Adoi Malaysia 2001 November Issue

MALAYSIA #1 ADVERTISING AND MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2001

KDN NO: PP 9995/7/2001

INSIDE: OUTSIDE THE BOX, WORD WARS, ICOM SURVEYS SEPTEMBER 11, PAINTING THE TOWN RED

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^lenitk is wkere if all begins!

//

ONLY ONt

zenithmedia geraldm@zenithmedia-msia.com

the editor Returning from the Kancils, the crowd is clearly divided into two packs - the winners and the non-winners. While during the night itself, people put aside personal differences and came together as an agency to cheer and support, most will go back wondering what went wrong (or rather, in the very Malaysian way) who went wrong.

Some will blame their agency's creative teams, most will point a finger at the judges and the organising committee. And how some agencies will almost always influence the adjudicating panel.

Hopefully there will be little talk about the downside and more focus on how the work can be improved. More than one onlooker commented that some of the student pieces were looking better than the agency entries. And in these times of strained budgets, it is crucial that the work works. Lacklustre ads are neither going to win awards nor make an impact on the public. While we are constantly preaching to the clients that a recession is the time to advertise - we should also be practising great advertising in spite of smaller budgets. Because the fact remains that whether the client survives or not, depends on us. Whether we like it or not, we are at the forefront of the client's marketing battle. And there can be no excuses. We have to pull through and we have to pull our clients through.

As part of the endeavour to keep advertising standards high, October was the month for self-improvement. The 4AS annual management seminar saw Malaysian marketers and marcom professionals lapping up the pearls of wisdom that the guru of positioning, Jack Trout, had to offer. The 4AS also brought together some of the most exciting admen in the world to get us all out of the box. Without doubt there will also be other events coming up in the months ahead, which help sharpen skills and strategic thinking in order to create spot-on marketing communications- necessary in these pressing times.

'A*-

PS. Kudos to DY&R for winning the Golden Kancil, Arachnid for sweeping the interactive section, Leo Burnett for winning the most awards that night, Bozell for doing radioextremely well and AMP (undeterred by the fact they are not an agency) for ranking sixth with their wins! ADOI is also extremely happy to announce that the students of Institute Sledgehammer have won a silver and two bronzes at the Kancils!

&

GHLIGHTS

Word Wars

pg 8

Acceptable Collateral Damage

pg 8

The World Changes on September 11^

pg 16

Of November Light & Shadows

pg 34

Y2K + 2 = Can Someone Truly Make Things Better?

pg 37

NTERACTIVE A First by Ogilvylnteractive

pg 13

MSN Explorer Gets Personal

pg 32

It Was the Worst of Times

pg 34

DIRECT MARKETING Draft Worldwide Wins Compaq Evo Launch Across Asia Pacific

pg12

Direct Marketing in 3 Acts

pg37

NEWS

Respectfully,

ivieiiioei or

aDoi n1

Were You At "OutSidetheBox?" Why Not?

pg 24

ICOM Surveys the Impact of September 11th

pg 30 ..pg 36 & 38

Events..

ING ADS DMAM Awards goes Blue, Grey and Red

pg 18

EXCLUSIVE If4TERVIEWS A Gentleman In Advertising

pg 4

The World Does Not Owe You A Living

pg14

Painting the Town Red

pg 22

Life is Too Short To Read Body Copy

pg 26

Prasoon Pandey Shoots about Film

pg 28

ADOI Campaign Showcase: Bozell's New Take On Carlsberg

pg 10

MANAGING EDITOR: Harmandar Singh aka Ham PRINTER: Far East Digital Prints OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER: Jen Siow EDITOR: T.Sivananthi DESIGNER: T.M. Ali COLOUR SEPARATOR: Far East Offset & Engraving/ProColor Separation ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES (Fauzia): Sledgehammer Communications (M) Sdn Bhd 22B,JalanTun Mohd Fuad Satu, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, 60000, Kuala Lumpur Tel: 03-7726 2588 Fax: 03-7726 2598 E-mail: fauzia_bh@asiaone.com Mobile: 016-337 5155 DISTRIBUTION: Efficient Lettershop, Mag Media Distributors HOUSE FONTS - FF Eureka & Bureau Grotesque: alt.TYPE. 32 Pekin Street, #03-01 Far East Square, Singapore 048762 Tel: 236 2988.

ADOI MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED EVERY MONTH BY SLEDGEHAMMER COMMUNICATIONS (M) SDN BHD (COMPANY NO: 289967-W) 22B JALAN TUN MOHD FUAD SATU, TAMAN TUN DR ISMAIL, 80000 KUALA LUMPUR. TEL: 603-7726 2588. FAX: 603-7726 2598. Š All rights reserved by Sledgehammer Communications (S) Pte Ltd. 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.

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In September, the Malaysian ad industry lost a stalwart friend - Dato' Jaffar Ali. Dato' Jeff s contribution to the ad industry is immeasurable and ADOI dedicates this month's cover story to his memory and gives you a glimpse of some key facets of his life. It will be difficult to capture a lifetime on three pages - especially when it is a lifetime of a colorful personality who had much impact on the lives of so many people. The late Dato' leaves behind Datin Juriah and a daughter, Salina who lives in Chicago.

Dato' Jeff was born in 1933 and received his early education at Victoria's Institution. He started out in the legal profession in the early 1950s, intending to study law. But destiny waylaid him - he switched to sales and became the Sales Consultant for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and was quickly promoted to the post of Sales Manager. He excelled in this particular profession and was recruited by Cycle & Carriage Bintang Bhd. as a Branch Manager and rose through the ranks to be Deputy General Manager and has remained a Director of the company ever since. Dato' Jaffar was also Chairman of several public-listed and private limited companies in Malaysia as well as a director of Bounty Services Sdn Bhd and ACNielsen (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. Dato' Jeff is a familiar, friendly face to anyone in the advertising industry and the industries associated with it. He served the Malaysian Advertisers Association (the 2As) as President since 1980 and only recently stepped down. It is highly unlikely that anyone else could serve so long, so well. In his capacity as President, he was responsible for raising industry standards both locally and globally. He was highly regarded in the advertising circle around the world and as a mark of that - held membership of the World Council of the

Personality of the Year Award during the 2001 AdBall.

One legacy of his which will stand the test of time is the Institute of Advertising Communication Training. It was Dato's singular vision for a pan-Asian Institute of Advertising that started the ball rolling for the formation of the I ACT. The setting up of the Institute exemplified his determination and focus to look after the needs and the well-being of the industry. IACT fills the gap for industry education and is jointly backed by both the 2As and the 4AS. This achievement of his will continue to serve the industry long after him.

Peter McDonald, Advertising Course Coordinator of the Charles Sturt University had this to say of Dato's role: "Although I only met Dato on a few occasions, he was always very welcoming and it was quite apparent that he had a real passion for playing a lead role in educating the 'best and brightest' in the ad industry.

His breadth of unselfish service to the community at large ... has been an inspiration to all of us."

Professionally, Dato' Jaffar also leaves the Chairmanship of Foote, Cone and Belding vacant. He assumed the position in 1982 and was one of the key persons who built the agency. He is regarded by many as the kind and gentle colleague of constant good humour and ever willing to share his vast experience and wise counsel to those who sought his help. But the mildness of his manner only disguised his will to succeed - never diluting it.

Geraldine Beh, Managing Director of FCB, had this to say of Dato' "He knew everyone at FCB by name and always had time for any of the staff. We will miss him tremendously... he was much more that our Chairman... he was a friend and a father figure to most of us here."

On her working relationship with him, she notes that "Dato was an incredible person, both professionally &

... I admire people with gentle manners who treat other people as human beings..." - David Ogiivy International Advertising Association since 1994. He later served the World Council as the vice-president for professional development.

The International Advertising Association paid homage to their friend and longtime colleague remembering him as "a great friend to the IAA worldwide, holding the office of VP/Professional Development from 1996 to 1998, and serving as Malaysia Chapter President. His presence was wellknown at so many IAA congresses and meetings, with his golf clubs of course. He was often spotted in hotel lobbies practicing his swing while waiting around!"

Dato' Jeff was single-minded in his aim to bring Malaysian advertising onto the global scene and to get the nation's advertising noticed. It is undeniable that it was his charisma and personality which won Malaysia the right to host the AdAsia Advertising Congress of 1990 - a hotly contested bid. He then went on to successfully stage the 1990 Congress and this paved the way for Malaysian advertising to be ranked with the best. AdAsia 1990 was probably the crown jewel of his service to the industry.

His dedicated service and passion for advertising did not go unnoticed. Dato' was a worthy recipient of the highest honours that this industry could bestow.

Nevertheless, he greatly prized the Max Lewis Award of 1980 (then the industry's premiere distinction), Media magazine's prestigious 1996 Advertising Man of the Year award, and, in 1997, an Honorary Doctorate of Letters, conferred by Australia's Charles Stuart University in recognition of his services to advertising education. The 2As awarded him, posthumously, its inaugural Advertising

personally. He was always very interested in the business, and was always there for any advice that I needed.

Advertising was a big part of his life and he thrived on it. SPLee, Executive Creative Director of FCB added, "Dato Jaffar never made you feel like he was the Chairman. He made you feel like a friend and he was just a regular guy. He never bossed anyone around. He would walk about and say hello to everyone. And anyone could pick up the phone and call him. I think people in FCB saw him like a big uncle figure. He made people feel good. We could make fun of him and he would laugh. He was quick to smile, and would come in to help anytime. I think humility was his strength."

This is high praise indeed because it comes from people who worked with him day-to-day in an industry rampant with fragile egos. Dato' Jeff was one of the rare gentlemen in the field of advertising.

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Not wanting to limit himself to matters of money alone, Dato' Jaffar also plunged into social service for the betterment of the community at large. He contributed significantly and has left an indelible mark in many fields as a philanthropist. He joined the Rotary Club of Kuala Lumpur (now Rotary Club of Kuala Lumpur DiRaja) in 1972 and served as its President in 1976 - 77.

His astounding performance in the role of Rotary International District 3300 Governor (1999 - 2000) marked his dedication, contribution and commitment to Rotary.

Among the projects during his term as the millennium District Governor, was the Time Capsule Project. He was also appointed as Zone 6 Coordinator, Public Relations and Rotary Image Task Force (2000/1) and Zone Coordinator, Rotary Public Image Task Force (2001/2).

"... someone who has always been there for us is no more..."

Rotary members remember him as "a trusting person, with a big heart and a very good friend. He was ever eager and willing to help a worthy cause." His warm and kind personality earned him the respect and goodwill of all who served with him during his year in office as the District Governor. He also received many invitations to be a patron in fund-raising charity organisations such as the Haemodialysis Association of Klang. Dato' Jaffar has been honored with several prestigious awards in recognition of his exemplary service to society. He was conferred the PJK and the Royal Datoship (Dato' Lela Bistari DiRaja) by DYMM Sultan of Selangor Darul Ehsan in 1985 and the KMN by DYMM Yang Di Pertuan Agong in 1981. He was also bestowed the prestigious "Comendador" of the Order De Bernardo O'Higgins by the Government of the Republic of Chile in 1996.

Currently, Dato' Jaffar is the President of the Royal Dato Dato Association of Selangor, and just recently, in August 2001 DYMM Sultan of Selangor Darul Ehsan appointed Dato' Jaffar as Ahli Dewan Diraja Selangor for a 3 years' term.

Close friends will recall Dato' Jeff s penchant for the finer things in life. He was an ardent collector of antique Chinese porcelains, vintage cars and carpets. He enjoyed strumming on his grand piano at home to visitors, and drew much applause whenever he was invited to sing at fellowships and functions. Sledgehammer remembers the time that Dato' Jeff penned the opening address to the inaugural issue of the MAD supporting its advent.

Dato' is it possible to ever forget your contributions to our little ad-world?

6

aDOi

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WORD WARS It wasn't until my Adoi deadline came up that I realised it's been weeks since I gave advertising a thought, so busy as I've been fighting in a war of words. In two wars actually, one still being waged in the Australian media over our government's decision to deny landfall to would-be illegal immigrants rescued from an Indonesian vessel by the Norwegian freighter Tampa, and the other of course the global "war on terrorism".

And no, there's no sign I'm winning in either conflict. The pen may be mightier

than the sword, but I'm finding it's no match for gunboats and the forces of xenophobia on the Australian scene, or suicidal hatred, cruise missiles, stealth bombers and blitzkriegs of propaganda in the global sphere. But as impotent as my words have proven so far, and as defeated as I've felt at times, somehow I can't call it quits.

It's been said ad nauseam that the first victim of war is truth. But in these current wars in which I've been fighting my losing battles, the conflicting truths lie in the terminology. Australians

supporting the exclusion from our shores of what our Immigration Department calls "unauthorised arrivals" choose to demonise them with epithets like "illegals", "queuejumpers" and "criminals". Those of us of a more merciful frame of mind, and more mindful of our own or our ancestors' relatively recent arrival in Australia from elsewhere, use the terms "asylum-seekers"

or "refugees".

Similar terminological errorism surrounds the question of terrorism.

The mass-murderers who committed the atrocities in New York and Washington on September n were called "cowards"

by President Bush and "heroes" or "glorious martyrs" by their supporters and sympathisers. Osama Bin Laden referred to the U.S. as "terrorists", while

to the U.S. government the word "terrorist" seems to apply primarily if not exclusively to foreign killers of American citizens. While it seems to me and perhaps many of my fellows that a "terrorist" is a person of any race, creed or colour who anytime, anywhere uses killing or the threat of it for his or her own ends. A definition that embraces not just a host of organisations devoted to political murder and mayhem in dozens of countries around the world, but also ruling regimes, some Un­

supported or tolerated, that terrorise their own citizens, and also criminal terror organisations like the Triads, the Yakkuza and the Mafia.

The last of which, incidentally, is suspected of as ghoulish a crime as could be imagined under the current circumstances in NewYork. While firemen and other rescue workers have been removing the rubble and human remains from the World Trade Centre, trucks owned

by Mafia-controlled companies are alleged to have hauled debris not to Staten Island for forensic investigation as they were supposed to, but elsewhere for sale as scrap for their own grubby profit. When it comes to making a killing, it seems some people are just too terrifyingly efficient for words.

Dean Johns is a partner in the regional creative hotshop CreAsia and strategic consultancy StrADegy. Email stradegy@optushome.com.au

ACCEPTABLE COLLATERAL DAMAGE Ad biz victims found amongst the rubble of the world's press.

Someone said the WTC attack would touch everyone in the world, and it has.

Advertising is included, make no mistake.

(Why does George W. say that in every speech, does he think everything happens by accident?). Most certainly these tragic events have clearly and dramatically demonstrated the consummate ease with which advertising can be disposed of.

The Malaysian NewStraits Times reported that TV stations around the world and particularly in America lost heaps of money by dumping advertising in favour of 24hour ad-free coverage. Ad Week said that Time Inc.'s People magazine removed 42 pages of advertising and The NewYorker pulled about a dozen. It said Coca-Cola pulled or delayed several national adbursts.

BÂŁTT reported that news organizations in Australia were shuffling around millions of dollars in ad campaigns. And AdAge reported that Ford Motors in Europe, a huge advertising spender, has suspended all its theme advertising.

But with all that going on there was a rather different response in Malaysia.

In most dailies Astro ran a series of huge,

in your face and probably quite expensive, whole page ads letting people know that, if they didn't have Astro, they would be missing out on the live 24 hour news channels theyhost. Clearly an opportunity not to be missed. Charming.

Creativity has alsotaken a hit. Humour is a big part of advertising but in AdAge a Midwestern agency executive said, not unsurprisingly, "Nobody wants to do humor". Jeff Goodby, at Goodby, Silverstein ÂŁr Partners said, "I'm sure that jokes about anything even related to this kind of thing are taboo for a long time to come."

But Tracy Wong, creative director of Wong Doody, Seattle said, "There are very few things that can touch the core of a cynical lot of people like advertising creatives. You swine Tracy. Creative people are very sensitive types (see end of this article). If Mr. Wong has problems with humour he should change the name of his agency.

Wong Doody indeed.

The Asian Wall StreetJournal reported that, in a fever of patriotism the WPP, Publicis, and Interpublic Groups have banded togetherwith the avowed intention

of bringing TVC production work, and the accompanying revenue, back to the USA and in particular to New York. They want to buck the current trend of advertisers vigorously seeking out lower cost centres for production to boost their bottom lines.

But Dr Johnson said, "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel". With US based costs for TV production having risen a staggering 16% between 1998 and 1999 this is really going to separate the real patriots from the genuine scoundrels.

And again from B&rT in a classic bit of ad lunacy. When Ansett, Australia's other airline, suddenly shut up shop it had only just put its ad account out for pitch. Clemenger BBDO managing director Jim Moser said the ad industry as a whole injected millions of dollars into pitching for the airline business. "It was one of the biggest pitches in Australian history with an enormous number of agencies involved," he said. (DDB and George Patterson Bates, the incumbent, were among the other agencies. Now if the marketing guys at Ansett knew they were on the brink yet went ahead and

allowed agencies to dump all that money on pitching they are incredibly cruel. If they didn't know they were in trouble then they were incredibly dumb. But who's the bigger fool, the horse's arse or the guy who follows the horse's arse?

On a final note, ADOI and other publications have been running an ad calling for Kancil entries featuring clearly destitute and starving third world victims.

Now given new relevance in the face of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in and around Afghanistan. It certainly is a good attempt at putting the value of advertising and creative awards into some kind of proper perspective. We'll see how this outstanding burst of altruism stands up when we learn how much was given to charity from the Kancil Night profits

PS Because almost 6,000 lives lost makes our problems seem very, very small and very, very silly indeed.

visit adoi-1.lycosasia.com/microsite2 8

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of the 9th Annual Cresta International Advertising Awards Creative Standards International President, Nancy Ross, recently announced the winners of the 9th annual Cresta International Advertising Awards, honouring creative excellence in consumer and business-to-business communications.

The Cresta Awards, launched in 1993

by Creative Standards International and the IAA, counted the participation of 57 countries in this year's competition with a record number of entries - 5,122. A total of 214 ads, campaigns and interactive entries were chosen by 200 top creatives for finalists honors and were judged in 12 cities worldwide during the month of July. Pre-selection juries met in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels,

Budapest, Caracas, Kuala Lumpur, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, New York and Vienna.

Winners were then chosen by Cresta's International Grand Jury of 46 leading creative directors, film specialists and graphic designers from 32 countries. Of those, 23 countries made the final cut with a total of 61 winning ads (27 TV/ Cinema commercials, 29 print works, 1 multi-media campaign and 4 Interactive entries â&#x20AC;&#x201D; see attached winners' list).

Selection criteria were originality of the creative idea and quality of its execution.

Saatchi &â&#x20AC;˘ Saatchi, Frankfurt won the Grand Prix in the Consumer Competition for their television spot for Audi titled, "Fan". The Grand Prix is awarded to the

highest scoring entry in each of Cresta's competitions.

BDDP & Fils, Boulogne won the Grand Prix in the Business-to-Business Competition for Giraudy Billboard Network, a print campaign titled, "The Sleeper", "The Car", "The Poo Poo". The agency also won three additional statues for the following clients: Aprilla SR 50 "Pizza" (Poster); Microsoft "Airport", "Swimming Pool" (Magazine Campaign) and Williams Shaving Gel "Condolences" (TV spot).

McCann-Erickson Worldwide swept the awards this year with seven winning entries. Winning agencies in the network include: Ammirati Puris, Toronto (1 TV/ Cinema spot); JBR McCann, Oslo (2 TV/

Cinema spots); McCann-Erickson, Lisbon (1 Print campaign); McCann-Erickson, Madrid (1 print ad); McCann-Erickson, Rome (1 TV/Cinema campaign) and McCann-Erickson, New York (1 TV/ Cinema spot).

On a single agency office basis, Forsman & Bodenfors, Gothenburg won three awards (one print campaign and two TV/Cinema spots).

Agencies with two winners include Leo Burnett, Levallois; Euro RSCG, Helsinki; Kolle Rebbe, Hamburg; Publicis, Frankfurt; Publicis, Zurich and Scholz & Volkmer Intermedials Design, Wiesbaden.

ADOI is the representative for the Cresta Awards in Malaysia.

1

ADOI Campaign Showcase Early this year Bozell captured one of the biggest boys in town - the Carlsberg account. Recently the new campaign was unveiled in a series of promotions, cinema ads and print ads. The look of the commercials are strikingly different - while retaining a very strong Carlsberg identity. ADOI decided to talk to Walter Yu, National Sales Manager of Carlsberg, to find out whether the client feels that his money has been well-spent...

This is the first time you're workingwith Bozell, how do you feel about the new work? What do you like about it?

We were pleasantly surprised by the creative - we're happy to work with the agency, we think it's definitely a fresh new take on Carlsberg which is exactly what we want. The campaign started in July and we've already received positive market feedback.

How has the response towards the campaign been like?

We will be seeing the figures in a few months - but thus far we have receivedvery good feedback from business partners who say that the advertising is very fresh and new while still retaining the essential components of the brand. For example there are 4 core aspects of any Carlsberg commercial: the image of the long cool

10 aDOl

Dane, thecatchy jingle, the 'quality' heritage of the beer and the idea of 'Come up to Carlsberg'.

Carlsberg is actually embarking on a new marketing strategy isn't it? Does the new campaign meet the strategic expectations?

With the changing times, every brand has to reenergise itself and address a new generation of consumers. We needed to contemporise the Carlsberg brand and show that the innate qualities of the beer are relevant to market entrants (who comprise the younger generations) just as it has been and still is for brand loyalists.

Carlsberg is the marketleader in Malaysia?

What is the performance expected of the brand for now?

We have 65% of the market and as a market leader, even small percentages of growth are amazing - we want to retain pole position. The Carlsberg brand commands 100% brand awareness according to ACNielsen - and we intend to keep that going.

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Clips from Cinema Commercial

4

izell's New Take on Carlsberg ADOI also put a few questions to Bob Seymour, CEO of Bozell about the creative behind the new campaign...

Bob, what's it like to work with the market leader?

It was very challenging and demanding to work with such an account - not only in the creative aspect but also in the business aspect. I have to credit our account service team that went full blast with the client.

What is the new direction that the campaign is moving in?

It is necessary to give a little background to the work. The old advertising was very effective but what

happens with a market leader and with time is that you start looking a little staid so you have to keep contemporising - to stay fresh and relevant or you risk ossification.

Our premise was simple - the brand spirit that makes Carlsberg desirable to a beer drinker is the brand's passion for perfection and this forms an intrinsic part of the brand's core values of quality, freshness, heritage and internationalism.

Younger consumers can accept easily that the characteristics of a superlative beer are timeless and that heritage is therefore important. But these factors must be conveyed to them in such a way that the brand appears in empathy with their own lives and is relevant to them and

their peers.

Our task was then to convey the essence of Carlsberg's brand spirit in an engaging and 'active' execution incorporating a sense of 'dare' that is appealing to our new generation of beer drinkers.

What is the new work looking like and what does it aim to do?

You will see from our press executions that we are continually challenging the audience to aspire for advancement - to move up, to come up in their lives.

They are designed to both stop and involve the target. We believe that though the take on the advertising is fresh - it does not jar with the loyalists

- in fact it reassures them that their choice brand is evolving and as appealing as ever.

You've done different things in the executions ...

The film work retains the long cool Dane icon but she is presented in an environment that makes her contemporary and consonant with the attitudes of today's youth. But we've also moved to create another powerful icon - that is the Carlsberg green and it's everywhere. This has become, in a very short while, extremely potent symbol and is being immediately connected with the beer.

come

to the Carlsberg Cinema Challenge and win!

W „RM10,000 to be won every week!

You've seen the new Cartsberg cinema comimercial. Now answer 2 simple queslions and complete the slogan below for your chance to van cod hard cadi. Up to RM10,000 up tor grabs every week No purchase necessary Take up the Cartsberg CinemaChallengeand be I a winner Ate you up to it?

Weekly Prizes:

l5tpr,le

RM5.000 :nap"ze RM3.000

3raprlze

RM2.000

20 consolation prizes: Excluswe Carisberg Cinema Challenge t-shirts.

2. Which of*ie toUouingis nol in »>*conm»rdal?W*k«up. Fir*up.

Stand up. Tip up. Cfinkup 3. Conpl«t« this slogan in 16 monlsorfess: Carisberg is mybeer

The 'Come Up' Contest

^orlsbcrq

wake up are you up to it? come up www.carlsberg.com.my

Buntings hung in cinemas during thelaunch on 21 August 2001

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Print Ads Campaign

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DRAFTWORLDWIDE SINGAPORE WINS

COMPAQ EVO LAUNCH ACROSS ASM PACIFIC DraftWorldwide Singapore recently won a major assignment from Compaq to launch their new Evo brand and business solutions across 12 Asia Pacific markets from October this year. The appointment includes brand advertising, demand generation advertising, relationship marketing, online strategy and creative,collateral materials as well as database consulting and campaign tracking.

"Our Evo launch isa total new way tomarket, combining our Armada and DeskPro brands and services. It really is the biggest news in the IT business category this year," said Edwin Huang, Director of Marketing, Access Business Group, Asia Pacific Division of Compaq. "We wanted to make sure we could make an impact and more importantly - track, measure and convert that impact into leads and sales - Draft will help us do that," he added.

The new brand and product work will appear in local

newspaper and print titles in Korea, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, New Zealand and Vietnam. Media for all the advertising is being planned and bought through Compaq's incumbent agency and DraftWorldwide's sister agency, FCB. Compaq is also DraftWorldwide's largest US client where they have been delivering demandgeneration advertising and data consulting for over six years.

All creative work was developed in the DraftWorldwide Singapore office and local markets will adapt this to their specific needs. The overall tonality created is a subtle departure from the rest of Compaq's creative work. "In the briefing process, Compaq challenged us to make sucha major launch feel like itwas a major launch -so we looked at ways to stretch the format without breaking it" said Anthony Peplow, Creative Director of DraftWorldwide Singapore.

'HI EVO ANSWER to making â&#x20AC;˘ OOM ON SB* >Ot I HI lAUSt fttMfcOtOC* IS TO PUT THE PRICE ON THE

FLOOR

COMPAQ

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In the MVA coverage last month we wrongly credited Joe Hasham as being the writer of the Perodua Kancil advertisement.

Joe is the producer of the commercial and the writers behind the commercial are from the Grey creative team.

DISCOVERY IN 400 MILLION HOUSES Neville Meijers (Managing Director, Discovery Networks, Asia)

Discovery Channel has become the world's most widely distributed television brand, now reaching over 400 million households worldwide in 155 countries and territories.

"The Discovery Channel is a fast growing global force that has an enormous impact on viewers around the world, bringing the best content from anywhere in the world to audiences everywhere in the world. The growth of our flagship channel has been crucial to this company becoming the leading global real world media company," said Neville Meijers, Executive Vice President & Managing Director, Discovery Networks, Asia.

12 aooi

Achieving the 400 million households reached mark is due to a combination of expanding the Discovery Channel's household subscriber base both in the U.S. and around the world, as well as launching Discovery Channel branded programming blocks on terrestrial channels outside of the U.S. Within the last year, the Discovery Channel has gained over 20 million subscriber households. DCI has also successfully launched branded programming blocks on more than 30 terrestrial channels in 28 countries, exposing an additional 200 million television viewers to the Discovery Channel's high quality entertainment.

The Discovery Channel's impressive distribution gains are complemented by formidable brand strength. In the United States, Discovery Channel is ranked the #1 television network brand in overall quality for the eighth consecutive year, and as the #1 top media brand for overall quality for the fifth consecutive year (Equitrend 2001). Arecent worldwide brand measurement study ranked Discovery Channel as the best global media brand (Roper Reports Worldwide 2000).

Left to right : Mr. James Gibbons (Vice President, Programming for Discovery Networks Asia), Mr. Neville Meijers (Managing Director, Discovery Networks, Asia)

Mr. James Gibbons (Vice President, Programming for Discovery Networks Asia), speaking to member of the production industry.

Left to right: Mr. James Gibbons (Vice President, Programming for Discovery Networks Asia), Mr. Neville Meijers (Managing Director, Discovery Networks, Asia), Mr. Teo Ming Kian (Chairman ofEDB), Mr. Tan Chek Ming (Assistant Managing Director ofEDB)

A First by Ogilvylnteractive For the first time ever, Asian work from any advertising agency has been selected to be featured in the prestigious Advertising Annual by the US-based Communication Arts. Ogilvylnteractive has won top recognition for its creative work in Asia, with Communication Arts selecting two Singapore-based campaigns to be published Annual.Of the 14,731 entries submitted this year, only 243 were chosen for publication. The competition to appear in the Annual is fierce and publication is considered on par with other shows such as Cannes, the Clios, and the One Show.

Among those honored is Ogilvy Interactive's online work for a Christian group to promote God. The Churches of Love Singaporecommissioned a multi-media campaign presenting God as affable and approachable, a change from the traditional image of God as a distant and judgemental figure. The winning entry, anonline banner, reads, 'I could make you click here but I believe in free will. - God'. The Ogilvy Interactive Creative team behind this campaign consists of Graham Kelly, Shane Weaver and Dominic Goldman.

Ogilvylnteractive's banner designed for client Brewerkz, a Singapore

microbrewery, was also selected for publication by CA. The banner, which ran during the Sydney Olympics, encouraged customers to visit the bar's actual premises to watch the Games over a beer. The team credited with this work comprises of Graham Kelly, Shane Weaver, Shayne Pooley, Victor Ong, Michael Burgess and Dominic Goldman.

The Advertising Annual will be published in December 2001.

You can watch all the Olympic events a t Brewerkz.

I could make you click here.

But I believe in free will.

God

But I believe in free will.

God

Top : The brewers banner ads Left : The god banners

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"THE WORLD DOES NOT OWE YOU A LIVING.... ADVERTISING IS COMPETITIVE AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A BED OF ROSES - LOOK ELSEWHERE!" Recently, one young journalist questioned a guru about the needs of industry education and training. ADOI thought that it would be pertinent to reproduce the interview in part...

What is the industry like today? How far are we left behind as compared to the foreign advertising industry?

The Malaysian ad industryhas always been ingrowth mode; except duringcertain times when the economy slows down and industry growth also slows down correspondingly or stagnates at worst.

But generally it is fair to say Malaysia's ad industry is young and currently valued at over RM3 billion in annual advertising billings or business. Talking about industry standards, we are ahead of a few markets in the region in terms of advertising production services, like film production. But in other areas like creative maturity or superiority we still lag behind. For example, Singapore is a lead market for creative excellence in print for the region, while Thailand and to some extent India and China lead the way for television creative standards.

But I believe Malaysia's ad industry certainly has the vast talent pool and potential to become a developed market in terms of industry standards in the near future. Always remember that advertising sophistication usually matches with the growing affluence of society

and lifestyles, consumer education and confidence.

As a fresh graduate, how well should they equip themselves in order to survive in the industry? What are the qualities they need to have, apart from having paper qualifications?

The ad industry is not about textbooks.

It is a study about life; what makes the customer want a certain product. How to stimulate consumers to prefer one product over another in a competitive marketplace.

So one must understand or acquire these important qualities to become graduates.

If they don't, I don't consider them graduates. Those who eventuallygraduate with the right qualities need to realise that the world does not owe them a living when looking for jobs. Advertising is a very competitive industry, so if you're looking for a bed of roses, look elsewhere. Having said that, those who are committed to excel and make a difference, the industry is a great place to live a satisfying and enriching life.

What are some of the mistakes that freshies make... based on your experience and observation?

Freshies expect the industry to welcome them with open arms once they graduate. Many of them areover optimistic when they graduate. This blinds them from the challenge that lies ahead and

the great demands expected from them.

They need to take a realistic perspective of the world and have good interpersonal skills. After all, they are in the business of people and having people believe in them and their messages. Remember, I do not make a distinction between the person and whether the person has the say when analysing the role of advertising. The first rule in advertising is to successfully advertise oneself. This is key before one can attempt to do the same for a product, service or client.

What are the values that you try to inculcate into young recruits at your school?

Just describe the feel of working in your organisation - to have a personal insight about your attitude in educating employees to survive the industry.

We teach all of the necessary traits that I have just mentioned. And we adapt and change our teaching as the world evolves around us, day after day. The only constant we maintain is change; while our textbooks are current, our syllabus ignores all that is obsolete in the real world. We promote broad thinking, not myopic vision. We build individuals of character, who shoulder the responsibility of handling a powerful persuasive tool like advertising in the world we live in.

We focus on specialising in what we do. We are not a technical training centre;

we are a business school. We build idea generators not conformists, leaders not followers, thinkers not technicians and creators not executors. As I always summarise, we produce seed-planters not gardeners. We keep our classes small; we are the 'Oxford' of Malaysian advertising.

We are committed to make a difference to the lives of our students in particular and the advertising industry as a whole.

We believe our graduates should be able to compete anywhere in the world from New York to Sydney, from Singapore to Tokyo. We want them to think global in this increasingly borderless world we live in.

What would you ask an applicant in an interview session?

One question: Where they see themselves in five year's time in the ad business? Their answer will reveal everything to me.

Fat Lizard animates Nokia's new TV commercials Nokia's new TV ad campaign introduces some fresh new techniques from animation house Fat Lizard. Targeted at the MTV generation, the ads were designed to reflect a modern youthfullook, and so required a different approach than the typical TV commercial animation.

Fat Lizard proposed creating the

"Gameboy" and "Ping-pong" spots using Flash animation. Flash is the new animation technology designed for the web, but adapted by Fat Lizard for delivery over television. The Flash spots maintain the modern edgy electronic look of internet graphics. Production using Flash does away with the lo-res

and pencil-test previews typical of 2D and 3D animation and allowed the agency to preview "what you see is what you get" animations. The third spot, "Process Worker" required a 3D robotic creature.

Rather than go down the computer animation path, Fat Lizard's animators opted to build models and go for the

edgy and hand made look of stop-frame animation. The models were shot digitally direct to hard disk, and transferred to Flame for post production. The resulting images have a striking retro science fiction look.

•Agency: Bates •Associate Creative Directors: John Leong and T.C. • Agency Producer: S. Mike • Art Director: Vicky Lee • Copywriter: Ree Chua • Production House: Fat Lizard • Animation Director: "Mike" Mohammed Ismail • Producer: Sabrina Ibrahim • Flash Artist: Siew Chong • Post Production House: POV • Flame Artist: Chin Hai Siong • Models: Shen s Imagineering

14 aDoi

fins Garlsberg Get Hot in London In one of its most scintillating

performances ever in world print ad competitions, the Philippines bagged a total of eleven (u) shortlist citations in the London International Advertising Awards - one of the five most prestigious advertising awards shows in the world.

Seven Philippine ad agencies led by BBDO-Guerrero/Ortega and Ogilvy and Mather broke into the tough finalist column with three entries each, followed

by Ace-Saatchi and Saatchi, DDB Philippines, Leo Burnett, Jimenez D'Arcy and Publicis-AMA with one entry each.

BBDO's finalists were "Fence" for Adidas, "Caught Dead" and "Comes Back" for Iconos Memorial Urns; Ogilvy scored for its "Sponge" for Huggies, "Clouds" for Kotex Fresh Pantiliners, and "Snowman" for Depend Adult Diapers; Ace-Saatchi

struck with "Arms" for Community and Family Services International; DDB Philippines sparkled with "Posporo" for Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Leo Burnett dazzled with "100" for its self-promotion ad; Jimenez D'Arcy triumphed with "Breathable" for Bench and Publicis-AMA shone with "Valentines" for Nescafe.

More than 17,800 entries from across the globe competed in this year's ad derby chaired by Neil French, Ogilvy and Mather Worldwide Creative Director.

David Guerrero, President and Executive Creative Director of BBDO-Guerrero/ Ortega; Micky Domingo, Executive Creative Director of McCann-Erickson; and Roger Pe, Deputy Executive Creative Director of DDB Philippines were among those who sat in the jury.

PICKS BOZELL AGAIN! Bozell will be having a lot of beer

parties in the future. After winning the Carlsberg Green Label early this year, Carlsberg Marketing Sdn Bhd has handed its second biggest brand - Carl's Reserve to them.

This is largely due to Bozell's success with the Carlsberg Green Label campaign.

According to Walter Yu, National Sales Manager of Carlsberg - "Bozell has performed exceptionally well on Carlsberg Green Label, demonstrating strategic thinking of a high order and creative solutions that have made a significant contribution to enhance Carlsberg Green Label's domination of the Malaysia beer market."

"Carl's Reserve has been awarded partly in recognition of this but also because they have shown they have the market understanding and resources to successfully differentiate and grow an additional brand that is important to us."

Bob Seymour, Chief Executive Officer of Bozell talked about the differences between the two brands; "With Carlsberg Green Label the task is to consolidatefurther its over 65% market share. Carl's Reserve presents a quite different challenge, which is to conceive and implement strategies that will grow it into a clear leadership position in the highly competitive premium sector."

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DiGi' s NEW COVERAGE CAMPAIGN DiGi recently launched a four month advertising campaign to talk about its network coverage. Jeff Chong, (Right) Deputy General Manager of Marketing and Strategy, informed that "Over the last six months there has been improved coverage in key areas and an expansion into secondary markets such as Taiping, Kampar, Teluk Intan.

DiGi will be investing in a&p to inform the consumers of the improved coverage and network quality." The new campaign is very simple - each visual shows a DiGi signage (illustrated with full signal bar Nokia-style) erected next to the town's welcome sign. The copy at the end reads "Covering more people and more places by the day." Every week, one new location will be announced through print ads and 15-sec tvcs. The tvcs will be aired on TV3, ntV7, Astro, CNBC and Wah Lai Toi. DiGi's advertising campaign will run for a period of twenty weeks.

In the mean time, DiGi will also mark their territories in yellow, via an outdoor signage campaign - to show their presence in this town.

Covering more people and more places by the day.

Digi's new press campaign

The world changed on September 11

th

H

For families, for businesses, for governments and, yes, for marketers, life will never be the same.

Marketers were already grappling with the impact of a softening economy when the terrorist attacks occurred, shaking our nation's spirits and self-confidence.

So whatshould marketers do under these new, difficult circumstances -circumstances that are likelyto be unsettled for months if not years to come?

To help answer that question, The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) reviewed the experiences and "best practices" of past, relevant situations and sought the counsel of experienced members as well as national policymakers. Here is the result of that inquiry, which we hope will be beneficial to the entire marketing community: 1. Take care of your people. Gooverboard in giving them time and space to emotionally react and recover. Furthermore, do whatever you can to retain your best talent. There is a huge, hidden cost in alienating employees or pre-maturely downsizing - only later to be faced with re hiring, re-training and re-motivating your team.

2. Get really close to your customers. Marketers must get closer than ever to their consumers to understand their new priorities, goals, fears and heroes. And they must stay dose because consumer emotions are likely to change constantly in the coming months and years.

3. Help the nation restore consumer confidence.

This is a new communications objective above and beyond the ones that marketers typically work against. But if major companies can weave persuasive, confidence-building messages into their

16 aDOl

marketing communications, our economy and our nation will greatly benefit.

Demonstrate true corporate concern. Be helpful.

Be informative. Be generous with acts of true corporate kindness. It's the best kind of causerelated marketing.

Project leadership. Inspiring new leaders have emerged in the past two weeks. Now is the time for senior business executives across the country - with their words and their actions - to be involved, visible, caring and commanding.

Stay close to your sweet spot. Concentrate on what you do best rather than spreading yourself too thin. Re-think the timing of that new product launch or that new promotional campaign.

Be sensitive about the message, tone, imagery and placement of your advertising. Combyour existing ads and marketing materials for irreverent, edgy, maudlin and comic references, and determine whether they are appropriate in the current climate. Also look closely at the news, feature and entertainment environments within which your messages will appear, avoiding unintended associations with the image of your products, services and company.

Be inclusive in your marketing communications.

Our President and national leaders have gone out of their way to stress the importance of national unity and respect for all peoples.

Marketers can help America -and themselves - by incorporating an important social message of multiculturalism into their mainstream advertising.

John J Sarsen. Jr, President and CEO, ANA

9.

Be a true partner with your advertising agency and your other marketing resources. Share with them - rather than imposingon them - the decision -making process for adjusting your marketing activities, reducing costs, if necessary, and planning future directions.

10. Look for ways to position your business for growth. Without being exploitative, seek out appealingly priced media buys and sponsorships.

And give serious consideration to alternative marketing disciplines like public relations, grass roots marketing, online advertising and local store campaigns.

11. Improve your internal processes. Use a downturn to enhance the way you go to market. Rethink your old approaches. Identify new resources.

Find better ways to connect with your customers.

12. Be prepared for the future. Create a marketing communications crisis plan. Anticipate different crisis scenarios that might occur. Develop guidelines and procedures for dealing with them.

Appoint acrisis czar and team that can bequickly mobilized. Maintain up-to-date contact lists of marketing staff, agency personnel and media representatives.

Some of these suggestions are broad and overarching.

Others are specific and tactical. Collectively, however, we hope they will help marketers not only weather today's storm, but thrive in tomorrow's world...that forever changed on September n.

(excerpted from AdAgeGlobal)

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DMAM AWARDS NITE GOI

Three colours predominated the 2001 DMAM awards night. "Blue Hyppo" from FCB, promoting TMNet's lifestyle portal grabbed the 'Best of Show' award.

The campaign for BlueHyppo.com also won silver for 'Best Use of Integration' and bronze for 'Best Recruitment Programme'. Geraldine Beh, MD of FCB said that the portal achieved an astounding 22 million hits during the launch period - higher than the expected15 million hits.

The agency also credited the client, Telekom Malaysia, with having donegood groundwork and marketing plans as well as giving the name and the logo. It is undeniable that the Blue Hyppo campaign caught thepublic's imagination - a campaign consisting of 2 pre-launch tv commercials, press ads, radio commercials, leaflets and direct mailers to potential advertisers.

In the teaser tvcs, the Blue Hyppo was shown trying to escape with the tag-line

'Blue Hyppo is not out yet.'The commercials after the launch showed the Blue Hyppo trying to hide unsuccessfully from its pursuers with the tag-line 'You're sure to find it.' Ten days prior to the launch, trucks bearing the Blue Hyppo in cages, went around KL, Subang and PJ with the message 'Blue Hyppo is not out yet.' Two days prior to the launch, the same cages were driven out to town, this time round with the bars bent, minus the BlueHyppo.

Potential web advertisers received interesting mailers in the form of a heat pack with theline 'Press hereto experience BlueHyppo's effect on your brand.'

BlueHyppo cut-outs were inserted into the newspapers as part of the press campaign.

As a combined whole, the BlueHyppo could not help but make a big impact.

&TELEKOM

WTE.-EKOM

Blue hyppo. Electric Post and Tree which were part of the campaigns by FCB

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L-R : Gareth Gwyne (Associate Creative Director), Rod Strother (Regional Director), Avene Lee (Senior Art Director), ÂŁr Rene E Menezes (Account Director InterActive) L-R: Pennie Lim (Account Manager from Grey Worldwide, Singapore), Hew Lee Yee (Account Executive), Jo-Anne Tan (Senior Account Manager), Jo-Anne Jayasari (Account Manager), Avene Lee (Senior Art Director), Parama Thevan (Head Database Marketing), Rod Strother (Regional Director)

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Grey Direct Interactive won a silver for 'Best Use of Interactive Media' with its interactive website 'Menshealth.com.my' for Pfizer. The website was constructed as a means to reach specific target audience

18 aDOl

and connectthem with doctors, clinics and hospitals and acts as a means of interactive dialogue. Grey also scored a Merit award for P&G's Innovacentre - a website featuring P&G's new and unreleased products. Rod

Strother, MD of Grey Direct Interactive said, "to win one of only two silvers awarded was very rewarding... the awards are proof that what we've done, we've done well!"

It was a night of triumph for the

winners while the others were left with the intention to try better. After all, gold was the elusive colour this year ...

ES BLUE, GREY AND RED OgilvyOne splashed the night red by

becoming the agency to win the most awards -15out of 21. It was the sole winner in 7 of the 11 categories recognised this year. OgilvyOne's work for Nestle, won a bronze for 'Best Retention/Loyalty Programme' and Merit awards for 'Best Flat Mail' and 'Best Consumer Direct Mail (High Volume)' and 'Best Consumer

Direct Mail (Low Volume).' Ogilvy also won Merit awards for its client Volvo with the its work for 'Life is a Canvas' - a mailer which sets up as an easel to introduce the Volvo art gallery as well as the 'XCAPADE' which invited consumers to come experience the new Volvo. This mailer essentially played around with opposites - like 'On & Off', 'Wet & Dry',

'Rough & Smooth' to describe the Volvo drive. The mailer drew and incredible response and won Bronzes for 'Best Flat Mail' and 'Best Consumer Direct Mail (Low Volume)'.

OgilvyOne's work for WAO entitled 'Don't' also garnered a Bronze for 'Best Dimensional Direct Mail Campaign' and Merit awards for 'Best Art Direction' and

'Best Copywriting'. 'Don't' makes a strong statement against how violence against women is justified by society. Tan Kien Eng, CD of OgilvyOne noted that the agency holds a strong track record for direct marketing - and 2001 is the third year that they have managed to reap the"lion's share" of awards.

SWITCH to the new Volvo Cross Country

Hotel Equatorial: Set your students on fire.

OgilvyOne Worldwide, Malaysia.

Woman's Aid Organisation : Don't!

OgilvyOne Worldwide, Malaysia.

American Express: Flyround and round the world OgilvyOne Worldwide, Malaysia.

NestlS Core Packs: Dear Nestle OgilvyOne Worldwide, Malaysia.

Volvo: Life is a canvas OgilvyOne Worldwide, Malaysia.

Volvo: XCAPADE OgilvyOne Worldwide, Malaysia.

OgilvyOne winning team for DMAM Awards 2001

Fotokem : Free Enlargement, OgilvyOne Worldwide, Malaysia.

aDOl 19

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PAINTING THE TOWN RED ACNielsen for 7 1/2 years as Executive Director of Media Measurement Services as well having served as Head of Media in O&M, Leo Burnett and Grey Advertising. ADOI talks to Christina about the recent changes which are making the station red-hot...

You have been in media for the longest time - from media specialists to media research and now as a media owner. How has media changed over the years?

Media has definitely become more fragmented. The consumer has become more elusive and difficult to catch. But with due credit to technology, we have moved on from an explosion of media options to convergence of media.

The radio station, RfM was recently relaunched as Red 104.9. The station is owned by Radio Rediffusion Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Rediffusion Bhd, a public listed company. Radio Rediffusion began broadcasting, 24 hours a day in three languages, as RfM in 1996 from the first fully digital studio in the country. In 1997, Radio Rediffusion was granted license to broadcast a 24-hour Chinese channel and

launched Redi 988. RfM, then began to broadcast in English and Malay. With the name change, this stationis now becoming more marketing focussed and is specifically targetted at the 17-24 year age group.

Christina Low (above) is the newly appointed CEO of Rediffusion Berhad who is spearheading these changes. She understands media with astonishing depth - after all she has worked in

Even the advertising images for the station are personality oriented.

22 aooi

Are people interacting with media in a different way nowadays? Are they more segmented intheir consumption of media?

The way in which people areinteracting with media is really very interesting. The consumer today is more discerning and more demanding. They are educated and know their rights. We have to understand the psychology of the consumer -they want to be withyou when you benefit them. For example, they listen to a station for information as well as music that they

identify with. They want to find out more about the products and services that are talked about as well.

Media has also taken on a new form and become more interactive - in the past, radio used to be a one-way medium which talked to the audience, now there's dialogue between the station, the listener, the advertiser and the masses.This creates the opportunity to build relationships and technology has enabled this to take place.

You have relaunched rfm as red 104.9 " you must have very strong reasons for doing so - what are they?

We are differentiating ourselves in a number of ways. We are different in the way research is used and we are different because we're using colour. We're also different in the way that we market airtime - in which the voice of the station and the psychographics of the station is very much part and parcel of the message that is sent to consumers. Our target group- the17-24 year olds, are an irreverent lot, they want to be different, they are socially active and they are tribalin manyways. So the tone of the station, the music, the deejays, the advertising message has to be irreverent, exciting and fun.

Product: Oil of Olay, Day/Night/Essence Production House: Passion Pictures

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You have segmented your target group as being 17-24 - this is doing

research on this group ...

Yes. We find that this is a group

the message and the advertising all forms a whole dynamic package.

things rather differently from the

that wants to break away and be free.

rest isn't it?

They are seeking affirmation, they

At the same time, you are also

want to be accepted by their peers,

having both English and Malay

Previously, research used to divide the audience in

year blocks: 15-19,

they wish to be viewed as trend­

belts - so the listeners you are

etc. I first got the idea

setters and aspire to have their own

targetting are also different from

when I was working on a tobacco

identity. Friendships and relationships

the market leaders?

account which targeted

year

are key in their lives and they try to

If you really look closely at the

olds. And I tried to get the research

connect with people through mobile

new generations - they are very often

company to provide the statistics for

phones and internet chats. They are

bilingual especially if they have a

that group and they told me that it

fascinated by travel and they really

middle-class background. They are

couldn't be done. Fortunately today,

spend a lot on entertainment. Their

used to communicating in two (if not

we're working with ACNielsen (who

attitude towards money is that they

three) different languages, and are

wants to serve the industry well) and

expect to save only later in their life

exposed to Malay music as well as

20-24, 25"29

5

18-24

is willing to facilitate such specific

and though their income may be

English music. By broadcasting in

needs like ours.

low, they don't have financial

two languages we are not confusing

encumbrances

the target audience, as long as the

We feel that the17-24 agegroup isa great group to target - this is the stage

thus giving them

disposable income.

of life that aspirations begin. They

music fits in with the attitude and the message of the station.

are not in the classroom and under

Why did you rename the radio

the rigid routines of home and

station Red 104.9?

How do your rates compare with

school. People are either going off to

Well the colour red itself carries

college, furthering their studies or

so many exciting connotations- red is

Our rates are significantly above

beginning their first jobs. Research

young, vibrant, energetic, fashionable

the half-way mark between the top

indicates that this group registers

- all this aptly constitute the positive

radio stations and the brand new

the highest percentages in acquiring

psychographics of our station and more

ones. That's theway we have positioned

affirmation symbols such as mobile

importandy, of our listeners that we've

ourselves. We are selling the innate

phones, cd players and computers or

just discussed.

values of radio - frequency, sound and

the others?

laptops. This is also the time when

We also focus on our fresh voices -

they acquire their first car. The group

which have not been heard before in

bookings with creative ways of hyping

is driven by a need to find an identity

radio. For example, we have Paula

brand presence on the airwaves.

- and this is an opportune time for a

Malai Ali who is a star in her own

brand to make their first contact

right - but not a radio personality.

with them.

We also have some deejays whom we've just picked them fresh and we

You have also done some qualitative

provide the training so that the songs,

emotion. And we package airtime

Client: Proctor Er Gamble Agency: Saatchi 6- Saatchi, Bankok Executive Creative Director: Khun Achara Duang-ngern Art Director: Khun Sunanta Techavanvekin Copywriter: Khun Sirirut Angkasupornkul

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Cinematographer: Khun Nui Film Director: Eva Munz Producer: Sheen S. Singh

What does red 104.9 hope to bring to the industry?

All I can say is- time in andlisten to what we're doing differently!

DIRECTOR REPRESENTATION and PRODUCTION SUPPORT No.210, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 60 3 2166 6448 Fax: 60 3 2166 6468 www.passionpictures.com.my

(HJTSIDEil!

Dick Powell, one of the best-known product designers in Europe and founding partner of Seymour Powell , opened the seminar with 'The Shape of Things to Come'.

From the moment Dick stepped up on stage, he was all fired-up. Seeming more excited than the audience he said "Asking if advertising has a conscience is like asking if a whore has morals. We all know the answer but is it black or white? The aspect of branding over which agencies have the least control is the product itself. Yet this is where thegreatest changes can be made". Branding is one component to build the brand, if it is overdone the brand will collapse.

Being a design specialist Dick stressed the importance for agencies to start learning to feel for the product.

"Design is art constraint by function and function is art constraint by design." Dick mentioned a few pointers: Ban the 'C word , don't categorize consumers as 'them' because we are consumers too, it is us who deal with the consumer. Second was to 'Gang up on the bastards!' and be dead honest with your clients and make a stand if you need to. Three, Start at the end and look at the final picture and check and see what the outcome is. Lastly is to have Bandwith and to work with people who create products and this can enable the brand to reach maximum effectiveness. The favourite product he designed was

The 2001 Creative Conference, 'Outside the Box' was organised by the 4AS from the 23-24 October. Enticingly themed, 'Does Advertising Have a Conscience'. This time round some very distinguished speakers were flown from different parts of the world togive so many different perspectives, that one had no choice but to get out of the box. It was an exciting two-day session, filled with ideas and lots of food in the cosy atmosphere of the Mandarin Oriental and for those of you who missed it, Rodney Vincent, tells you what it was like in those two days... something humble - a toaster.

The second speaker was Akira Kagami, the Executive Creative Director of Dentsu Inc, Japan who titled his speech 'Nobody will pay attention unless it's Interesting.

But...' Akira's speciality is in T.V. He said that when communicating ideas we must move our audience. "For me the commercial I make, should make me feel proud enough to show my family". Akira loves using the emotional approach when doing ads. Its no surprise as there is a lot of heart in this man. Where does he go when looking for ideas? In people he says, observing behaviours and looking beyond what exist. "Many will look at a handsome man and admire at that but I look at him and also wander what if he had an accident and his face turned ugly. How would he feel? How would people feel about it?" The one thing that keeps Akira's passion burning after 30 years in advertising is the love for ideas. He also states that he finds it inspiring for to learn from younger people.

What is Akira's take on recession? "Recession is the

24 aDOl

enemy of creatives, clients simply do not want to take a risk". He did mention that he was rather impressed with some of the Petronas ads, because he could strongly feel the emotions that were being communicated.

Vinit Suraponggchai, Advisory Chairman of BBDO Bangkok Ltd, Thailand spoke on 'Advertising Trends'.

Vinit worked first as a designer, then in his families business in packaging and then in sales and marketing with Berli Jucker. He joined Lintas in 1973 and in 1985 was made Managing director. He was Chairman of the Organising Committee of the 15th Adasia in Bangkok,1986.

The word 'AdvertisingTrends' tends to convey a short term meaning i.e what has been happening in the past few years, or what could happen next year. Thinking Outside the Box, lets us examine these trends, but stretching them over 6,000 years. By basing this exploration on a few key factors such as Society, Economy and Media / Technology, we can isolate the changes involved through the ages so that when we come back to this word again, we may find new meanings to it.

Stephen Holden is a psychologist in marketer's clothing. Stephen has three degrees in psychology they are, visual perception, business and marketing context.

He's also spent sometime as a marketing manager for a brewery. Currently Dr. Holden is associate professor, marketing, School of Business, Bond University, Australia.

He spoke on 'Creativity within Constraints'

From Right to Left: Tony, SP Lee and Ethan Schoonover

According to him, one fundamental rule of marketing is "Do unto others as they would want you to do unto them". You might want to read that line again. The reason being, the consumer wants his/her needs satisfied, it's that simple.

What is creativity? Creativity is not magic - it's about doing it again and again and again until the right one pops up. In creativity there are no rules! The biggest difference between the uncreative and creative person, is that the creative person is willing to try multiple times because they understand the average of an hit.

varying in their perceptions of morals.

Graham Fink spokeon the necessary but often-elusive 'Inspiration'. Imagine sitting through a presentation and the speaker is nowhere in sight and at the end you're asked to do meditations that lead toself awareness. Spooky?

Well far from it. This presentation was done via video conference. Graham Fink is one of the most successful creatives in British advertising. Like John Hegarty he was a student of John Gill'ard, the legendary principal of the London School of Communication Arts. Among Finks work is the spectacular commercial for British Airways "Face".

"Who has a voice? Do you?" Fink is extremely serious in asking them. John Hegarty, Bill Bernbach, Steven

i a conscience is I a whore has morals. We all know the answer. but is it black or white? Hie aspect of branding over which agencies have the least control is the product itself.

Yet this is where the greatest changes can be made".

Citizen Nades defending his controversial ideas (again).

Vinit Suraponggchai

Dr. Holden also adds that people who are not creative have not been encouraged to use the right brain and their growing up has been about being logical and reasoning which is more left brain just like himself.

Stephen believes that there are rules in Ethics but each individual decides on what's ethical and non-ethical.

Cultural and social differences do contribute to individuals

Spielberg, Mahatma Gandhi - each of them has a voice.

Having a voice is making yourself heard. He adds on about the 'mask' people wear day to day, the mask we hide from and how it stops us from being who we truly are. The audience was rather surprised when Fink said " Deep down you're a different person than your colleagues perceive of you" Fink was speaking about being original and how failure stops us from achieving our goals.

There were a few movie clips that were shown and one in particular was Francis Ford Coppola's struggle in making 'Apocalypse Now'. Everything went wrong for Coppola, he had risked everything his life, his marriage, his money. The point of this was to communicate that we all should take risks. One thing that Fink did stress was that it doesn't matter if things didn't work out just learn to let go, you will not die if you fail. The presentation was ended with a little meditation, the objective was to raise our level of awareness.

The sunny R Nadeswaran spoke on the pulls of creativity and conscience in society while Ethan Schoonover, E-Business Director of Lowe Lintas & Partners, Hong Kong took up the topic of 'Online Advertising Er Privacy - Risks, Rewards and Responsibilities.'

Ethan, a former hacker, understands these issues well and shared his experiences with the audience. He outlined that the pormise of tracking technology is enabling online (and offline) advertising that is better targeted, more relevant and more effective. The risks include uncontrolled data collection, privacy invasion and abuse of personal data.

Jeff Orr is getting serious about creativity.

aDOl 25

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OUTSIDE

||

Steve Henry was born in Hong Kong in 1955.

A hurricane greeted his arrival into the world. After gaining a Formal First in English Literature from Oxford, he started to write with GGT in ig8iand moved up to WCRS in 1985 before setting up Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury in 1987. Steve's all-time favourite clients include Molson lager, Marie Claire magazine, Thames Television, First Direct bank, Maxell tapes, Fuji Film, Mercury Communications, Healthcrafts, Danepak Bacon, MTV, BhS, Britvic Soft Drinks (including Tango), Golden Wonder Pot Noodles, Red Mountain Coffee, Lego, Avon Cosmetics, the Automobile Association and Mazda cars.

HHCL was voted Campaign Agency of the Year in 1989 and in 1994. Fuji was voted Advertiser of the Year in 1990 and Tango was voted Campaign of the Year in 1992. No other company has won all three awards within its first five years. He is the rare copywriter who has confessed 'Life's too short to read body copy'. Steve was in town recently to help out with 'Outside the Box' and ADOI chatted with him about the thing he does so well...

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FUJICOLOR FUji Film. Forget the body copy as such -1just like the captions. The fun was in making short captions describe the missing pictures in your head!

How long does it take ^ to make a cup of tea? about: Ithe

same time

as it does to open

makes it so effective?

Effective is a good word. I think our original work for Orange Tango, which raised sales by 300,000 cans a day, would be close. Campaign magazine described it as the definitive advertising image of the last decade, but what excited us was that it worked so spectacularly well.

What's the difference between a good writer and a great writer? Between a good idea and a great idea?

As somebody once said, the good is the enemy of the great. Good is comfortable, great is uncomfortable. Good doesn't change anything - great isn't happy unless it's trying to change everything. You have to hate good, to get to great.

Which work did you most enjoy doing and why?

The initial work for First Direct, probably - the 24hour phone bank we launched about 10 years ago. The client was fantastic, a brilliant lady called Jan Smith and we just broke all the rules we could in order to make First Direct the obvious choice for radical early-adopters.

It was great fun, it was challenging, and the work was unignorable. It worked brilliantly, too.

What's the best way to make sure that your words hit home with the audience?

Find a compelling truth about the brand. Understand the audience in a way that you like and respect them.

Love the business you're in.

Ask yourself how your work (or the product you're advertising) will be a force for good.

Where do you find the inspiration to write?

As all writers know, it comes fromeverywhere - the cinema, the pub, the art gallery, the top floor of a number 92 bus.

Quite often, inspiration comes from putting two things together that haven't been put together before.

Unentaccount W (f>at^ tha Pa,ys 9%

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put the Kettle on then.

Which is the most effective ad you've ever seen? What

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How did you stumble into the great world of advertising?

I got into advertising because my girl-friend at the time worked in it. It seemed like a nice way to pay the rent for a few years. I didn't think I'd stay for longer than that, I thought I'd write the Great Novel and get out of it.

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First Direct. In this campaign, small cut-out heads enjoyed short dialogues in small - space press ads. They had feel cartoons (i.e . they looked approachable), but I felt they were very fresh and different.

2 6 aooi

MTV. This was an MTV Trade Ad in which we introduced the idea of "optional body copy". The copy was put on a rub-down inserted into the magazine.

You could add as much of it (or as little) as you wanted to by rubbing on the sheet like transfer.

r TO REM) BOW COPY!

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URGENT NOTICE TO A L L P A R E N T S .

Recent US tests proved that Healthcrafts Vitachieve increased the average IQ score of children in a trial.

THE WORST THINGS AN ADVERTISING AGENCY CAN SAY TO ITS CLIENTS.

1. "Great news. We've merged."

VTTACHIEVE

THIS IS THE GENUINE PACKAGING

2. "Meeting...what meeting?"

13. "Sorry. Looks like we can't afford London

Only Vitachieve carries the official seal of the Dietary Research Foundation - an independent body of scientific experts who formulated Vitachieve especially for the test.

Any similar products on sale were not tested and are not endorsed by the DRF. For more details of the results, call free on 0800 444 858.

Vitachieve for Healthcrafts. Looking through all the print work we've done here, I felt this had a real urgency toit. I love it.

Who are your heroes?

Err ... don't really have any. Bill Bernbach and Tony Kaye, possibly. Bernbach was a highly moral man who invented a new way of talking to consumers and Tony is just a genius.

on the schedule."

3. "You know what's causing the 12. "I know we've

problem here.

made a hash of your

Your logo's too big."

advertising for the last 10 years.

4. "Can I give

But we'll really try

you a lift to

hard from now on,"

the station?

My Ferrari's Just outside."

11. "Blimey.

Did we do that?"

5. "Here, thls'll make you laugh.

10. "You'll notice

We've gone a bit

we've left your

over budget."

sales conference

What is your advice to those young writers out there?

Find the truth. Push the boundaries. If someone's done it before, don't do it. Don't seek the approval of your peers. Don't worry about winning awards. Do ads that nobody could have done before. Do ads that my generation won't get. Do ads that make the world a better place.

What's the best part of your job? What's the worst part? a) Writing, b) Working with anxious or unconfident clients, who - on occasion - have taken great pieces of work and destroyed them in front of my eyes. They don't usually know they're doing this.

What is your opinion about scam ads? Why do they thrive?

I think scam ads may possibly have been a good idea at one stage- raising the standards of creativity, showing people what sort of work COULD be done in an ideal world. But ultimately they're a form of cheating, and I don't have any time for that.

What do you love about the industry and what keeps you going?

You can have more fun in advertising than in any other industry I know - working with great people, producing lots of interesting work, connectingwith people.

You could never get bored in advertising - although you can get very frustrated ! But I love the reward of producing interesting work, and I think there's a challenge facing the industry right now which is fascinating - how can we be more responsible and still keep our creative edge ?

off the timing plan" 6. "Sorry about the punch-up in reception."

9. "Here's the finished film. I guarantee that

7. "Hello. I recognise you

people will be able to make

from somewhere don't I?"

sense of it in research."

8. "Yea, yea. But clients don't know much about advertising, do they?"

YOU CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO ADVERTI8E IN LONDON. YOU CAN AFFORD TO ADVERTISE ON THAME8.

THAMES TELEVISION

XXI

Thames TV Trade ad. I love the way the copy is spread out around the page, so you avoid that normal block-wodgelook of body copy. The ad was a lot of fun to write. And it was written several years before Ben Langdon met Chris Still.

"IF SOMEONE'S DONE IT BEFORE, DON'T DO IT!" apoi

27

"I believe we should do anything for an idea.

Clients will come and go and come again, like products and audiences but really great ideas may not ever come again."

Prasoon Pandey is a film director at Highlight Films and recently made AdAgeGlobal's Top Film Directors list. ADOI talked to him while he was in town for 'Outside the Box'...

You recently made AdAgeGlobal's Top100 film directors list - what do you think got you there?

I think that my work is becoming known for being different. I make a conscious effort to not follow any style and that in itself, becomes a style. The commercials that I do have a certain look and a certain feel to it like the commercials for the 'Times of India' and the 'Antismoking campaign' have this and there's also the element of surprise in these commercials. This maybe the reason that my work got noticed.

In the face of an explosion of media options, is a tvc still effective? Why? The audio-visual medium is so powerful. It is able to create something and the best film is able to reduce even the best filmmaker, to a viewer. For example, when I watch a film and I start out saying, I want to be able to break it down by shots and I want to know how he builds something up. But then I get sucked into it and I forget all the things I intended to do. The print media is able to make you laugh (I've seen people read something and chuckle), it makes you scared (I remember when I was kid, and I read 'Omen' I was reallyscared) and maybe it can make you cry. But the power of audio­ visual is that it really sucks you in - when it makes you laugh, you laugh uproariously. It can really move you and make you cry -1 must confess that when I watched 'Life is Beautiful', I cried. And when you watch a Hitchcock movie - you really dig your fingernails into the armchair.

And today's audio-visual medium is better - both the hardware and the software make it better. The strength of print is that it is able to capture the best shot and is able to hold on to it. You can't do that with film. The strength of film is that it is able to address all the 9 emotions, and thus it is able to forge an emotional connection with the audience.

You say that you like the element of surprise? How do you set that up?

There's a lot of humour but humour is a serious business - it takes a lot of time to work it out and good humour is very subtle. To have the element of surprise,

you have to mislead your audience with red herrings and you have to think up all these red herrings. Of course it has tobe done carefully, for example if it's a car commercial - the surprise can't be that there's no car.

What makes subtlety effective for an audience?

I like removing information. If I don't tell you everything, you become more interested. It's like at school and you have to fill in the blanks. The filmmaker has to carefully craft the blanks and it then becomes a joy for the audience to discover the truth for themselves.

For example, if you have a product and its key feature is that it's so small - rather than tell the audience - 'it's so small' if you show them, the product in different settings - eventually the viewer says "Oh Shit - it's that small!".

They cherish it more when they work it out for themselves.

How did you get clients to agree to all these surprises and subtleties? They are not known for doing this ...

I think it comes at a certain stage in your career. I never show storyboards to clients. I have a game plan in mind and I tell that to the client. If I show a storyboard - I'm stuck to it. And from the storyboard to the shoot, there may be 10 days and within that 10 days I can think of so many ways of doing it better. The film is going to evolve in the10 days and we can still remove things that don't work and add other elements. Usually I end up taking three times as many shots as I planned. If I stuck to the storyboard, this growth would not have taken place. Also there are many things that cannot be shown on a storyboard - for example, if a girl and boy are sitting together, and the boy looks the girl straight in the eye, there's a pause before the reaction takes place.

How do you show this on a storyboard?

What brought you into films?

I have a huge family of 7 sisters and 2 brothers. And all of them were creative in some way - singing, painting, writing poetry and there's only one place where you can put all of that together - and that was infilm. I studied film at design school, but when I got out I was offered a job in an ad agency and I took it up. When we used to make commercials people always used to say - why don'tyou make your own films. But the ad agency kept me really comfortable and one day, I was sitting in my apartment, having a drink and reading a book called 'Upside Down Thinking' and what the book said was that the only thing that stands in the way of creativity is comfort and the only way out is to 'burn the bridges' and move. So I immediately called up my MD and said that I was quitting.

Give us a hint - how to get the most out of a film director?

The thing is to share with your director your concerns and aspirations for the film and the turn around and say 'Forget that. Just go and do your own thing - make a great film. You've completely f*ed his brain and you've out the onus on him. And all the guys who did that to me got great results.

|

Is your greatest responsibility to the client, the product or the audience?

I think my greatest responsibility is to the idea. If the idea is so hot, we have to make it work. I'll lie to the client, I'll mislead the audience if I have to and I have done it before. You see once I had to shoot this film and I had to use Aishwarya Rai in it and it was a village scene. Aishwarya is gorgeous and all that but she's just not the villagegirl - this was when she was first starting out. I actually wanted someone with darker skin and Unilever hates dark skin. So I told the client that I've

ONE MORE BLOOMER INTHE HAD 2001 2 8 aDOl

im

contacted Aishwarya and she's coming to shoot. Just before getting started, I called him and said that the film would be delayed by 6 weeks because Aishwarya has broken her arm. The client said that he could not wait and asked me to just go ahead and I filmed it and it was a hit. I believe we should do anything for an idea.

Clients will come and go and come again, like products and audiences but really great ideas may not ever come again.

Optidigit's Contact Number on Page 114 (MAD) Tel: 6203 1190 Fax : 6203 1160

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ICOM SURVEYS THE IMPACT OF SEPTEMBER 11

TH

ICOM recently questioned their agencies about the impact of the Sept. nth incident. The agencies were

cut its magazine advertising spending by two thirds during September. "

his service cap and a tear on his cheek just below his eye (reminiscent of the old American Indian looking at

asked if anything had changed on an ongoing basis in

From the Philippines, Guillermo T. Garcia Jr.,

pollution) while American flags were at half mast. The

how they do business as a result of the Sept. n terrorist

chairman, Adformatix Inc., Manila, gave an example of

Portland Metropolitan RV Dealers has a large annual

attacks in the U.S., especially related to their work for

what was happening in his company, "One client, a

show next month. In anticipation of the lowest interest

clients. Allreplied no major changes had taken place on

major US company, wants a bigger bottom line figure

rates since the 6o's and a general concern about flying

an ongoing basis.

The agencies were also asked to give examples of anything that has occurred or that they are doing

for this year - as a result, a cutback in ad budget for the

and international travel, we're recommending adding a

remainder of the year. There also seems to be travel

tag line to materials that says "It's your country, isn't it

postponements for the holidays."

time you see some of it?"

differently as a result. The ICOM agencies are a microcosm

In Australia and New Zealand, different concerns

Mike Hart, President-CEO, Hart Associates, Maumee,

of mid-size independent agencies the world over: 36

came to light. Andrew Wilson, director, WilsonEverard

Ohio touched on how the incident affected advertising

agencies in 26 countries responded. A summary of the

Advertising, Melbourne said "Business confidence in

visuals "We pulled a Glasstech ad in a glass trade

findings are as follows:

Australia and New Zealand took a huge hit. For at least

magazine with the visualbeing New York Cityincluding

As might be expected those seeing the most

two weeks after the attacks, consumer confidence was

the World Trade Center. We created ads for three other

impact are the ones with financial or travel

at an all time low withmajor retailers reporting falls in

clients as a direct result of the attacks. One of the clients

and tourism-related clients.

already sluggish sales. Now, consumer confidence is

is Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The ad invited people to

A few have made some content changes to ads.

returning -our largest client, national department store

share their feelings about the attacks for $10. Their

Some havecreated "inspirational" ads for clients.

chain Harris Scarfe is experiencing sales increases for

messages were published in a Sunday issue of the PostGazette and the $10 was donated to the New York police

â&#x20AC;˘

There have been spending cutbacks from some

the first time in two months." While David Walker,

clients. A few have transferred spending from

managing director, Walkers Advertising, Auckland added

and fire relief funds. Other patriotic ads are being

one region to another.

"Average debtors payments are lengthening. Cash always

designed for Tronair and Glasstech, Inc.

In countries where the economy is shaky, there

important has taken on more importance in uncertain

Two of our clients are newspapers andthey produced

is concern that the attack may delay a recovery.

times. There is also uncertainty in New Zealand and

special editions of their papers immediately following

Tony Kang, principal of AdGrand, Singapore said

perhaps an emerging new view that Australia and New

the attacks, however, we were just involved in the

that "In general, the people of Singapore, condemn the

Zealand will not be immune to possible terrorist attacks

strategizing of the inserts, not design or production."

terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and are in

in the future."

support of the US actions to bring the perpetrators to

North America, the target of the attacks, would be

JeffSilverman, director of brand management, The Morrison Agency, Atlanta shared how their clients reacted

justice. Business in general is however affected by the

the hardest hit. Jim Loomis, principal, Loomis Inc.,

to the incident "Raymond James Financial Services

weak global economy which is now worsened by the

Honolulu said that "Hawaiihas been hit very hard since

cancelled an annual recognition trip for top producers

terrorist attacks in America. "While Ian Craighead,

we are heavily dependent on tourism and air is the only

to South America. "We created a special ad- an

Select Team, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia reported on the

way to get here. In the initial days after air travel

"inspirational" letter from the chairman-CEO to the

local scene that "There is evidence that optional flying

resumed, incoming visitor count was 30% of normal. It

financia ltrade recognizing that the financial industry

for personal/leisure reasons is off, but business travel is

does appear that we are heading back to normal.

was hit very hard but that we need to "rise from the

holding up. The stock market fell, of course, but not as

Compared to ayear ago, domestic arrivals are 80%,Japanese

ashes." The ad ran in Research magazine and in a

badly as insome places. It now appears to bewobbling

are 50% as of Oct.i. We are especially concerned about

shorter format inFinancial Advisor magazine.

back up."

Japanese visitors. Now, as happened during the Gulf

Donald R.Brashears, EVP-General Manager, Cramer

War, thenumber ofvisitors fromAsia (particularly Japan)

Krasselt, Chicago who handles an airline client shared

John Cohen, principal, PMP Advertising (Int'l) Ltd., Hong Kong gave examples of what was happeningthere:

has decreased precipitously because many Japanese feel

that "AirTran Airways stopped all advertising

"The Renaissance Shanghai cancelled ads set to run in

it is inappropriate to visit here and enjoy themselves

immediately as is customary followingan airline tragedy.

One week later, we were the first airline to start up

the New York Post. Hong Kong hotels areexperiencing

when the U. S. is going through difficulty. One

heavy cancellations and attendance at recent trade

manufacturing client (of consumer goods) shut down

advertising with an ad that said "It's time to get back to

shows in HongKong was very low. "In Japan, a note of

production for several days but has resumed. Another

business." The next day we were the first to run a sale

concern was raised by Shoichi Hoshi, international

client, a car dealer, has reducedits mediabudget by 25%

ad. It produced 7,500 immediate bookings andthe numbers

advisor, NihonKeizai Advertising, Tokyo - "We at Nihon

for October, but feels budgets for Nov. and Dec. will be

have been going up every day since. AirTran is back in the 60% range for load factor."

Keizai Advertisinghas seen almost nothing change, but

normal. Our gasoline retailer, after consultation with

Iam concerned that the psychological effect of the terrorist

us, issued a statement that there wouldbe no increase

attack on consumer confidence will make evenworse the

in price of gas at the pumps."

The tremors were also felt in Europe where Pirjo vonHertzen, CEO-managing director, Incognito Oy,

economic recessionJapan has been suffering for over ten

Jay Clemens, CEO, Turtledove Clemens Inc., Portland,

Helsinki noted that "One client, a big hotel for business

years. The number of Japanese travelers to overseas has

Oregon gave another point of view: "Clients seem to be

travelers, has decreased its marketing budget following

decreased rapidly, andthat is a great blow to the industry.

holding their positions. Our travel clients have not been

cancellations ofinternational travelers andof international

"H. S. Lim, principal, Smart Group, Seoul noted that "The

hit as hard as most since Oregon tends to be a drive to

meetings and seminars. The downturn in the economy

Bank of Korea has just announcedthat economic growth

destination and is perceived as a very safe place to be.

has had a serious effect onadvertising industry and media,

during the thirdquarter willbe much lower than forecast.

Our client Oil Can Henry's is a quick lube chain built

so it is not possible to say if the attack has had any

As a result, most clients are hesitating to spend for

around an Americana theme. Their logo includes an

additional impact on the business."

advertising and are delaying launches. Trigem Computer

illustration of anearly OilCan Henry. We added a flag to

30 aDOl

HAXIS HUMANISES TECHNOLOGY Maxis believes that technology is really about breaking down the barriers and bringing people closer together. Their latest commercials demonstrates just that. Their 'LAPS' commercial shows 5 competitive swimmers take their positions. They are very tense as they wait anxiously for the whistle to go off. When it does, they dive into the pool, ready to race to the other end but suddenly, the floaters are pulled away.

The swimmers come together and do a synchronized swimming movement. The message is clearly and simply spelt out using this analogy. The execution is both visually and musically dramatic, to heighten the competitiveness, especially at the start of the commercial before the mood changes as the swimmers swim in synchrony towards the end.

The talents in the commercial are Malaysia's best synchronized swimmers and include the duo, Suzanna Ghazali Bujang and Sara Kamil Yusof who won the gold at the 21st SEA Games held recently in KL. We'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate the girls and say thank you.

The commercial reflects how Maxis and 4 other service providers namely TM Touch, TIMECel, Celcom and DIGI worked together to remove barriers so all digital mobile phone users in Malaysia can SMS their friends and family on other networks.

Another recent commercial that uses a similar tone is the 'Surpirse' commercial. This commercial revolves around a family getting together for a surprise birthday party for dad. In the process, we see how Maxis provides a wide range of advanced technology to improve people's lives.

As dad heads off for golf with his friends, his wife gets on the mobile phone, PC etc. to rally her children and friends.

We see her eldest son who is a businessman in a foreign airport receiving a text message from mom that originated as a voice call (Voice to text & international roaming).

Next, her daughter who is in the middle of a meeting receives a video call on her tablet PC (Phone to PC & video call. Mom then calls her younger son on his mobile phone. He's at a friend's house downloading MP3 files

from the Net.He takes the call from a fixed line phone instead, demonstrating fixed and mobile line convergence (MP3 through the Net & Mobile Fixed Convergence).

The eldest son arrives back in KL and we see him checking the weather forecast (Maxis' Information Services). Meanwhile, dad is still golfing and uses his phone to help him with his game (location finder). As dad putts through the last hole, he's surprised to see his family at the golf course! They give him a present: a trophy and the attached card reads: To our champion dad, Happy Birthday". We see that a large party has gathered under a marquee to celebrate his birthday.

Finally, we see various cut-away shots showing people using the technology- satellite ground stations and the Maxis Network Operations Centre. The voice over says: "Life will change because of technology. But at Maxis, we don't think technology is all that special, life is."The 'Laps' commercial came out of Axis Films while the 'Surprise' commercial is the work of Jemima Films.

maxis

• Title: Laps • Film Director : Steven Ang • Production House : Axis • Producer : Ravi • Art Director : KC • Agency Producer : Daniel/Joanne • Copywriter : Bhavani Rajaratnam • Account Management Team : Mohamed Adam, Gerard Lye & Shen

maxis • Title: Suprsie • Film Director: Steven Ang • Production House : Jemima • Producer : Gopi • Art Director: Jules • Agency Producer : Daniel • Executive Creative Director: Lee Szu Hung • Account Management Team : Mohamed Adam, Gerard Lye

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SPORTS

New TVC Debut - Sept/Oct 2001 marketing on the roll!

Brand: Coca-Cola Title: Totally Worth It Duration: 30 seconds Client: F£rN Coca-Cola Agency: McCann-Erickson Creative Director: Beresford Mitchell Art Directors : Darry Tan Copywriter: Ajay Thrivikraman, Gavin Hoh Language: English Summary: If drink Coke can get you to any concerts in the world, who cares about the long drive, traffic jam, the heat and the crowd? Like the guys said at the end of this TVC, "it's all worth it".

Brand: Courts Mammoth Title: Remoted Duration: 30 seconds Client: Courts Mammoth Sdn Bhd Agency: Batey Retail Creative Director: Gordon Haynes Art Director: Kwek Wei Beng Copywriter: Gordon Haynes Language: English / BM Summary: You don't need lots of money to buy the best things in life. You just need to apply for Flexible Credit with Court Mammoth, and get that odd-looking TV set and torn sofa out of your house.

S6.A«Ur DATAKG Johor

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Brand: McDonald's Title: Unbutton Duration: 20 seconds Client: McDonald's Agency: Leo Burnett Advertising Creative Director: Yasmin Ahmad Art Directors: Zaidi Awang Copywriter: Iska Hashim Language: English / BM / Cantonese Summary: Introducing the new Big MacJunior. It may be small in size, but it can fill up any adults easily, as shown in this TVC. Guess size doesn't matter after all.

Brand: Time Gold Card Title: On The Street Duration: 30 seconds Client: TimedotCom Agency: GreyWorldwide Creative Director: Gareth Gwynne Art Directors: Avene Lee Copywriter: Gareth Gwynne Language: English /BM/Mandarin Summary: With Time Gold Card, you can get in touch with your loved ones anytime, anywhere. Now isn't that nice?

mediaBanc For more information please call Miss Nadjmin of MediaBanc at 03-79836668

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recognition of the AFC. Nick Mould, Senior VP of World Sport Group Asia, said, "Asian football is a growing forceon the world stage. With more pan-Asian and global TV viewers than ever before, Asian players plying their trade overseas and the staging of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan, Asia'scontribution to theworld's favouritesport is increasingly pervasive. The AFC's new identity will assist in increasing that strength and exposure on the world stage."

Brand: DiGi Title: Coverage Area Sign Duration: 15 seconds Client: DiGi Telecommunications Agency: Naga DDB Creative Director: Ted Lim Art Director: Richard Koh Copywriter: Jam Language: English/BM /Mandarin Summary: DiGi is working very hard to cover maximum areas in the nation. First stop: Kota Tinggi. Looks for more in the upcoming weeks.

Brand: Maxis SMS Title: Laps Duration: 40 seconds Client: Maxis Mobile Agency: BBDO Creative Director: Huang Ean Hwa/Lee Szu Hung Art Director: K.C. Chung Copywriter: Bhavani Rajaratnam Language: English Summary: With the barriers broken down and the freedom to send SMS amongst different operators, this could be the beginning of a new relationship, for all of us.

32

The Asian Football Confederation recently launched a new identity which reflects dynamism, youth, prestige and encompasses the growing stature of Asian football on the global stage. The new look and the logo were launched by the AFC President, Sultan Ahmad Shah.

The new logo is commissioned by AFC Marketing Ltd., commercial partners of the AFC and part of the World Sport Group pic. Through the re-branding of AFC events, media campaigns and PR activities, World Sport Group aims to increase the consumer and commercial

TAYLOR NELSON SOFRES GETS SPORTY! Taylor Nelson Sofres has recently agreed to acquire the entire share capital of Sponsorship Information Services Limited (SiS) and its interests in Sponsorship Information Services Asia Pte Limited and NetResult Limited.

SiS monitors and evaluates sponsorship of major sporting events, such as UEFA Champions League football matches, Formula One and ATP Tour Tennis, using its branded monitoring system. SiS provides many corporate sponsors with vital intelligence on sponsored events. As part of Taylor Nelson Sofres, SiS will be able to provide sponsors, rights holders and media owners, with category leading research branded solutions.

Established in 1993, SiS employs 36 staff. It had turnover in the year ended 30 June 2001 of £2.2 million and net assets at that date of £0.2 million. Key managers will remain with the company

and will continue to play a strong and active part in the development of the business, which will form part of the TNS Media Intelligence sector.

Commenting on the acquisition, Mike Kirkham, Chief Executive of Taylor Nelson Sofres, said: "SiS fits well with our existing advertising measurement and monitoring businesses and expands the TNS activities in this growing research sector. We now have the opportunity to market the SiS systems across the group and to offer clients a full range of services to measure internationally the effectiveness of their sponsorship and sports marketing spend."

Mark Cornish, Managing Director of SiS, added: "This global business sector is now estimated to be valued at $100 billion a year. SiS will extend TNS' development in the sports market with the aim of offering a comprehensive, market leading, sports and sponsorship research service, at the international level."

MSN Explorer gets personal In an effort to provide personalised services, MSN has rolled-out a new browser in Malaysia called MSN Explorer. The new browser is tailored to meet the unique interests and demands of Malaysian consumers - providing them with their

favourite local services - to search, shop, send and receive instant messages, access email, check weather and news, and surf - through just one interface.

Niko Walraven (left), MSN Malaysia Country Manager, "The browser will give users an integrated Internet experience that is distinctively different from that offered today by any service provider.

The new browser allows users to customise the MSN interface and content to their taste." The new browser makes it simple for users to stay in touch with the people they know and care about through a click of a button.

The new browser addresses the needs of users as worldwide research indicates that more and more people are bothered

by theclutter, inconsistency and impersonal nature of the Web. The development of the MSN Explorer was guided by three design goals: to provide an easy way to use the Web, to personalise and enrich the Web experience and to bring together the Web's most exciting features together in one interface. MSN is already hugely popular enjoying a 55% reach in Malaysia with over1.2 million users and 1.7 million Hotmail accounts. The new personalised features in the new browser include photo storage space and restaurant reservations.

Niko believes that the key importance of the Web is its ability to connect people and these features help people do the things they enjoy doing over the Web. MSN also rolled out a new advertising

campaign to demonstrate how crucial communication is in people's lives and how the Web helps people stay in touch easily and effectively!

Niko introducing his baby...

The "Propose" TVCpart of the humorous way MSN is pushing the new browser.

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OF NOVEMBER LIGHTS & SHADOWS byjullie P. Lingan, Executive Creative Director, TBWA-ISC

It is the eleventh month of a bleeding year for the whole world and while February has its romance, March its first day of spring, April and its fools, I think of November and I get chilly images of lights and shadows, cold gray evenings and melancholia. Even the way it's ushered in carries a touch of the macabre, with Halloween and jack-o-lanterns setting the mood at midnight. Then there's All Souls Day with its multitude of flickering candle lights illuminating the graves of departed loved ones - a time when our thoughts are plagued with reminders of our transitory life on earth and how short it can be. I think of November and I remember a phrase that haunts me from a previous life- "when it's gray November in your soul" - which to me beautifully captures a time, right in the middle of fall, when sweaters and bulky turtlenecks come out from winter shelves and we're all in dire need of extra warmth. I think of November and remember turkey and Thanksgiving family reunions when we

join hands in thanking God for all our blessings and over at the world city of Manhattan, Rockefeller Center lights up its giant Christmas tree, signaling the start of the festive season. In Thailand, there's the lovely Loy Krathong festival when kaleidoscopic lanterns, bedecked with blooms and incantations, float in celebration of wishes and dreams. (If I remember right, there is a belief that if the lantern travels lit and upright all throughout its journey, the owner will get his or her wish, failing which the wish may not come true). Closer to home, there is Deepavali or festival of lights.

Chances are, all over the world, there are awe-inspiring festivals of this nature all happening in the nostalgic month of November, when people start reflecting on their lives of the past ten months and look forward to Christmas, Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and the year ahead.

Is it all too coincidental that on this special month of November, the world is ablaze with lights and lanterns, as if

their combined warmth can comfort lost, wandering souls as well as help us reflect on things that should truly matter in our lives? Turn the wattage up to its brightest in order to light our paths and open our eyes to truths we have ignored in the dark?

Maybe so. But one thing comes to light in this melancholy month of November: that the lights surrounding us from all over the world should give us the message of hope in the midst of darkness, faith in the midst of uncertainties and above all, that love always burns bright to those who keep the flame burning.

(Note: This article was inspired by Add Audio's James who so kindly took the trouble to make sure he talked to me about my "September Mourn" (October issue). Thanks, James for reaffirming my belief that we in advertising still care enough to be concerned about the world outside of our industry).

It Was the Worst of Times

by Josh Sklar, global Chief Creative Officer CCG.XM - jsklarlSccgxm.com

I've never been known as an overly optimistic person and from where I sit in New York City, it doesn't look like my reputation is going to turn around anytime soon. The same could be said for the new media industry.

A few months ago things were beginning to move again.

After a year and 1/2 of having clients hold on tightly to their budgets, it appeared that 2002 was the time they were going to dip a collective metaphoric toe into the freezing, cold water that has been the online world. This bravery came much too late for dozens of agencies and consultants who, for one reason or another, couldn't weather the time on the beach and had to close up shop.

But for the rest of us, aaaahh, that brisk dip felt invigorating! Alas, it was short lived. Now all those corporations are asking for are towels and directions back to the bar. Pour me a stiff one.

Yes, September nth might have been a great testimony to the power of the Internet in helping to keep people and governments connected (not to mention the terrorists, as I wrote last month), but it was the death knell for 2002 budgets. Colleagues the entire industry over had been saying again and again that whoever survives the horrible effect of being associated with the miserable dot.com failures will come out as powerhouses. The question that now begs answering is who can survive at all?

It's crossroads for most everyone. Not like the last one where regular, non-technical folk were debating whether to stay in the jobs they had experience in or to jump headfirst into potential riches. No, this one is quite the opposite. Which is the lesser of two evils? Leave a job that you believe in whole-heartedly only to likely find yourself on the street with a soiled career or try to figure out which skills might be transferable to a position you

34 aooi

never even considered as an option in the past? It's not as if there are a plethora of fabulous 'like' positions available in the general advertising & marketing agencies given the state of the economy post-911.1 can't think of a single global agency that hasn't had large staff reductions in the past six months. Maybe there are one or two, but none come to mind and they'll be lucky not to get whacked soon given the cutting that their clients are doing the world over. And then there are those pesky financial analysts who want to see cost-cutting measures so they can rest assured that their management teams are 'responsible.' Oh the humanity of business.

Scared? No? You should be. The Internet may not be going anywhere. There will always be a need for services online, but the question is when will we extract ourselves out of this holding pattern and begin moving forward once again? Because of the way people's minds spun out of control at the thought of new business models, clearly most online ventures were years upon years ahead of their time. The fear is that all of the progress will be negated by, well, fear. We may be in for a long haul of stagnation with the exception going to individuals contributing their own time, a bit of altruism and those few companies that have too much invested to pull out now. That's a wee bit of good news for users of these systems but it doesn't bode well for those of us who rely on companies spending heavily on new projects and campaigns to support our businesses.

It's time to reinvent ourselves. We can't live in the land of false hope anymore. We were always telling our clients that the old economy business models were antiquated and it was either evolve or die. Well - it's time to look in the mirror, my friends. I just hope we like what we see.

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for every subscription we receive, RM30 or 30% will be donated to the Home of Peace - a sanctuary for underprivileged children in Taman Seputeh, Kuala Lumpur.

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CIA Hong Kong parties in style CIA Hong Kong recently hosted a huge bash for media industry colleagues, media owners £r clients. The party was to fondly bid adieu to Caroline Foster as well as welcome everyone to the spanking new premises of CIA Hong Kong.

Left-Right: Caroline Foster (CIA HK) & Anne Louise of (Reader's Digest)

Left-Right: Jean Cooper (Rapp Collins), Andre Nair (CEO Mindshare, Indian subcontinent), Sherrin Loh (CIA HK).

Left-Right: Cynthia Wu (CIA HK), Elaine Ma (Toys R Us), Elaine Ho (Toys"R"Us) £r Doris Mok (CIA HK)

Left-Right: Dominic Ng (CIA HK) & Grant Trollope

left-Right: David Morgan (EURO RSCG) & ST Ang (CIA HK)

Left-Right: Elaine Ho (Toys R Us), Betty Chin (CIA HK), Elaine Ma (Toys"R"UsJ, Doris Mok (CIA HK), Caroline Foster (CIA HK), Dominic Ng (CIA HK)

at Shangri20001 sees the Nobel prizes being awarded for the 100th year and BBC World has decided that this is a monumental event which should be commemorated.

The Nobel prize is the creme-de-la-creme of prizes and every year, people all over the world eagerly look forward to knowing who the winners are.The Nobel is awarded to men and women who have made a real difference in their respective fields and have changed the destiny of the world. BBC World features the 'Nobel Century' comprising of six programmes which will be aired in December.

In December the Nobel Prize celebrates its 100th anniversary "Nobel Prize Centennial 1901-2001". To commemorate the centenary of these first Nobel Prizes, all now-living Laureates have been invited to participate in a Centenary Week in December.

BBC World will be there to cover this year's awards ceremony, as well as showing a series of five programmes to

36 aDOl

Business news network CNBC Asia Pacific announces that it has begun its roll-out to provide its signature live global business and financial news to travellers staying at all 16 Shangri-La and Traders hotels in mainland China.

Alan Hodges, CNBC Asia Pacific's Vice President of Distribution, said: "Shangri-La and Traders hotels in China are some of the favourite residences of business travellers in China. This makes our partnership with them most relevant as we are servicing the same clientele.

In this era of real-time news and market data, we're

Left-Right: Helen Willerton (CIA HK) £r Louis Bozwell (IM Asia)

pleased to work with Shangri-La in making sure our clients get access to the information relevant to their work and lives. This deal was also made possible through the hard work of our distribution partner in China, CITV (China International TV)." Commenting on the new partnership, Al Wymann, Shangri-La's Vice President for China, said: 'With over 8,000 rooms in mainland China, Shangri-La is very committed to providing high quality standards and service excellence to our guests.

BBC's NOBEL effort mark the anniversary with some flagship debates involving Nobel Prize winners on some of the major issues of our time.

The Nobel Century takes a tour through the 100 year history of the Nobel prizes telling familiar and surprising stories with archives and interviews. Nobel Peace (the Peace prize was previously won by figures such as Aung San Suu Kyi and Mother Theresa) will take a look at the profile of this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner. Nobel Winners,on theother hand will profile some of this year's winners.

In Nobel Minds, Nobel Prize winners gather to discuss some of the major issues of our time in a debate chaired by Nik Gowing while in Nobel Futures, Sarah Montague chairs thisdebate on how modern

technology can be harnessed to advance peace and humanity. Lastly, Nobel Science which takes a look at the key scientific developments of the last century are discussed in this great Nobel debate before an audience of more thana hundred former Nobel laureates in the field of science.

Dalai lama

Henry Kissinger

Mother Teresa

Y2K + 2 = Can Someone Truly Make Things Better?

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

Just today, I received an email from an old friend who now works for Philips. At the bottom of his note was this 'commercial' message: "60,000 patents registered.

10,000 inventions to date".

It made me sit up and think. Are these guys serious or what. I like to believe that as someone who works in the ad industry, I am immune to the game of smokes and mirrors. That I was beyond falling for tall claims.

That I would search out the 'product' beneath the "brand' so that I do not end up owing something that I did not need in the first place. And I have to admit, most of the time I do succeed. But this was different...

Philips represents the type of manufacturer who spend huge amounts on R&D, come up with absolutely amazing products, but have never talked to me, let alone talk me into buying anything at all. And the paradox? As I am the type who looks to optimize the 'product' or functional benefits of anything that I am in the market for, I have ended up buying a few Philips makes...and not surprisingly none of these were triggered by any from of communication that I can recall!

And I am not referring to just the good old 30-second TV spots either. Apart from one particular flat screen

TV print ad (ok the ones which feature the rather leggy model) there is not a single piece of communication that exists in the realm of my consciousness. (And I seriously doubt if the leggy model is playing havoc with my subconscious either).

Amidst all this rambling the point I am getting to is this -1 may represent a kind of consumer who believes in his instincts. Serious 'mental' notations are kept with all positive product experience- which ultimately translates to dollops of Image equity. So, unknown to companies like Philips, and despite their total disregard for CRM, they manage to garner some loyal customers. Are they losing a huge opportunity here - the answer seemingly is a no-brainer. But did they get anything right which the others have missed. Maybe, and the best part is that in my case I do not know what it is. In other words, has Philips been plain lucky with me?

So, while my amazement at the disinterest of Philips in me continues, I do continue to discover the amazing products they make. Take for instance the Xenium Mobile phone (my client Motorola appreciates my keeping tabs on the competition) - that cell phone has had features for over close to two years that the

likes of Nokia are advertising today. Why on earth did Philips choose to remain shy about investing in promoting their killer products - just beats me.

That 'commercial' message at the end of my friend's email signals to me that perhaps someone at Philips has finally woken up and decided that they would make some noises on the quiet!

DIRECT MARKETING IN THREE ACTS Kurt Crocker, Creative Director, Drayton Bird, Crocker Er Mano Sdn Bhd

Methinks, sometimes, I have nomore wit than a Christian or an ordinary man.

But I am a great eater of beef and I think that does harm to my wit.

Those words, or something close to them, arethe words of William Shakespeare as uttered by acharacter named Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night. Quite a few Malaysians had the chance to hear them spoken by yours truly some years back during Instant Cafe Theatre's production of that play. It was part of an Out in the Open arts festival held, well, out in the open on the grounds of Carcosa.

What on earth, you ponder, does the mention of a theatrical performance have to do with Direct Marketing? Nothing at all, I answer, if you think the theatre is nothing but a bunch of egomaniacal actors like myself making much ado about nothing. But if you think of theatre as a business, which it very much is here in Malaysia, than a specialised discipline like Direct Marketing could and should have a starring role.

In fact, I defy you to name a business category that could not employ the benefits of Direct Marketing. The only criteria necessary are the desire to make money and keep making money for some time to come. So let's look at the theatre as a business with those criteria.

Act One - What's the situation in the theatre world here?

A number of Malaysians have been paying to see stage productions for quite a few years now. But the number of Malaysian theatre-goers is relatively low, especially considering the many production choices that are now available. So while there is certainly no shortage of choices, it's quite a challenge to fill seats if you rely solely on a small group of existing theatrephiles.

The companies here that produce plays are varied. Some are very focused in the types of plays they offer; others are quite eclectic, offering everything from stand-up comedy and dance to original and classic plays.

The Actors Studio is a pioneer that began, as most theatre companies still operate, "floating" their productions from venue to venue. That is, most lease space from existing stage facilities for a preagreed period of time. Now Actors Studio has their own space, or spaces actually, staging productions from three different venues.

As for actors, there are very few who are full-time professionals.Salary standards are miserable.Training islimited. Incentives and pathways for choosing acting as a career are virtually non-existent, despite Malaysia's intentions of becoming a regional cultural hub.

And it's important to note, I think, that for the moment, pre-sold tickets for most productions are available from only a few selected outlets. That may change soon, I'm told, thanks to a proposed electronic system to be shared by various production companies.

Act Two - What are the key challenges?

Clearly, there is a need to expand the market size. But first, who is going to the theatre now? What is the profile of a typical Malaysian theatre-goer? And is the type of person who attends, say, an Instant Cafe Theatre production the same or different than one who regularly goes to an Actors Studio play? Or does the profile change from play to play regardless of the production company?

Once questions like these are answered, you will begin to see a much clearer picture of market prospects. A reliable profile of your current customers is mandatory if you want to attract more of the same. You will also discover segments within the whole that represent more reliable sources of revenue. That will help you market more intelligently to your current customers, as well as help you find new ones.

But if the theatre scene is to thrive, you must do more than just place bums in seats. The cost of leasing venues is not cheap, and even a company that owns a venue has a mortgage to pay.

Do the math. Say a typical "house" has 250 seats. A typical "run" is 12 performances. The average ticket price is RM35. Even with a full house every night (hardly ever happens) total ticket sales is RMIO5,OOO... tops. Add overheads like salaries and set production to venue expenses and it's easy to calculate the need for other revenue sources. Especially if the goal is to raise standards as well as curtains.

that after serious rounds of profiling, we've determined that college-age students are an important prospect segment. Upper level executives in large companies is another. A Direct Marketing programme would cost-effectively target whatever high-value prospects you identify. But if theatre companies are really serious about growing, they would do well to consider "lead generation" advertising, also a role for Direct Marketing. Create a campaign - funded by arts councils and / or the appropriate ministry? - solely designed to create a database of prospective theatre goers.

Most theatre companies currently use some form of Direct Marketing to communicate with their "existing" customers. I suggest, however, that current efforts are haphazard at best, and not very compelling or comprehensive. There are few that are taking advantage of opportunities to reward for loyalty, for example, or for getting their friends to the theatre.

Tap New RevenueSources. Sponsorships and advertisers are an obvious need. Some companies have been all too regularly tapped by theatre companies and it's time to search for alternatives. Again, Direct Marketing has a role here, and it would not be just a one-off effort. To make a sponsorship/advertising programme even more cost-efficient you could also use a corporate base to sell tickets.

These are but a few opportunities for the local theatre scene if Direct Marketing got into the act in a more consistent and professional manner. And the same thinking could apply to any number of products or services. But I'm a great eater of beef, and it's time for lunch.

Act Three - What's the role for Direct Marketing?

Expand Market Size. Let's assume

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TBWA-ISCMHALAYSIA LAUNCH Office politics fade away after a few drinks together...

"And they licked their platters clean" it seemed!

L-R: Alain Rhone (CFO of TBWA\Asia-Pac) with Richard O'Brien and Thillai

"This is no excuse to turn up late to work tomorrow!"

Keith does the obligatory chairman's address

Lady in brown with Keith Smith, Chairman of TBWA\Asia Pac

Toasting the new company

L-R: Mukhriz Mahathir, Robin Nayak (TBWA\Singapore), Austen, Justin Barry's side profile (TBWA\Singapore), Mazlan S and Angela Tan (TQPR)

Austen Zecha points the way forward for the company

When doing marketing battle, line up the ladies first...

TBWA-ISC\Malaysia was officially launched on 23rd October. The company celebrated the event by holding a dinner at Passion Road, Jalan Gelenggang for staff on the previous night. For the event, the

38 aooi

The creative team behind TBWA-ISC

Chairman of TBWA\Asia Pacific - Keith Smith and the CFO - Alain Rhone along with Robin Nayak and Justin Barry of TBWA\Singapore specially flew down to be part of the festive occassion. Spirits were high as the

L-R: Ng Chew Peng, Raphael Tay, Thillai, Swee San

team was extremely happy to be part of the prestigious TBWA heritage. On the 23rd, TBWA-ISC invited friends and partners of the agency to a wonderful lunch, signalling a wonderful new beginning.

For your brand to stand out from the rest, ook to our range of customised environments.

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And when I Âťurf, I click with TMnet.

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Whether it be sponsoring a particular tv programme, creating a niche TV show or simply looking for special tv commercial spots, our team of brand-building experts can fulfill your needs. Call 03-255 1177 to find out more.

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