Adoi Malaysia 2000 November Issue by Sledgehammer Communications (M) Sdn Bhd

BAYARAN POS JELAS POSTAGE PAID PEJABAT POS BESAR KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA

1Hi: WP0071

[ABml]

} [iLl |1 i 1^7 1

HAUIIMU Hi h ilhfd'l1

i i't

.01

[wfR

limit for your business

With 370,000 copies and growing, ASTRO The Magazine offers you one of the widest coverage, possibly the highest exposure for your ads. It currently has the ability to reach close to 2 million readers and will soon surpass that mark. Read an average of 10.67 times per issue, it gives your ads a very high opportunity-to-see. Place your ads with us and there's no limit of what they can do for you. Reach out. Call Advertising Sales at 603-583 6688 ext 8612.

1-800-827-333} http://www.astro.com.my

The future is Direct-to-U"

Notes from the editor It's Kancil Awards season and on Oct 20, Leo Burnett stole the limelight by sweeping the Golden Kancil Award for their Petronas Merdeka tvc campaign. LB's new managing director Charles Gadell was clearly overjoyed with the agency's performance - the victory was well-deserved. There were a record number of entries and this year's show was preceded by a two-day advertising seminar titled OutsideTheBox, attended by over 500 ad industry participants. It was a good show all around by the organising committee. Once again, Kancils jury president SP Lee did a great job with the judging which included an impressive line-up of local and international judges. I suppose the only sad thing is that SP Lee has decided to call it quits after shouldering a daunting responsibility (and most times, a thankless one) for a number of years. It's a job with no takers and if you wonder what's so scary about handling the Kancil Awards judging, let me assure you it's no mean feat. SP, you've done a great job and we thank you for your efforts. 4As president Tony Lee has also made it clear that he has served one term too many and will call it a day when his third term ends next year. Tony has been a die-hard supporter of the Kancils and will also be missed. I'm sure a new breed of leaders will come forward and lead the way for the 4As and the Kancils next year. After all, our industry is all about reinventing itself. It's not all about doing more or proving to be better than the person before; but about dedicating oneself truly to the improvement of the industry. With this thought in mind, the good stuff will follow. Another telling symptom in our industry is the habit of making criticisms and the ignoring accountability for one's comments. I'm talking about some websites, who under the guise of allowing people to air their grievances, have recently fanned malicious mail about industry personalities to a point where the reputation of affected people have been severely undermined. In this age of the internet, some ill-informed people are using technology to play hide and seek at the expense of other people's livelihoods. I am saddened. Since I'm on a roll here, let me also set the record straight about what's going on at Bates Malaysia. There's been much talk within industry circles about major changes. Our information confirms that Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah stays on as Chairman, Shafri Mohamad is now the President, Thierry Anglade rides as CEO, whilst Gerald Miranda still holds the majority ownership stake in the Bates Malaysia Group. In conclusion, I want to add that we welcome views and comments from readers and will publish all sides of any story. But we will not print idle gossip; we'll leave that to those who get a kick out of doing so.

Push-button Pitches...pg 8 Those who are about to die...pg 10 They said, we said... and the shame of it all...pg IB What some say about Kancils 2000...pg 24 The Death of Grey Malaysia...pg 29 The 300 pound Guerilla goes Mad...pg 35

Your internetstrategy deserves a world-class backbone. Cover personality Azizi tells you why and how. Sledgehammer presents Campaign Briefs top Malaysian creatives Thomas Low and Ben Hunt in a two-day seminar on Jan 19 & 20. Seats are limitedI Pages 16 & 17.

Leo Burnett sings its way to the Golden Kancil centre spread pages.

Respectfully,

Grey Malaysia steps up its game - Page 29

h 11 p : / / a Member of

McCann-Erickson adds human touch to MasterCard - Page 41

MANAGING EDITOR: Harmandar Singh aka Ham PRINTER: Cetakrapi Sdn Bhd OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER: Jen Siow DESIGNER: So Tiong Cheng COLOUR SEPARATOR: Screen Gallery Sdn Bhd ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES (Malaysia): Call Doreen on 03-7726 2588, 03-7722 5710 or 019-370 9135 ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES (Singapore): Marketing Concepts Group Re Ltd 723A North Bridge Road, Singapore 198691. Tel: 297 2393, 297 2392 Fax: 297 7270 E-mail:mcg@pacific.net.sg DISTRIBUTION: Efficient Lettershop (postal), Mag Media Distributors (Malaysia) and MarketAsia (Singapore).

Audit Bureau of Circulations

ADOI magazine is published every month by Sledgehammer Communications Sdn Bhd (Company No: 289967-W) 22B Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad Satu, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 603-7726 2588. Fax: 603-7726 2598. ÂŠ All rights reserved by Sledgehammer Communications Sdn Bhd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without prior permission in writing from the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the publisher and the editor assume no responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences of reliance of information in this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or editor. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertisers.

I'd like to find out how a 'connected' economy a

Azizi is a man for all seasons. Having carved a great reputation in the media world he is now in the business of empowering them to even greater heights. He has been at various times a planter, a planner and a publisher, including the Chairmanship of the Malaysian Newspapers Publishers Association (MNPA). His last posting before this was Group Executive Director of The Utusan Group where he oversaw its multiple media operations publishing, printing, advertising and new media. When rumours ran wild he was leaving Utusan, the media industry waited anxiously for his next move. He is now the Vice President/Managing Director, South East Asia, for Asia Online Ltd. Azizi has always had a fascination for all things cyber, and his new and challenging role puts in the driver's seat as an Application Service Provider (ASP) to the industry. He is now right in the mainstream of his passion - new media. He once said, "I'd like to find out how branding will work in a 'connected' economy operating at warp speed", and cautioned: Be a new media convert or perish. ADOI met Azizi in his spanking new office at Wisma Pantai recently, while he was between flights in his countryhopping role as MD for the region. He is blitzing an acquisition trail... What's the gameplan at Asia Online? Asia Online provides reliable, cost-efficient, end to end internetrelated communications and business solutions to organisations and individuals involved in the Business to Business (B2B). As an ASP, we will not be just an 'access provider' but a partner for small-to-medium (SMEs) throughÂ out Asia Pacific. In other words, we will help you harness the power of the internet for business advantage. Our slogan says it best - it's all about solutions.

4 ADOIMARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

Did this eome about overnight? Let me just say it happened at internet speed. It began as Utusan Multimedia Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of the Utusan Group. Asia Online Ltd, in late January acquired a majority stake in that subsidiary in order to establish its footprint in Malaysia. Asia Online Ltd now has operations in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, Americas, New Zealand, The Philippines and India. Asia Online Ltd is partly owned by Softbank, an internet industry giant with stakes in Yahoo!, E-Trade, Sage networks, Comdex, ZDnet, Concentric, Frontier Global Center, Buy.com, Verisign, Kingston Technologies, GeoCities, just to name a few. Is this a first venture?

for a Malaysian

On this scale, yes. Our services have broadened to encompass a sophisticated range of online solutions. These include Web Hosting, Web Design, Intranet and Extranet, Internet Access, Ecommerce, E-community, Data Centres and subsequently call center management. We are in the business of supplying 'pipes'. We provide you with picks and shovels to help you in building your gold mine. So you're the mother of all ASPs.... Well, ASPs are the next wave players in internet land. This whole cyber thing can be very confusing to a lot of people. It's constantly growing and changing by every second. It will be just impossible to know everything about it, save for those who live, breathe and grow in it every day - people like us. When you talk to us; we simplify it. Hey, we are part of a multinational corporation with a presence in 23 cities and 11 countries. Our focus is recognising each customer specific needs, and that the Web is an

exciting marketplace with finely tuned customer preferences. What about financial backing? Good question. We have nothing but blue-chip investors * backing us. I'm talking about the likes of Softbank, J P Morgan, Nexus, Dell, ABN Amro, the works. Can you give us the full works on your products and services... Phew, OK. I've briefly mentioned a few already, and here are some biggies. We start with High-Speed Connectivity - access to a network of dedicated lines connecting our customers to the Internet. Our network allows customers to choose from a range of access speeds and connectivity methods. We provide the bandwidth to carry information across the world faster and more efficiently. Our network becomes your network. Then there's Roaming - no matter where you go in the Asia Online network, you will always be able to get online in a fast, friendly, and affordable fashion. We also handle Virtual Web Hosting - we provide managed servers supported 7x24 in 11 data centers in Asia Pacific, North America and Europe. We can put your data close to you, or to your customer, or do both and mirror the sites to each other. Electronic Commerce - we are the premier providers of electronic commerce solutions including shopping cart, payment and fulfillment capabilities throughout the Asia Pacific. If you have goods or services to sell, we put the Internet to work for you. Portal Development - do you want to draw people to your web site, perhaps a specific audience? Do you want to offer them services and functionality via the web, perhaps turn your Intranet into a more functional environment? Our portal development solutions will

branding will work in operatingat warp speed. aid you in redeveloping your web site to attract a specific audience, provide them features that will keep them coming back, and/or allow you to communicate and collaborate via the Internet like never before. E-cmail Computerized E-mail - be able to receive and respond to e-mail or Internet originated orders without a computer and without having to get connected to the Internet. Get your own e-mail address and receive messages on your fax machine and be able to respond with a fax, in your own handwriting. Online Application Services - you can have your personalized desktop environment, along with your data and/or specific software, available to you over the Internet. Applications range from basic office functionality to specialized ERP and CRM to customized applications. Access your desktop from anywhere you can access the Internet, and focus on your business when and where it suits you. Virtual Private Networks - a system of software and hardware configurations allows your employees to access company information, applications, etc., from anywhere and at high speed, while maintaining a high level of security. Our VPN solutions feature the latest encryption technology, and are designed and implemented by teams of experts who will tailor the system to your specific network needs. I think I'll stop here, the rest is in the brochure. Sounds like you guys are taking the guesswork out of the internet. That's a simplistic view, but you're right. To take full advantage of the Internet requires you to optimize your hardware and network configurations. VPN, VOIP, and more - our network integration solutions will help you identify what you need and will help to ensure that you have the equipment and configurations necessary to make the most of your infrastructure investment. We take care of the integration so you can take care of your business. How will all this affect marketing communicators and the media? It is already affecting everyone. Media services from planning to buying will indeed go online. Production services from digital delivery to liaising with creative services suppliers are happening as we speak. Then comes stuff like matching vendors with suppliers, using global resources from just one office, pooling specialist talent across borders to bear upon your project. The possibilities are breathless. In all instances we serve as the backbone. As an ASP we will facilitate all these dimensions. Are we on par with the rest of the region in these areas? I am seeing the region develop first-hand in my new job. I wouldn't wanted to labour on this point but if I had my way I'd like to see things moving faster here in Malaysia. The opportunities arÂŁ too great to be out missed by being lethargic about things. If we can clear the wayV for infrastructures to be built swiftly, de-regulate some of the less investor friendly

requirements, legislation to be managed smoothly and have more visionaries driving development in this area, there's no telling how far we can go with this new media. We have spoken enough about being world-class; now is the time to go and claim it. We need to market MSC and fulfill the promises to potential investors. The good news is it can be done. I can hardly wait! Do you miss being in mainstream media? Ah, the unavoidable question. I actually see my new challenge as an extension of what I was doing before. Helping raise organisations to new levels; working laterally across traditional structures in embracing new trends. Having said that, I do miss my old friends out there. But I am confident I will still figure in what they're doing. In fact, it will be like going back home but this time with a new set of ideas to take on the world. I still remember it was the advertising agencies that popularize the Macintosh. Regretfully, not many are connected nor doing interactive - till today. Advertising agencies should look beyond their existing creative talents and move into interactive media and computer based training. I want to be best placed to serve the Malaysian marketing, advertising and media industry as it moves into the cyber domain. And have lots of fun!

24/7 Media launches interactive marketing solutions in Malaysia Chinadotcom subsidiary 24/7 Media Asia has launched a range of interactive marketing solutions and services in Malaysia. The services include 24/7 Mail, a targeted e-mail marketing solution; 24/7 Connect, online advertising results measurement technology; and AwardTrack, a customer reward programme that develops customer affinity and loyalty.

Dan E.Khoo, Managing Director of 247 Media Malaysia.

This announcement follows an agreement in August between chinadotcom and 24/7 Media, one of the largest global interactive marketing and technology companies, which expanded the strategic partnership between the

"We believe that with the rapidly expanding online community in Malaysia, the local market is ready for these solutions. In addition, they will help us strengthen our leadership position in the interactive marketing solutions space in Malaysia and other parts of Asia," Stuart said. 247 Media Malaysia Managing Director Dan E. Khoo said the new solutions also offer traditional and new economy marketers new capabilities to reach, influence, acquire and retain customers using the interactive technologies that operate in a connected environment.

two companies. Under the expanded relationship, 24/7 Media will provide its industry leading technology-based marketing solutions to 24/7 Media, Asia. These marketing services include 24/7 Mail, a targeted e-mail marketing solution; 24/7 Connect, an online advertising results measurement technology; and AwardTrack, a customer reward program that develops customer affinity and loyalty. "The solutions provide us with many opportunities to generate additional revenue and enhance our capability to help Web sites generate income from their web properties," commented Stuart Spiteri, Managing Director, Regional Operations and Business Development, 24/7 Media, Asia."

Stuart Spiteri, Managing Director, Regional Operations of 2417 Media Asia Ltd.

247 Media Malaysia is supported by a team of 16 media sales, operations, technology and content specialists. This team has worked with a roster of more than 50 prestigious clients, including Petronas, Maxis, Celcom, Canon, Intel, Microsoft, Coca Cola, Procter & Gamble, M&Ms and Camel Trophy. In addition, 247 Media Malaysia has worked with more than 45 Web sites in the country including well-known names such as the Microsoft Network, Star Online, NSTP eMedia, TV3, JetFM, Lelong.com.my, and Yahoo!.

Ramesh Gopal, Deputy General Manager of247 Media Malaysia.

Helen Lee, Marketing Director Of 2417 Media Asia Ltd.

"I challenge you! Give me 5 minutes and I'll show you how to expand your sales." Jay at EXPAND, Tel: 03-254 3518 Go ahead, make my day! I'm confident once you see EXPAND

housewives? Business executives? What's the location?

and hear what I have to say, you'll be convinced too. Try it out

High rise foyers? Business complexes? Supermarkets? We can

with your sales staff and it could be the perfect way to start

advise you on what works and then your roadshow using

the new year.

EXPAND will definitely be an outstanding success! Thirdly, it's

Why EXPAND?

quality - which means superior reliability and durability.

A million reasons but most importantly it's a portable display

Everything at EXPAND takes seconds to put up, and seconds to

system unlike any other you've" ever seen. Firstly, it's

dismantle. And they'll last a lifetime, take my word for it!

versatile with lots of different ways to get your message across

What have you got to lose?

depending on what you want to say, how and when you want to

5 minutes is all I ask, so call me now at 03-254 3518 or

say it. Sizes, material, colours, from tents to screens, everything

e-mail: expandasia@ppp.nasionet.net It's time to go to your

is up to you so you can tailor-make your message and present it

customers and EXPAND does it effectively and profitably.

the way you want your customer to see it. Secondly, it's mobile

You can EXPAND your sales in these tough times and I'll

so you can go to your customer instead of waiting and waiting...

show you how. Don't wait! Call or better still just drop in and

Plan your display. Create a theme. Are you talking to

I'll be ready.

Cyber Power Tools.

mac

romedia

ES|ON

STUDIO

The Solution for Professional Web Site Design

Power Deal Included.

I There's never been a better time to create animated vector-based Web sites, produce and design Web sites and optimize Web graphics. That's because when you buy either an iMac 350, iMac DV, iMac DV+-, iMac DV Special Edition, PowerMac G4, G4 Cube or PowerBook, you can get a Macromedia Web Design Studio (comprising of Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Macromedia Fireworks) at a 50% discount*. Hurry though. This offer is valid till 31st December 2000. *Offer is valid only if you buy it with any of the selected Apple products. Applicable to iMac 350, iMac DV, iMac DV+, iMac DV Special Edition, PowerMac G4, G4 Cube or PowerBook.

Authorized Reseller

macromedia'

^pleCenue@ MacAsia Sdn Bhd (476938-D) 03-462 1918 •AppleCentre@ Gallant Zone (M) Sdn Bhd (498849-X) 03-9368 3062 .AppleCentre@ PTR Direct. Com Sdn Bhd (500091-A) 03-7492 1518 V3I11C Added Resellers * • Heidelbere (M) Sdn Bhd (367312-K) Petalingjaya 03-77814744 • Gallant Focus (M) Sdn Bhd (3i6966n-M) Petalingjaya 03-706 4113 • Metromedia Integrated Petalingjaya 03-703 0361 • Munix SystemsSdn Bhd (402445-W) Petaling Java 03-7785 8648 • PCG TechnologySdn Bhd (452781-K) Petalingjaya 03-7492 0297 • PTR Integrated Corp Sdn Bhd (449168-u) Petalingjaya 03-7880 3050 • Ascend Zone CommunicationSdn Bhd (445240-A) Kuala Lumpur 034107 6950 • Jurudata Sdn Bhd (85837-D) Kuala Lumpur 03-8949 7000 • MacComer Sdn Bhd (490785-K) Kuala Lumpur 03-9368 3190 • MayComputer Sales & Service Sdn Bhd (372566) Kuak Lumpur 03-6252 8622 • NBM Group (M) Sdn Bhd (253380-D) Kuala Lumpur 0341081223 • United Computer Sdn Bhd (69315-D) Kuala Lumpur 03-782 8885 • Allied Resources Corp Bhd (98957-^ Penang 04-226 2141 • CG Computers Sdn Bhd (389271-M) Penang 04-644 8591 • Gallant Connection (M) Sdn Bhd (490780-M) Penang 04-644 0300 • Epal Computes CentreJohorBahru 07-236 5031 • Jumdara Seta Bhd (85837-D;ijotaBJru 07-386 5732 • Mindtech Computer Network Sales & Services Miri 085-433 372 • Sri Komputer Sdn Bhd (158061-A) Kota Kinabalu 088-242 002 • Data Computing Centre Kuching 082-423 091 • Jurudata Sdn B d (85837-D) Kuching 082-237100 ©2000 AppleComputer, Inc. All rights reserved. Apple and the Apple logo are registered trademarks and iMac, PowerMac G4, G4 Cube and PowerBook are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc.

A coffee-coloured world by Alan Bohlsen, Regional Creative Director, DraftWorldwide.

White people want to be tanned. Dark people want to be fair. Yellow people want to be white. And Red Indians want to be left alone. It's a funny world. If we could put them all in a mixing pot, as the Beetles song goes, we'd have a coffee-coloured world. Ad agencies want to become more marketing-based. Direct Marketing agencies want to become more involved in brand development. Put them both in a mixing pot and we'd have an agency that could offer the client the best of everything. It may not be long before we accept total disappearance of the so-called "line" in advertising parlance. You know, "above the line", "below the line", "across the line". People have been talking about various sides of the line for years in a rather vague way. In the old days, sign writers and display companies were considered "below the line". (The origin of the term "below the line" came from ad agency accountants in the 50's and 60's referring to non-commissionable suppliers. Whereas suppliers who gave commissions like typesetters, engravers, printers and the media were "above the line") In the USA, the two sides of advertising, general and direct, have merged into one. A good example of this is the DraftWorldwide organisation. Howard Draft, Managing Director, had this to say about the merging and blending of these two advertising disciplines: "We're no longer a direct marketing agency. We are a company that offers advertising and marketing solutions to our clients, whether that involves

Push-button Pitches The atmosphere in every competing agency is more or less the same. A volcano about to explode. There's lava on the aisles, and any comment spiked with negative undertones from our friends in client service may cause an inhabitant of the creative division to spout more lava and boiling boulders. It gets worse as Dday approaches. The agency is burning and there are cigarette butts in the non-smoking area and empty bottles of Jack Daniels and Merlot have become fixtures since the brief came in. I have been part of this New Biz Pitch movie all these years, seeing it from different perspectives: from "designer" multinational agencies, from my 8-man creative shop, from local "home-grown" agencies. While fire is a common denominator, there are obvious differences. The multinationals' secret ammo is usually their roving New Biz team from either the U.K., North America or the Asia Pacific region. They come in for a few days and if they're suffering from jet lag, the first two days are normally spent lazing around the hotel swimming pool. Then they meet with the resident CD and the concept team assigned to the pitch. Then they try to

8 AD0IMARKET1NGC0MMUNICATI0NS

by Jullie P. Ltngan understand nuances of the local culture (which the resident team took a whole lifetime to assimilate) in a matter of hours. Ad nauseam you know the story. A lot depends on the chemistry between the two groups and if they don't like each other's style, tough luck for the agency paying astronomical daily fees. If the arrangement is a dream, then the trip is all worth it, especially if the agency ultimately gets the account.

Bullseye, my lean and mean agency that later went into joint venture with ISC, was a totally different story. We did everything ourselves, understandably, what with our multiple titles and matching job descriptions, acting out our storyboards as voice talents, eating fire and walking on tightrope. But there is a God and in the one pitch that we went into (we never believed in pitches, we got all our accounts from clients who've been with us a long time), we won over the big multinationals. Local agencies are midway between the style of the multinationals and Bullseye, although when it comes to razzmatazz and pre and post presentation mailers, they may be even better or more intense as they

building brands or getting on the ground sales or anything in between. These days clients are looking for the best answers, regardless of where they come from, so we need to be able to provide those answers. Today I'm able to do direct and promotional marketing and at the same time have a field force out there putting on events. I can do guerilla tactics at the same time I'm doing high level tactics â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all with the same brand imaging." When asked whether general agencies were looking more closely at doing direct marketing, Draft said: "They are now competing with us, rather than us competing with them. They are pursuing almost any type of business, whether they have the experience or not." "Our Malaysian agency has people with many years overseas experience in both general and direct, and 8 years in the Malaysian market. They don't come much better than that." Several general advertising agencies have recently taken on direct marketing work and at the same time, Draftworldwide has recently been awarded business of a more general nature. The problem however, has always been the lack of experienced people. And it's not just a problem confined to Malaysia. Even in New York and Chicago there's a shortage of top people. According to Howard Draft, "My hot button right now is finding good people. Companies that don't get good experienced people tell clients they're capable of doing things but they're really not. That does the business no good at all because unless direct is handled with kid gloves, by experienced people, clients get burned!" So look for a closing of the gap over the next few years. Look for general agencies to become more involved in direct marketing and direct marketing to begin offering alternative solutions to brand building. The "line" will be rubbed out forever.

always try harder,

especially when multinationals are in the picture. Unlike us who are forever paranoid about confidentiality, some agencies are brave enough to engage freelancers who, like the foreign New Biz team of the multinationals, disappear right after the pitch. Leaving the new client pining for the same quality of work presented during the pitch.

So I've been wondering for quite sometime why I haven't come across clients who request for a pitch overnight. Or same day. Gather all the competing agencies in their office or in a hotel. Give the brief simultaneously first thing in the morning. Provide everything they need - computers, pencils, pens, markers, the works including F&B. Then let them sweat it out the whole day after which they submit their proposal - strategy and creative or maybe even media - all at the same appointed time later in the day or night. Then they can draw lots on the order of presentation which can take place that same evening. No one leaves the place until it's all over. Announcement of the choice agency can be after an hour of deliberation or first thing the following day.

Imagine how you'd feel in that scenario. Adrenalin pumping at F1 speed. Gut-wrenching assumptions, conclusions, decisions. Sleeves are rolled up. Cigarettes boxes piled one on top of the other. This is no place for the faint-hearted. We have three more hours. Wonder how the other agencies are doing. Jesus, two more hours. Think lateral. This may be too safe, but then consider the conservative decision-makers. The clock has never ticked this fast or this loud. Oh, shit. This is it, guys, time's up. Pray, for God's sake, like you've never prayed before. Now, if you really come to think about it, isn't this the movie we face everyday? Because let's face it, even if we're given long deadlines, we don't normally get into it until the ninth hour. So if a push-button pitch is one reassurance for clients, that what they see is what they get, why not? Then they're sure they'll get the same quality of work long after they have awarded the account to their choice agency. While I am very much aware that this unrealistic nightmare of a deadline is anathema to agencies, particularly to us creatives, I have one question to pose to the reader before I end this article: considering that we do this one day exercise during creative workshops and seminars, and our creativity sometimes sparkles best under pressure, why not pushÂ button pitches?

THIS MAGAZINE

IS SO BLOODY CHEAP!

To find out how cheap, fill up your subscription details overleaf.

I AM NO CHEAPSKATE, HERE'S MY MONEY. Fax credit card payments to 603-7726 2598 Name Position

•

RM100 for Malaysia subscribers

• •

S$70 for Singapore subscribers US$50 for other countries

Q American Express

Mastercard

Visa

Credit card number

Company

Expiry date

Signature/Date

Address For payment by cheque/bank draft in Malaysia, send to: SLEDGEHAMMER COMMUNICATIONS SDN BHD 22B, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad Satu, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 603 - 7726 2588 Fax: 603 - 7726 2598 E-mail: ham@pop.jaring.my

Tel E-mail

Fax

For payment by cheque/bank draft in Singapore, send toMARKETING CONCEPTS GROUP PTE LTD 723A, North Bridge Road, Singapore 198691. Tel: (65) 297 2393, (65) 297 2392 Fax: (65) 297 7270 E-mail: mcg@pacific.net.sg

Reward for creative genius this Christmas. A Get the Power Mac G4 Cube with an Apple Studio Display 15" or 17", or the Apple Cinema Display 22" and save RM1,150 this Festive Season. Promotional offer valid through 31st December 2000 only.

Power Mac G4 Cube with Pro Mouse, Pro Keyboards, and Harman Karclon speakers. Retail price: RM7.199

15" Studio Display Retail Price: RM4,199

Authorized Reseller

17" Studio Display Retail Price: RM1.999

22" Cinema Display Retail Price: RM 16.499

FREE! Mac Familiarization Training For more information on Mac OS, please fax the following details to 03-6534364 or e-mail farad@asia.apple.com :Name, Address, Telephone (Off) (Fax) (Mobile) & E-mail address.

ApplS?@ MacAsia Sdn Bhd (476938-D) 034621918 • AppleCentre @ Gallant Zone (M) Sdn Bhd (498849-X) 03-9368 3062 • AppleCentre @ PTR Direct. Com Sdn Bhd (500091-A) 03-7492 1518 Bhd 067312-K) Petalingjaya 03-77814744 • Gallant Focus (M) Sdn Bhd (3i6966ti-M) Petalingjaya 03-706 4113 • Metromedia Integrated Petalingjaya 03-703 0361 • Murax Systems ^BM(402«5-W) Petalingjaya 0^77858648 • PCG Technology Sdn Bhd (452781-K) Petalingjaya 03-7492 0297 • PTR Integrated CorpSdn Bhd (449168-U) Petalingjaya 03-7880 3050 • Ascend Zone ConmunouonSdn Bhd (445240-A) Kuala Lumpir 034107 6950 • Jumdata Sdn Bhd (85837-D) Kuala Lumpur 03-8949 7000 • MacComer Sdn Bhd (490785*) Kuala lumpur 03-9368 3190 • MayComputer Sales & Serace Sdn Bhd Iimpi* 03-6252 8622 • NBM Group (M) Sdn Bhd (253380-D) Kuala Lumpur 0341081223 • United Computer Sdn Bhd (69315-D) Kuala Lumpur 03-782 8885 • Allied Resources torp Bhd (98957^ Penang 04Computers Sdn Bhd (389271-M) Penang 04-644 8591 • Gallant Connection (M) Sdn Bhd (490780-M) Penang 04-644 0300 • Epal Computers Centre JohorBahru 07-236 5031 • Jumdam Sdn 07-386 5732 • Mindtech Computer Network Sales & Services Miri 085433 372 • Sri Komputer Sdn Bhd (158061-A) Kota Kinabalu 088-242 002 • Data Computing Centre Kuching 082423 091 • Jumdata Sd (85837-D) Kuching 082-237100 ©2000 AppleComputer, Inc. All rights reserved. Apple and the Apple logo are registered trademarks and PowerMac G4 Cube, Apple Studio Displays &Cinema Display are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc.

Ozlympics report.

by Dean Johns

Anyone unfortunate enough as to witness the Australian team's display of vainglory at the Commonwealth Games in KL a couple of years ago could well have been forgiven for dreading the prospect of an encore at the Sydney Olympics. So many of our more cynical or sensitive citizens fled town for the duration to be sure of sparing themselves the awful spectacle. But they might as well have stayed put. Because in the event, Australia's athletes conducted themselves surprisingly well. The winners were most gracious, and so were most of the losers. Australian spectators were quite sporting too. Chanting "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi" a good deal more often than absolutely necessary, to be sure, but also cheering loudly for non-Aussies, at times, as well.

The organisers also did themselves proud. Despite lots of the usual snobbery, jobbery and power-tripping characteristics of such organisations, the IOC and SOCOG in the end managed things very smoothly. And the vast teams of officials, transit, security, catering and other staff, not to mention 45,000 or so volunteer helpers, all appeared to work wonders. Olympic sponsors and other advertisers also behaved much better than many of us had expected. The campaigns were, with the exception of those for Coca-Cola, Fosters Lager and Qantas, mercifully free of excessive Aussieness, and what little ambush marketing there might have been was entirely overshadowed by a rash of bushwhacker journalism. and

While Australia's athletes, fans also advertisers showed

Those who are about to die. Another blood spattered view of the press as it charts the rise and fall of the world's advertising industry. As I was watching the movie 'Gladiator' it suddenly dawned on me that the whole bloody mess was a thinly veiled metaphor for the ad industry. Treachery, deceit and heads rolling. Of course it is. I can hear a thousand foreheads being slapped. As of writing, Ad Age is still carrying stories about True North buying Cordiant (whose main bit is Bates). And front page headlines from just one day in early September read: 'Octagon buys

10 AD0IMARKETINGC0MMUNICATI0NS

South African event management company'. 'Pacific Cyberworks buys Japanese videogame maker'. 'Publicis closes Saatchi acquisition'. So serious empire building in the ad world is very much the trend. I can see it now. Legions of lawyers and accountants marching off to do battle from inside impregnable squares of briefcases. 'But does building empires bring conflict?' we hear you ask. Was Attila a Hun? Did Hannibal have a lot of cleaning up to do? There have been unsubstantiated rumblings that some major clients are not too happy about the recent merger of DYR with WPP. One way to cope with possible conflicts is to open another shop. Campaign magazine in the UK reports that Ogilvy have done just that in the UK. It's called AdWorks, set up initially to handle SmithKline Beecham. AdWorks, it is said, 'will be driven by a core team of strategists who will operate a "virtual" agency to implement ideas' (if you understand what that means you get a medal). But there is a serious flaw. My understanding is that virtual means 'almost real' which leaves these small shops, by their own admission, not really

unaccustomed control of their most shocking ocker urges, our media siezed the opportunity to let their worst instincts run total riot. Channel 7 set the pace with a TV coverage so one-eyed that at times the Games seemed not so much international as Australia Vs The Rest. Then our press took up the baton with a vengeance. Swooning ecstatically over "our" Opening Ceremony, slopping ludicrous quantities of superlatives over the exploits of "our" swimmers, then going totally, terminally ga-ga over "our" Cathy Freeman for winning the womens' track 400 metres. I'd love to quote their ravings at length. But here's just a hint of how mightly our newspapers strove to elevate sycophancy into the realms of psycho fantasy: "Katherine The Great", "athletic masterpiece", "provoked an unmatchable upwelling of the soul", "The night these games became glorious", existing in the real world. But this never stopped anyone opening (and closing) smaller supporting agencies before like Meridian, Dialog and Enterprise. So as history (ad history particularly) has a habit of repeating itself I'm thinking of registering some likely 'virtual' agency names like: 'Sequel', 'Substitute', 'Poor Relations', 'Sloppy Seconds', 'Make-do', 'SYNIEFTMA' (Sorry You're Not Important Enough For The Main Agency). Stuff like that. Could make a few denarii. And good old Japan (who were not too good at empire building) for years have had no problems with conflict. Dentsu held Toyota and Nissan for years (still do I think) and there were no apparent conflict issues. But western consequences are different; if there's a leak in the west you might lose an account. In Japan you might gain a lap full of intestines. Again from Campaign, Romantype shifting of allegiances also reported. Orange mobile phone network has moved from WCRS to Lowe. Bob Fuller, chief operating officer at Orange, says, 'It's logical to appoint an agency with a network of offices and expertise that can deliver our brand, vision and values on a global scale.' A bit of a shock that one given that in a marketplace so crowded with mobile phone ads,

"exultant exhilaration of triumph and relief, "daughter of an ancient and noble race, she is the inheritor of the spirit and strength of a thousand Australian generations". And so they've been going on ever since, until even the hag mags are getting in on the act with headlines like Woman's Day's "Cathy's new dream...she'd love a baby". And now, weeks after the event, they're still frantically plugging souvenir supplements and trashy memorabilia. In short, most of our major newspapers and magazines have trashed a golden opportunity to provide a world-class Olympic coverage in their frenzy to simultaneously crow Australia's feats to the skies and throw themselves at our athletes' feet. It's been a gold-medal display, if ever I saw one, of the synchronised Australian crawl. Dean Johns is a partner in Sydneybased regional creativelmotivational consultancy CreAsia and strategic! creative hotshop StrADegy. Website www.stradegy.com.au possibly the most successful, visible (and imitated) stuff wasn't good enough to run globally. Et tu Brutus. In B&T Australia it has been reported that after the swift dispatching of the creative director responsible for the scam ad debacle (rabid wild animals perhaps? Ed), Lowe Lintas Sydney MD, Peter Hosking has resigned. Lionel Hunt his boss denies the move is related to the recent fake ad controversy. Sure, just lean on this sword please. And on the same subject B&T also reports that it took five Australian ad industry heavyweights nine hours of mediation at an Advertising Federation of Australia Code of Practice hearing last week to work through the Lowe Lintas scam ad scandal and reset their rules. Nero and fiddles? It's probably no coincidence that the director of 'Gladiator', Ridley Scott, used to direct TV commercials. And it surely can't be a coincidence that he recently directed a spot for Orange in the UK. All we need now is to read in AdAge that a major agency has made a horse its worldwide president and the analogy would be complete. Unless anyone thinks it's already happened. PS I think Joquin Phoenix should have won.

mm: ^>:om

Every day a different theme drives our programming - and drives audiences to our network. Our KIDS programming block touches the imagination that lies only in the minds of children. It's more than entertainment. It's education. Featuring programs like Mopatop's Shop and Open Sesame. Life is fun and filled with moments to celebrate. You just have to know where to look On television, it's Hallmark.

HALLMARK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK

POS Ad/ActMedia Asia Creative Awards 2000 Point-of-Sale Advertising (POS AD), in collaboration with Actmedia, the world's largest provider of In-store Media services, launched its first Asian Creative Awards in 1998. Since its inception, the event has received favourable responses and participation from FMCG marketers and advertising agencies in Asia. From the numerous entries in the past ActMedia Creative Awards, there were many successful examples of brands communicating their key product attributes by using a five-sense interactive approach. Proctor & Gamble Malaysia won the Creative of the Month Award for the July campaign of the ActMedia Asia Creative Awards. Proctor & Gamble, together with their advertising agency, Tea-Break, successfully communicated Oil of Olay's key product attribute and benefit to target consumers by utilising an interactive and reach-effective creative, at a one-time frequency. This creative demonstrated a high level of consumer interaction and involvement.

Creative Talent! Asia's leading integrated advertising agency is now interviewing creative talent to add to their great team. Multi-million ringgit gains in HongKong have been followed by more gains in Malaysia and Singapore as Integrated Marketing booms throughout the region. Aft DirÂŠCtOr

At least 4 years experience in press and print. An ability to think and create, (scam-slaves need not apply) are essential together with a flair for design. You will work with a talented team in a very happy environment with a leading expat creative director to help you develop your skills even further. Telephone today! CIO nvwritp r ^Â°u must he English-educated, experienced (atleast !_l 4 years) and have a burning desire to write great advertising copy for an interesting mix of local and multi-national accounts. The next essentials are impeccable grammar and a dash of creative flair. The ultimate qualification is common sense. If you have what it takes to become a CD of the future, please write to Alan Bohlsen, Regional Creative Director, DraftWorldwide and tell him why you would like to work on some of the best accounts in the business.

Art Directors: Please telephone. Copywriters: Please write. DRAFTWORLDWIDE SDN BHD

15B Jalan SS22/23, Damansara Jaya, 47400 Petaling Jaya. Telephone Brenda 7729 0628

Apart from communicating that Oil of Olay gave consumers a glowing, fairness appearance, it also allowed them to test the product, which was attached to the creative. Point-of-Sale advertising allows interaction with five basic human senses. Oil of Olay, via Shelfvision, utilised the sense of touch, sight and smell effectively in one creative, creating a strong brand preference message. Best of the Best Awards - at the conclusion of the campaign, the 15 winners of the "Creatives of the Month" will compete for "The Best of the Best" ActMedia Asia Creative Awards 2000. Any marketer and advertising agency client of ActMedia/POS AD in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand are automatically eligible to compete.

POS AD/ACTMEDIA ASIA

CREATIVE AWARDS 2000

The winning team for P&G's Oil of Olay

Grey Direct, ClickAction now click together. Grey Direct, New York, and e-mail marketer ClickAction have come together to implement e-mail campaigns for Grey's clients. The custom-designed e-mail campaigns will be marketed to the agency's clients through Grey Direct e.Marketing and Grey E.Mail, to internal groups within the direct shop.

Grey Direct works with clients including Chase Manhattan Bank, Goldman Sachs and Nokia. ClickAction, which has worked with including Brooks companies Brothers, Sara Lee Corporation and Nabisco, helps clients deliver permission-based e-mail campaigns to customers and tracks results in real time.

Economy

Economist

You don't need to read Forbes to put it on a schedule. You just need to know who does. 12% of Forbes readers travel First Class on long-haul flights. 06% of Economist readers don't. (Source: Europe 2000)

What role is PR, in the marketingmix?

by Millicent Danker

James Dowling, one-time president and GEO of Burson-Marsteller, said in 1990 of the role of Public Relations in the Year 2000: "The Public Relations Factor will be a basic element in all strategic and tactical decisions." Thanks, Jim, for that prediction and assurance. Despite bad practice by PR wannabes and havebeens, public relations continues to be strategic - and the counsel of senior, serious practitioners will always be sought. At the highest corporate levels, PR need not clamour for management attention. But down the line - at marketing, brand and product levels - PR remains, sadly, the poor cousin to the glamour boys from advertising whose big-budget media spends justify expensive client bonding and high servicing bills. Clients, bowled over by stylish graphics, sexy models and slick pitches, sign quickly on the dotted line while PR proposals languish in the in-tray - being, as they usually

are, at least half-inch thick and not a pretty picture in sight. Alas, ours is the craft of words. Words are the result of thought, sometimes deep thought. Our value is not always tangible. Sometimes, we have a news clipping to show for the effort. Sometimes, all we've done is advise a client to say no. Strategic counsel aside for now, let's look at what PR can offer in the marketing mix. To persuade consumers to convert to a new brand of cooking oil with the right nutritional properties, for example, would the product manager need PR? If he or she had an RM10 million advertising budget to expend over a period of, say, six months, would PR get a slice of it? If so, how much? Let's take these in turn. Would PR have a role in supporting new brand advertising? The answer is yes. The obstacle would be whether the product manager concerned understands PR and appreciates its value. He or she, more often than not, would have

grown up in a one-dimensional advertising-dominated environment and been persuaded over the years that commercials are the only form of persuasive communications. To summarise, PR can: •

create awareness of the new oil, as much as advertising would, and could

•

promote the properties of the new product in a rational and logical, or emotional and appealing fashion

•

provide third-party endorsement via research findings and scientific papers

•

use several story angles to maximize product visibility from arranging a media visit to the processing plant to featuring the product in popular recipes

•

educate

•

build relationships with stakeholder groups eg. media, relevant Ministries, consumer and trade associations, health care professionals, etc

How much budget would PR get? PR gurus are quite agreed on a minimum of 1-2% of ad spend to achieve visibility and profile in support of an advertising campaign.

In the case of the lady with the Big Budget, an RM200,000 investment in strategic PR activities can complement her brand marketing agenda, counterbalance her advertising efforts and help create a more conducive social environment in which marketing activities are likely to be that much more effective. Also - not a small point, this PR can always help bring a new perspective to bear in terms of correcting any negatives emanating from management decisions behind the product. The new oil, for example, may have hidden issues of tropical fats behind it - stuff that advertising will not, and must not, bring out of the closet. Advertising window-dresses, PR addresses. PR keeps an eye on the wider social implications which may impact on the company's reputation and image. Well ... don't take my word for it. I'm a PR consultant, after all. But don't call me when it's too late. I won't hide things under the carpet. Millicent Danker is the principal consultant and founder of Perception Management Sdn Bhd and Perception Strategies (UK) Limited.

WHERE THE SUN SHINES ^Sun microsystems We're the dot in .com"

I8BWP X? jP a * ^!|jj -

ix7h OPEN1% OPHDaig OPHDWT QI$S?5

The dot in .com is growing bigger. Sun Microsystems, one of the leading brands in the New Economy, is sponsoring the CNBC programme 'US Squawk Box' and starting September, the new segment 'CNBC Asia Hotboard'. To get your brand on the live feed to the New Economy, please call Jack Lim in Singapore Tel: 65 3261148. Mary Yao in Hong Kong - Tel:852 2509 5151. Tomoyuki Inatsuki in Japan - Tel:813 3292 4315. Melanie Hardie in Australia - Tel: 612 9282 2365.

> www.cribcasia.com

Business Intelligence

ASIA A Service of NBC and Dow Jones

This is not just a tv. This a promotional tool. And no one promotes brands on this media like we do. People will get to see your brand at the most unheard of places. Before they yawn. After a shower. Or anywhere else you can think of. We call this thinking-out-of-the-box. You can do whatever you like, it's like having a tv station belong to you.

Find out how television will never be the same again. Call us at Brand Energy 03 255 1177

Brand Energy is affiliated to Natseven TV Sdn. Bhd. (323221A)

brand

(9r f/te o/t/ry /jea/j/e f/iere ca/ia ca/i teac/ijjoa a/ujf/u'/uj aboat ac/oerfise/ig.

econd oldest profession And, being an industry somewhat prone to plagiarism, it's dly surprise from the world's oldest occupation. Of which the lovely lady you see opposite is a seasoned practitioner. (Or so we're told.) Creative types tend to dismiss such proven selling techniques, of course. Sut, several i Or the primary importance of packaging? u're especial? Thomas they are

hop at th se working title, rising tarts *, the workshop will deal primarily with formulas. Formulas which have not only withstood the test of time, But which every art director and copywriter utilises of how revolutionary he regards his work to be. The price is RM600 per head, including meals. ng radically new lirs, you are more than welcome For an additional fee, of course. it Sledgehammer on

-I

•ftV&&S&&V

m®m

•/*«>

AVA##V# *#*#

iM44ttxK*i: »*,

v/A

,vA • *I»

W'&*% •VA<«V.

&$&/

They said, we said... and the shame of it all

by Kurt Crocker, Creative Director - Drayton Bird, Crocker &Mano

Where has all the great direct marketing gone? If the body of work for the recent annual DMAM awards is the country's finest, our industry here is in deep doo-doo. What the hell happened over the past year? Before I judged the entries for the 1999 awards, I feared the worst. I expected shoddy work. Or at least I did not expect much of anything up to international standards. But my fears diminished with the appearance of some pretty darn good stuff. A few positively sparkled. And I was truly buoyed. This year, the entries and winners in this "creativity and results" contest were downright depressing. No big awards were given in several categories. Some categories didn't have a single entry. And even the

As you might have guessed, I have a couple of theories ...

Scenario One What the Client said to the Agency Account Director:

"OK, here's my 1,598-page marketing plan for the year. Your guys on the team will have to share. I tried to get it photocopied for you but the damn machine caught fire around page 57. Anyway, it all boils down to this: Sales have stagnated and we're losing market share. I need an aggressive plan from you to get us back on track. Got it? Now go do it!" What the Account Director said to the Creative Team:

work that managed to capture heavy hardware was deadly dull. Why?

PRESS RELEASES:

KEY TO

"Great news! The Client wants to spend a bundle this year ... the Year of the Big Bonus! Raises and promotions! So let's think HUGE, guys. Give me a TV campaign for the first quarter. And radio, of course. We'll back that up with press. Four colour? Full page? Why not! But wait a minute. This guy's real hard for integration. How the hell do we cover that? Never mind. Mock up a mailing or something. Copy whatever visual you do for the press and slap in on an envelope. And I'll get PR to think up a contest. You just focus your creative little minds on those press and broadcast campaigns. Got it? Now go do it!"

Client to Agency Team: "And integrated, too! Run it! But cut down a bit on that mailing cost, OK?"

Scenario Two What the Client said to the Direct Marketing Specialist: "Yes, of course, I know that. I've done some Direct Marketing in my time and I know it's, uh, what you call, an 'important part of the marketing mix'. I know, I know. We did a mailing, you know, but mailings don't work. I get that stuff and you know what I do? I throw it in the bin! Nobody reads that mail stuff. Yeah, all right, ok. We'll try your mailing but the letter is too long. Nobody reads long letters. And the leaflet. No need. I've done my own brochure, and got lots left. Use that one. What offer? All right, all right ... offer this pen, here. Got stocks left from the last promotion. What do you mean it doesn't relate to my product? Hey, everybody could use another pen! And your ads. How come you show me ads? My agency does my advertising. Oh, coupon. Never mind. I'll get my agency to put a coupon on our existing ad. Now about your costings ..."

And a Wish List for a Future Scenario •

Clients who are truly knowledgeable about the power of Direct Marketing and how it relates to sales, loyalty and their return on investment.

•

Agencies who know the limitations of their expertise and worry more about making their clients rich than they do about their own bottom lines. Account Service people who can spot Direct Marketing opportunities and exploit them intelligently on their clients' behalf.

What the Creative Team said to each other:

^PRwire MAIAYSIA

GLOBAL

Press releases have been the most powerful form of advertising and publicity for businesses for years now. A press release that appears in a newspaper or on TV can generate exposure that could bring in customer orders. Or launch your company into a multimillion-ringgit business. That's why you need PRWire Malaysia-Global, a professional press release distribution company, that can help you get the press attention and success you want.

Why you should use PRWire's services: • PRWire is a product of BERNAMA, the Malaysian National News Agency, a leading supplier of news to the media. • Newspapers, TV and radio stations and web portals depend on PRWire for company news that they receive on BERNAMA 's newswire service • PRWire has a multi-channel distribution network to deliver your press release to journalists timely and cost effectively • PRWire has the reach to distribute your releases anywhere locally and globally • Users have FREE access to your release from PRWire's and BERNAMA's news and financial information services on the Web

For details and subscription rates, call PRWire Malaysia-Global at:

Tel: 603-2696 2124/2121/2150/2119,2694 1024 Fax: 603-2694 1021/1022/1023 Website: www.asiapac.net/bemama/prwire E-mail: prwire@bernama.com 5th Floor, Wisma Bernama, 28, Jalan 1/65A, Off Jalan Tun Razak, P.O. Box 10024, 50700 Kuala Lumpur. Website: www.bernama.com

"Clio! The One Show! Cannes! Wow, this is it, isn't it! What's the product again? Oh yeah, that stuff. What does it do anyway? You're kidding, right? Wait ... let's get out the books for a little inspiration, shall we? Naw, I don't mind if you play your guitar. Hey look at this headline! Now that's clever. Maybe if I just tweeked it a bit ... what? No it's not for anything like our product. So what? It's a great headline. Oh yeah, that mail thing. We'll give that to the new guy once our concepts are solid. I heard something about a direct mail awards deal. We can enter and win that one too!" And finally... Creative Team to Account Director: "We did it!" Account Director to Client: "We did it!"

•

Writers and Art Directors who specialise in Direct Marketing and don't give a crap about awards but are brilliant, original, get results and win awards anyway.

•

More Direct Marketing Specialists with enough knowledge, experience and tenacity to become their clients' most trusted marketing partners.

Protect Your Most Important Messages With TYVEK® — Only by DuPont Fading Out and

smot you

originaL cor e^t?

Sign or banner printed on Tyvek® does not fade away. Tyvek® offers out standing printability, water resistance, tear resistance, quality image and vibrant colors.

TWO WAYS TO GIVE YOUR MEDIA PLAN A BUZZ

S5S5\K,« "BPM PUVVJ AS A E0U£E8U^C WW TUG ^AixBV BMKi*^S>S.

www.axn-asia .com

Adventurous, daring, active and irreverent that's the AXN lifestyle audience. There's over 18 million of these "attitudinally twenty-something" viewers watching AXN every month and they're always looking for new buzzing experiences and products.

Action-Adventure Attractions: Eco-Challenge 2000, Survivor, Mild Seven Outdoor Quest 2000, World Extreme Games 2000, North Face Expedition, 7 Summits and Silverstone 4x4 Rally of Asia.

PRODUCTION SUPPORT. No COMPROMISES. NO EXCUSES. www.axisbazaar.com

Kancil Judges Comments I think the judging standards at the Kancils are high but it should go even higher. Maintaining stringent standards is an absolute must. Does the Kancils contribute towards raising creative standards? Yes, a little. And is the Kancil Awards of international standard? Some of the winners at the Kancil in this year and in recent years have gone on to win awards in various parts of the world. But I believe that, in order to be truly world-class, we have to do our own thing. America, Britain, Brazil and Japan (the top 4 Cannes scorers) do it by doing their own thing. My concern with South-east Asian work is that it always tries to be like somebody else's. Malaysian advertising needs to be more smug. In the world of novel-writing, the more inward and more personalised your approach, the more universal your appeal. In the world of cinema, it is very local and very personalised work that goes to win big at the Cannes film festival. Malaysian advertising people can learn from this approach. Instead of always trying to follow American/ European/Thai trends, we should create a style of our own, through ads that talk to our people. For example, Barbara Nokes was so taken by the Petronas campaign that she wants to adapt it globally for a campaign for world peace. Again, inward-thinking can lead to globalappeal, and NOT the other way around. Yasmin Ahmad, Executive Creative Director, Leo Burnett KL. Frankly, I am pretty disappointed to see only one entry in the Chinese craft TV category. Overall, the radio category was a lot better than the print ads. However, a lot of improvement is still needed in order to catch up with the world standard. Maybe it's a big assumption, but is it because of the government's tight censorship that affects the overall creativity!? Titania Yuen, Hong Kong. International Judge, Chinese category "If there's one thing tougher than doing good creative work, it's

picking good creative work. By this, I mean there was a lot to choose from this year. Some of the work that didn't make it to the awards night's presentation would have made it last year. So if your campaign was passed over, don't throw in the towel just yet. Could have been a case of bad timing, that's all. And the judges are (sad but true) human. Still, one can't help but feel some of the work that did make it this year shouldn't have. But like they say in the famous DDB campaign for New York Lotto, "Hey, you never know!" Ted Lim, Creative Director, Naga DDB.

fair and independent, with comic relief in between courtesy of Sonal Dabral. Arguments were wellarticulated and well-received. Maturity prevailed, egos never got in the way. And that a Gold each went to TV, Direct, POS and Packaging is another first. I have the highest regards for our new judges, Ean Hwa and Ronald Ng. Very discerning and lots of integrity and honesty in their calls. SP Lee, Creative Director, FCB Malaysia and Jury President for Kancils 2000 Barbara and Chris were nice. The work was good. The coffee was bad. Huang Ean Hwa, Creative Director, BBDO KL.

What can I say except that it was good to see great work celebrated! Having followed the 6As Awards for several years, I was encouraged to see the standard of Malaysian advertising work really reach international standards. It is unfortunate that the interactive industry hasn't yet reached this same level of maturity. But I hope in the coming years Malaysian creativity will also shine in this rapidly growing sector of the communications business. As the Internet becomes an integral part of every company's marketing efforts, I am sure new exciting talent will emerge to take up the challenge and push the envelope for Malaysian web entities. To help promote creativity on the Internet, Icon Medialab has already offered to sponsor a wider number of categories for the Internet section of the Kancil Awards next year. We would like to suggest increasing the Interactive section with awards for: Best Banner Campaign, Best Use of Technology, Best Overall Web Design, Best Interface and Best Art Direction. With this initiative IconMedialab would like to encourage a greater participation on the Internet by Malaysian's leading creative talents. Nick Fairhead, Creative Director IconMedialab. Quality of work was up, especially in non-electronic, but so was quality of the jury panel. It was something else to have two judges from The Copy Book. Opinions were strong,

Basically the print work stood out from the TV and radio. Most of the good ones were very visual-driven. I particularly liked the England Optical ad. I thought it should've gotten a Gold instead of a Silver. The idea behind mistaken objects resulting from bad eyesight is not new, but this ad was executed really well in the Malaysian context. The Fybogel print was original and personally I felt should've been a Gold winner too, if only the headline wasn't so over-stated. The art direction on the whole was pretty sleek, especially those of the Islamic Museum series. As for copywriting, two campaigns stood out in my view. Jovian Lee of Leo Burnett pulled it off quite neatly on the Monfort Boy School ads. The copywriting on the Organ Donation campaign was pretty decent as well. As for TVCs, my vote went for the Petronas National day campaign. I didn't think there was any outstanding radio this year. I also felt that they were too many executions using the Malglish flavor but for the wrong reasons. Our print has improved. I am proud of that. Elmo Lee, Creative Director, Batey Ads. I was one of the judges for Chinese copywriting craft. Overall the standard of Chinese copywriting is competent, but quite conventional. When we were judging the works, we were looking for new way of expressing ideas, a more creative and daring use of the Chinese

language. However, there were not many among the entries which lived up to this. Chinese is an old language, however we should all be striving for a more contemporary way of expressing ourselves. After all who wants to go after aging markets. Thus the winners are well deserved for breaking the mould. Raymond Chau, Executive Creative Director, Greater China, TBWA Hong Kong. Throwing caution to the winds, I'll risk being thought an arrogant Brit and own that I found Kuala Lumpur miles more sophisticated than I ever expected. The city is fairly crackling with ideas, energy, talent and a degree of racial harmony the rest of the world could learn from. As with other awards scheme that I've judged, of the 1700 Kancil entries, a lot were awful, enough were good or very good and some were absolutely, world-class great. I was impressed by the generosity of the KL judges to the work of other agencies. It never ceases to amaze me that creative people who, on a day to day basis are locked in deadly competition can, when faced with a really good idea, rise above mere ego and give credit where it's due. My thanks to the 4As and the Creative Council for inviting me to KL, and to everybody I met who made me so welcome. Barbara Nokes, Creative Consultant, London. It is every creative person's dream to make it into the D&AD, The One Show, Cannes and the Clios. Why's that? Because it is bloody fucking tough to get in that's why. It is all about high standards. High standards motivate. Why should it be any different for the Kancils? Malaysia recently got two entries into the D&AD (one of which got a silver nomination) and a Lion at Cannes. If our creatives are of international standards, shouldn't our judging standards be just as high? The judging this year was tough. The very best work won. Edmund Choe, Creative Director, Saatchi & Saatchi KL

ADOIMARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS 21

Leo Burnett wins Golden Kan At the recent annual Kancil Advertising Awards, Leo Burnett won the Best of the Year or Golden Kancil for its Petronas Merdeka tvc campaign titled 'Bush', 'Joke' and 'Gossip', shot by Axis Films. This winning entry also clinched the only Gold of the night for Leo Burnett. Grey Malaysia who actually won more Golds and Silvers than LB, delivered a stunning performance, barely short of the topmost award. They earned Golds with a Point-of-Sale entry for client BSN titled 'Delete', and Packaging for CDA Plant Fertiliser titled 'Plant Aid'. FCB won the remaining precious Gold award with a Direct Marketing piece for client Standard Chartered titled 'For Sale'. They also won the Young Creative Award when Ong Kien Hoe walked away victorious. Only 4 Golds were given out at this year's competition. More than 1,500 entries were received.

The Leo Burnet table erupts

Golden Kancil feverI Managing Director Charles Cadell and his team get a taste of well-deserved fame.

"Hey that's mine!" shrieks Yasmin as she goes for the newly-designed Golden Kancil.

Victor (centre) and Sonal (right) get a feel of Ali Mohamad's solid-state Golden Kancil.

Jerry McKenna (Dentsu-Mandate)and Tony raising the bar. The Booze Brothers. It's all halal according to Marzuki

Harold Monfils (Boo Films) with Zora (Frames). And the winner is No she is not his wife.

Joshua (Boo Films) aiming to shoot Jim Goh (OMD)... on film.

22 ADOIMARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

McCann-

(Adrian what are you doing?) Advertising folks trying to look cool. Rob won a Gold! Peggy with Shafri Mohamad, President of Bates Malaysia.

in sober mood beforethe bottle-breaking ceremony. Ben looking Indian. Wonder why.

Ham grabs hisex-Art DirectorPem Wong. They're going IPO soon.

Victor (Publicis) listens to the voicethat matters.

Power brokers Je ciggies.

cil with Grey hot on its heels!

Packaging Gold, CDA Plant Fertiliser Plant Aid' Agency: Grey Malaysia

Point-ofSale Gold\ BSN-1-Net Banking "Delete' Agency: Grey Malaysia.

Petronas has for the last five years, been portraying social issues in their festive advertising, in an effort to show that they truly understand Malaysians. This Golden Kancil winner consisted of 3 commercials "Joke", "Gossip" and "Bush" . The campaign also won a Gold in the Best Film Campaign category. There are three verions: a Malay hedge-cutter rendering a Tamil song, a Punjabi joking in fluent Chinese with his friends, and a Malay woman gossiping in Chinese.

Direct Marketing Gold, Standard Chartered "For Sale' Client: Standard Chartered Agency: FCB Malaysia Creative Director: SPLee Art Director: Ong Kien Hoe Copywriter: Christopher Yin

Star creative Ben Hunt with the real booty of the night.

KANCIL AWARDS 1999/2000

••••i VHUHIHrf 4As President Tony Lee is allsmiles. Is herelieved this will Adrian finally behavinghimself in the presenceof discerningcouple, be his last Kancils as Presidentf

•• flDnW

Tony (NST'), Joe (The Sun), Nigel (DYR), Eric (NST Outdoor) do justiceto the drinks.

w (Bates) and Izuldin do the

Your guess is as good as mine. Must be the moustache.

—

•

Institut Sledgehammer advertising students - Golden Kancil stars in the making i

Agency Leo Burnett Grey FCB Naga Bates O&M DYR McCann Batey D'Arcy Bozell SI Ad JWT BBDO AMP Radio Network

Bronze

ISCB Arachnid Hunter Platinum Grand Total

Farouk (Planet) and friends Khairudin (Lowe Lintas) looks happy while Matthews faking the smiles. It's a wrap. (Macomm Management) is just looking. Give him a break!

Young Crative Award: Ong Kien Hoe, FCB Golden Kancil - Best of the year 1999/2000: Leo Burnett Advertising

What some say about Kancils 2000... "I believe that the current creative standards are in sync with current world standards. Having said that, how many truly world class teams have we produced lately? This debate about the raising of creative standards will always stay be in stalemate... with the old guard, knowing full well that should the current standards (being imposed) are to be met, appropriate training (and exposure) are key to it being achieved. The new guard, young as they are, will blindly strive to raise their standards; to what degree we will see in 2001 when production budgets are high enough to make a good concept great and a great concept 'gold'." Leslie Jeyam, CEO of egency.com There is nothing wrong in stringent standards and giving a few medals because then the awards become much more sought after.

Did we raise the bar? I don't know about anyone else, but I tried my best. It closed at 2am however, and Yasmin scolded me a bit. Oh well. But seriously folks, this same question is asked at every award show around the world, every year. And my thought is, who cares? This year's Kancils showed some wonderful work. Why do we continually try to figure it out? Continually compare ourselves? Take ourselves too seriously? Life is too short and my brain is too small. A merit here wins gold internationally. A gold here wins an honourable mention in New York. I'll never understand it. And I don't want to. That's what makes it fun. Any judge on any award council reviews the work with one thought, "I wish I had done that". I share that thought with the winners. Garpe Diem. Jerry McKenna, Creative Director of Dentsu Mandate

And in my conversations with the likes of Film Director Ghuan, DYR's CD Gary and ISCB's ACD Paul who are award-winners as well, our standards are comparable in most cases to international standards. However, we must remember that an award show is only as good as its judges. There have been cases where work that never gets awards locally wins in international competitions and vice-versa.

Why can't a student entry win the Golden Kancil? After there were two Gold winners in this category. The Malaysian Video Awards paid the highest accolade to a student entry.

Anyway, while our creative standard is improving, we still lack big ideas and while we have good sound designers and musicians, we could do even better in these areas.

And finally Rishya Joseph, Senior Vice President and Regional Director of DYR, touches on the proliferation of scam ads with this...

Jullie P. Lingan, Executive Creative Director oflSCB Worldwide Partners

Lai Mun Chee, Art school student

"To quote the famous words of a poet: Things aren't what they seem; skimmed milk masquerades as cream."

P.S Does that mean we can submit this next year?

24 AD0IMARKETINGC0MMUNICATI0NS

We now have a brand new worldwide logo, which encompasses "excellence, excitement, energy". But one thing that hasn't changed is our age old wisdom in media insights and strategies. So if you're looking for the opportunity to "stand out and brand out", call Margaret Au-Yong, Helen Yeo or Rachel Jayaratnam at CIA Malaysia on 03-460 1343 or email CIAMM@ciasb.po.my

h •

our brand values

genuine WJ$lve sophistication . . imaginative xDert leaders surprising e ex r 1 a& s no-nonsense rugged P® > ® ® f.

fun honest ethical

jex-v

strong

)

As appeared in Asiaweek (Oct 6, 2000 issue).

THE NATIONS MALAYSIA

fiSS?

FRESH OUTLOOK Editor-in-chief Ho (left) and MD Tan with their new-look paper

Malaysians Turn to The Sun How a newspaper tapped changing attitudes BY SANTHA OORJITHAM KUALA LUMPUR

he saga of Anwar Ibrahim may have just about disappeared from the pages of Malaysia's newspapers, but from his prison cell the former deputy pre mier is still shaping some publications' for tunes. The main loser, in circulation terms, has been the pro-government New Straits Times, which has paid the price for mis reading the public mood about Anwar's dismissal and prosecution. The winner is the uppity, though still conservative The Sun, which has jumped into the middle ground vacated by the mainstream press. Says Zaharom Nain, lecturer in Com munication Studies at the Science Univer sity of Malaysia: "Some people switched to The Sun after the sacking of Anwar out of disgust with the way things were depicted in the mainstream media. The credibility of the Malaysian media is at its lowest. Read ers are very cynical and want more critical reports, analysis and transparency — not just toeing the government line." Launched in 1993, The Sun has been steadily increasing its readership and influ ence. Circulation rose from an average of 77,328 in June 1997 to 82,474 in June 1999 — a period that covers some of the major early moments of the Anwar drama. By comparison, sales of the 150-year-old New

Straits Times (NST) daily fell from 163,287 to 139,001 in the same period. Sunday cir culation dropped back from 186,918 to 161,948. Sales of the 29-year-old Star daily and Sunday were 235,641 and 262,306, respectively, in June 1999, both up. The Sun is hoping to grow further this year. In changes that began in February, the tabloid has a new editor-in-chief (Ho Kay Tat), a new managing director (Tan Boon Kean), new owners (subject to approval, Phileo Allied's Tong Kooi Ong is taking over) and a new look (introduced in June for the Sunday edition and in August for the daily). "Give us one year for circulation to top 100,000," says managing director Tan. Michael Yeoh, CEO of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, also sees strong growth ahead. "The Sun has the potential to overtake the NST and could be a strong rival to the Star over the next five years," he says. Sun executives believe expectations of

"The credibility of the Malaysian press is at its lowest. Readers are very cynical and want more critical reports" ASIAWEEK OCTOBER 6, 2000

what the media should be delivering have changed since the advent of straight-talking online publications such as Malaysiakini and Agenda Malaysia, which are not sub ject to government censorship. Sun readers are offered a wide range of opinions, par ticularly in the Sunday edition's Comment & Analysis section. On Sept. 24, think-tanker Abdul Razak Baginda called for less crowing and a better sense of proportion about Malay sian achievements, lecturer and former merchant banker Radzuan Halim urged a cap on defamation awards, and social psy chologist Askiah Adam declared that there was "no need" for a proposed Restoration of Islamic Faith Bill, which penalizes "deviationism" and apostasy. A week earli er, lawyer Karim Raslan had warned of "a fate that must not happen to us" — refer ring to Iranian and Pakistani friends' com plaints about "embattled and deeply corrupt secular administrations clinging onto power, emboldened clerics and independent institutions crumbling under the weight of an unbridled executive." Syed Arabi Idid, a professor in the Communication Department at the Inter national Islamic University of Malaysia, describes The Sun as "slightly better" than the mainstreamers on political coverage. He calculates that during last November's gen eral elections, the NST and Star devoted 80% of their space to the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. With The Sun, it was about 70% — not exactly balanced, but in a country where papers are sometimes craven in their support of the government, it almost passes as even-handed. Editor-in-chief Ho says: "We try to report the news and avoid mixing editorial izing with reporting. We know where the limits are. We try to push them but we also know when not to push." He admits to occasional "run-ins" with the owners over the treatment of certain stories, but insists the proprietors are not involved in day-today editorial operations. But the owners are not the only people the editorial bosses have to take into account. Newspapers are constrained by a yearly license required from the Home Ministry. And that can be a problem — as feisty alternative publica tions Ekslusif, Detik and Al-Wasilah found out. They went out of business this year when their licenses were not renewed. If The Sun can avoid that kind of fate, its future may be shining bright. Lawyer Karim believes that once Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad leaves the political stage, the mainstream media will "take a big thwacking from the market." Ho says all he is thinking about is providing a new product for a new generation of Malaysians. But if Karim's prediction is proved correct, then The Sun will truly rise. •

"Sun readers are offered a wide range of opinions " - ASIAWEEK Oct 6, 2000 The Sun daily newspaper

Ut\Vrties a******

ov®1

Hiaga^l

Can^01

pen^ under

The Sun on Sunday newspaper

, sUNO^

pofco»£fs i

Vision

3lll§lf|

it# HI

! let&is*0^

McDonald's Food Collect 5 different coupons and get a single food item valued up to RM4.95 for

fiKOmTQl&tTBQJi&QmQ,

(coupons available everyday except on Sunday)| For details, refer to The Sun

Your daily newspaper reading should never be the same Please • in the appropriate box:

Q Yes! I would like to place an order for The Sun Tel No.

| My existing vendor to deliver. My vendor details - Name : • Please assign me a vendor - My details: Name :

Tel No.:.

Delivery address:.

Mail : Circulation Department Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (Co No.: 221220-K) - P O Box 179, Pejabat Pos Jalan Sultan, 46720 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Tel : 03-7783 9785 Fax : 03-7784 0632 E-mail : circulation@thesundaily.com Published & printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya. Tel: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7783 7435

Like a fast-moving river, the Internet can change directions sudÂ denly. And where you once found fish, you can now come up dry. At 24/7 Media Asia, we create new tools to help you hook the best fish no matter where they're hiding. Our proprietary targeting techniques ensure you'll drop your online hook only where the best fish are biting anywhere in the world. Our ad serving system gives you a one-stop soluÂ tion that includes the industry's most sophisticated reporting and inventory management analytics, scheduling and delivery controls. And we deliver content from banners to beyond - we're the first to provide m-commerce via wireless interactive advertising. And we can round out your messaging presence with sponsorships and other unbeatable consumer hooks.

WWW.247ASIA.COM WWW.247MEDIA.COMWWW.247EUROPE.COM WWW.247CANADA.COMWWW.247LATINO.COM (NASDAQ:TFSM)

With experts in every major Asian city, with access to 50 cities in 27 countries, it's no wonder we're the pre-eminent global provider of interactive marketing solutions and services. No need to fish around. Call us on 03-4601008.

Asia Pacific & Hong Kong Tel: (852 2893 7991 hongkong@247asia.com Australia Tel: (61) 2 9280 3660 australia@247asia.com China Tel: (86) 21 6386 6399 china@247asia.com Japan Tel: (81) 3 521 5 8247 japan@247asia.com Korea Tel: (82) 2 5611 247 korea@247asia.com Malaysia Tel: (60) 3460 1008 malaysia@247asia.com Singapore Tel: (65) 236 2247 singapore@247asia.com Taiwan Tel: (886) 2 2345 7247 taiwan@247asia.com Thailand Tel: (662) 930 5655 thailand@247asia.com

The Death of Grey Malaysia Yes! It's true. There's no more Grey Malaysia. It started with the Finance Ministry of Malaysia granting Grey the status to

Grey Malaysia's Creative Team

function as a regional Operational Head Quarters (OHQ), making them the first in the industry in Malaysia to be awarded this status, says Managing Director John Burbidge (top picture). With this development, the holding Company name will be Grey Worldwide, South East Asia. Under this new portfolio, the countries under the South East Asia wing are Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Brunei. The change comes in the wake of Grey headquarters in New York, establishing a holding company and subsequently structuring new partner companies. The existing divisions will be turned into 100% owned partner companies. They are Grey Worldwide for mainstream advertising, G2 for promotions and merchandising, GCI Worldwide for public relations and public affairs, Grey Healthcare Group for healthcare, Grey Direct & Interactive for direct marketing and interactive and MediaCompete for media planning/buying and on-line. The restructuring exercises will however, not affect Pesaka Grey, their long-standing business partner in recruitment advertising. Leading the creative team now at Grey Worldwide is Edwin Leong. He started his advertising career in '90s at the tail end of the recession as a trainee dog's body at Bates Malaysia. (What better way than to start from rank and file). He stayed for 6 years, working into the role of copywriter under a succession of five creative directors - notably the late John Machado, SP Lee, Joe

Lam & Shafri Mohd. Since Edwin's entry into Grey in mid '96 as an Associate Creative Director, he has contributed significantly to the department. In just one year, he has brought Grey up the national rankings from 15th to among the top 5th in the Kancil Awards. They also walked away with the coveted young creative award for that year. He took over the creative helm of Grey from Jeff Orr in Oct 1999 at the age of 31 - making him one of the youngest heads at a global agency network in Malaysia. Within the same year, Grey bagged some 15 awards including Malaysia's first D&AD silver nomination, a bronze lion and four shortlists at Cannes putting Grey at the top of Malaysia's contribution to the international advertising awards tally. Some of the recent major wins: Cannes: 1 Bronze lion (for 3M - see below). D&AD: 1 Silver nomination. AdFest 2000: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronzes, 1 finalist. Media Awards: 1 spike, 2 certificates of excellence, 4 finalists. The year 2000 also sees Grey winning a major account, the Dunhill product from British American Tobacco (BAT).

Blast off! The winning 3M 'steps'ad in the Cannes festival.

fill things in excess.

The one-stop on line shop for news, research and information for the media, marketing and advertising industries has just launched. Get ready for an all time high. • Transactions • News & Views • Research • Directory

wwui.xs-media.com

xs-media

â&#x20AC;˘*

^- - -X

We are laying a stronger foundation to give every Malaysian extended coverage across the country. In cities and towns big and small, on highways and byways. Our customers will experience improved services, like better coverage, voice quality and service accessibility. So you can stay connected to your loved ones, friends and business associates anywhere, anytime and everytime. At DiGi, we don't just keep up with the times. We keep up with people. www.digi.com.my

connecting you to your world

Peter Wilken roars back into action! I was fortunate to be there cheering for you, and with you, on the night. Tell us about the scope of your new role and your immediate agenda? Well, I have responsibility for BBDO Asia/Pacific which includes all markets except Japan and Australasia. My immediate agenda is to look and listen, then put a collaborative action plan together that makes BBDO Asia/Pacific the best agency to work for and with. The way to do that is to produce the best work, and that's what our energies will be focused on. I'm fortunate to have inherited BBDO's brilliant credo: 'the work, the work, the work'. We don't need to spend time creating grand visions; we'll be tackling the actions to achieve excellence in the work across the spectrum of communi cation services we provide. He led Leo Burnett Malaysia through its worst recession and was a ready catalyst to its creative leadership. Last month, Peter celebrated quietly in his heart when he watched his former agency Leo Burnett KL clinch the ultimate accolade of the night as they walked away with the Golden Kancil Award at the Shangri-la KL. But Peter had an extra reason to celebrate - he is now Regional Managing Director of BBDO Asia-Pacific and is excited about driving the BBDO brand across the region. A true ad man in mind and spirit, ADOI talks to Peter who has become more than just a friend and colleague to many... Even though you're running BBDO's Asia-Pacific network now, it must have been 'heart warming' for you to see LB KL win the Golden Kancil after some years. Any message for your exstaffers? Yes - you buggers had to wait until I was gone before you won the big one didn't you! No, congratulations to the whole agency - it's a richly deserved prize for a legacy of leading creative work in the country for the past six years.

BBDO is recognized as the most creative agency worldwide. Tell us about the 'stars' who are going to take this award-winning leadership across Asia? Well thank you for the flattering recognition. As always, naming one agency the most creative will always be contentious, but BBDO can take pride in being at the pinnacle of world rankings creatively for over a decade. Surveys like the Gunn Report will become increasingly important benchmarks for our industry, especially if they make the link between award winning work and effectiveness in the marketplace, as it's doing. People like to knock the big agency networks, but it's no coincidence that in the latest Gunn report, Omnicom agencies were placed one, two and three. BBDO were actually second this time, but we promise to try harder next year! In Asia, we have a little catching up to do to match the standards of our sisters in North America, Europe, Latin America and Australasia, but we're getting there. (Continued on page 33)

Ooh! flhh!

HII things in excess

Words can't begin to describe the best on line community and transaction site for the media, marketing, and advertising industries. We'll give you indispensable news and views on the latest industry issues. We'll showcase the best commercials, cool creative and hot media executions, we'll even give you a place to exchange ideas and chat with your peers. All things in XS-Media. You'll be lost for words! • Transactions • News & Views • Research • Directory

www.xs-media.com

xs-media

Saiaw*^

OU and! efforts!

; RESALE

SPlOM-ftfcf

•H< V»tn "'

Bank-backed brokers may stand alone „ „«.»

**0

T here is a ne* \ \ the siocWbroVatgc^(es CominisS.on

bad^^K**.St'ii

' ',«£*» <»"

o«*"

, sg^usss „uu,lOTp.»»

Jones AslaiasThcE were ««^e

a0£es

•sff^Sss^S tWW*w i

S^S-isss ***

Mark every page.

Insightful. In-depth. Indispensable. Audited.That's why we're Number One. To advertise in the best-selling business and investment weekly in Malaysia call 603-460 3838 or fax 603-460 8563.

"Tj ir MALAOJLS,NESS .,NV«T*ENT WEEKLY (The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd • 266980 - x)

A MEMBER AUDIT BUREAU A?m OF CIRCULATION V (MALAYSIA)

www.theedge.com.my

BBDO Singapore is hot on new biz wins too. (Continued from Page 31) I have to credit my current boss Jean-Michel Goudard and my predecessor Chris Jacques with having an extremely good eye for creative talent. We have a terrific group of creative leaders that are already showing their mettle in markets like Thailand, Hong Kong, the Phillippines and Malaysia. We're moving up fast in places like Singapore and are committed to building agencies in developing markets, devoted to creative excellence. What's most exciting, is these creative leaders are 'next generation' creatives. People like Khun Suthisak in Bangkok, KC.Tsang and Paul Chan in Hong Kong, David Guerrero in Manila, Szu and Hwa (and now Henry) in KL - these are famous names already but with time on their side and fire in their bellies. There are many other promising young talents coming up through the ranks too. More importantly, it's not just the creatives that embrace the philosophy of great creative product - it's pervasive in all the best people who work in the company - they take rightful ownership in the end product too. We won't be the largest network overnight, but we can be the best. The direction of movement is what matters - and BBDO is an agency on the way up. You have always been working with creative-strong ad agencies, from O&M Manila to LB Malaysia and now BBDO Asia-Pae. This looks like too much of a co-incidence.... I'm passionate about the creative product and that's what our business is all about, so I've always tried to build agencies where the heart is creativity. But the truth is I've been incredibly lucky to have worked with the best people. If you can't be good, it's good to be lucky. BBDO KL has been on a winning streak with big ticket client Maxis? Are we seeing the start of a major push for new business acquisitions? Jennifer and her team have a

•Mi WStk

terrific new business record and it's true BBDO Malaysia offers new clients an attractive proposition. We will always put our existing clients first though. Making sure we're delivering great solutions for them is top priority and that's where the attention is rightly being paid. That's not just trotting a line - it's what we believe - and it also happens to be the best way to attract the right type of new clients. Maxis is a huge win and a challenge to rise to. We're privileged to be chosen partners by Maxis, and the new work I've seen is extremely exciting, but we never forget our long-established client partners either. I'd like to add that Arto at BBDO Singapore has also been hot on new business wins. I know you have many friends in Malaysia and your leaving LB Malaysia came as a sudden surprise to all. Will we see more of you even though you're covering a larger footprint now? I will really miss KL. Such a beautiful city, such a beautiful country. There were many friends I didn't have the chance to say a proper goodbye to. I hope when they read this they'll understand it's been a crazy time - I'll be back to claim those promised farewell drinks Until then, it's just cheerio and all the very best to all of you. Malaysia Boleh!

Packed with knowledge.

nil things in excess.

If you let us, we'll empower you with the most extensive, comprehensive resources available anywhere. We'll provide you with on line access to the best advertising and media research, as well as a vast directory of media information. With XS-Media, you'll have what you need to research, plan, buy and place your inventory quickly and efficiently. Empower yourself with XS-Media. • Transactions • News & Views • Research • Directory

wuiw.xs-media.com

xs-media

To us, she s not a target audience we talk down to, i •btrtan individual we can talk with. For too long, people have been regarded merely as "consumers", a sum of their buying habits. Hakuhodo prefers to consider each person as a "sei-katsu-sha"- an individual leading a meaningful life with a unique make-up of values, aspirations and dreams. It is this unique advertising and marketing perspective that enables us to provide insight into individuals where other agencies can*t. The concept of sei-katsu-sha has been applied in particular to a growing Asia where Hakuhodo has an extensive network of 22 offices in 9 regions. As the 2nd largest agency in Japan, Hakuhodo also maintains a worldwide presence with 39 offices in 16 areas. Couple this with our advertising campaign planning, R&D power, media & brand planning/consulting capability, interactive marketing skills and award-winning creative credentials from the likes of Cannes, and you'll see why as a total marketing communications partner, we're poised to move with you confidently in a new era of communications. If you'd like to get a better insight of the Asian sei-katsu-sha, perhaps it's time to get to know us better.

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS

y n HAKUHODO To find out more about Hakuhodo, visit us at:

www.hakuhodo.co.jp/asia Tokyo • Bangkok • Kuala Lumpur • Singapore • Taipei • Hong Kong • Shanghai • Beijing • Guangzhou • Seoul • Delhi • Mumbai • Pune • Bangalore • Ho Chi Minh • Manila

The 300 Pound Guerilla goes Mad Well, advertising used to be so simple 1. Meet client at bar or club. 2. Follow up with presentation of TV storyboard and excite client - hopefully a lot. 3. Close deal over karaoke (recommended song 'We two are one') 4. Shoot TVC in Caribbean or Buenos Aires. 5. Air ad, celebrate. 6. Cross fingers hoping for sales. 7. Enter ad for Craft Awards in Moscow Art Director's Club. It's interesting we all still celebrate the thirty second TV commercial as the shining beacon of our business , because there is mounting evidence that, with the growth of the internet (can you believe that U.S. evening TV viewership is down 34% in the last two years in net connected homes?) and with the proliferation of other media, we need to do a heck of a lot more to break into the hearts and minds of consumers and convert them to use our Brand ABC (remember , this 'sales' thing is a natural consequence of advertising) We developed something called the MAD index - and no , it's not to do with Ham's brilliant yearly tome on adlife in Malaysia. It's the 'Messages a Day' index, and it monitors how many brands impact us on a daily basis. Back in 1960, the MAD index was around 68. In the year 2000, it's closer to 5,500. Yes , on average we are hit with 5,500 brand messages - from when we wake up to when we pass out of an evening, (no evidence yet on those people we think/dream of brands in their sleep). What the MAD index tells you is that the best brand impact is often not an ad, but an experience. A wise old scholar (not sure who) once said 'What I hear, I forget. What I see , I remember. But what I experience , I know' (apologies here to those of you working in radio - but it's just a quote). And what that tells you is the next time you go to see Mr Client with a TV storyboard , you had better have rolled up under your sleeve a few Brand Experience ideas. Because it's these 'guerilla marketing' ideas that are creating responses, creating a reaction and creating sales. Far be it for me in this valuable editorial space to toot a trumpet for DraftWorldwide, but just imagine this.. ..you travel to New York , you check into a suite at the Peninsula Hotel and the front desk person says " Sir/ Madam , here are your two keys - one for your room, and one to your Audi A8 in our carpark with a chauffeur at your disposal during your stay." Well, I know I'll be emailing home to Mum about this one! Yet this is just one of many such activities we run for Audi in North America. And this 'guerilla' idea alone has sold 50 cars. Another story from us for a rather well known shoe brand in the U.S - you're now a young kid, aged 10 or so. You're walking down the street in your Reeboks, trying to look like you're as hip as possible - until a police officer comes up and says 'Sorry, you're under arrest! Those Reeboks are just not cool enough. And as a member of the Nike Fun Police, I'm going to have to issue you a ticket!' (Well , yes , of course the 'ticket' has a retail offer at the nearest Niketown - granted, the ticket may not win that Craft Award in Moscow , but it sure does help get feet in shoes) The 300 pound guerilla (marketing) now has to be embraced by the Asian advertising community. Sure , there are pockets of promotional excellence, but we all need to recognise this type of subterfuge as an important arrow in our quiver. Why not a Guerilla Marketing category at the CCA's and Kancils to celebrate the best? Cannes is already doing it, so why aren't we? Why not a forum for sharing some of the best ideas and case studies? After all , we have to convince our clients to be brave everyday let's start showing more evidence and results. Whatever happens , you can't ignore this area - the 300 pound guerilla is running loose. Greg Paull is Regional Director of DraftWorldwide Asia Pacific, the world's largest autonomous marketing services agency.

IS#!!!

Get hooked.

We won't blame you. After all, we are the best one-stop on line shop in Asia Pacific for transactions, news and views, research and information about the media, marketing and advertising industries. But be warned, your first visit won't be your last. • Transactions • News & Views • Research • Directory

wwui.xs-media.com

fill things in excess.

J xs-media

DIGITAL

OTOGRAPHER

PHOTO COURTESY : EMI

JEN STUDIO TEL : 03-77286227 FAX : 03-77277005 EMAIL : jensiow@pc.jaring.my

NEW WEB SITE

PHASE ONE DIGITAL CAMERA BACK

http://www.jenstudio.com

Only a beer that's nurtured so tenderly can strike you with its lively passion. Starting with the finest of ingredients, it is brewed with care and patience until it blossoms into maturity. And it is specially crystal filtered as no other process can bring out its lively, distinctive taste. Have a Carl's Reserve ^

and feel the beat. And

lose your heart

the unique character K

that lives within.

CARLS

3 ads that changed Batey Ads Creative Department by Elmo Lee, Creative Director

Guess who needs help with his spelling? We currently have positions vacant for the following: • Copywriter • Copywriter • Copywriter For more information, call Elmo Lee on 03-7727 2299.

BATEY ADS

This is an ad for copywriters. You finish up what seems like your thirteenth re-write. Not that you're in any condition to count. Your head is throbbing. Your vision is blurring. And you're loving every minute of it. Because, for a moment, there's an overwhelming sense of happiness. You're a novelist. And nothing really matters. Not your aimless life. Not the Mt. Everest of job briefs archiving on your desk. Not even the backstabbing colleagues who pretend to be your friends.

Week after week. Night after night. Hangover after hangover. 'Should I quit?' 'Should I quit?' 'Should I quit?' It doesn't matter how many times you ask the same question. As pissed as you're feeling, chances are you're going to try and write that elusive award winning ad. Again. So you pick up that pen and slowly scrawl away. Pretty soon, you notice a bulging tummy. Or how often you spend nights camping by the computer. And how about missing your favourite 'Friends' sitcom?

Or the other countless problems you hardly remember. Women, bills, instalments, women, money, drugs, women, parents, life, women, death. All a distant memory.

Then you see less of your own friends. The bartender knows you better than your parents do. Your clothes have a lingering smell of your art director's cigarette smoke. You finally figure out why your client is an ex-copywriter.

Because, like I said, there's an overwhelming sense of happiness. You're a scriptwriter.

Not that any of that bothers you. After all, what's a little sacrifice for a moment of overwhelming happiness?

It's the next morning. Your head is still throbbing. Your vision is still a blur. And guess what? The client rejected your copy. That's when you ask yourself: 'Should I quit?'

You're a copywriter. If you feel this way about copywriting, we'd like to talk to you. Call Elmo on 03-77272299.

Fergus Fleming believes there are two types of Art Directors. Type 1 Wait till the Copywriter comes up with the idea. He'll probably have the picture too. Let the typographer do the type. It's his job isn't it? Photography is simple. Get the biggest star name possible. Use them to advertise yourself. Appearance is everything.

Type 2 Learn to draw. Learn typography and layout. Look. Listen. Love photography. Love words. Go the way you go. Be stubborn. Be sensitive. Be right.

Lobby for a bigger room, with big sofas and a fridge. This is how you will be judged in the agency. It's time to step up a gear, the gear being suits. Think label, label, label (practise laying the jacket down casually so the label shows.

We, however, believe there's only one type of Art Director. If you feel you're the right kind, we'd like to talk to you. Call Elmo on 03-7727 2299.

For those who didn't know, I left Bates Malaysia to take over the helm of Batey Ads creative, taking on the big responsibility from Ben Hunt. There was obviously a great deal of pressure especially when the main function of your position as promised to Tony Lee is to beef up the creative standards. Winning awards was definitely not the first thing that came to mind, not with only a handful of the creatives left with a massive backload. But somehow when you get the team with the right attitude and pump in enough effort, things just turn around for you. As a matter of fact, I've never worked so hard in my 26 years of advertising. As one of my copywriters would describe it, "You spend so much time in the office that when you eventually get home, your own dog barks at you." So together with a gungho fresh, new team of talents, we won an avalanche of accounts namely:- Petronas lubricants, Overseas Union Bank, Samsung Cellular phones, ZA New York cosmetics, MEG electrical appliances, Kuat Harimau detergent, Villaraya properties and Ibumie. As for awards, right now there's nothing to show. But there's hope because we now have a good pool of accounts to work on and some very hungry teams. Usually when a CD leaves the agency, he (or she) would pull some of his favourite workers along. This wasn't the case with Ben Hunt, but the result was equally devastating. After Ben's departure, in sheer coincidence 2 of the longest serving art directors decided to come out on their own (Yes, despite the uncertain economic climate). And if that wasn't bad enough another talented art director was summoned to take over the family business that had nothing to do with advertising. Think that's bad? That's was only for the art guys. 2 copywriters also decided to leave. One to pursue his further studies, the other for greener pastures. Can you imagine what it was like to have 5 people from the creative missing with 6 new businesses to pitch for?

Politics: it's the biggy so spend some time on it. Divide and conquer, belittle those on your way to the people in power, that sort of thing. Once they're chopped down at the knees, you'll automatically seem taller. Viola, you've made it. You're Creative Director. Sure you've got to go into meetings and say things you don't believe in but that should be second nature by now. Think of it: more money, a bigger car, free lunch and a very strange bonus system. But best of all you don't have to do another ad in your life.

The Brady... err... Batey Bunch.

The obvious thing to do was to put up some recruitment ads. Needless to say looking for the copywriters was top priority since I am art based myself, therefore doubling as art director was not a problem. Before I decided to put an ad in the papers I did try to interest some of excolleagues to join me. Somehow they weren't too keen, giving excuses ranging from "not the right accounts" to " don't want to be last in first out". Of course with the kind of perception the industry had over Batey's unusually long hours, applicants tend to be sceptical. So together with Ivan, one of the remaining copywriters, we churned out the first recruitment ad, featuring Elmo of Sesame Street's fame for obvious reasons. The ad garnered very good reponse for the wrong reasons. Over 90% of the people who responded were my friends. Most of them were unaware that I have moved to Batey Ads. So we chatted. That was it. No applications. If anything, it got me in touch with some of my long lost friends. Strangely enough, the remaining 10% were fresh graduates. But that didn't help because I was in no hurry to train young writers. So Ivan came up with the seconded. Judging from the ad you'd noticed that there wasn't much contribution from me, 'cos there wasn't any picture. But you should have seen the response. It got response from people outside the ad industry and even foreigners. So who says nobody reads long copy anymore? It took me a month to meet all the applicants. But most importantly I managed to hire the talents I wanted. They were mostly young people with the average age of around 24 years. These guys are so focused. Some more so than me when I was their age. The next thing to do was to rope in the art directors. Now that we've found the formula in the last ad, the next was a breeze. And indeed it was. We managed to hire the remaining talents. Right now we have 5 teams and 3 designers hungry for anything. So watch out, you big agencies.

£P

wmmmmmimmmmmm

% me hmaf*

In the English and

iin

iyiH9 «:

We reach millions.

Malay language. 40

rf'H

= Berita Hariann Syarat pembebasan lapan lagi tebusan Malaysia

Penculik minta Aklan

Our powerful broadsheets dominate

zsjsz. nationally. Our exciting

Berita Minggu

afternoon tabloids penetrate urban

RlISINESgTlMEg

—"i'<% ss® == fel •==?*' _

MAS said to be in talks with Qantas over stake sale

market centres. Our weeklies cater to varied interests.

rP? IH-2,l2d!r-Whn *« *Ki» gm mm Sunday * flf

1PJC

We reach corporate

Mail F

Scheme

71 JJjJ

™.

EM pp

figures, business people,

Esah Abu Bakar represents 16

P P 1 .1 j .4

homemakers, the young, the upwardly mobile, the economically robust, trend setters and centres of influence.

METRO BIL

Collectively powerful.

A communicator's dream. Talk to us.

The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Bertiad Balai Berita, 31 Jalan Riong, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 03-2282 3131 Fax: 03-2282 1428 Website: adtimes.nstp.com.my

From a recent survey, MY FM was voted the N0.1* Chinese radio station. A big thank you to all our listeners for your tremendous support. •••Based on AC Nielsen survey N0.1, 2000 conducted in West Coast, Peninsular Malaysia.