Adoi Malaysia 2005 April Issue

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EDIT RIAL REGIONAL PUBUSHER Harrnandar Singh aka Ham ham@pop.jaring.my SENIOR WRITER Dean Johns dean@ham.com.my STAFF WRITER Monica Wong monica@ham.com.my CONTRIBUTORS Kurt Crocker Nick Wreden Josh Sklar Simon Beaumont

ART DIREcnON/ DESIGN TMA1i Basir ali@ham.com.my Amirul Hafiz @Faisal amirul@ham.com.my ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Rameshvinder Singh ramesh@ham.com.my OFAOAL PHOTOGRAPHER Jen Siow/Jen Studio PRINTER J ASTlN Printers DISTRIBunON Five E-Comm Sdn Bhd ADOI magazine is published every month by Sledgehammer Communications (M) Sdn Bhd 228, Jalan Tun Mohd. Fuad Satu, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 603-7726 2588 Fax: 603-7722 5712

MARCH was a big month for media, what with the Malaysian Media Congress '05 in KL and the Asia Pacific Media Forum in Bali, both of which you'll find reports on in this issue. So this seems as good a time as any to tackle the topic of media commissions. But how to cover such a can of worms in 400 words? It may seem simple enough. In New York in the 1850s and 60s, N.W. Ayer and J. Walter Thompson started selling newspaper space to advertisers in return for 10% commission from the publishers and become known as "advertising agents". In 1900, in an effort to attract more advertiser "clients", N. W. Ayer started providing free copywriting services. Along came commercial radio in the 1920s, offering agencies 12.5% commission for selling time in preference to newspaper and (by now) magazine space. A few decades later, television upped the ante to 15%. Many agencies grew so fat on pickings as rich as these that they greedily added a 2.5% service fee on top. So far so clear. But media buying also had its murky side. Along with "accreditation", a system set-up to assure the media that agencies could pay their bills on time, came a set of rules that were just begging to be broken. So nefarious practices like fee-splitting, space-farming and even outright frauds like billing clients at rate-card prices but secretly paying much lower ones, became rife. And because even the most honest of agencies could buy better in bulk on behalf of bigspending clients, advertisers with smaller budgets were often grossly disadvantaged. As rich as this gravy train was for some, however; it couldn't roll on ad infinitum. And it didn't, thanks to the invention of specialist, independent media agencies. They essentially took things back to square one, where Ayer and Thompson start-

ed. With the vital distinction that, whereas the pioneers were selling space on behalf of newspaper publishers, the new media agencies were buying time and space from the media on behalf of clients and advertising agencies. And they were doing it so efficiently that they eventually deprived advertising agencies of the license (if not licence) they'd so long enjoyed to work both sides of the street. But one evil still persists and even grows, and that's commission-splitting. The practice born of desperation for income or even just cash flow, of sharing media commissions with clients. So clients save, agencies starve, and the media owners increasingly wonder why they should be subsidizing this madness. Many are demanding that clients either re-invest commission rebates back into media or lose them. Others, most recently Julie Roehm, director of brand communication for DaimlerChrysler in the U.S., have been calling for a more open and transparent Nasdaqstyle system for trading lV time that could put an end to backroom deals for once and for all. Certainly something should be done. Media commissions were always intended for the proper remuneration of advertising agencies, not de facto discounts or windfall profits for advertisers.

Cheers,

WHAT'S H

IN THIS ISSUE

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HIGHLIGHTS 08 10 10 12 36 Member of

Audit Bureau of Circulatioos

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

Ask Simon Nick Wreden: Be Prepared With A Brand Crisis Plan Gareth Gwynne: Promises, promises Kurt Crocker : Know Thy Humanity Dean Johns : Barely In Bali

EXCLUS~INTERWEW 04 TBWA\ Malaysia : Constructive Disruption

INTERACT~ 14 Josh Sklar: SXSW- The Show I Like The Best

SPECIALS 16 19 20 22 24 26 33 38

The Brewers: Brewing Up A Storm! AdShowcase: M1 "Flash Mob Chiken" Adfest 2005: Gold Is Not Cheap! Sonal Dabral: "Why dindn't I think of that?" Bob Scarpelli Talk Valuea The Media Get The Message At Bali APMF 2005 Yasmin Revisited MMQ005: The Right Medium

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TBWA\ Everybody w o sees the arne for the first time always asks "What does tbe backslash mean?'' And the answer is, whatever you like: slash-an<:F-burn. Chaos. Disorder. The backslash is a visual reminder to clients and TBWA people - especially TBWA people - that what makes the agency gre9t and sets it apart from the rest is Disruption. Thinking out of the box has now been made into a cliche. Everybody who deems different tries it, therefore it's become a superficial conventional m'ethodology, especially as most have no inkling what the box denotes. TBWA/, having ¡gone many steps ahead of that, choose to ignore merely thinking out of a box but to disrupt it entirely. This has allowed them to achieve the ultimate vision. Being the youngest international agency in the network and risking the reputation of a rebel, they have ploughed on with a firm

belief that with the embodiment of disruption, they will not launch a client's brand as a "me too" product or one with merely incremental improvements. TBWA\ has created disruption to produce more intrusive advertising strategies, to give brands more substance, to make a clean break from the status quo. In short, they choose for their clients to be outstanding. Some of the greatest brands such as Apple, Absolut, MacDonald's and Tag Heuer, have embraced disruption with great success. Apple does not make computers, it makes "tools for creative minds". With the embodiment of disruption, it breathes life into the motto "Think Different". Absolut vodka has never been regarded as a spirits brand, but a fashion statement. Each brand has now a unique personality and charisma. These brands have captured the essence of disruption .and, developed lives and cultures of their own.


11E 8EGINMNQ TBWA\ was created as a result of the merging of various entrepreneurs Who shared parallel views on business. In 1970, four visionaries, Bill "t:ragos of Tragos American Management, Claude Bonnange of Bonnange FIBI1Ch Marketing, Uli WIEISEII'ldanger of Wtesendanger Swiss Creation and Paolo Ajroldi of Ajrolcli Italian Client Set-vices, unrestrained by confonnity, joined forces in Paris. They believed in the undertying principle that fonned disruption, "strategies that are creative". They have come a long way since then, holding on to a practice of constructive disruption. TBWA\ have become a formidable adversary for many. Since they set out to break convention thirty-five years ago, TBWA\has gained many a:colades around the world. To name a few TBWA\ was named agency of the year 30 times in 13 different countries last year; other honotJs include Nelwak of 1he year at Cannes 2004, Global network of the

year 2004, Adweek naming TBWA\Chiat\Day US Agency of the Year, TBWA\Asia Pacific Regional Agency of the Year as well as Office of the Year in Singapore by Media Magazine and other accolades in Australia, Finland, France, Germany, South Africa, United Kingdom and Venuezela. On the creative front, it has proven to be the most awarded network at Cannes, One Show, AdFest and Art Director's Club. The success is shared equally on an international scale, not simply one jewel shining in a mess of rocks. As aptly worded by Jean-Marie Dru, President and CEO, TBWA\ Worldwide, "It is terrific affinnation of the success we have achieved over the last several years, and proves that we're founded on 237 centres of excellencenot just a handful!". He explains further that the distinction was a goal that had been set five years ago and the credit belongs to not one single person, but has been accomplished by each of the 8,300 employees throughout the world. this goal was not the only strategic move by TBWA\ five years ago,.durilg that same period, they had also managed to convert

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Integrated Strategic Communications, which was basking in a success of its own, to TBWA\'s Malaysian arm. The history of TBWA\ is incomplete without the mention of Austen Zecha. With forty years in advertising, Austen has created a reputation with his legendary vision. In the seventies, he founded Zecha Associates Ltd in Hong Kong, now DMB&B Agency and PTM Communications Sdn. Bhd, Kuala Lumpur which later became PTM Thompson I JWT Malaysia. His success in management had drawn him into co-founding AMC Group of Advertising Agencies, then its parent organisation, Melewar-Zecha Communications, for the group's marketing communications agencies in Southeast Asia. This was followed by the establishment of Edelman Asia Pacific Group of PR Agencies in Southeast Asia, Dancer Fitzgerald Sample advertising agency {which merged with Saatchi & Saatchi, Malaysia), Peter Rogen (Malaysia), Integrated Strategic Communications (or ISC) and the list goes on. Austen partnered with the esteemed Dato' Mukhriz Mahathir as Chairman of TBWA-ISC\Malaysia Group and both men impressed many with their profound strategies. ISC's first-full-service client after two years as a consultancy was Royal Brunei Airlines. Then came the 1997 economic crisis and the campaign Malaysia: Bullish on Bouncing Back. Their many successes in various campaigns and establishment of organisations had caught the attention of Keith Smith, Asia Pacific Chairman of TBWA\, who had later offered exclusive affiliation to ISC. Hence, TBWA-ISC\Malaysia was formed July 1st, 2001. Just as TBWA\'s strength is created from the merging of various enterprises, it's Malaysian counterpart has too chosen to be fully integrated. Four of the agencies which are aligned with TBWA\ Worldwide and Tequila International networks are : TBWA-ISC\ Malaysia specialising in branding and advertising services, Tequila-ISC\ specialising in Throughthe- line (CAM, ATL,BTL and Public Relations Services), Wizard Media Dynamics specialising in Media Services and the latest associate Myalo Interactive Services.

TBWA\ MALAYSIA THE FAMILY Currently three key players hold the anchor to the group. Dato' Mukhriz Tun Dr. Mahathir, Chairman of TBWA-ISC\Malaysia Group, has over 10 years of experience in the business and his success in establishing OPCOM Cables Sdn. Bhd., the largest manufacturer of fibre optic cables in Malaysia, has been exemplary in the area of effective transfer of high technology in a competitive telecommunications industry. His diverse interests include advertising, communications and tourism. He played an active role in securing the coveted Royal Brunei Airlines account for ISC and more recently, the Tourism Malaysia's international account for ISC. Austen Zecha, President and CEO of TBWA-ISC\Malaysia Group has founded many organisations that have enjoyed great successes of their own over the years. With over forty years in advertising he has seen it all. He says affably that an agency is no place for prima donnas, tantrums, fragile egos or conventional ways. That philosophy fitted right into that of the

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TBWA\ culture. Over the past decade, he had led and developed the ISC Group into becoming one of the leading Integrated Marketing Communications Agency groups in the country, with TBWA\ network as a partner. Ng Chiew Ping, Chief Operating Officer, TBWA-ISC\Malaysia Group, is a no-nonsense workaholic who talks bluntly but has a big heart. She started out as an account executive almost 25 years ago, handling numerous blue chip accounts. Apart from an in-tray that is constantly being piled up, she finds time to act as a supreme motivator, visionary leader, judge, jury, therapist and friend to many. With the three great anchors in place, a solid foundation is assured, and a key player heads each specialised service. Chris Howden, Executive Creative Director, TBWA-ISC\Malaysia, hails from London and has over 25 years of experience in creative work. He has produced over 200 commercials' worldwide for top brands from luxury cars to FMCG, while directing for some of the largest agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi and Singleton Ogilvy and Mather, New Zealand. I would nominate Chris the naked Creative, as he strips off clutter of creativity leaving behind simple clarity, and always with the Chris Howden touch of humour. His style is prominent in the latest cool ads done for Telekom Malaysia and Absolut Vodka. Datuk Tim Tariq Garland, CEO of Tequila-Myalo acts as the Director of Interactive Media. With over ten years with Rockwell, he brings management, marketing and technology leadership to the team. Tim had successfully led a brand repositioning exercise for Rockwell's Brand Strategy and Communications group, rolling out Rockwell's Asia Pacific web strategy. When he led the marketing practice of Mercatela, Tim created a viable business which he changed into Orion Interactive Media, as CEO , working closely with TBWA-ISC\Malaysia Group. In his non-existent spare time , he also carries out his duties as the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia. Yeong Yin Cheng , COO, Wizard Media Dynamics, armed herself with an honours degree in Economics and Statistics, and spent 5 years in M arket research acquiring skills in consumer, media and advertising research . Delving into the advertising industry in the seventies, she has worked with agencies spanning from New York, London and Toronto over the past twenty years. Back in Malaysia, she was a force behind media planning and research at Ogilvy & Mather, BBDO, Ball Partnership and Spider D'arcy, and was instrumental in the setting up of Mediavest, under Starcom Mediavest Group. She was appointed COO of Media Dynamics in 2002. When not at work, she spends time working as the Vice President of Media Specialist Association. If all that sounds far too organised for an agency that sees, prides and celebrates itself as the most disruptive force in contemporary advertising, don't worry. Even rebels and outright outlaws have to have some semblance of organisational structure. And then again, no agency in its right mind would waste perfectly good disruption on anything other than what really counts: the irresistible, unforgettable, out-of-the box advertising it creates for its clients.


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UPCO MIN G EVENTS

Sim n! •SIMON BEAUMONT simonbeaumont@email.com

ADOI FREE CLASSIFIEDS Broadcast Industry Sales Executive. Own Transport. Basic Salary+ Commission. Min. SPM. Computer Literate. Speak English, Malay And Chinese (Advantage). Call 03 79582582 for Interview.

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I'm a Malaysian citizen working in New Zealand. I have been here for the last 6 years of my life, and at the moment am working as a senior creative in one of the fastest growing agencies in the Australasian region. The industry here is very professionally managed. Clients do their part in preparing a proper, strategic brief, the agency comes up with a realistic timeline and action plan and everything is agreed and signed off by the client. Work is very synchronized because everyone gets off their asses to do their part. As much as I love life here in New Zealand, I think it is about time I drag my heavy ass back to Malaysia as the rest of my family is there (now this is beginning to sound like some Dear Laurahelp-my-sorry-ass-out letter, but really it is not). Now getting to the crunch of things... I know the industry in Malaysia, and how bad working life can be. It means working till 4am, and feeling like you have had the worse fucking hangover the next morning, and yet STILL you have to wake up and make it into the office by 9am because some stupid dickhead had made an appointment with the client to present the concepts and you have to be there despite the way you feel or look. After which you head back to the office and juggle a few more BALLS [If you know what I mean), before you head horne and crash into bed feeling like you have just been hit by a train. To make matters even worse, you see a tiny paycheck at the end of the month. Simon, I just wanna get your opinion on the ridiculous working hours of the industry in Malaysia. Don't you guys think it's a bit on the unfair side that employers make us work until the early hours in the morning with such miserable pay? Can anything be done to change this cowardly attitude that employers have? (I am not even going to mention the political bullshit that goes on in an organization.) And to all employers...don't you guys think that by treating your supposedly 'PRECIOUS' designers this way, it would in tum be debimental to your business, as people will lose all trust and respect towards you as an employer, and thus carry the 1-don't-give-a-fuck-attitude, 1don't-care-about-the-goddamned-clients attitude and all that dirty talk about you as an employer? And also have you really thought about ways to retain your employees because they are essentially your 'COMPANY ASS-SET' and thus reducing staff turnover, and in tum saving yourself some recruitment dollars? Hey Simon, I know sometimes its not entire-

ly the fault of the employers, sometimes its the slack attitude of the clients that leave every damn thing to the last second of the last minute...please share your thoughts. I also read an article the other day that our prime minister wants to brand Malaysia to the wor1d. How impressive...good move.. .like we say 'Malaysia Boleh!' But then again, if people in the workforce don't change their 'ah tuck it, never mind' mentality then tell me, Malaysia MANA BOLEH???? Angry Dear Angry, It's great that you're coming home. The call of family is one worth answering (plus KL has a great lifestyle). Just be choosy about the agency or design house you work for and the accounts you handle. It's not dreadful everywhere by any means. Anyway, why not bring back some of that first world knowledge you've accumulated and use it to help change things around here? Six years in a successful Kiwi agency means you should have some great work in your book. Do the research and talk to the handful of places worth working for, then bide your time until an opening comes up that fully suits your needs. Leverage your talent and experience. Package your self properly and go and take what you want. And my friend, there are professionals out there who share your desire for a higher standard. Find them and make your own future because that's what this place is all about. And the level of talent around may surprise you. The spirit and desire is there, if you look for it. Only the leadership is lacking. (Hint-hint.) You've been privileged with exposure and education that many Malaysian's can only dream about, even if it was in New Zealand. Come home and share your knowledge and experience. You'll probably be paid handsomely and advance quickly if your book is good and you have da skilz. As for my opinion on the ridiculous working hours: they're ridiculous. But if it's any consolation, the longer one stays in advertising the fewer hours one seems to work. (Ever seen what time the Chairman leaves?) And anyway, not everywhere is a sweatshop. What can I say? At the end of the day, it could be that advertising in Malaysia doesn't jive with your personal priorities. Too bad for Malaysian advertising. Why not come home and try something new? This country rewards people with vision and balls. Boleh! Simon



Brand Power

BE PREPARED WITH A BRAND CRISIS PLAN •av NICK WREDEN

nick@fusionbrand.com IN 2000, Snow Brand, Japan's premier dairy foods company, had 45% of the market. Then 15,000 peapie in western Japan, including children, became ill after consuming the company's products. The company first tried to downplay the incident, expressing greater concern for its brand than for the victims. Then it hesitated to recall tainted products, even after an order from the Osaka public health centre. Finally, it tried to cover up the primary cause for the sickening. Within days, its market share had fallen to single digits, and eight factories closed. Eventually, the once proud brand had to submit to a takeover bid from Nestle. Snow Brand, accounting giant Arthur Andersen, airline AirTran and many other companies have learned how quickly a poorly handled crises can damage a brand. Like Snow Brand, companies who do not have a crisis plan in place are especially vulnerable. Every company interested in the sustainability of its brands must have a crisis plan. A crisis is any legal dispute, theft, accident, fire or other disaster that threatens the integrity or reputation of your brand, usually accompanied by negative media attention. In India, for example, both Coca Cola and MY queue number was 1029. And the post office was a hell of a place for an epiphany. But so it goes. There was I, standing in the queue waiting to mail a few letters -some for business, some personal. Whiling away the time, I got to thinking with the clarity brought on by boredom about what I was holding in my hands. These letters. There was such permanence to them that they suddenly became heavier in my grasp. The words thereon, committed to in ink, were what weighed on my mind. Being a writer, I think more about the written word than most people, I suppose. I write in a creative capacity every day, but it is often to the point where it becomes somewhat automatic. I get into a job, put my head down, write. And it flows. Our industry is like that sometimes as well. We pump out ads and releases and mailers and whatever other communications endlessly. Is it on strategy? Is it on target? Is the concept engaging, relevant, and differentiating? All without a hint of philosophical thought. Understand, I am not asking you to answer the deeper questions of the universe for all the people behind the demographics, or save the rainforests, but we should think about the promises we are making when we commit an idea to paper. In this idle queue, I did just that. I got to thinking about the promises implicit in every word in every letter I held in my hands. And the fact that, once I had affixed the stamps and dropped them in the postbox, I was committed to whatever it is those letters said. Just as the client, the creative director; the account executive, and everyone else in between is responsible for the promises, assurances, and guarantees made for the brands on which they work. Wrth each ad that runs, each hyperlink a consumer clicks, each communica-

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Pepsi had to defend their brands against allegations that their drinks contained toxins. Crisis handling, like any potential high-risk situation, requires planning and preparation to minimize negative impact. A crisis plan is guided by three principles. The first is a premium on honesty and accuracy, reinforced by the need to tell all you know when you know it. Lawyers often advise ducking for cover; but this is absolutely the wrong strategy. The next is speed. Without responsiveness to the demand for immediate answers, rumours and half-truths will inevitably fill any information void. Finally, lines of authority and responsibility must be clear. Who will be in charge of fact-gathering, and who will be responsible for informing employees and other constituencies, or lining up alternative suppliers? Based on these principles, key elements of a brand crisis plan include: Lists of emergency contacts: These not only include police and other emergency services but also the names, numbers and emails of top executives and PR personnel. Supplemental lists must contain the names of media, security and government personnel as well as employees. Others that must be contacted during a crisis can include cus-

tomers, suppliers, civic organizations and channel partners. Copies of these lists must be accessible inside and outside of corporate offices. Website, press release and other templates: Intensity and pandemonium rule during a crisis, punctuated by stakeholder demands for immediate information. When a crisis hits, you want to spend time protecting the brand, not figuring out where to start. Have an emergency website prepared that can be hosted immediately, along with a backup server. Make sure the host can handle the inevitable spikes in demand. Consider using blogs for more immediate updates. Fill-in-the-blank press releases can help get critical information out faster. An appointed spokesperson: Only one person should talk to the media. Comfortable in front of a TV camera and with reporters, this person should be knowledgeable about the organization and the crisis at hand. Before talking to reporters, this person must anticipate and rehearse responding to tough questions. Never talk off the record, and never let more than one person speak for the company. A brand is built on a fragile foundation of trust. As Snow Brand and others have found out to their dismay, responding too slowly to a crisis, failing to accept responsibility or communicating poorly with the public can destroy such trust. As the tsunami tragedy taught us, disaster can strike at any time from unexpected sources. Be prepared with a crisis brand plan. Nick Wreden is Managing Director at Fusion Brand Sdn Bhd, a brand consultancy headquartered in Kuala Lu mpur. To contact him, please call 03 7954 2075 o r nockcaJfusionbrand.com.

Promises, promises

The commitment of the written word •av GARETH GWYNNE gareth@gwyneconsulting.com tion, you are making a promise to someone to deliver something. Think of each piece of communication as a binding contract. A promissory note, if you will, that a consumer can expect to have 'cashed'. Whether you are promising whiter teeth, a more exhilarating driving experience, faster data downloads, or a 20% discount, is that what the customer will definitely receive? Now, in terms of concrete offerings like discounts, it is not difficult to determine whether it has met the expectations of the audience. But when we get into the more abstract realm of brand promises and their emotional attachments, it becomes more uncertain. We have to tread lightly here, because in the battle to differentiate ourselves, there is always the temptation to over-promise. It is done in vague terms, of course, but it happens. "My client drives the brief!" I hear you cry from your cubicle deep in the agency. True, that often happens, and I sympathise. Always remember; however; that you are a professional, and your clients have partnered with you for a reason - your professional opinion. So if one or two of your clients tend to over-promise, discuss it with them. Try to temper the brief with a little dose of reality. And if that doesn't work, then use your craft, your

words and images, to manage both your clients' expectations, and those of the consumers to whom you are talking. All I ask is that, when you write that headline, or approve that concept, or sign off on the artwork, take a couple of more seconds to think about it. Because you are not just putting out an ad, you are making a promise. And if you default on that promise, don't expect forgiveness too soon. "Nombor satu kosong dua sembilan; kaunter dua." My number called, I went to the counter, bought my stamps, and committed myself to the promises I had foisted upon myself by consigning them to type. And I thought once more about what I had been taught from my earliest years. Keep to your word, especially in this "image is everything" MN culture of ours. Because, to borrow a phrase from Dr Martin Luther King Jr., when our clients' communications get out in the market, ''they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." GMPth G\·rynne rs Orr e ctor c1nd Gwynne Consultmg Sclr1 Rhd

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Direct

Know

Thy Humanity •av KURT CROCKER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR DRAYTON BIRD, CROCKER & MANO (DBC&M)

I AM here in America on holiday with my extended Malaysian family. We are re-visiting my sister and her husband on the edge of Spring. We arrived on a cloudy, cold day, and after a 50 minute drive from the airport, and only 30 minutes from home, the snow began to fall. And fall. And fall. When it first began I shouted to Min, who was in the back of my sister's van, "Is this the first time you've seen snow?"Yup. It took two vans, actually. My brother-in-law transported Mr. T and Andy and the luggage. My sister's van held me, Min and the two kids, my nearly 2-year old god-son and my sister's and broin-law's god-daughter. So there we were. On a country highway, 30 minutes from our destination, and the flakes began to fall. Before the next daybreak, 19" of snow would cover southern Minnesota, a fact everyone except jaded Minnesotan's would find delightful. A snowman happened the next day. Snowmobiles after than (a jet ski on ice). Angels in the snow (you lay down, flap yours arms and legs, carefully get up, then see the impression; a snow angeQ. Again, everyone must be asking. What does this have to do with Direct Marketing? Any great creative or marketing or account service person who happens to connect to the core of his or her success, would say: "I under-

stand, or at least strive to understand, humanity". Some do it without effort. Yasmin Ahmad is one such person. She connects to her memories, her present' and her future, and transmits these personal moments, her connections to humanity, in a clarity everyone can understand. That is a talent to which everyone should aspire. But it's not just a talent. It can be a calculated craft. The key: Pay attention. To your own world. To specific parts of the world. To the world in general. The more you pay attention, if you insist on connecting this monologue to helpful career tips, the more successful you will be. I paid a sorrowful attention to a recent event here in Minnesota. A disturbed young man, a boy actually, a person who was cast as odd by his schoolmates, grasped a rifle, went to his school and began a killing ritual. It all happened on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. You might not know that after the massive slaughter of native Americans by the colonists who demanded America was their home, and their home alone, they finally granted, in perpetuity, certain lands that their defeated could claim as their territory. Red Lake was one of them. And it is a closely knit community. The concept of a grandson slaughtering his grandfather is completely contrary to the American Indian mindset.

But it happened. But here's another wonder. I wonder, as a person I'm about to quote wondered, even after America experienced Columbine, and as guns are entering American schools at alarming speed, do we think this latest slaughter of kids and a teacher was because it was an American Indian Reservation problem? Do Malaysians categorize that way? Do Eastern Indians take on a particular personality, a "buying habit" unlike other Malaysians? Are Malays just getting by on board positions and a bumiputra discount? Do the Chinese really control the country's financial future? Are our lives so disconnected that race and religion become the only driving belief forces? Kent Nerburn is a former teacher at Red Lake High School. Red Lake High School is at the heart of the Red Lake Indian Reservation. He is now a teacher at Oxford University and he wrote an article about this tragedy. He wrote in that article: "I know Red Lake. I know those kids. They are just like my students asleep in their beds, here in Oxford, just like your children, brushing their teeth and packing up their books down the hall from where you are sitting and reading this. "It was Sitting Bull, the great Lakota chief, who said it best: 'Come, let us put our minds together to see what kind of life we can create for our children.' ''Those children in Red Lake are your children. Hear their cries and the cries of thier parents as if they were your own." I would be entirely crass to equate that message to one that transforms into a column on Direct Marketing. But hear this. Humanity must be an intregal part of what we do. Don't just realize that fact. Embrace it.

Owwww, the pain of the new Pos Malaysia charges for printed matter! If we keep the weight of ADOI under 250gm, the cost of mailing it to each subscriber soars from 70c to RM1 , which might not seem like a fortun e, but is an increase of more than 40% . And if we exceed 250gm, the postage skyrockets to RM2. Alamak...what to do? Our first instinct is to take the same remedy as so many other hard-copy publications hit by hikes in postal, paper and other costs: go web before we're driven to the wall. There are two other options, however. The first and most obvious is to shed as much weight as we need to make the 250gm cut. To achieve that this month, we've had to slim ourselves down by four pages. If we need to reduce further in the future, we can trim our format, or choose lighter and lighter stocks, and even, if we can find a way, make our content even more lightweight. But the .idea of an economy-size ADOI doesn't excite us too much, so we're very much in favour of doing what we've been hoping to all along: get bigger and fatter and sell lots more ad pages to fund our expansion. And maybe even deliver a bottom-line. If going for broke that way doesn't put us back in the black, however, we'll have to resort to what every other product or service does 1 ~ when it finds itself in a cost-price squeeze: pass the ~'\ discomfort on to the consumer. In other words you, our ~ ., . long-suffering subscriber. But don't worry, it hasn't come .• <I to that yet. And if and when it ever does we'll guarantee that, unlike us publishers who've been so painfully stamped-on by Pos Malaysia, you'll get much more for the extra money.

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kitnya!!



InterActive

SXSW - The Show I•avLike the Best JOSH SKLAR, FOUNDER LOGICWORKS JOSH@LOGICWORKS.US

EVERY year around March, there's a spate of world-renowned events in Austin, Texas, the city I have made my home. First there was but one - the week-long South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival. It eventually drew multi-genre talent from all over the globe and put them in front of an international audience and, more importantly to them, eager A&R executives. Then, like any success, an attempt was made to duplicate it; this time in the form of a film festival. This, also, proved to be a lucrative and critically lauded venture. There is just something about this town that made it a great launching pad for the creative arts. Well, then came the late-90s and how could they resist unleashing a hip interactive/new media festival to make a .back-to-back-to-back economic boon for the city? Given the natural crossovers between music, film and new media, it made it quite attractive for quite a few of the participants and audiences - and, fortunately, still does even with the era of the dot.com bubble long since past. If my parking problems were any indicator; this year's SXSW Interactive show was a run away smash hit, each and every day. It was heartening to see throngs of young hobbyists and designers

elbowing their way through to each overcrowded seminar in the vain hope of finding floor space to crouch on for an hour or two. Attendees quickly surmised that seats, good and bad, go quickly in the land of the near future. There were Borg-like Bluetooth headsets embedded in the ears of slightly embarrassed young, female technohemians who quietly chattered to disembodied friends as they ascended to the fourth level of the Austin convention center. Once seated, or near-seated, the mini-laptops came flying out of slings and fanny packs, giving me a glimpse into what the college classroom of today must look like. With all the wi-fi floating around, it was inevitable that many of the audience would be blogging in real time. They were actually sending live comments to what one can only hope are the legions of imagined loyal readers; but it's hard to imagine which is the worse image, these poor people fooling themselves into thinking there are hundreds of people hanging on their every word or that there are hundreds of people out there hanging on their every word. Maybe that should give me pause, eh? There were entertaining panels such as the

brother creators (and still champions) of the nearinteractive animated series at http://homestarrunner.com. These guys now make a lucrative living out of something they started as an online hobby (drawing and voicing imaginative cartoons) that they have never once advertised. They used online message boards and word-of-mouth to get a loyal following that in turn led online design news sites and, eventually, print publications to give them write-ups. The thing steamrolled into something they use to sell merchandise, DVDs and collect speaking fees. They're now branching out into online short films with great brand value and momentum. They're the perfect example of how to use the Internet to market successfully. There were famous people like AI Franken, infamous writer and performer for Saturday Night Live, and co-founder/host of the liberal political radio network, Air America and then there were people selling their products and services under the guise of education. These people said things like, "Doing project work fixed time/fixed price is impossible you should just wing it." and "Never implement a feature unless people tell you they want it a dozen times and then still only think about it." Hey, just because they're incapable of estimating their team's abilities, doesn't mean others don't do it every single day successfully. It's a shame the huckster element of the interactive era hasn't passed along with the economic frenzy. All in all, it all only gives rise to the hope that things are stabilizing in the industry and that interested, passionate and possibly talented kids are going to be there to pick up the ball when we crash headlong into the sad, old age of 40.

Busy month for Yahoo! CELEBRATING the 1Oth anniversary of the birth of Yahoo! under its original name "Jerry's Guide to the World Wide Web" in a trailer at Stanford University, Yahoo! Singapore bought free coffee for the first 100 customers to download and present special coupons at 10 Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf outlets on March 2. On the same day the company announced that yahoo.com.sg and asia.yahoo.com sites had been given the same new look that was launched in the U.S. year, including easier-to-navigate design, personalized editable links, fresh local content, more efficient search functionality and Yahoo! Video Search enabling access to closed captioned content from Bloomberg, BBC and BSkyB. Another initiative was the launch of the Yahoo! Netrospective microsite telling the

story of the internet via 99 blogable content modules and featuring a 1OOth module on which Yahoo! Users can post their visions for the future of the web. This is what Monica missed! Then on 23 March, Yahoo! Mail announced plans to upgrade the storage for its free users worldwide to one gigabyte. Though the press release didn't say so, this move may have been at least partly inspired by Google's announcement a year ago that its searchable email service, Gmail, would provide a GB of free storage, and Spymac Network's following suit soon after with the comment from Spymac co-founder Kevin April

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that "Yahoo! And Hotmail may have to (give away more storage) if they want to stay in the game." Besides vastly expanding the free storage available to users, Yahoo! Says it has expanded its suite of free security and virus scanning and cleaning tools. Next item of news about Yahoo! that we received from the hard-working PR people at Expedite Communications was the results of the December 2004 yahoo.com.sg survey of the travel habits and preferences of Singaporeans aged 18+. Approximately 4 out of 10 of the 1400 respondents reported spending $2000 or more annually on leisure trips; half had traveled three or more times in the previous 12 months; and 77% said price is the key factor in their travel selection. Final announcement for the month was the winner of the Y!1 0 Search Contest held in conjunction with the official launch of the Yahoo! Malaysia site, yahoo.com.my as well as Yahoo!'s 1Oth birthday celbrations. Miss Nur Azyanti Zainal Abidin, who was quoted as saying she had been using " a variety of Yahoo! serifices .. .for a long time" triumphed over 1500 other contestants to win 10 Yahoo! momentos and a three-day, two-night stay at Pangkor Laut Resort with 10 of her friends. ADOI's Monica Wong was also generously invited along for the trip, but was devastated to discover that she was too busy finishing this issue to get away for three days.


Apple Sdutioo

Experts

Consulta~


_The Brewers

•av MONICA WONG

Carlsberg has had many successful campaigns intermittently in the past, but the quiet lull for a new amazing campaign, had been dragged on for a little too long. A true leader would not only remain on the waves of ever changing trends, but create trends like they have in the past. It is obvious that

CARLSBERG and Tiger have been the main contenders in the eer category as far back as many of us can remember. Only a few months back, breweries were dealt a harsh blow when the Government increased excise duty around 10% on liquor, making it the highest tax hike for the brewers. This has translated to higher selling prices and unpredictable sales volume as inflation sets in for drinkers. It had been predicted that brewers would lose some of their froth this year. So what are the actions being taken to retain and hopefully increase their market share? Price discounts are out of the question as their profit margin had already been shrunk to a painful size. Other methods would have to be applied to keep drinkers' loyalty. With increased cost of production come unsavoury applications like cost reduction, retrenchment (salary cuts?), budget cuts and others that we dread to think of. How does one do wonders with such limitations in place? Carlsberg and Tiger have both now officially named our agencies to cany out this extremely challenging task.

Car1sberg Breweries Malaysia Acknowledged as the world's fastest growing international brand in the past three years, gaining a market share of 60% , the Carlsberg green label had been by 'tar been the leader of the Malaysian beer market.

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much effort would required if they were to retain and strengthen the reputation they currently enjoy. Their choice of Naga DDB, has not been a surprising one. It is even more glaringly clear from the words of Jan Hertz, General Manager, Carlsberg Breweries Malaysia that, "Essentially, we needed a partner which not only understood our heritage, but could help us evolve the brand positioning to make the brand even more relevant to the ever changing needs of our drinkers in the dynamic market environment." Who better to do this than Naga DDB Group, which is not only known for its extensive integration of companies, ranging from CRM, DM to Advertising but also for its famous achievements in redefining, building and creating clients' brands, all with sharp business acumen. As revealed by Andrew Leong, General Manager, Naga DDB Group, we shall soon see the integration of Carlsberg 's different communication programmes. No doubt, it does seem like an insurmountable task which involves endless amount of effort to many, but with Naga DDB 's integ rat ed group, jobs can be delegated to just the right experts. ''The agency's real challenge will be to identify new


_TheBrewers

ways to further enhance the brand's leadership - both in quantitative and qualitative terms. We have assembled a truly cross-functional team to work on the business and collectively they will be looking to hone the brand's image through all touchpoints - from communications to retail to community programs," added Andrew. The brand has been brought to great heights before and we feel that Naga DDB is the team to spiral them further as it is definitely armed with the appropriate artilleries and calibre.

Malaysia's only Cannes Gold in 51 years last year and this year, our only Gold from AdFest. There is no doubt of their creative capabilities. Further affirmation of this came from Denis Brown, General Manager of Marketing, GAB, who commented " JWT won the Tiger Beer account primarily because of their demonstration of creativity, strategic thinking and local consumer understanding. The partnership with JWT marks a new beginning and we are all very excited to continue to build the equity of Tiger Beer in Malaysia". JWT has now been handed the task of propelling the brand to greater heights. On the creative front, no doubt, more astounding ads can be expected. The Present The gauntlet has been thrown. The game has just begun. This will definitely be exciting to watch as hot creativity is matched against cool practicality. Lets all sit back and enjoy the show as they both brew up a storm.

From left: Andrew Leong (GM Naga DDB), Bryan Lee (Group Brand Manager, Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia), Ong Kee Pin (Brand Director Naga DDB) and Jan Hertz (GM, Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia)

Under the umbrella of Guinness Anchor Berhad, principally owned by Singaporean GAPL Pte Ltd, Tiger Beer stands with other favourites like Heineken and Anchor. Many groove to the spins at Heineken Thirst parties. Compared with its hip counterpart, where does the Tiger brand stand? So far, we have yet to hear the roar of the Tiger. No contest that the football theme had been a hit. Grey Global Group has successfully entranced many football fans and, kept them charmed. But how much of that actually translates to sales? On the popularity scale, Tiger had made it as the second biggest brand in Malaysia with a market share of 30% . It has registered an impressive doubledigit volume growth year-on-year over the last five years. The growth is obviously too slow for it. The restless Tiger is on a prowl and, JWT has been selected as its advocate. Currently at the top of the game JWT brought back


Valerie,

Johnson,

Ann,

Client Servicing Heavyweight,

Creative Contender,

Media-Gymnast,

lifts the workload

enters the ring to

tosses the rates about

with a snap.

deliver a knockout

with acrobatic finesse.

Hilal,

Ruslin,

Freestyle DTP Specialist,

Lightning-quick Despatch,

dives in to race

receives the baton to sprint

against the clock.

across the finish line.

Caffeine Champions When it comes to guuling copious amounts of java in our everyday routine, from ironing out strategies to meeting deadlines, we often break our own records.

It's fortunate that we're right smack in Bangsar, the capital of coffee and creativity, where we're constantly inspired to brew up innovative solutions to meet our clients' needs. So drop by for a cuppa on us anytime, and we can get off to a flying start.


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M1 ''Flash Mob Chicken'' Title of Film: Flash Mob Chicken Brand:M1 Telecom Agency:TBWA Singapore Creative Director: Parag Tembulkar Copywriter:ParagTembulkar,Jason Ng Art Director: Low Swee Chen, Chris Tan Agency Producer: Lim Sau Wei Production Company: Play Films Singapore Company Producers: Julie Chung. Cherie Soh Director: Casper Jan Hogerzeil DoP; Julian Hohndorf Music: Song Zu Singapore

M1 , one of Singapore's leading mobile companies, recently released a 45" quirky television commercial created by TBWA Singapore. The film, based on the concept of flash mobs, begins with youngsters receiving/exchanging sms-es and calls. While one doesn't know what these are about, it is pretty evident from the look on their faces that something mischievious is in store. These youngsters, in their hundreds, eventually and suddenly converge at the well-known chicken statue at Boat Quay and break out into a quirky chicken-like dance; much to the utter surprise of an elderly tourist couple taking pictures. After a brief sequence of mad chicken dancing, these youngsters squat down, lay eggs and walk off from the scene as abruptly as they came in. The pay off line is "life's more tun with M1 ". It was created by Parag Tembulkar, SC Low, Jason Ng, Chris Tan and directed by Casper Jan Hogerzeil through Play Films Singapore.

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Best of the.Best in Production Design by Passion Pictures with "Dreams" for MAS Airbus

•av THE HAMMER THE battle is set. After some really brutal judging,

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AP Ad Fest's first guest speaker session for 2005 was presented by Donald Gunn and Emma Wilkie of The Gunn Report. According to the Report's 2004 summary, Asian advertising is clearly increasing its reputation on the world stage. One third of the world's advertising industry is represented at AP AdFest and Gunn predicts this will reach 50% by 2115. Last year, The Gunn Report ranked 7 Asian countries in the top 20 Awarded Countries: including Thailand (7th), Singapore (8th), Japan (11th) , Australia (12th) , New Zealand (15th), Malaysia (1 7th) and Hong Kong (20th). Donald Gunn praised AP AdFest, accurately predicting global advertising winners. Juan Carloz Ortiz, president and chief creative officer for Leo Burnett Columbi a and worldwide c reative director for Procter and Gamble spoke about "Fear and Passion" in the creative process. "While Colombians deal with fear, they have a strong passion that helps them to move on with life." Juan Carlos said , adding that "a good idea is 40% perspiration, 10% inspiration and 50% passion".

... Malaysia had chalked up a total of one Gold, 11 Silvers, 11 Bronzes and the Best of the Best in Production Design by Passion Pictures with "Dreams" for MAS Airbus. Overall, Malaysia did even better than India! ..

the judges at this year's AdFest are sending out a clear message: the price of Gold is not cheap. In fact, it is such a rare commodity that Malaysia was only awarded with one, for JWT's "Wheel Clamp" for Ford Ranger. Even Singapore and Thailand who came first and second in total award wins at Ad Fest, garnered only nine and seven gold respectively. This prudent policy seems smart considering a recordbreaking number of over 900 delegates from cities around the Asia and Pacific regions have turned up in full force to witness over 4,000 creative entries. With new technologies and more intense competition, the advertising industry has been propelled to greater heights. The demand has spun changes in an uncontrollable speed. It is no different in Asia. More Asian countries are making a statement in the world of creativity, leaving an indelible mark It is all stunningly amazing and it would keep growing as long as the encouragement and support sustains. Worded most aptly by lndra Abidin, Chairman of the Steering Committee, "AdFest is determined to grow and improve, to envelop these changes. We welcome the new, the different, the unique".


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MALAYSIAN WINS AGENCY /PRODUCTION HOUSE

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

BEST OF THE BEST

1

JWT

1

Passion Pictures Saatchi & Saatchi

4

Naga DDB

1

OgilvyOne

2

1

Publicis

1

2

ARC

1

1

Lowe

1

1

DDB International

1

3

BBDO

1

McCann

1

Ogilvy & Mather

1

AGENCY WINS

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AGENCY

BEST OF THE BEST BRAND 1V

Ajinomoto Stadium

Dentsu Inc.

Print

Tamiya Assembly Toys

Creative Juice/G1

Outdooor

Adidas

TBWA

Direct Marketing

Republic of Singapore Navy

Saatchi & Saatchi

CITY Tokyo Bangkok Tokyo Singapore

Gold Direct Marketing by JWT's "Wheel Clamp" for Ford Ranger

PRODUCTION HOUSE WINS TV CRAFT

BRAND

PRODUCTION HOUSE

Editing

M-Max

Phenomena Co. Ltd.

Bangkok

Cinematography

Yamaha Dirt Bike

Zoom Film &Television Production

Brisbane

Special Effects

The Smiths Snackfood Co.

Luscious International

Sound Design

Parodontax

Phenomena Co. Ltd

Production Design

Malaysian Airlines System

Passion Pictures Sdn Bhd

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CITY

Sydney Bangkok Kuala Lumpur

TOP AWARDED AGENCIES On the second day, Kenjiro Sano, creative director of Hakuhodo Design Inc. in Tokyo, Mike Schalit, creative head and founding partner of Network BBDO, Johannesburg and a panel of advertisers introducing the final session of the day, "Fear No Change, Fear No Client" . Kenjiro Sano gave an insight into creative developments in Japan entitled, "Are Japanese Ads in the Hot Tub?" He observed that Japanese creativity was giving birth to a host of emerging ideas, both in media usage and message building. Examples included a real Sony Play Station embedded onto a 3-D poster as a teaser and a Knorr Cup-A-Soup ad on a transparent sticker, which melded with the condensation of the train window. "If nothing goes awry, then nothing new can emerge", Mike Schalit creative head & founding partner of Network BBDO, Johannesburg. "The pace of new ideas from Japanese creativity will not slow down", Kenjiro Sano Creative Director, Hakuhodo Design, Tokyo. Thirty-four participants from seventeen cities completed their assignment at AP AdFest's Young Creative Workshop this year. The winners were from Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong, announced by t~e workshop's moderator, Linda Locke, chairman and executive creative director of Leo Burnett Singapore at AP AdFest 's opening ceremony. Malaysia had chalked up a total of one Gold, 11 Silvers, 11 Bronzes and the Best of the Best in Production Design by Passion Pictures with "Dreams" for MAS Airbus. Overall, Malaysia did even better than India!

AGENCY

CITY

Creative Juice/G1

Bangkok

17

2

Saatchi & Saatchi

Singapore

15

3;

M & CSaatchi

Sydney

10

3;

Ogilvy & Mather

Bangkok

10

3;

TBWA

Singapore

10

6

Saatchi & Saatchi

Bangkok

9

7

Leo Burnett

Hong Kong

8

8;

BBDO

Bangkok

7

NO.

AWARDS

8;

aDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS til


_That's Creative!

•av MONICA WONG BENEATH his casual smile and cool exterior lies a creative giant. His trail of creativity stretched across Asia, from India to Malaysia and now Singapore. He is the visionary who helped make Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai the creative leader it is now. His creativity won Malaysia its first Gold Pencil from the One Show Award, leading O&M to the arena of international awards. Sonal is the man who has made dreams into reality. His current glory belies his gruelling past. Growing up in a series of small towns across North India, his choice to study Visual Communication & Design was seen as a sure route to unemployment by his family. It was in fact, an unheard of career option. Sonal ploughed on and began his career as an under paid visualiser in New Delhi. Searching for more, he headed to Mumbai, where he landed a job with O&M who were looking for a creative revival of their own. He joined up with Piyush Pandey, and together they drove O&M India from the creative wilderness to become the number one creative agency in the country. Not only did they garner top awards.from the national shows but also scored big at regional and international award shows like Clio and Cannes, among many others. I recall Sonal reminiscing about his first award in our last interview. "Seeing my Amma (my mother) dressed in a white Sari, surrounded by all my Ogilvy

The multi award Matchbox campaign " Police, Speed Limit & Worm" . Winner of the One Show Gold. D&AD Silver Nomination and Cannes Silver.

ALWAYS CARRY SPARE CAMERAS.

Grand prix Media Awards 2000 featuring "The Journey"

!I aDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

Duracell "Ca mera " Gold winner MC2 2003, Adfest, Media, Clio, One Show and Communication Art.

Motorola " Buskers" a winner at MC2 2004, Adfest, Media and CLIO.


a hold-up in a convenience store." This only goes to s~ow his persistence and belief in creativity and seeing it through. His courage is definitely to be admired. Sonal believes that an award-winning work manifests itself when, "A piece of work with an idea that hits you straight on the face with its simplicity, freshness and flawless execution. And when you have recovered from the punch, on that makes you say, 'Why didn't I think of that?" In his non-existent spare time, he managed to squeeze in stints as a popular lV host and a Ballywood script writer and is currently channelling his passion for film into directing ad-films for brands such as Pond's, Pizza Hut and Dove. D&AD 2004 features a spot he wrote & directed for the MC2 Awards, giving him hope that there is life after advertising. In May 2004, Sonal took over as Chairman and ECD of O&M Advertising, Singapore, the top creative agency in the Asia-Pacific region. Currently he is desperately trying to find the time to write his first feature film, which he plans to direct in the next 2 years.

"A piece of work with an idea that hits you straight on the face with its simplicity, freshness and flawless execution. And when you have recovered from the punch, on that makes you say, 'Why didn't I think of that?"

India colleagues in black, barely managing to control her tears as I received the very first Agency Award of the Year on behalf of Ogilvy India in 1996". It had been tough, but definitely worth it. He has gone a long way since then. Not only has Sonal won almost every conceivable international and local award at every agency office he has worked at, he had also been a judge and jury for many awards shows. In fact, this year he's one of the judges at the Andy Awards and D&AD. Going against odds have worked well for Sonal. He had beaten the odds when he took his first steps in advertising. He did it again at O&M, Mumbai and KL. His boldness was especially apparent when he went beyond the traditional boundaries of advertising in the tvc for Oxy last year. Far Eastern Economic Review, in an article entitled "Sexing up Asia's Ads" talks about how Sonal, realizing that his idea for Oxy might be considered risky by some, went out of his way to shoot it, by not just pulling favours from friends and professionals in the industry but even directing the ad himself. Dabral's advertisement features

"Shang hai" part of a series of four ads forDHL that runs across Asia Pacific.

"Tokyo" another part of the series for DHL

MC2 2003 Call For Entry "Gun" Writer and Director Sonal Dabral Gold winner AdFest 2004. Finalist D&AD 2004.

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_SpeiiCheck

RADIO TUNED TO WOMEN. Wfm88.1, Malaysia's first-ever private radio station targeted at 'contemporary, sophisticated and intelligent females' went to air on 1 April. Operated by Radio Wanita Bhd, a joint venture between Zulkifli Amin (70%) and RTM Veterans Association (30%), the 24-hour bilingual station features popular on-air personalities and aims to reach over 1 million affluent urban women. GM PUTS US$2.8 BilliON UP FOR GRABS. The second largest advertiser in t he US, General Motors Corp, has invited Starcom MediaVest to pitch for its $2.8 billion national and regional dealer group media buying account against incumbents LCI and General Motors Mediaworks. In 2004 Starcom won GM's out-of-home account, w hich Mediaworks had handled. GM has been losing market share in the U.S. due to increasing difficulties moving its vehicles, even with price incentives. ZEE TV MEANS BUSINESS. India's Zee TV is planning a reality series in which 50 contestants wit h business ideas will contest each other in various areas of entrepreneurship given limited time and money. After elimination rounds, the three surviving "businesses" w ill either be directly f unded or partnered by Zee in their actual commercial operation. GROUP M GOES TO BOLLYWOOD. The media-buying affiliate of WPP. Group M, is eyeing Bollywood to help it lift revenues f rom non-core areas from the current 25 % to 40% withi n t he next th ree t o four years. "The f ilm and entertainment business (in India) is massive and double t he size of the advertising industry," said Dominic Proctor, Global head of Group M's MindShare. " There's enormous opportunity to connect the brands with consumers t hrough films, not just product placements, maybe f unding movies and using an element of bartering." MALAYSIA AIRliNES DEPARTS LB IN OZ After incumbent Leo Burnett declined to participat e in a pitch for its bu siness in Au st ra lia, Malaysia Airlines has appointed Jack Watts Currie over other local contenders including Love and Gorilla Communications. The move naturally has observers wondering w het her the move mi g ht sig nal t he eventual d eparture of Malaysian Airlines from Leo Burnett more w idely or even altogether, the airline's management has stated t hat Leo Burnett and St arcom M alaysia w ould continue to handle global advert ising activit ies for Malaysia Airlines. An unnamed source at Leo Burnett commented that Malaysia Airlines " allows local markets some freedom to w ork w ith local players for tactical in-country execut ions."

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Talk WITH a natural charm and flair for "Talk Value™", the art of connecting with consumers, he trademarked the term and wove it into his outreaching campaigns. He has a resounding name in the advertising industry as a judge at LIAA, Belding Awards and EFFIES, on the jury at Cannes, Chairman of Andy Awards (2000), Radio Mercury Awards (2001 ), Irish International Advertising, Kinsale (2001) and Clio Festival (2003). And he's coming our

Bob Scarpelli

way soon as Head of the Jury for Malaysian Creative Circle. This can be none other than Bob Scarpelli. Bob is the leader responsible for creating the magic for brands like Anheuser-Busch, Dell and McDonald 's . W ith his w it and great sense of humor, he elevates traditional advertising to popular culture. He was the creative force behind campaigns such as "I Love You Man" for Bud Light and "Whassup?!" for Budweiser, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes, 2000, the Grand Clio and fifteen other Best of show awards over the last two years. In fact, under his' leadership, DDB Chicago has won every international advertising award from Clios, One Show, LIAA, EFFIES to Cannes.

Bob began as a copywriter at Needham Harper, Chicago in 1977 and three years later was elevated to Creative Director. In 1994, he became Chief Creative Officer for DDB Chicago, and a year later, Vice Chairman. In 1998, Bob was incorporated into DDB Worldwide Board Of Directors. In 2000, he was named U .S. Chief Creative Officer and a year later, Chairman, DDB Chicago. And just recently, he has been cast a bigger role, as the Worldwide Ch ief Creative Officer of DDB. Keith Reinhart, Chairman of DDB Worldwide, says "Bob has given DDB and its clients some of the most enduring and talkedabout advertising in the industry. Bob is ready to take on th is new, expanded role . He is as comfortable and welcome in the CEO suite as he is on the jury at Cannes". Let us all wait in anticipation for the opportunity to meet with this great man Keith Reinhart in Malaysia soon.

42 Below Vodka - which is the latest, trendiest Vodka in town took to the Streets the other night in Bangsar with a novel way of pushing its purity story. Lurking the streets were Chris Howden, EGO, TBWA Malaysia and creative team Ben Tan and Heng, glowing halos were placed on top on car roofs where they were held by magnetic bases. The copy line read. "Be Pure, drink but don't drive. 42 Below. As pure as it gets."


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_TVCShowcase

Agency: Ogilvy & Mather Advertising (Taiwan) Title:Ashes Client: Far EasTone Telecommunications Co., Ltd. Production Co: Little Minx@RSA City: Los Angeles Editing Co: Oriental Post, Bangkok: Blackmagic Design Singapore Sound design Co: Noisemaker, Bangkok: Songzu, Singapore Agency Producer: Jaime Tan, Morgan Wang Creative Director:Tham Khai Meng. Craig Smith, Jed Donohue Copywriter: Jed Donohue Art Director: Craig Smith Producer: Rhea Scott, Annabel Riley Director: Mat Kirkby Cinematographer: Carl Nilsson Editor: Ja mes Bryce, Peter Barber Sound Designer: Beady Willia ms, Eva n Roberts Audio Engineer: Beady William, Evan Roberts

aDOI MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS fm


_AroundTown

lncitework works for BBDO Asia-Pacific ON 8 and 9 March, Tom Kao, deputy chairman, BBDO Asia Pacific and Martyn Straw, chief strategy officer, BBDO New York, conducted an intensive lncitework workshop at the Hyatt Saujana Resort, KL for middle-management client service and planning people from all BBDO offices around Asia. As lncitework is proprietary to BBDO Worldwide and therefore confidential, we weren't able to attend the sessions. But Jennifer Chan, CEO of BBDO Malaysia, invited us to talk to Tom and Martyn during a break in proceedings. Martyn Straw She also sent us a press release describing lncitework as "the work behind the work" a communications planning process designed to facilitate the creation of advertising that goes beyond achieving awareness and "incites" changes in buying behaviour that will guarantee sales. Martyn Straw is certainly well-qualified for spreading the lncitework message around the BBDO world. A pioneer in account planning, he was for-

merly President of the U.S. office of Interbrand, and has lectured at the business schools of Harvard and Columbia universities. Commenting on the workshop in KL, he said he was "amazed at the raw talent in Asia, " and impressed by the strong entrepreneurial streak in people here. He explained that lncitework was designed to give BBDO people "a more leadership role with clients ... and make their jobs more fun." Tom Kao has an equally impressive track record. After obtaining a degree in marketing at Iowa State UniTomKao versity and a Masters at Cambridge, he worked for JWT China from 1986 to 1996, then joined BBDO and ran the Hong Kong office so successfully that he was promoted to President of BBDO China and Hong Kong two years later. He told us that BBDO people from around Asia had shown themselves to be "very eager and hungry to learn" about lncitework, which has been implemented in the U.S. with good results for clients including Pepsi, Doritos and AOL.


_CharityRide

Pirates lNith a cause •av CHEMICAL ALl RECENTLY, Melaka was attacked by "Tsunami riders" from all around Malaysia and Singapore. Bikers of capacity 250cc and above were gathered at Melaka International Trade Center (MITC) on 29 January 2005. The event was jointly organized by MITC, Ban Zen Motors and Bikers Club within Melaka for two reasons: to set a record attendance of at least 1,000 bikes in a single gathering into the Malaysian Guinness Book of Records and at the same time donate all the participation fees s(RM1 0 each) to the Malaysian Red Cross Society (MRCS) for the Tsunami Victims Fund. Every participant received a free T-Shirt for this event and other goodies like pouch-bag to make this event worth coming for. Founded in 2003, the Lanun Bikers group was determined not to miss this charity ride. I represented ADOI in this clan in hopes that this ride can relieve the Tsunami victims of their suffering, even though we couldn't give a helping hand in person to victims at the affected areas such as Kuala Muda, Seberang Perai, Kota Kuala Muda, Kedah and Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang directly. At the time I'm writing this article, I'm seeing the saddest stories of Tsunami victims in media. The world's most powerful earthquake in more than 40 years struck deep under the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. It triggered massive tsunamis that obliterated seaside communities. This killer wave had left u~ in grief with scars that will not to be forgotten. I've never smelled rotting flesh or even sewerage tanks. Nor have I gotten my hands dirty helping to clean up the mess in the affected area. But one thing I know, I've ridden for Tsunami victims ... may god bless them. Life must go on. Some of the "Tsunami bikes" at the entrance


The Mind Thinks In Pictures.



Hall of Fame

impact, the overriding factor in the enormous success Yasmin has enjoyed with the 30- and 60-sec.ond "films" she's been creating all these years for advertising clients, and now the 2-hour films she says she makes for her Mum and Dad. And coincidentally on the day in late March that I spoke to her, there were controversies raging in the media about both. One member of Parliament had attacked Sepet, saying he thought it was "nothing great" and decrying its use of rojak language and a scene in which a man wears only underpants, while others were voicing their disapproval of a commercial Vasmin had created for the LRT, claiming that it singledout Malays for portrayal as bad-mannered. She commented that she'd prefer MPs discussed more serious matters, "like handbag snatching or child rape or single motherhood " and that the Malaysian people should be allowed to judge her work for themselves. Judging by the public reception for Sepet, and reader comments i~ the press about her LRT commercial, Malaysians in general are very favourably disposed indeed towards Yasmin. In fact they seem to love her and her work more than ever. So, if the press statement from the 4As reproduced here is any indication, do her colleagues in advertising. And after my second hour or so in nine years in her intelligent and affectionate company, so do I.

PRESS STATEMENT

... "people who take it too seriously may win a couple of awards here and there, but will never do anything of any impact on anybody" ...

From Datuk Vincent Lee President of 4As (Association of Accredited Advertising Agents, Malaysia) For Immediate Release LRT COURTESY CAMPAIGN COMMERCIAL

April 1st, 2005 -The 4 As fully support the LRT (light rail transit) commercial which has recently given rise to some controversy. This is a great campaign, it has done what great advertising should do, create the important and sometimes elusive ''Talk value ™" needed to make its target audience, us Malaysians, sit up and take note. It has opened our eyes and ears to something that whilst extremely important, is often overlooked common courtesy. From the response garnered from the commuters interviewed by the Malay Mail (article on page 2, dated March 31st, 2005), the results obviously speak for themselves. Malaysians in general have evidently gotten the true message of this commercial. What is more, many have expressed thatthey love the manner in which it has been communicated. This commercial, therefore has more than delivered its purpose. It is in fact, a resounding success and a wonderful example of advertising brilliance. Yasmin (Ahmad, Executive Creative Director of Leo Burnett Advertising) has done a great job. The industry not only supports her, we congratulate her for her amazing talent and courage.

Captivate the audience.

~

Turning The Tables <L____:.-..Creatlve Awards 2005

To enter, call 03-7491 8166 or visit VV'NW.tableview.com .my Closing date : 29th April 2005

~~Tableview

Yasm1n generously agreed to attend and g1ve a bnef open1ng speech at a sold-out industry screen1ng of Sepet on Apnl17 organ1sed by Sledgehammer Commun1cat1ons w1th proceeds go1ng to Mercy Malays1a.



_Opinion

~'rely dean@ham.com.my

in Bali

FINALLY, in the words of the old satirical Australian hit song, "I've been to Bali Kelakan, thanked the Media Forum organizers and delegates for helping show the world that the island is safe for visitors. I'd known, of course, that the too." Not that I ever had much ambition to gothere. Despite some friends' having sung its praises, I'd always thought of it as crawling with the kind of bombing of the Sari Club and Paddy's bar in 1992 had devastated Bali tourism Australians I needed a holiday from, not with. Nor had I ever felt the urge to for months. But I hadn't realised that the 1993 bombing of the Marriott in Jakarta and last December's tsunami, though neither were within1 000 km of help further line the pockets of the people reputed to own substantial shares Bali, had also driven droves of tourists away. in many of the island's hotels and resorts, members and cronies of the SoeSensing a marketing or advertising story in this situation, I harto clan. asked Mr AA Gd. Bagus Netra, the friendly public relations But I cast my reservations aside to venture there recently ... The only real danger and protocol officer for the Bali Governor, whether any media to cover the ASia-Pacific Media Forum for ADOI and the I felt I faced was that, campaigns had been mounted to redress the situation. But Sledgehammer webzine www.branddigest.com An assignwith precious few only PR. Reporters have been invited there to see he said no, ment that kept me so busy that I felt I was barely in Bali at all, broadband internet themselves and their readers that it's safe. And letters have for never once setting foot on the seashore, let alone in a souvenir connections available at to consulates all over the world urging them to been written shop or nightspot. My travel consultants booked me accom- the conference venue, and none at all at my own reassure potential vacationers. modation so far from the APMF venue, Le Meridien, that the I must say I felt perfectly safe myself. From terrorists and only sight-seeing I had time for was my twice-daily 45-minute otherwise splendid hostelry... tsunamis, at least. The only real danger I felt I faced was that, commute by cab. And my job of reporting and writing, though with precious few broadband internet connections available at the conference as enjoyable as ever, proved so unrelenting that it was two days before I realvenue, and none at all at my own otherwise splendid hostelry, I'd be unable to ized that both Le Meridien and the hotel I was bunking in, the Bali Padma, get my pictures and copy out on deadline. And sure enough on the second backed bang onto surf beaches. night I couldn't. But that turned out to be the fault of the bally server, not Bali. One glimpse of the Island of the Gods I was fortunate to get was the garA place so beautiful that, now that I've finally been there, I'd love to someday den courtyard of Governor's House, where the opening dinner of the APMF go back and see. took place. In this idyllic location, the Deputy Governor of Bali, Mr. Kesuma

~

))

Turning The Tables ÂŁ,

Creative Awards 2005

Captivate the audience. To enter, call 03 -7 49 1 8 166 or visit wwvv. tableview. com .my Closing date : 29th April 2005

~~

~Tableview


The QWERTY keyboard looked exactly like this to us after we spent ages trying to write some copy to grab your attention. We couldn't come up with anything really fancy because print advertising is not what we do. We're in the business of online branding. We suggest you check us out on the web- our forte- to see what some of our clients have to say about us. Then, if you think we can help you build your brand online, give Jordan a call at+ 603 7722 3869 or email us at interactive@netinfinium.com.

www.netinfinium.com

engaging people online

INetlnfinium INTERACTIVE


MMC'05

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''They came in droves to the Malaysian Media Congress '05: media specialists, media owners, agency heads, clients...a Who's Who of Malaysian advertising: Carat's Margaret Urn, OMD's Clint Easthorpe, CIA.mediaedge's Margaret Auyang, McCann's Tony Savarimuthu, Leo Bumett!s Charles Cadell, BBOO's Jennifer Chan, The Edge's Kay Tatt and Urn Siang Jin, Utusan's Adi Satria, Berita Harian's Datuk Hisham, The Star's Datin Unda Ngiam and of course not forgetting Edward Stanislaus. And the speakers were equally powerhouse .. ." That's the start of the press release following the MMC '05 that took place at the Legend Hotel on March 7. But, while accurate as far as it goes, it may be a little strong on hype. So in the interests of journalistic integrity, we must at this point remind you that the event was organized by Sledgehammer Communications, publishers of both AOOI and the webzine on which this report earlier, www.branddigest.com While we've made strenuous attempts at unbiased reporting here, you may like to check our account of proceedings with one or more of the industry luminaries listed above, or any of the other 250 delegates who attended MMC '05.

IUm Tengku Tan Sri Dr Mahaleel: Driving the future of Proton. We'd heard that Tengku Tan Sri Dr, Mahaleel, Group CEO of Proton Holdings, had been chosen CEO of the Year by Business Times and American Express and 2004 Automotive Man of the Year by NST and Mastercard. And now we have some idea why. With a rare blend of candour and charm , he captivated his audience with his presentation on where and how he hopes to steer Proton. Despite Proton's outstanding financial achievements and the fact that it pays higher taxes than TengkuTan Sri Dr. Mahaleel competing Malaysian car makers , he said, it is seen as "the pampered son of Malaysia." Usting some of his company's achievements, including export to 52 countries since 1986 and the slashing of manufacturing defects from 26 to 6 per car since 1996, he said that he wants Proton to become "respected son of Malaysia." Speaking of "moulding minds as well as metal", he said that Proton had bought Lotus in the UK and MV Augusta (makers of MV Augusta, Cagiva and Husqvama motorcycles) in Italy not for their plants, but for their cutting-edge technologies. These top global brands, with the world's richest funds of automotive know-how, he explained, can help empower Malaysia and develop it into the hub of the South-East Asian knowledge economy.

... Proton had bought Lotus in the UK and MV Augusta in Italy not for their plants, but for their cutting-edge technologies ...

Sledgehammerian, R.K. Mani and Rod Strother

Rod Strother: "How direct do you wanna get?" After opening remarks read by organizer Harmandar Singh on behalf of Mr. Rishya Joseph, President, IAA Malaysia Chapter, and further remarks by Margaret Urn, President, Media Specialists Association, the day's proceedings were launched in rousing style by Rod Strother, Regional Director of Grey Interactive. He painted a frightening - for "mainstream" ad agencies, at least - picture of how big direct marketing is these days, and where it is headed.

Tham Kai Wor: The power of creative press Tham Kai Wor, Senior Executive VP, Singapore Press Holdings, and one of the most eminent and experienced press men in South-East Asia outlined the organization of SPH and its leadership role in the Singapore market , and analysed the issues confronting advertisers in Singapore. He then provided a wealth of examples of his Company's creative ability to provide advertisers with special shapes, scented and transfer inks, inserts, advertorials and even events and promotions.

i1D a001 MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS

Jasmine Lee Sze Inn with a group of colleagues

Jasmine Lee: Malaysia goes SMS. A pioneer and acknowledged leader in mobile marketing, Jasmine Lee, CEO of MNC Wireless Berhad, is also one of the most inspirational speakers in the business. And she was in top form at MMC '05, describing SMS as the "killer" medium due to its unbeatable combination of convenience, immediacy, urgency, privacy, ubiquity and "viral" nature as well as its cost-effectiveness. Six out of 10 of Malaysia's 13.4 mobile users, she said, literally can't leave home without their handphones.


Wei Chuan Beng: REDtone is running hot Malaysia-based REDtone International is a top-performing publicly listed company selling discounted call services and other communications products and services as far afield as Hongkong, China, Pakistan and the UK. Group MD of REDtone, Wei Chuan Beng, traced his Company's growth through judicious spending in R&D, which has yielded 8 patents and service marks and 13 awards in just 9 years. He also showed a range of PR coups and ad campaigns that have made REDtone such a ringing success.

John Smallwood with awed participants

John Smallwood: Ambient media in action. CEO of Ambient Media (Malaysia) and BeepCast (Malaysia and Singapore), John Smallwood, showed dozens of examples of innovative, impactful use of ambient media around the world, including digital signage and Mini-Minors glued to the sides of buildings. And finally he stunned the audience by cueing a colleague to walk into the hall wearing one of his Companies' latest imports, a "sandwich board" in the form of a backpack colour video player and screen.

"Six out of 10 of Malaysia's 13.4 mobile users, literally can't leave home without their handphones" - Jasmine Lee

John Jambu: Terrific telemarketing. In a presentation titled "Convergence redefined" John Jambu, Senior Manager, Business Development, Teledirect Telecommerce, traced the evolution of telemarketing and presented a detailed case-history of how his Company dramatically increased sales for a leading manufacturer of IT componentry. He also explained the role of telemarketing in "customer life-cycle management" through stages including acquisition, up-selling and finally win-back.

Thank you Naga DDB! A good deal of the credit for ciawing such quE111ity ald quality of media, advertising a1d client people to MMC '05 ITIJSt go to Executive Cleative Director of Naga DOB, Ted lin, ald his aaativeteam inckJding copywriter

Mindy Teh. They aeated the Congress concept "Don't Use the Wrong Medit.m", then brilliantly produced it in print a1d 1V versions. Here are some key fnlnes from the TVC.

Raj Nayak (second from left) with delegates

Raj Nayak, India's #11V guru. Already famed as the man responsible for the entire advertising revenue for STAR channels in India, including Channel M and Vijay TY, and for the vital role he played in the strategizing, packaging and marketing of 1999 World Cup Cricket, Raj Nayak last year became CEO of Dr NDlV Media. Raj gave a sparkling presentation on the launch of NDlV 24x7, which took only months to become India's No. 1 English news channel, and the subsequent launch of NDlV India, reputedly the fastest-growing channel in the country.

a001 MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONS 1m


_ViewFinder

We have been on a search for favourite works and ideas from people within and outside the world of advertising. This opportunity is created to appreciate the "missed out", "left out" and the "not good enough?" Our first contribution is the "Hands" series by photographer, Santalia. We found her work to be thoroughly fascinating, and hope that you will enjoy them as much as we did. Maybe now hidden works will be dusted off for a feature in ADOI.

Ted Lim Executive Creative Director, Naga DDB

SP Lee COO I Head of Creative, Dentsu Malaysia "Kelvin and Sulian had the courage and foresight to start tableview and lTT. They pushed a new medium and started an award coz they know creativity app lies in everything is t hat mix of enterprise, inventiveness, can-do and fun. I look forward to this."

Yap Executive Creative Director, FCB

Ronald Ng Executive Creative Director, BBDO Malaysia

"The potential for tabletops as a media for ads is really huge. And exciting. It's amazing how someone could see that potential and started Tableview. Now, let's see how far we can take it."

Captivate the audience. To enter, call 03-7 491 8166 or visit WNW. tableview. com. my Closing date : 29th April 2005

~~Tableview

"Every new medium is exciting. I look forward to some fresh ideas."

.7



Iah. In the pressure-cooker world of marketing and advertising, many of us find it tough to kick back, relax and unwind. So we recently asked 20 or so extremely busy people how they cope with stress and stave-off burnout. Here's the word from those who could spare enough time from their work to reply: Lots of champagne and a good movie to watch in the comforts of home! A treat at the spa - from body scrub and massage to a pampering pedicure..... a get-together with friends - lots of food, drinks and laughter... not very exciting, yeah? Tay Ai Leen, Region Media Manager, Coca-Cola Malaysia. A full day of the following: a great, hearty pancakes and eggs breakfast (the kind you get at Denny's), followed by a quick 18 holes of par-3 golf with great friends, then a light pasta lunch before a swim and a double-tank scuba dive, followed by about an hour's worth of horseback riding on a beautiful beach at sunset, then a nice barbeque of hot dogs,burgers and steak with macaroni salad, before ending the night with a couple of games of bridge, some drinks and soothing music among a handful of fun friends. Austen Zecha, President/ Chief Executive Officer, TBWA-ISC\Malaysia. For deep stress, I try yoga-plus. Sitting crosslegged, I control my breathing, clear my mind, then push the start button on the PS2. Edwin Leong, Deputy Chairman, JWT Malaysia. Reading ... but I manage to get through only 5 or 6 pages before I drift off to sleep! Running through the misty streets of Bukit Tungku at dusk. Blasting the music in my car on the way back from a client meeting. Hiding for 3 or 4 days at an isolated boutique hotel, preferably one designed by Kerry Hill. Zayn Khan, Managing Director, Ogilvy & Mather,

What free time - I've worked every weekend for six months! Make that seven by the time this comes out. Chris Howden, Executive Creative Director, TBWA-ISC\Malaysia. The best thing I can do to unwind is to have a wrestling match with my three-years-old and oneyear-old sons. They usually end up winning! Greg Paull, Principal, R3 Asia Pacific, Agency Relationship, Remuneration and Review Consultants.

My main one is flying. For about 13 years I was a paraglider, but an accident convinced me I had used rather too many of my nine lives so I hung up the canopy. Got my pilot's licence at the Sungai Besi airport 3 years ago flying Cessnas. As a way of relaxing it is fantastic since you are completly absorbed in what you are doing and it takes you far far away from any problems. Char1es Cadell, Regional Managing Director, Arc Wor1dwide; Managing Director Leo Burnett Malaysia. Here's how I unwind .. . I get into my favourite private space (my yellow car), pop in a loud cd, set the volume to max, and let my 'ah beng' 12-inch woofers do the rest. Ronald Ng, Executive Creative Director, BBDO Malaysia. With regard to spare time, I'm pretty lowkey ... meditation, spas, reading, writing. Francyne Harrigan, Managing Director, Asia Media Monitoring. (1) Washing the dishes - Don't you wish everyone is like that-huh? (2) Painting my nails - I have a collection of more than 50 nail colours-Real Vain Pot! (3) Drinking my favourite Green Chinese Tea (known as "High Mountain Tea') - at least 1 pot a day after work. (4) Wrapping presents and making greeting cards - I do a lot of that. It keeps me sane. (5) Judging Amy - extremely well-written series on Hallmark. Makes you remember the importance of other issues in life and the society other than yourself. Jasmine Lee, Chief Executive Officer, MNC Wireless.

Off: Hand phone, Blackberry, notebook PC and my alarm clock.

To chill out: red wine with friends, reading (anything, anywhere), iPod, DVDs, meditation, massage. To fight stress: running (+ iPod), boxing or any kind of workout, lots of fruits and veggies, keeping a diary. Daniel Comar, Executive CreativeDirector, Ogilvy & Mather, Kuala Lumpur.

On: a day with no plans, except a game of squash or tennis, and with plenty of time for family, friends, good food + wine. Hartwin F~rsen, Regional Marketing Category Manager IFFO, EAC Nubition.

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