlines: Corporate, "London Bus", Leo Burnett MERIT- Pizza Hut Delivery, "Just In Case", O&M

NON- PUBUCATlON PRINT - - - - - - - - - POINT-OF-SALE MERIT- MAB-Talking Bock Library, "Play Button Bock Band", Bozell Worldwide MERIT- MAB-Talking Bock Library, "Pause Button Bookmark", Bozell Worldwide MERIT- KFC Crispy Chicken, "Crunchy Mat", BBDO MERIT- Nike Presto, "Shoes First", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Nike Running, "Weighing Scale", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Nike Presto, "Hanger Invite", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Appeton Teengrow, "Balloon", Naga DDB MERIT- Miss Malaysia/World 2002 Pageant, "Sash", Naga DDB MERIT- Kinokuniya: Saturday Night Music Club, "Paperclip Triangle/Keyring Tambourine/Eyelet Flute/Papergrip Violin", Leo Burnett MERIT- Kinokuniya: Lord Of The Rings, "Inner Hobbit", Leo Burnett POSTER BRONZE- Kinokuniya, "Trumpet", Leo Burnett BRONZE- New Baygon Mosquito Control, "Sei", BBDO BRONZE- Ziploc -Sandwich Bag, "Pelican", FCB BRONZE- Ikea, "Mother's Day", J Walter Thompson BRONZE- Toyota Parts & Services, "Crumpled", Saatchi & Saatchi BRONZE- Sony Theater @ Home, "Chart", DY&R BRONZE- Mattei Matchbox, "Worm", O&M BRONZE- Mattei Matchbox, "Police", O&M BRONZE- Motorola Public Service, "Road Safety", O&M MERIT- Farley's Rusks, "Doctor", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Eucerin Q10, "Birthday Cake", FCB MERIT- Digi Telecommunications: Corporate, "Luv U 2", Naga DDB MERIT- Optician, "Long-sighted?", Naga DDB MERIT- Optician, "Short-sighted?", Naga DDB MERIT- Kinokuniya, "Piano", Leo Burnett MERIT- Malaysian Nature Society, "Raptor Watch", Leo Burnett MERIT- Sony Walkman, "Lazy Sunday", Leo Burnett MERIT- Toyota Parts & Services, "24-Hours", Saatchi & Saatchi MERIT - Toyota AI tis, "Newspaper", Saatchi & Saatchi MERIT- Mattei Matchbox, "Speed Limit", O&M MERIT- Toyota Unser, "Telescope", Saatchi & Saatchi MERIT- Twisties Hotstuff, "Eskimo", Euro RSCG PACKAGING BRONZE- Appeton Weight Gain, "Double Strenght Bag", Naga DDB DIRECT MARKETING MERIT- Photographer, "Digital Photography", Naga DDB MERIT- Recycling, "Groceries", Naga DDB MERIT- Recycling, "Office Supplies". Naga DDB MERIT- Recycling, "Personal Care", Naga DDB BEST FILM CAMPAIGN SILVER- Perodua Corporate Festive, "Lolek/Gift", Grey Worldwide BRONZE- F&N Condensed Milk, "Cabaran Tariking (Garden/Handwash/Bath)", Naga DDB BRONZE - NZM: Essential Milk, "Scoop/Bottle", FCB BRONZE- Tv3 World Cup, "Makan Bola/Pasu Pecah/Free Trip", Leo Burnett BRONZE - Nike Dry Fit, "Clothes Line/ Collapse", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Perodua Corporate Festive, "Roads/Ieknologi Baru", Grey Worldwide MERIT - UOB: Visa, "Try Harder (Chetty/Ab Loong)", Naga DDB MERIT - Tenaga Nasional, "Electric Light Orchestra/Rough Rider/Reunion Dinner", Leo Burnett BEST PRINT PUBLICATION CAMPAIGN BRONZE- Mattei Matchbox, "Worm/Police/Speed Limit", O&M MERIT- Restoran Narng Fa, Thai Restaurant, "Hot (Table Fans/ Ice Buckets/Iissue Boxes)", Naga DDB BEST POSTER CAMPAIGN BRONZE - Kinokuniya, "Origami Series", Leo Burnett MERIT- Bozell Irish Bash, "Beer Glass/Dart Flight/Entrance Sign/ Toilet Sign", Bozell Worldwide MERIT- Restoran Narng Fa, Thai Restaurant, "Hot (Table Fans/Ice Buckets/Iissue Boxes)", Naga DDB MERIT- Kinokuniya, "Coffee Club Express", Leo Burnett MERIT- Mattei Matchbox, "Worm/Police/Speed Limit", O&M

BEST RADIO CAMPAIGN BRONZE- Toyota Parts & Services, "Headlines/Football", Saatchi & Saatchi BRONZE- UOB: Visa, "Try Harder (Chetty/Ab Loong)", Naga DDB BEST MULTIMEDIA CAMPAIGN BRONZE- UOB: Visa, "Try Harder", Naga DDB (Tv: Chetty/Ab Loong) (Radio: Muthu/Ab Loong) MERIT- NZM Essential Milk, "Scoop/Bottle/Centipede", FCB

CHAIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .

COPYWRlTING IN ENGLISH GOLD- Petroliam Nasional: Corporate, "Whose Earth", Leo Burnett MERIT- Olympus: Camedia, "Palm", Lowe & Partners MERIT- Citibank Recruitment, "Diapers", DY&R MERIT- British Council Education UK, "SPider", FCB MERIT- British Council Education UK, "Pitch", FCB MERIT- Kinokuniya, "Coffee Club Express", Leo Burnett COPYWRlTING IN BAHASA MALAYSIA SILVER - National Panasonic AV Equip., "Tau Tak Tau", Interface Advertising MERIT- EON Vehicles, "Dua Kupang", Interface Advertising MERIT- Toyota Part Services, "Headlines", Saatchi & Saatchi MERIT- Toyota Part Services, "Football", Saatchi & Saatchi COPYWRlTING IN CHINESE BRONZE -Time Dotcom Corporate Service, "Santa Claus", Grey Worldwide BRONZE - Perodua Corporate, "Latuk/Lolek/Gift", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Carlsberg Green, "Chinese New Year Festive Ads (Version 2)", Bozell Worldwide MERIT- Carlsberg Green, "Chinese New Year Festive Ads (Version 3)", Bozell Worldwide MERIT- Orang Kampung SlinnningTea, "Mrs. Goh", AMP Radio Networks MERIT- Yellow Pages, "Water", FCB MERIT - ENO, "Good Fortune, Good Appetite", O&M MERIT- OXY, "Bride", O&M ART DIRECTION SILVER- Kinokuniya, "Trumpet", Leo Burnett BRONZE- Kinokuniya, "Piano", Leo Burnett BRONZE- IT Resources: Food, "Mohawk/Armpit/Hairy Chest", Saatchi & Saatchi MERIT- Febreze, "Tulip Chair", Grey Worldwide MERIT- roo Plus, "Run", Bates MERIT- New Baygon Mosquito Control, "Sei", BBDO MERIT- Ziploc - Sandwich Bag, "Pelican", FCB MERIT- Kinokuniya Manga & Sports Section, "Ultraman/Astro Boy/ Black Mask Rider", Leo Burnett MERIT- Mattei Matchbox, "Worm", O&M MERIT- Mattei Matchbox, "Police", O&M STILL PHOTOGRAPHY MERIT- Petronas Motorsport FI Demo, "Whoosh (Hair)", Leo Burnett TYPOGRAPHY GOLD- New Baygon Mosquito Control, "Sei", BBDO SILVER- Kinokuniya, "Trumpet", Leo Burnett BRONZE- Kinokuniya Travel Fair, "(Australia/Japan/London)", Leo Burnett MERIT- Kinokuniya, "Piano", Leo Burnett GRAPHIC DESIGN IN PRINT GOLD - Kinokuniya Origami, "Origami Series", Leo Burnett BRONZE - Logo, ".jA.ss 4 Kids", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Nike Presto, "Shoes First", Grey Worldwide MERIT- Kinokuniya: Saturday Night Music Club, "Paperclip Tria!lgle/Keyring Tambourine/Eyelet Flute/Papergrip Violin", Leo Burnett ILLUSTRATION IN PRINT BRONZE- Twisties Hotstuff, "Eskimo", Euro RSCG MERIT- Twisties Hotstuff, "Kidz", Euro RSCG FILM ANIMATION BRONZE- Digi Prepaid Plus, "Global", Naga DDB MERIT- Vita-C, "Kung-Fu", J Walter Thompson FILM DIRECTION SILVER - Digi: Corporate, "Thoughts", Naga DDB MERIT- Carl's Beer, "Corny Pick-Up Lines", Bozell Worldwide MERIT- Samsung Mobile, "Brazil", FCB CINEMATOGRAPHY BRONZE- Celcom Corporate, "Celcom Glohal Comm. 2", Bozell Worldwide BRONZE- Digi: Corporate, "Thoughts", Naga DDB FILMEDmNG BRONZE- Digi: Corporate, "Thoughts", Naga DDB MERIT- Carl's Beer, "Corny Pick-Up Lines", Bozell Worldwide BEST USE OF SOUND IN FILM AND RADIO SILVER- Kenari, "Cat and Canary". Friends Advertisng MERIT - Mennen Speedstick Deodorant, "Basketball", Bozell Worldwide MERIT- Mennen Speedstick Deodorant, "Basketball", Bozell Worldwide BEST WEBSITE DESIGN GOLD- Maggi Hot Cup, "World's Smallest Ad", Ogilvy One SILVER- Ford Malaysia: Brand Site, "Version 2- No Boundries", Arachnid SILVER- Maggi Hot Cup, "No Budget For Website", Ogilvy One BRONZE- HSBC Online Banking, "..statement Interactive Desktop", Arachnid MERIT- Volvo Maintenance Programme, "Vroom", Ogilvy One MERIT - Maggi Hot Cup, "Space/Stunts/Godzilla", Ogilvy One MERIT- FIFA World Cup Subsite, "Eat Football, Sleep Football, Surf Coca-Cola". Arachnid

a001 MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS29

EventManagemant

Ma l<ing It Experiential ...

by Michelle Fernandez

The launch of rhe Volvo SBo at Bukit Bin tang

30 aDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

AS clients are still go about doing traditional advertising, sponsorship has opened a new door for them. Branding is an important element in any business, as most entrepreneurs should know, but what happens when everyone is doing the same thing to build their brand? There has to be something else that can be done effectively in order to add value to this already proliferated method of just advertising and conducting promotions. ADO! recently sat down with Hugh Yii, managing director, Pang Hian Tee, director business development, and Raja Aris Dzulkifli, director, from Hydl Inc to get the scoop on what they do and how it has rather noisily become one of the most effective tools in brand building.

Hydl is actually an organisation that was set up in Singapore and is now coming into Malaysia; they already have a partner company here that assists them in making all their events a success. The term 'experiential marketing' is what they are calling it. In simple terms, their events connect with people and their lifestyles; engaging them in the events that are taking place and making them feel good about the brand. They are a specialist in 'live communications.' And through strategic alliances, Hydl provides clients with an integrated communications plan that works for the brand on so many different levels. It is not however, a Public Relations company.

It is not here to compete against traditional advertising, instead, it's a way of enhancing and building a stronger platform for brand building. One active client is Volvo. "Volvo as known in its positioning is the car that's declared as the 'safe' car for the family, or the car that my dad drives," said Pang. "We needed to reposition the brand, appealing to the younger market, while still maintaining its core essence, which is safety." So what was their course of action? After many brainstorming sessions, an interesting plan was cooked up and executed.

For the launch of the S8o Volvo, a huge street party took place at Bukit Bintang for two whole weeks, with acrobats, performers and all the fun stuff you could think of. It gave Volvo a new image, one that connected with the younger generation. Instead of having a normal launch in a showroom, Hydl managed to bring Volvo closer to its current target market

EventManagemant by organising an event on their turf, one that relates to their culture and lifestyle. For the launch of the S4o Volvo, the World Music Festival was the event that dazzled the public.

There was also a cross-country expedition where the potential customers were taken out to the countryside and that was done twice because of its success. Of course, the event did not single handedly win over the ma;rket just by the event alone, advertising and promotional activities were conducted in sync with its purpose of making the brand look younger.

In addition to that, other internal training activities were conducted with dealers. Motivational talks, editors from the auto magazine and professional speakers from Volvo came down to help the dealers add more value to the brand. The entire marketing plan was a huge success and the results were definitely something to be proud of.

Another success story would be Caltex. The main objective of Caltex would be to drive more traffic into its stations, but obviously in Malaysia, Caltex would definitely have to take a backseat to Shell and Petronas. This didn't discourage Hydl, it wasn't about becoming the number one gas station around, they just wanted to make their presents felt. The first course of action was to increase the number of stations in sub-urban areas. Next up, Hydl has the rights for conducting the Famous Duck Race that started in Phoenix, having rights over the Asia region, except Japan, Hydl organised and conduct the Duck Racing event, while Caltex was the main sponsor. So far, this event has only taken place in Singapore and Malaysia.

Although Hydl basically owns the Duck Racing event, it would be a job well done if people started associating the event with Caltex. "But you have to constantly reinvent and recreate new ideas, because although it's a fun event, if you come back the following year and it's the same thing, people will get bored", said: Hugh.

The logistics was also a challenge, especially since it was basically dealing with nature, having to choose the right river was all part of the planning process. Caltex on the other hand did some of their own promotions like counting the number of ducks competition, so that went hand in hand with the whole event. At the end of the day, Hydl would want its clients to feel, whether in terms of sales or response or being seen as an important part of the community, that they have gained more than what was invested in the programme.

The Hydl group consist of three units, the first one being MLA Special Events, which has

the longest history, they're the ones behind the scenes of conducting corporate events, some of which were mentioned earlier. Since each market has different beliefs and cultures, communications plans are adapted and tweaked so that it applies to the various target groups and MLA handles all this. The other part of Hydl is Diakonos Arts & Entertainment that was started at the same time handling also corporate events. Now this unit sets up shows and plays for marketers to sponsor. Although Diakonos is not entirely in Malaysia, it is slowly climbing its way into the market. Why wasn't it here before? Simply because Hydl felt that the market just wasn't ready for these kinds of events. For one, ticket sales would be very poor, probably because it was either too expensive or people didn't have the interest. Now there's a tangible change in the market.

That's why musical plays such as Fame and Cats were such an accomplishment.

Fame was actually a testing ground to see how the market would reacted to it and Cats was a confirmation of the market. The reason for this testing was so Hydl could convince foreign producers to start looking at the Kuala Lumpur market. Contrary to that is kids shows.

Kid shows always works because it's family oriented. "Diakonos also acts as the middle person or representatives for the producers, this is simply because it doesn't make sense for these producers to start up a company of their own especially since their shows probably run once every five years," stressed Aris. Lastly, they have the Festival Square Circle. They licence out specific events to corporations for sponsorship such as the Caltex Duck Race.

China is the next market that Hydl will be going into. Since the market is growing rapidly, there's definitely a bright future for them there. However, Malaysia will probably be seeing more of Hydl and its other three units. Currently MLA is more dominant here with yo% of the business coming from corporate events.

Their ideal target is to equalise that percentage with Diakonos coming in soon. In short, sponsorship is definitely an important tool in today's marketing plan; it makes a strong foundation when more angles are covered to better brand building. "Every time a client comes to us and decides to sponsor something, we tell them that for every r dollar they spend on sponsorship, they should spend another four dollars to work on other marketing tool such as advertising, promotions and so forth, because just sponsorship will not work, it has to be a full integrated communications plan with support from various mediums," explained Pang. t;)

liYou have to constantly reinvent and recreate new ideas, because although it's afun event, if you come bacl< the following year and it's the same thing, people will get bored"

The calrex Duck Race

aDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS 31

Special Report

e Brand: Panasonic

Title: Truly Dynamic Duration: JOsecs

Client: National Panasonic Agency: Dentsu Malaysia Creative Director: Alex Sumj Damien Ong-Yeoh Art Director: Adrian Lee Copywriter: Vicky Saw Language: English Summary: With Panasonic, it allows us to have vibrant, energetic and a forceful way of living.

RECENTLY, Adforum.com, organised an ¡ biggest agencies and agency search co group R3 Asia Pacific - ADOfs partner

BrllDd: Malaysia Airlines Title: Going Beyond Expectations Duration: 6osecs Client: Malaysia Airlines Agency: Leo Burnett Advertising Creative Director: Chan Lee ShonjAlex Lim Art Director: Chan Lee Shon Copywriter: Alex Lim Language: English, Malay Summazy: The next time you want to fly, choose the airline that gives you so many choices in service.

BrllDd: Kancil Title: Double Take Duration: 40secs, Josecs

Client: Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Agency: Naga DDB Creative Director: Alan Lim Art Director: jo Ho Copywriter: Kevin Le Language: Malay, English Summaxy: The sleek, shining looking car with expensive interior that you just saw is actually a new style Kancil.

BriUld: TMNet Corporate Title: New World Duration: 90secs, 6osecs

Client: TMNet Sdn Bhd Agency: Foote, Cone & Belding Creative Director: P.H Yap Art Director: Stephen Tan/Ong Kien Hoe Copywriter: Ajay Bakshi Language: Malay, English, Chinese Summmy: TMNet is creating a new world for us by giving services that are in harmony with the spirit of the era.

BriUld: EON Retail Title: Low Duration: 2osecs Client: Edaran Otomobil Nasional Agency: Interface Advertising Sdn Bhd Creative Director: Lakshmi Mohan Art Director: Low Ch unwan Copywriter: Dilaila Yahya Language: English, Malay, Chinese Summary: You can look down as low as possible but i t cannot be compared to the lowest interest EON has for Protons.

BrllDd: Maxis EasyAccess Title: Cinema/Cafe Duration: Josecs

Client: Maxis Agency: BBDO Executive Creative Director: Huang Ean Hwa Art Director: jules Tan

ECD/Copywriter: Bhavan i R Language: English, Malay, Chinese Summaxy: With EasyAccess, you can book your movie ticket or pay your bills with a few clicks of buttons. All you need is 64k upgrade smart card.

ffiedioBonc For more information please call Izza Ismail of MediaBanc at 03 7983 6668

32 a001 MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

Marcia Moreira, vice chainnan and chief creative officer McCann-Erickson WorldGroup with R3 Asia Pacific's Goh Shu Fen

IT'S not every day that you get to spend a few hours in the boardroom with Maurice Levy, Ed Meyer, Jerry Judge and other industry leaders - and it's not every day you get to throw difficult questions at them and amaze in the way they can 'juggle' with such professionalism. So we took the opportunity to represent Asia Pacific at the first ever Adforum.com Global Agency and Consultants Summit.

Over three days, a small group of r8 consultants, representing the US, Europe and for the first time Asia, met with each other and with the global leaders of FCB, Y&R, McCann, Grey, Lowe, DDB and The Publicis Group.

In the past 12 months, these r8 had managed over 240 agency searches, counting for more than US$2 billion in billings- So collectively, we got the agencies' attention. And a few free lunches.

We also got the chance to share best practices amongst ourselves, and discuss broader industry trends and challenges. One thing that struck us was that because of a longer history, the consultant business is well entrenched in the US and Europe - and truly welcomed by agencies even more so than advertisers_ There were the usual 'horror stories' of how some rogue marketers have abused the pitch process in the past, but with an independent consultant, agencies generally welcomed this layer of 'sanity' and transparency. There was a real sense that we were helping to level the playing field and that selection was being based on more things than just money.

But what did we see and learn from the agencies? Well, we made an agreement with each CEO that certain things would stay 'off the record', so think of this as having been through our local government censor -you'll get plenty of juice, just maybe not the kissing scenes though. The key opinion of most, having seen all the agencies, was this throwaway line from someone at one stage - " 8o% of agencies have the same point of difference" - or better said, most agencies credentials are more similar than they should be_ They're in the business of positioning companies, they may need to spend more time positioning themselves_ Here were the directions each one is heading

That's aNew Lowe Lowe did an impressive job of recognising its core competency (the creative product) and positioning its brand firmly in this area. As Jerry Judge, CEO said "We're definitely not McCann - thank goodness!" And it was a

Specia IReport

exclusive summit in New Vorl< with l<ey CEOs representing 12 of the world's nsultants from around the world. Goh Shu Fen, principal of consultancy in the monthly New Business ScoreBoard - filed this report. common theme through the week of the importance of differentiation within the holding companies. Lowe are working on an interesting strategy to handle integration globally with Draft, Golin Harris and Initiative Media. If it comes off, they'll certainly be the exception to the rule, but Jerry Judge and President Tim Lindsay certainly gave us the confidence they would give it their best shot. They also made a 90minute presentation without a single PowerPoint slide -very refreshing.

WhyY&R? In contrast, Y&R was closer to Wall Street in feel than the 'London Soho' feel of Lowe. Mike Dolan, the CEO, has a financial background, and no doubt Sorrell makes sure this is run as a business first, an agency second. There's nothing wrong with this - many clients like Colgate, Citibank and IBM welcome this kind of discipline -but likewise most clients may see them as a little stiff. Their integration approach is that 'best alone -better together' - that Wunderman, Landor, Burson Marstellar are all 'best in class' brands, as opposed to just 'integrated shingles' of the main agency. And their 'key client account' strategy has meant that IS brands represent so% of the agency, 6,000 brands represent the other so%. Their challenge now is that WPP wants them to have those four to five more 'big' global clients.

Vive La Difference It can't be just because I'm a woman... the whole room was entranced with Maurice Levy and his charisma. Here he was just one week after the closure of his deal to take over Leo Burnett, D'Arcy and 49% of BBH, as well as establishing, as he put it "a monogamous relationship with Dentsu - despite the fact that we are French!" The combined entity would have 37,000 people and 4.6 billion Euros turnover, changing the traditional'Top 3' club of IPG, WPP and 0Innicom to a 'Top 4.' Maurice was as clear as his legal eagles would allow him to be on the move to merge in D'Arcy. It would be a challenge to successfully manage and build four global brands, two boutiques and then a vast group of other BTL

and PR businesses, this much was clear.

His vision is that with Publicis coming from France, Saatchis from London, Burnetts from Chicago, Fallon from Minneapolis, they are the only holding group that 'believes and respects the origins' as he calls it. Or more directly, 'We dunn wann no cookie cutter agency group." This was a man on a mission - and with some cash reserves and healthy stock, who knows where he will go shopping next.

only collect IS% of the media, or just cover their own head hours - no, they want to be paid by results - and now So% of their clients are on this model. 'We believe within two to three years most Asian agencies will evolve in this way as well."

McCann Can

Everyone loves to jab at McCann. "Oh, their creative sucks." "Well, its fine if you want to work for the CIA." But in our two meetings with them in New York, we gained a real respect for A Lighter Shade Of Grey them as the global powerhouse of the industry.

One place that made it very clear it is not for Jim Heekin, CEO presented lots of smart solusale was Grey, run by the enigmatic Ed Meyer. At tions to us, but one credential stood out - if you 77. and without the need for PowerPoint, a speech look at the countries where the agency ranks in or any notes, he talked for an hour debunking ¡ the top three. McCanns is there in 8s markets. what he calls 'the four myths of Grey' -that Grey The next highest ranked is 0&M in 28, followed is run only by him ("With US$1.9 billion in rev- by JWT in 2s. Now that's some gap- and if I'm a enue, I'd be a very busy man"), that Grey's cre- multinational marketer like Coke, Nestle or Masative is poor ("I won't comment on this, I'll just tercard, it's reassuring to know I have so many play a reel"- and he did- of excellent work.), strong local agencies to support me.

Grey is a packaged goods agency (he showed us McCann also seem to be getting closest to the smart case studies from telecom to corporate and 'holy grail' on integration - they have a mathedeclared only 28% of their revenue was from matical tool that looks at the drivers behind packaged goods). And finally that "Grey is for why a client is marketing, and equate these drisale". His view is clear - as the only decent glob- vers to where the money should be spent. In al single agency holding company, they offer a some cases, this will mean no advertising at all. very different and more outward looking inte- To be clear, every agency talked the same story grated business to the others. "We don't run a they were the only one that showed any communications bazaar where you can pick and detailed theory of how they actually uphold the choose like a Chinese menu," he added. Most of story. Truth well told. the consultants agreed - that integration was only believed if there is extensive evidence of the The Learnings For Asia disciplines working well together.

The key message is that the daily agency battle for survival in Asia is being felt just as strongThe Whole Truth of FCB ly in the US. And the feeling we got was that is We knew CEO Brendan Ryan was a plain speaker came from this defensive assertion of the eternal by reputation - his recent 4A's speech was pep- power of advertising. Some agencies have sensed pered with words we can't use on local TV. But in that the business has moved on. As one observer this case, he was refreshingly blunt by focusing said "Who cares about a brilliant 30 second commercial if you have to wait 30 minutes on the first 011 his client - and potential client issues customer service line?" And Asian companies are the removal of 30 CEOs in the last year, the Enron and Anderson effects, etc - it was nice to hear a facing this same challenge- can agencies (and credentials presentation talking about the indus- their growing army of aligned companies) truly try, not only the agency. His view was com- connect to step up to this? ~ pelling - for something as small as Oreo's cookies, Goh Shu Fen is principal of R3 Asia Pacific, a specialtheir advertising played a major role in building ist consultancy on agency relationships and compena US$1 billion franchise - so why should they sation. She can be emailed at shufen@rthree.com

aDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS 33

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"In order for Malaysian companies, organisations and individuals to excel in the global community we must have a strong brand"

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The Brand team from left: Kamarul Bahrin (producer/ journalist), Shireen Sidhu and Suhaimi Sulaiman (comperes), Tg Elida Bustaman (senior producer), Khalid Ahmad (journalist) and (in front) Tg Firhad Bustaman (producer)

ACCORDING to initial ratings reports, an audience of just over 75o,ooo tuned in a few weeks back to see the debut of TV3's latest English-language programme, The Brand. The half-hour magazine-style show is an example of the "bold, best-of-breed programmes" promised byTV3 CEO Ahmad Farid Ridzuan at the inaugural TV3 Screenings 2002- an event held on 5 September at Carcosa Sri Negara to showcase TV3's lineup for the new television season beginning September 2002.

The Brand airs every Saturday at 7:3opm and features the developments and issues in the marketing and communications industry, including news, technology, creativity, communication strategies, lifestyle and events. It's hosted by Suhaimi Sulaiman and Shireen Sidhu.

Suhami says that Farid assisted in coming up with the programme concept. "He felt it was time Malaysia had a TV programme discussing communications issues."

The Brand hopes to break new ground in

Suhaimi Sulaiman is the consummate Malaysian TV professional having worked at TV3 since 1990 in a variety of roles including assistant producer, broadcast journalist, marketing manager of Grand Brilliance - a TV3 subsidiary, news and current affairs editor, and currently, anchor/manager of content development, in the past he's hosted, anchored or produced such shows as Malaysia Hari Ini, Face to Face, Teleskop, Bincang Petang, Agenda, Editor, Buletin Utama, Nightline, Business News, Money Matters, Lunch with CEO, and Belanjawan.

The hosts: Suhaim i Sulaiman and Shireen Sidhu

34 a001 MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

connecting average consumers with the science of advertising and marketing. "Viewer demands are changing," said Farid. "We have to remake ourselves in order to keep up."

"In order for Malaysian companies, organisations and individuals to excel in the global community," Suhaimi adds, "we must have a strong 'brand'. This programme exposes Malaysians to the many communication strategies used to become leaders."

Producers are aiming to attract to The Brand a core audience of what's known in the industry as PMEBs (professionals, managers, executives and businessmen) and young adults. But they are also quick to point out that The Brand should be attractive to the mass market as well.

It's become clear after a few episodes that the programme follows a free-flowing format. Suhaimi insists The Brand will remain this way. "The programme is flexible when it comes to content segmentation," he said. "The programme offers the latest

Shireen Sidhu is the one of the much talked about female anchors of TV3's coverage of the World Cup 2002. She is a part-time presenter with TV3 and a partner in a Kuala Lumpur legal firm. The 29-year-old Shireen has studied at the London School of Economics, The University of London and Australian College of journalism. She's written for such magazines as Mosaic, Stiletto and Inflight Magazine Australia and appeared as a model in various TVCs. She was the 2nd runner-up in the Estee LauderLycos Asia "Intuition" Model Search.

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developments and issues in marketing communications. For instance, it will look at problems that advertising had to solve how the proposed solutions were reached and what results were achieved.

But there are a few regular segments in one case three commercials, are aired and viewers are given an opportunity to vote for their favourite via SMS. In addition, the programme's producers intend to air foreign TVCs as well.

One thing that's immediately clear about the programme is the "alternative" style of photography. "The Brand is presented in a zany, unorthodox way," says Suhaimi. "But the last thing The .Brand wants to be is predictable. You will see different approaches and styles every week."

In the first few episodes the programme has already aired interview segments with several of the advertising industry's most colourful characters- film director joe Hasham, Leo Burnett executive creative director Yasmin Ahmad, DYR creative director Cary Rueda, and ADO! publisher Harmandar Singh. In addition, Suhaimi reports, Yasmin has agreed to appear as a co-host on a monthly basis.

But will programmes like The Brand have the power to push TV3's ratings even higher? "Throughout the years, TV3 has always enjoyed the top spot in terms of ratings. We intend to not only keep it that way, but to widen the gap between us and our

The Viewers Checl< In -"They should have a 'making of.. .' section for TVCs produced locally. They could talk about how special effects are used."

- 'The show is targeted at marketers and their agencies. These groups probably account for o.I% of the IS+ population. Having it on prime time is a waste of 'consumer attention.' I don't think consumers can ever relate or appreciate the programme."

- "The exposure to the foreign commercials is important for our industry. Sure, you can download them from the Internet, but it's nicer to see them on TV."

BroadcastMed ia

1V3 Most Popular Station Malaysians have voted TV3 the country's most popular station, according to a recent survey commissioned by Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission and carried out by Unversiti Kebagsaan Malaysia Pakarunding. The regulator for the industry commissions quarterly studies to check on the performance of the broadcast and telecommunications industries.

In the third nation-wide survey. known as Customer Satisfaction Survey III (Wave III), UKM nearest competition," said Farid.

He went on to say that TV3 intends to Pakarunding was assigned to gauge general audiachieve this by increasing its customer ence satisfaction of radio and TV broadcasts, focus and structuring its business in line postal and courier services. The survey covered with various target audiences. "We are a April to june 2002. Results were released at end much flatter and less hierarchical organiza- August 2002.

TV3 scored 3.67 on the Customer Satisfaction tion today than we were six months ago," Index, which is graded between r (very unsatisFarid claims. "Today, our teams are formed fied) to 5 (very satisfied). Verbatim comments according to the relevant key audience segments - be they working professionals or from respondents included one that said, "TV3 is marketing housewives. Each team member the best local production."

"TV3's popularity was unprecedented," said is responsible for living and breathing his or her target audience's needs, to help us TV3 Chief Executive Officer Encik Farid Ridzuan.

"We were taken aback by the results and the figuncover exactly what viewers desire." ures meant all the more to us coming as they did And apparently this new strategy is from an independent body." working. Since late june 2002, TV3's ratings To top it all off, TV3 exceeded its own target. and share of total audience aged six and In its 40th (September 29, 2002 to October 5, 2002 above has increased to 46% (see sidebar). and based on Nielsen Media Research Week 0240) "We have always produced the content viewweek of broadcast, TV3 captured an astounding ers want," said Farid. "Buletin Utama is Malaysia's highest-rated news programme. 46% share of total audience. This made it the Senario is one of Malaysia's most watched largest share ever captured since two-and-a-half programmes, Majalah 3 is always among the years ago (week ro/year 2000).

"We had aimed for 45% and we actually top 20 most-watched weekly programmes and ]uara Lagu Akhir is currently the high- achieved 46%," said Farid. "This went beyond our est rated programme in the industry, own expectations."

TV3 also swiped the top ten charts for most watched by over 3¡9 million viewers last popular programmes aired during network's year alone ."

When set against such standards, it 40th week, including Senario, Majalah J, Mr would seem n ear impossible for The Brand Bean, Anugerah Era, 999, Neraca Hidup Kisah to reach these same dizzying heights. But Benar, Cerekarama (Cendera Kasih) and Buletin you never know. 750,000 people is certainly Utama. All figured among the top ten most popular programmes aired the week of 29/9 to sfro. a good audience to build on.

The earlier UKM survey covered 2,000 households selected randomly throughout the nation.

They represented rural and urban areas, using the Malaysian electoral roll as the sampling frame. In addition, 8r people were interviewed in select focus groups. These comprised men and -"Perhaps it would be useful to have some updates women, aged between 20 and 65, of various ethor explanations of the different types of media nic groups and socioeconomic background. available - e.g. ambient media" The independent survey found that yo% of viewers watched TV3 "most frequently" and "very -"I do not expect people to go out and blatantly frequently," followed by NTV7 (480/o), TV2 (24%) copy past CNN, CNBC etc programmes, but they and TVr (20%). should learn from the experts. Pick up a few good "TV3 had always known it led the pack," said pointers for they are free anyway."

Farid. "It was gratifying to have an independent body reaffirm this through scientific validation."

We don't make this stuff up. These letters are 99% Malaysians own or have access to televiall real. In the spirit of Malaysian anonymity, sion sets. The average respondent watched we'lllet the comments stand for themselves. between one to four hours of TV per day. 6)

a001 MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS 35

DirectMarketing

NEWS BRIEFS: WORLD •

LieseAbout

COUNTRY FOR "WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?"

100TH

The recent launch of "who Want To be A Millionaire?" in Kenya marks the rooth country for the quiz show since its global debut four years ago.

In that time, 44 different people have claimed the top prize of $r million in 23 different versions of the quiz show around the world .

•

PUBLICIST TO ELIMINATE D'ARCY

Recent news reports have stated that D'Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles, the world's 14th largest agency brand, is the latest victim of industry consolidation.

Publicis Groupe, which became D'Arcy's parent after · its merger with Bcom3 Group was finalised last month, is closing the agency and folding D' Arcy clients into the holding company's other agencies.

According to New York Post writer Paul Tharp, D'Arcy is the father of America's biggest icon- Santa Claus. The agency created the rotund, red-coated Santa in 1934 for Coca-Cola.

•

DROGA SHORTllffiD FOR BEST UK CD

Australian David Droga, executive creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi London, has been shortlisted as Britain's best creative director in the debut 'best of the best' advertising awards scheme. The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising published the shortlist for the BOB Awards from a list of soo nominees. Droga collected Saatchi & Saatchi's Agency of the Year accolade at Cannes as well as taking home the Press Grand Prix award.

•

UK MOTOR SHOW DEFENDS 'SEX.Isr AD

The organisers of the British international motor show have defended poster ads featuring a woman in a lacy bra after trade and industry secretary, Patricia Hewitt, launched a scathing attack on the ads calling them "sexist" and "pathetic". Al Clarke, the head of communications for the motor show, responded by saying the controversial posters had been designed by a woman, and insisted many visitors to the event had found them funny. And he claimed the ad, which carries the caption "The other way to a man's heart is down the M6 and off at junction 4", was simply a "witty" attempt to encourage women to take their partners to the show.

•

FORMER GREY VP PLEADS GUILTY

Former Grey Advertising vice president for graphic services joe Payne recently pleaded guilty in US federal court in charges related to a Department of justice investigation into billing practices in the printing industry. He pleaded guilty to two counts of over billing Grey clients for print services executed

by The Color Wheel, a Manhattan based graphics supplier. Payne also pleaded guilty to accepting kickbacks from an independent printing vendor, john Chess a.

•

D&AD 2002 ANNUAL AVAILABLE

The 488-page D&AD Annual 2002 features over 2,500 illustrations and 646 pieces of poster, press, television, cinema commercials, and interactive, brand, graphic, product and environmental designs.

The annual is is £69 and is available at http:/jwww.dandad.org.

36 aDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

By Kurt Crocker, Creative Director, Drayton Bird, Crocker and Mana Sdn. Bhd (DBC&M)

IT'S remarkable what we ad agency types are willing to blurt out for public consumption.

Sometimes it's merely brag and boast. Too often, it's just absurd.

I am not completely untouchable in this area. Back in my days at 0& M, we approached new business prospects with the promise of what was then called "orchestration" . I thought it a lovely word to replace the rather cold and calculated alternative: "integration". The equally cold, and frustrating, factof-the-matter was that whatever it was called, it really didn't exist.

I'm sure O&M is doing this "total communications" thing better now, as are all the other big, international agencies (yeah, right). But back then, my Direct Marketing division at this esteemed global entity (I was in love with David Ogilvy then, and still am, god rest his talented soul) was pretty much left to succeed or fail on its own.

So, in reality, we were a mini, specialist agency, tucked beneath the corporate armpits of an elder - and rather distant - cousin.

Those days, as they say, we were a team of five at the earliest stages. Yet, we peddled ourselves as part of gigantic and completely synergistic machine, therefore completely able to deliver our one-on-one, long-term relationship solutions.

The truth was that we were capable of delivering those solutions, without the corporate armpit. And, more often than not, we did.

DBC&M, my current interest, is also a small agency. And "big is better" is still the battle cry of our people-endowed, networkconnected counterparts. But predictably, I suppose, that battle cry can become desperately vindictive.

Some of these big agency types will say absolutely anything to meet their HQ's profit projections. One of these agency types; I'm told, suggested to Client X that Agency X should not be a considered choice because

Agency X was "too small and couldn't possibly handle the business". This is an example of the aforementioned absurdity. Even the biggest agencies can't "handle the business" if they don't have a willing, caring, dedicated and knowledgeable team. Frankly, too many of them don't.

And let's get back to this "global resources" claim. I can count on one finger the number of times I took advantage of O&M's muchtouted worldwide network. (For the record,

Imagine a huge, international Direct Marl<eting agency that taii<S about global resources here in Malaysia, promises full service but declines to reveal staff-on-hand

0& M is not the employer of the agency type just mentioned. I have many friends there still and I'm very proud of them.) If you have international knowledge, and can knowledgeably apply it to the local market, you really don't need a global network.

There's more about the bigness issue.

Imagine a huge, international Direct Marketing agency that talks about global resources here in Malaysia, promises full service but declines to reveal staff-on-hand. Why not simply say, "Yes, we're small now. (Or even, "we don't have any staff to speak of yet.") But as we grow we will help our clients enjoy greater sales. And we have the expertise to do that."

Why the lies about size? Because, somehow, "bigness" has replaced "service and solutions" as a selling point. Perhaps it's time for agencies like mine to resurrect the old, and beautiful, Volkswagen battle cry: "Think Small." 6) .

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•

BT APPOINTS PR REGIONAL MANAGER

BT recently announced the appointment of David Clarke as public relations manager for Asia Pacific. Clarke will be responsible for BT's external communications across all Asia Pacific markets, including Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.

•

OGILVY THAILAND WINS NEW BUSINESS

The Ogilvy group of companies in Thailand has won new business totaling baht 24 million. O&M Advertising has been appointed by existing client Caldbecks to work on an additional major brand Dewar's Scotch Whisky, OgilvyOne has been appointed by DTAC mobile phones network to work on a major customer acquisition and customer retention programme, OgilvyAction has picked up new commissioned projects Campari, Kodak and DTAC, and OgilvyPR is working with KrungThai Bank to prepare the way for their Public Offering.

•

ECONOMIST ASIA-PACIFIC CIRCULATION UP

Recently released data shows latest circulation figures for The Economist in the Asia Pacific region up 13% to 96,841. This year-on-year growth, comes on the heels of 12 years of continuous growth in circulation.

•

''TOP GEAR" COMES TO BBC WORLD

Top Gear, BBC's much-touted car programme, returns to BBC World in November hosted by jeremy Clarkson. Filmed in a purpose-built complex deep in the British countryside, Top Gear airs every Saturday at 6:3opm, repeating Sunday at 1:3opm.

•

ESPN STAR APPOINTS NEW TAIWAN SALES DIRECTOR

ESPN STAR Sports has announced the appointment of Alice Chiang as advertising sales director for Taiwan. Alice has held senior positions in media agencies, local newspapers and most recently leading Power TV Network's advertising and promotions efforts.

•

CINDY MIN REJOINS OGILVY

Cindy Min has rejoined the Ogilvy group to head up the OgilvyHealthcare practice in Beijing, where she will be responsible for the firm integrated marketing communications campaigns for consumer healthcare clients Pfizer and Nestle.

In 1996 she launched Ogilvy Health & Medical industry practice.

•

ZEFA COMES EAST

Photo agency network zefa visual media group has appointed R Ian Lloyd Productions as official representative in Southeast Asia. R Ian Lloyd is the biggest independent picture agency in Singapore.

This new partnership will cover the markets of Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam.

•

BURNm lAuNCHES 'ILEO'

Leo Burnett has recently announced the formation of iLeo, a digital, direct and database network bringing together Burnett agencies from around the globe including those in Singapore, Australia, Taiwan and Malaysia. In Sydney, where direct and database marketing agency CW will move into iLeo, the new network will become the third-largest customer communications specialist in the country overnight.

38 aDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

A1

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More embarrassing legal skid marks staining the pages of the world's advertising press SOME months ago I did a bit about the bunched up mess of slightly soiled legal briefs that were lying at the bottom of the industry's laundry basket. Now if you thought that it was a portakabin of isolated incidents, well you'd be wrong because the lawsuits and lawbreakers are still flying around like a mad woman's shit, and most of it's in America. AdAge reports that a bunch of salesmen at a print production company in New York have pleaded guilty to issuing agencies with false invoices. So far they have been charged with defrauding agency clients; r8 counts of conspiracy, commercial bribery, mail fraud, witness tampering and tax evasion. They were caught during an ongoing federal antitrust investigation in the marketing communications industry. And the CFO of one company involved has committed suicide. Evidently this has been going on from the early 1990s. I guess they thought they could keep their soiled undies hidden beneath their trousers indefinitely, but the stink obviously leaked out and gave them away in the end.

Talking of nasty odours . Campaign magazine reports with typically British delight (as theirs smells like roses you know) that two major international ad agencies are now being done by the US government. One agency, it appears, has been accused of billing irregularities on the US Army Recruitment account (worth a piffling US$rso million) .

And the other was obliged to give back US$r.9 million after having been sued by the government for . bill padding. A congresswoman called Kilpatrick, who may be related to Joe McCarthy, is leading this assault. She is pushing through a law that any advertising company found defrauding the US government would be banned from doing ads for them or from receiving taxpayer's money.

This is from the government that has the taxpayer paying army contractors US$rooo for a toilet seat. I'd rather trust an incontinent trapeze artist.

According to AdAge again, Lorillard

Tobacco Co have once more got the shits with the American Legacy Foundation (ALF), the body set up by the cigarette manufacturers themselves to combat smoking amongst the young. They have launched another legal suit, this time it's over a radio ad placed by ALF who, flushed with success

An advertising company found defrauding the US government would be banned from doing ads for them

over their last award-winning 'Truth' campaign, called an actual Lorillard employee and asked if he wanted to buy dog urine as a source of urea (whatever that is) for cigarettes. The poor company guy treated the call as genuine and was basically humiliated shitless. The conversation was then turned into a radio spot. "Lorillard and other tobacco companies have paid $r.25 billion to date to ALF" said Ronald S Milstein, the somewhat constipated VP and general counsel for the tobacco m~ker. "Such funds were to be used solely to educate the public about the dangers of smoking and to reduce the incidence of youth smoking. Instead, ALF has consistently used these funds to ridicule and attack the companies and their employees." So all in all Lorillard are suing ALF for taking the piss. Da dah! Urine, ridicule, taking the piss; oh please yourselves.

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NEWS BRIEFS: M'SIA •

BBDO Lands Guthrie Berhad

BBDO Malaysia has clinched property developers Guthrie Berhad in a closely fought pitch against Batey Ads and a local agency. A well-known and long established company, Guthrie has never actively advertised, but they anticipate spending RM2 to 3 million a year over the next few years on brand advertising and tactical programmes.

•

DDB International Appoints COO

DDB Interntional has appointed Florence Oh as chief operating officer with effect from August 2002. One of DDB's longest serving staff members, Florence began her advertising career as an account executive with Naga DDB, slowly climbing the ladder to her present position.

•

KTM's Launches Ad-On-Train

Keretapi Tanah Melayu recently introduced its latest advertising medium, the Ad-On-Train, a wraparound train advertising, offering increased visibility and coverage based on the train's size and network area as well as passenger demographics. Currently KTM offers advertising space on the train's overhead panels and 254 vertical panels as well as space on tickets.

•

New Theme For National Panasonic

National Panasonic has launched an integrated advertising campaign for its Panasonic line of consumer audio/visual, communication and business products. All communications will now be united under a new common theme-line, Truly Dynamic.

The campaign will be supported by press ads, outdoor, POP collaterals and TVCs targeted at the £Generation, according to the company.

•

POS-AD Introduces prime Channel

Prime Channel. an in-store TV channel, was recently introduced by POS-AD at a Subang Jaya event.

Installed on the product shelves in supermarkets and hypermarkets, Prime Channel is a digital video-viewing monitor, broadcasting streaming videos or advertisements used to communicate to consumers in an environment where they are "most receptive to product information." Initally, over 1,000 category-exclusive Prime Channel units will be active in 130 hypermarkets and supermarkets throughout Malaysia.

•

Loaded Comes To Malaysia

In it's first foray outside the United Kingdom, men's monthly lifestyle magazine Loaded was launched this month in Malaysia by Knowledge Media through a licensing agreement with the UK publisher IPC Media, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Time Inc, the publishing division of AOL Time Warner.

•

Does a Number

By Abhijeet Dutta Ray, Strategic Planning Director Ogilvy & Mather Thailand

Synchronized Marketing for Grey

Grey Global Group's recent launch of its new proprietary system, Synchronized Marketing, provides accountable Return-On-Investment (ROI) focused marketing communications solutions, according to the agency. The process addresses developments in marketing and is fundamentally driven by consumer needs and preferences.

•

Hard {To Believe) Rocl< Cafe

DYR Finalist at London Awards

The local arm of Dentsu Young & Rubicam has four finalists at the qth Annual London Advertising Awards to be held in the UK on n November 2002.

Under the category Media Promotion, Light & Easy FM's "Cat" and "Headache" have been selected, along with Colgate's "Wall", "Fence" and "Gate" under Poster Campaign. In the Home Entertainment category, the Sony Theater At Home "Chart" was also recognised.

The winners and all finalists can be viewed on the Internet at http://wwwliaawards.com.

4oa001 MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

THE home of hard rock I believe has finally sold its soul. Or anyhow that is my perception. I have never been a die hard rock music fan, leave alone being a groupie (although I fondly recall an ex-girlfriend was trying to desperately live in the 6os once again in the 8os) but the Hard Rock Cafe has always held a special place in my heart. Perhaps it was the promise of unadulterated classic hard rock (under the influence) or simply the chance to soak in an atmosphere of what closest to a post concert private party of one of the heavies. (I am sure those of you who read ADO! for bright ideas about marketing communications have got the commercial messages I have so far tried to communicate) The most fascinating thing about the cafes for me was not the straight shots of 'sex on the beach' but rather, yes I confess, the merchandise shop. For the most inexplicable reasons I have over the years picked up a great variety of tee-shirts (all remarkably alike, except of course for the name of the location on the insignia) at astronomical prices under the misplaced notion that somehow the quality of these would be better than the fakes available for US$2 at Patpong Street, you know where. (If that is not successful marketing, I am not sure what is). But you have all been there before ... but hang on a bit ... do any of you have an unused classic white (crew-necked) original HRC Hollywood tee? I am talking collector's item here.

A quick word about my liquor shot glasses collection, before I move on to the main commercial messages. My collection of the HRC memorabilia naturally included some glassware - and there was a time when no one actually believed I was buying the stuff. .. they all assumed that I had pilfered!

The single most important purpose any HRC glassware served was to remind me that I had another few dozen HRC outlets to visit in this lifetime!

Having moved to Bangkok just over two and a half years ago, it was remarkable that I managed to avoid the local HRC unit until last weekend. I guess you have to make

allowances for the fact this after all Bangkok and so it was slightly pathetic to see more sex workers in the joint than guests at any given point in time. Not quite the HRC ambience I knew. What was touted as the Hard Rock Tuesday night (excuse me ... wasn't that meant to be the theme year round?) turned out to be some mediocre stuff in the name of rock by a filthy looking farang, desperate to look wasted and cool (or is it just me getting older and balder?). The point I am trying to make is one of QC or the lack of it - or simply questioning if a great brand such has HRC actually practiced it.

Not wanting to believe that all is lost (how could I lose faith in an institution, just like that) I did something, which I am already beginning to regret. I bought myself a 'Backstage Pass' (which costs just over a hundred US bucks). For the uninitiated, this means getting a couple of complimentary nights at the Hard Rock Hotel, and several nights at so% off (apart from sundry benefits such as having a beach house cabana to oneself and three friends). What seemed like the perfect song to soak in that HRC/HRH feeling, now sounds more like a steady drone! The reasons are clear - the only HRH in Thailand exists in Pattaya, and what with the government trying hard to clean up the streets, I have this sinking feeling that most of that filth may end up (thanks to the patronage of the 'rockers') in the bars of the hotel. But then, I am only imagining this ... this place must offer some good old fashioned rocking-rollicking atmosphere, right? So, while one part of my brain has been trying to figure out when to hit the hotel, another part of the brain has been busy assessing the damage the management has done to the HRC franchise. Anyway, I do hope that these folks open up other HRHs soon, as the only other one standing is in Bali, and catch me going there in a hurry now! Is there a moral in this story? Only this - do not fall for any pretensions, just obey your thirst.

I still want to keep the faith and hope HRC survives its other marketing misfortunes and goes back to basics quickly. @

The Changing Face Of Outdoor Hallmark Channel Add.s Creative Directors

Cameron Craig

Bryan Leung

HallMark Channel has appointed Bryan Leung as regional creative director, Asia - based in Hong Kong, and Cameron Craig as creative director, Australia -based in Sydney. Leung will head up the region's creative team, overseeing the Hallmark Channel's development of channel identity and branding on-air, production and localisation of on-air promotional materials, while Craig will oversee Australia's on-air development,

production and localisation.

Leung has more than 13 years of hands-on experience in on-air promotion and programme production for the Asia region. He was been a director of on-air promotions of and creative director with STAR TV, ass well as a senior producer for Television Broadcast Limited.

Craig has more than 10 years of experience in the TV industry across three major networks in Australia. He was the program manager of Network Ten, where he was responsible for the overall channel identity of the network.

Prior to that, Craig was executive producer, TV promotions of ABC Television and senior promotions producer of Seven Network and Network Ten in Sydney. fY

NEW outdoor media is popping up everyday. It is no longer simply enough to have advertisements on billboards or wall posters. Mentari Outdoor has begun a new campaign in outdoor advertising over parking meters. Mentari director Raja Datin Fatima reports that the structure with three face sides to it, where posters can be put up, is also a shelter for the parking meter user. By sending people out into the field to gauge the effec-

tiveness of this media, the response has been positive. Not only are the ads noticeable but it's also a way of beautifying the area.

New ideas on outdoor advertising normally get good response because clients always want to be the first to ride on a new media.

Some of Mentari' s major clients include Polyglaze Car Poilsh and Ambi Pur Car Fragrance. This media works especially well for them because car owners are their obvious target. Some banks have also found this medium effective because a lot of these Pay & Display stations are located outside their branches. One of her biggest challenges though, is to be a household name with proven credibility amongst the ad industry. However, Raja Datin still has a few fresh ideas up her sleeve, and she promises we'll be seeing more innovative outdoor advertising from Mentari. fD

Fed Ex "Delivers" New lVC FED EX EXPRESS has launched a new advertising campaign to reinforce the company's dictum of "We-Live-To-Deliver".

The FedEx TVC "Pizza To Go" tells the story of 'Alex' - an ordinary pizza delivery guy who goes to extraordinary lengths to get his job done.

"Alex embodies the kind of spirit and dedication that is really the essence of the FedEx brand," said Ramesh Kumar Singam, managing director of FedEx, Malaysia and Brunei.

"In the FedEx TVC. Alex uses his intimate knowledge of the city to avoid obstacles and delays to make his delivery to the customer ontime," Ramesh explained.

"FedEx has built its reputation on going that extra mile. Our people care as much about a customer's shipment as the customers do, maybe more so. FedEx believes that express delivery is not only about getting a package from point A to point B. We believe that what is most important is building a relationship of trust with our customers through committed reliability, and we believe these commercials reinforce that mes-

42 aDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

sage; that in 211 countries throughout the globe, nobody has a more integrated network or more dedicated team of people," he added.

Ramesh said the TVC was developed to highlight one of the company's most fundemental management philosophies: "People-ServiceProfit".

"This premise is simple," explained Ramesh.

"We take care of our people, they will take care of our customers and that will take care of profit.

The profit is channeled towards our people again and the whole cycle continues. This philosophy has helped improve the efficiency of our operations and has been a major factor in the company's success and the fact that it is the world's largest express transportation company."

The TVC is schedUled to run during October and November on TV3, NTV7 and Astro's Discovery Channel, Star World, National geographic Channel, CNN Wah Lai Toi and Xing He. "pizza To Go" was developed by BBDO. The 30 and 15-second spots were produced in both English and Mandarin. fj)

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Weekend on ?(Chinese). Golden Hour. Dinner Treat. Edisi Mandarin.

All packed with action that makes headlines. Look out for them.

Only on your feel good chan riel.

BE1 apart of Malaysia's

most popular TV channel.

To advertise, call Air7 at (03) 2095 7277.

¡source: AC Nielsen Telescope (1 -28 February 2002)

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