www.marketingmagazine.com.my
ISSUE #259 AUGUST 2020
popculture
WEEKENDER
Brands are the flag-bearers of Merdeka
WEEKENDER
popculture
EDITOR'S NOTE
COVER STORY
What will you remember this Merdeka? Google loses money in Malaysia Google Malaysia is in a sorry state of finance and our hearts go out to them. Google’s global revenue amounted to USD134.81 billion in 2019...
04 12
Thirty Second Cinema.
Part IV. Tony Scott: ‘Nothing on earth comes close’.
06
The Return of ZBB Just when Zero Based Budgeting (ZBB) thought it was out...
16
If not for brands, Merdeka Day will pass like a ship in the night. While it can be said that brands have a commercial or imagedriven intent in their messaging, we cannot blindly brush aside their...
Advertising and speech
19
Speech issues raised their ugly heads again recently in the ad industry...
MARKETING WEEKENDER is published by Sledgehammer Communications (M) Sdn Bhd 22B, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 1, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 603-7726 2588 ham@adoimagazine.com. www.marketingmagazine.com.my © All Rights Reserved By: Sledgehammer Communications (M) Sdn Bhd (289967-W) 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 assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions and/ or for any consequences of reliance upon 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.
“
GOLF IS LIKE ADVERTISING. NOBODY LEARNS ANYTHING. Bob Hoffman, after his recent vacation
”
“
THIS MATTER IS A WASTE OF POLICE RESOURCES, AND I AM SICK OF SUCH MATTERS.
”
IGP Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador over PROGRAMMATIC MEDIA BUYING latest sodomy MAY BE THE PROVERBIAL SNAKE allegations against a PIT, BUT THAT DOESN’T STOP prominent opposition ADVERTISERS SLEEPWALKING politician, the INTO IT. complainant later Paraphrased from latest World claimed he was Federation of Advertisers influenced by an NGO report showing 41% of global leader to make the digital media spend goes into programmatic. police report.
“
”
4 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER EDITOR’S NOTE
Google loses money in Malaysia
G
oogle Malaysia is in a sorry state of finance and our hearts go out to them. Google’s global revenue amounted to USD134.81 billion in 2019 and in Q1/2020 its parent company Alphabet (where Google advertising provides 82% of total revenue) made a net income of USD6.8 billion.
But in Malaysia, the Google bottom line tells a sad story. Let’s take a moment to appreciate how one of the world’s largest companies is making losses doing business in Malaysia. For financial year ending 2018, Google Malaysia declared a loss of over RM2 million. It was more
5 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER EDITOR’S NOTE
dire the year before, where they suffered a massive loss of over RM8.7 million. In comparison, Google Australia agreed to pay AUD481.5 million in tax last year. According to Statista, Australia has 22 million internet users while Malaysia has 27 million. Puzzling? That’s why the tax math for Google Malaysia saddens me. While it is common for new companies to experience losses in their first few years, they have been here 12 years, I urge you to sympathise with Google Malaysia. They have done so much for our country with their free programmes and community projects that I feel they should
not suffer an unprofitable future in Malaysia. But I am still puzzled that since the Google and Facebook duopoly sucks up almost all digital advertising revenues in Malaysia while riding on other people’s content without paying a sen, how can this be so…? As for the news content compensation battle, the Australian government is fighting that for us. In the meantime, I am focusing on helping Google’s waning financial fortunes in Malaysia. Someone suggested starting a Save Google fund. Any ideas?
6 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER COVER STORY
What will you remember this Merdeka? If not for brands, Merdeka Day will pass like a ship in the night.
W
hile it can be said that brands have a commercial or imagedriven intent in their messaging, we cannot blindly brush aside their role in articulating the values of Merdeka and what it stands for. I’ll even go so far as to even say that the government should applaud them for doing an amazing job even they can’t do. Let’s face it. When Merdeka Day comes around, we look forward to the one-day holiday and some flag-brandishing to keep our patriotic spirit alive. Politicians peddle out the usual unity messages, while some
bring back the spectre of May 13 just so we are grateful for the peace we have today. National Day parades are commonplace (not this year though) as we dress our finest and roll out our finest in a fit of sheer exuberance for the day. The parade is the main event of the day, as dignitaries spend half a day in the shade and schoolchildren in the sweltering sun, while an assembled crowd cheer on our multi-faceted social fabric with non-stop flag waving. Tourists have a field day and festivities end by early afternoon. The Merdeka Parade on Live TV allows us to catch an
7 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER COVER STORY
annual glimpse of our military march past and the glorious flypast show of force by our air force and exciting highlights include cultural and patriotic performances, floats, marches by uniformed groups and the amazing military tattoo display. Most of that is no more this year because of COVID-19 protocols. Save for a possible closed session celebration at Dataran Pahlawan in Putrajaya, our Merdeka messaging once again falls on brands who dutifully step forward to champion the glory of our beloved nation. And when they do it, it is entertaining, endearing and emotional.
They become part of the national conversation and are discussed at length. Evoking feelings officialdom has never been good at. We salute the brands that celebrate with us and they include Petronas, TNB, CIMB, Celcom Axiata, RHB, Maxis, Grab, AirAsia, Nestlé, Digi, unifi, F&N, Maybank, just to name a few. About 25 years ago, PETRONAS started the storytelling genre in festive and “occasion” TVCs with One Little Indian Boy for Hari Merdeka focusing on human values and social congruence. This tracked the story of Independence Day though the eyes of a child on that historic day.
8 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER COVER STORY
And who can forget the world-acclaimed and iconic Petronas’ Tan Hong Ming Merdeka Day film thirteen years ago which tackled racism head on with its colour blind message. The spot also won Malaysia’s first Gold Cannes Lions in Film. And it was all done without Tan Hong Ming and Ummi Khazriena realizing the camera was actually rolling. It is one of a series of three TV spots for Petronas, all following the theme of ‘our children are colour blind’. Umi is now 20 years old, and she says she is still “colour blind” to racism. She was 7 then, and recalls the late Yasmin Ahmad who created the spot: “She would give everything that she could in everything that she did.” Last year, Celcom Axiata’s Getaran Pertama was voted by our readers as the best Independence Day ad of 2019. It chronicled the search for the first choir to sing the national anthem of the soon-to-be independent Malaya. The commercial follows the adventures of Ahmad Merican, Music Supervisor of Radio Malaya in 1957 and his good friend, music teacher and conductor Tony Fonseka, as they
9 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER COVER STORY
fulfill Tunku Abdul Rahman’s wish of seeing everyday citizens – regardless of race, creed and background – uniting as one voice to herald the birth of our new nation. The idea was propelled by the team at M&C Saatchi Malaysia whose CEO is Datin Sri Sharifah Menyalara Hussein, the granddaughter of Tunku himself. In second place, was RHB’s Ketepikan Perbezaan Warna which dramatised a universal social issue by taking the audience into a colour-coded world, where a clear divide exists between the rich and the poor, the urban and the rural, the employers and the employees…
a notion that is negated in the end. Interestingly, their Merdeka TVC this year echoes the same “happy accident” theme. You can read about all other winners here. Submission for MARKETING Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Merdeka TVC Awards 2020 is now open. Over the years we have found that our coverage and polling of the Best CNY TVCs, Best Merdeka TVCs and Best Raya TVCs based on our readers’ choice have had growing success and traction. Our respondents have grown from a few hundred to over a few thousand. Click HERE to enter. Please note that National Day ads are also accepted in this contest.
10 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER COVER STORY
MEDIA SPEND MERDEKA TVCs 2015-2019 Advertiser NESTLÉ
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Total
6,862,620
4,695,988
8,627,109
1,108,963
4,220,120
25,514,800
78,000
2,710,350
1,282,286
1,288,852
KKMM
2,632,350
MAXIS
6,566
McDONALD’S
164,965
MONDELEZ
Apr
718,000
Jun
84,781
882,965 696,125
780,906
PNB
153,235
240,311
264,001
657,547
PETRONAS
37,500
70,100
295,012
402,612
MAHB
85,408
122,045
207,453
TM AMBANK
87,470
PROTON ASTRO
158,822
158,822
133,102
45,632
129,462
129,462
121,542
121,542
BANK RAKYAT
63,534
MISC
46,000
109,534 108,812
108,812
DRB-HICOM
103,108
103,108
CIMB
93,967
93,967
FR KASEH
91,500
91,500
PANASONIC
11,610
25,300
UMW
85,442 85,000
85,000
QUAKER PRODUCTS SME BANK
48,532
83,890
83,890
69,104
69,104
MBSB
64,667
64,667
DEWINA FOOD
63,280
63,280
PERODUA COLOURLAND
60,090
60,090 28,028
56,056
28,028
UMW
54,852
54,852
AIRASIA
50,300
50,300
Source: Rate Card (RM)
11 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER COVER STORY
1 2
READERS’ CHOICE BEST MERDEKA TVCs - 2018 MARKETER BRAND TITLE Petroliam Petronas #CeritaKita Nasional Berhad Do You Know Who The New Malaysia Grab Malaysia Grab Is Really For?
3
IOI Properties
IOI
When was the last time you complained about Malaysia?
4
Digi
A Special Little Place
Watsons
#KonfirmGood
Telekom Malaysia
#TMSejahteraMalaysia
8
Digi Watsons Pharmacy Telekom Malaysia F&N Beverages Malaysia RHB Group
RHB Bank
Satu Keluarga, Satu Kebangsaan Bersama F&N ‘Together-gether Walau Berbeza’
9
Axiata Group
Celcom Axiata
Adik-Beradik
10
Maybank Group Maybank
1 2
READERS’ CHOICE BEST MERDEKA TVCs - 2019 MARKETER BRAND TITLE Axiata Group Celcom Axiata Getaran Pertama RHB Group RHB Bank Ketepikan Perbezaan Warna Petroliam Petronas UNI Nasional Berhad
5 6 7
3
F&N Beverages
MYStories: Major Wong
Grab Malaysia
Grab
Grab Merdeka#MakanMakanMalaysia
5
Boost
Boost
Boost My Malaysia
6
BFM
BFM 89.9
Bersatu For Makan
AirAsia Berhad
AirAsia
Hidup Bersama
4
7 7 8
Digi
Seiring Mencipta Kejayaan, Bersama Kita Raikan Footbraille
Maxis
#100peratusMalaysia
Prime Minister’s Office
Wawasan Kemakmuran Merdeka
Nestle Malaysia Milo
Digi Maxis Broadband Sdn 9 Bhd Jabatan 10 Perdana Menteri
12 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER BRITISH ADMEN LIGHT-UP THE SILVER SCREEN
Thirty Second Cinema. Part IV. Tony Scott: ‘Nothing on earth comes close’. By Paul J Loosley
O
f all of the 30” cinema directors in this series, Tony Scott was the only one I worked with in the late 1970s. What a nice guy! His calm demeanour belied his furious film-making style, a film-craft the famous Russian director Eisenstein (he of Battleship Potemkin) called montage. What another turn-ofthe-century Russian film-maker called ‘cine-eye’.
13 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER BRITISH ADMEN LIGHT-UP THE SILVER SCREEN
So, eyes peeled. If we apply this apt observation to Tony’s use of montage in a 30 second TV advert, we might re-describe the effect as ‘rapid-eye’; editing of such speed that images are absorbed rather than seen. Using film to create raw emotion. Also, it’s a method of conveying as much information as can feasibly be taken in by the human eye in the shortest possible time. Film theorists describe this idea of editing to compress time like this, “a portion of an event is left out so that it would take less time than it would in reality”, confirming the vital importance of shrinking time on-screen and encompassing brevity, which is the very essence of the 30” TVC.
In terms of actual pace and unoxygenated excitement Tony Scott’s Marlboro F1 racing commercials are deconstructed images of such rapid pace from beginning to end that both the visuals and the half minute pass in an instant, forming not a sequence but a cohesive whole. In the Saab commercial shown here, Tony utilises a montage form of parallel narrative, a series of inserts, which scholars describe as a “violation of continuity” As a pilot approaches his jet fighter, opening hanger doors, entering his craft, setting controls and finally taking off. These shots are intercut with a driver approaching a car, entering the vehicle, setting the controls, opening the garage
14 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER BRITISH ADMEN LIGHT-UP THE SILVER SCREEN
doors and driving off. This crosscut sequence builds suspense again as we have no idea as to the connection between the two concurrent actions. In viewership terms it may be initially a simple analogous comparison between car and plane which would be rather disappointedly clichéd. But ultimately, they meet in the same space creating a surprising resolution - both car and plane are products of the same Swedish engineering manufacturer, Saab. Scott’s ability to deliver this narrative purely with visuals and only the ironic final words, “Nothing on earth comes close” is a vivid demonstration of his art. Both of these montage variants, as often demanded by the commercial short form film,
... The best example is the opening credit sequence... display a finely tuned ability to tell a story without exclamatory dialogue, translated with great acclaim in Scott’s second featurelength film and the highest grossing film of the year, Top Gun (1986), which frequently utilised Tony’s montage style. The best example is the opening credit sequence. Very like the Saab film Scott builds a high degree of suspense beginning with cross-cutting the slow-motion manoeuvring of jet fighters on the deck of the aircraft carrier with the deck crew in preparation. The suspense breaks with a sudden return to the rapid-eye montage of explosive
15 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER BRITISH ADMEN LIGHT-UP THE SILVER SCREEN
‘A swift sampling of Tony Scott’s body of work’.
... So, there you have it, it was Tony’s on-going mad montage 30” TVC style which he brought hurtling into Hollywood and cinematic fame.... flaming take-offs and dramatic landings. In toto creating a cinematic frisson that Scott has developed into an almost instantly recognisable signature over his career; editing on whip pans, zooms, focus pulls and camera flashes, verifying that, as film scholars cite, “montage is an act (and not a look), an act of interpreting reality”. So, there you have it, it was Tony’s on-going mad montage 30” TVC style which he brought hurtling into Hollywood and cinematic fame. And as the years passed, he became madder and more frenetic: cutting on helicopter sweeps, camera speed changes and satellite image captures, reducing shot lengths to a matter of frames – fractions of a second. Ultimately as the
leader of a British-style film invasion, Tony deeply influenced directors like Michael Bay, McQ, Antoine Fuqua, F. Gary Gray and others. Sadly, Tony is no longer with us. But he leaves us with the transfer from his British 30” TVC to the creation of what is now the essence of the action/adventure movie. An unforgettably ‘nice guy’s’ legacy. Next week. Part V. Alan Parker: ‘Say hello to Ben’. Paul J Loosley is an English person who has been in Asia 40 years, 12 as a creative director and 26 making TVCs. Recently awarded a Master’s Degree in Film at UCL. And still, for some strange reason, he can’t shut-up about advertising. Any feedback; mail p.loosley@gmail.com (please keep it swift).
16 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER ZBB
The Return of ZBB
J
ust when Zero Based Budgeting (ZBB) thought it was out, coronavirus pulls it back in. Forget the criticisms in 2019 following the $15 billion loss reported by Kraft Heinz, one of ZBB’s biggest and most vocal supporters. When faceto-face with an ugly economic downturn, marketers are looking for an approach that matches the severity of the situation So is ZBB really making a comeback?? Yes and No. It seems like every marketer is being forced to start with a blank sheet of paper, every function within an organisation is analysed for its needs and costs, and everyone is asking the question of what activities and resources are needed for the company to compete in future market conditions. What was once considered “extreme” is much the norm these days.
By Greg Paull Co-founder and Principal, R3
However, the focus for marketers is less about accruing cost savings and more about the smart allocation of limited capital. Where can you find the budget needed to do what needs to be done to keep the brand competitive and growing? Unlike traditional cost reduction strategies, which bring with them negative associations of stifled growth and having to do more with less, ZBB reframes the process as an opportunity to increase the performance of the whole organisation, resulting in a leaner, more agile and selfaware business. We can broadly distinguish the difference between traditional budgeting and ZBB to three areas: mindset, approach and precision. Creating a different mindset A key difference between traditional budgeting and ZBB is in the concept of budgetary responsibility. In traditional
17 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER ZBB
scenarios, budgets are specified by top management. Also, the levels of finance allocated to various business functions are influenced by the ability of individual cost-centre owners to convince decision-makers of the profitability and value of certain programs. In a cost-cutting environment, managers are likely to increase their budgets by more than they actually need to ensure that they have enough money to achieve what they want even in the case of elimination. In traditional budgeting, a topdown review is not required to ascertain if the previous year’s budget was used effectively or if any areas of their operations were over or underfunded. As a result, the focus is on how much a business function will receive. ZBB, by comparison, demands a level of ownership across the company. This shift in mindset is what makes ZBB more than just an exercise in costreduction. Successful implementation of ZBB sees greater accountability and awareness as part of corporate culture and drives employees to act in the company’s best interest.
Introducing a different approach ZBB starts with what a company can afford, and builds a budget from this point of confidence, ensuring that no key part of the business suffers as a result of cost-reduction. Traditional budgeting focuses on what costs can be reduced and carries the risk of crippling initiatives that might be high contributors to future revenue. It might also see the continuous funding of activities which are historic to the business, but which are becoming less relevant. The routine nature of traditional budgeting might be practical in market environments where there is consistency, but few industries today are safe from disruption. “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” In the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world we live in, doing what you’ve always done to set budgets might lead to a business that is unsustainable and non-competitive. Increasing relevance and precision One of ZBB’s identifying
18 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER ZBB
characteristics is its need to hone into the details. While traditional budgets are calculated using an aggregate of costs, ZBB looks at specific volume and cost-drivers. It demands a much higher level of detail in its analysis, which can be daunting to companies that do not have the infrastructure or expertise to carry it out. Are you ready for ZBB 2.0? It is impossible to improve on what you cannot measure, and if you do not know which brands or campaigns are increasing ROI, it will be impossible to create an accurate budget based on value. ZBB will drive accountability, both internally and externally, with marketers being held
accountable to business and agencies being pushed to deliver what matters. It is important to note that while ZBB can provide cost cuts and savings if implemented correctly, it will not solve bigger brand issues. Just like with any strategy, there are pros and cons to weigh before it is adopted, especially for companies with large marketing budgets and several brands and agency relationships to consider. Greg Paull is principal and cofounder of R3, a global independent consultancy focused on driving transformation for marketers and their agencies. www.rthree.com
19 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER BOBHOFFMAN.COM
Advertising and speech
S
By Bob Hoffman
peech issues raised their ugly heads again recently in the ad industry. Tom Goodwin, Head of Futures and Insight at Publicis Group and, ironically, author of the book Digital Darwinism, was fired for tweeting some controversial - and in my opinion, stupid opinions about COVID-19. If stupid opinions were grounds for dismissal, the ad industry would
have a tough time fielding a softball team. Goodwin wound up in a tweetsquabble with some highly sensitive ad aristocrats who seemed only too eager to shut him down. As if anyone in the real world gives 25% of a flying shit what some ad guy thinks about COVID. But fire him? Isn’t Goodwin entitled to express opinions on
20 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER BOBHOFFMAN.COM
a topical issue on his personal Twitter account without fear of being fired? Of course, like all corporate hell holes, Publicis says it has a policy of diversity and inclusiveness. And like all these “policies” it’s mostly PR and hot air. Apparently “inclusiveness” doesn’t include expressing unorthodox opinions. There was a time when creative enterprises welcomed - even encouraged - crackpot thinking and outrageous speaking. It was a badge of honor in the creative arts that we were tolerant and respectful of nutty ideas and immoderate speech. In fact, it was believed that creativity required a dose of such behavior. Sadly, you have to be pretty dopey to think of our current crop of demoralizing holding companies as creative enterprises. They are dutifully pious Wall Street constructs who are afraid of their own shadows. Publicis has an annual “Client Bravery Award.” They extol “bravery,” but practice cowardice. It takes no balls whatsoever to fire someone with unpopular ideas.
Publicis should have issued the following statement...
“The leadership of Publicis, and the vast majority of our employees, do not agree with opinions expressed about COVID-19 by Tom Goodwin. But Publicis is a creative enterprise that respects diversity, including diversity of opinion, among all our employees. We do not agree with Mr. Goodwin’s personal opinions, but in keeping with our respect for democratic principles, we support Mr. Goodwin’s prerogative to express them.” Did Publicis have the right to fire Goodwin? I’m pretty sure they can fire anyone they damn well please (in Bob World, just
21 ISSUE259 AUGUST2020 | WEEKENDER BOBHOFFMAN.COM
having the title “Head of Futures and Insight” would get you fired.) But that doesn’t make it smart or correct. Have we come to the point in this industry at which we can no longer tolerate dumbass opinions? This is not the first time Goodwin has expressed unpopular or intemperate viewpoints. I’m sure there are people who consider him an annoying loudmouth. I happen to be very fond of annoying loudmouths. COVID has been a horrible thing, and I’m sure there are many who would find Goodwin’s ideas offensive - especially those who’ve lost family and friends to the disease. But if free speech doesn’t protect provocative yammering, what’s the point? If I read our constitution correctly, Goodwin’s right to express offensive opinions supersedes my yearning to lead an un-offended life. Because I’m a Peacemaker... Goodwin and Publicis should get their lawyers together, generate some vanilla sounding PR twaddle, and kiss and make up.
Tom should issue the following statement:
“I’m afraid there were people who thought my comments regarding COVID were reflective of my employer, Publicis’, opinions. They were not and I apologize if I gave anyone that impression.” Publicis should issue this statement:
“Tom Goodwin has assured us that in the future his personal opinions will be clearly labeled as such and not reflect negatively on Publicis. In turn, we have asked Tom to re-join the company.” Chances of this happening: Square root of zero. Bob Hoffman is author of “Advertising For Skeptics.”
We are excited to announce the MARKETING Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards for Merdeka TVCs 2020 competition. CLOSING DATE: 15 September, 2020. https://readerschoiceawards.com.my
Organiser:
Media Partner:
Content Partner:
popculture
Contact Sandesh at +603-7726 2588/ sandesh@adoimagazine.com for details.