Blog | Cooler Insights

March 27, 2010 • Blog • 1 comment

Steve Rubel (courtesy of laughingsquid)

Just in case you don’t know, uber digital strategist Steve Rubel from Edelman was in Singapore (he just flew off this morning at 5.45 am) in the past few days. I had the rare privilege of meeting him personally at the kind invitation of Edelman and also to hear him speak at the MICA-CSC Public Communications Conference 2010.

Steve’s latest thoughts on what goes beyond Web 2.0 were certainly refreshing. His latest analogy likened the current information revolution to that of a bursting fire hydrant. We are all bombarded with multiple streams of data, information, contacts, video streams, tweets, photos, applications and what have you.

The Art of Good Governance

March 20, 2010 • Blog • no comments

(Source: SCCCI)

How should board directors carry out their duties as arbiters of public trust? What should companies do to boost performance while ensuring that sufficient safeguards are in place? In an age of increasing dissatisfaction over how companies and charities are governed, how does one balance the need for innovation with control?

To find out the answers to these questions (and more), I signed up for a talk organised by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday by Mr JY Pillay, Chairman of the Singapore Exchange, who spoke about corporate governance and its implications for both public-listed firms and Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Mr Pillay is one of the movers and shakers in Singapore, and has helmed various leading organisations as the former chairman of Singapore Airlines, Temasek Holdings and DBS Bank, amongst others.

Of Love, Loss and Luscious CGI

March 17, 2010 • Blog • no comments

At the kind invitation of Omy.sg, I had the privilege of catching “The Lovely Bones” directed by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson with movie mogul Stephen Spielberg as the executive producer. Screened at the Lido, it certainly won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

Based on the bestselling novel in 2002 by Alice Sebold, the movie centred around how 14 year old Susie Salmon (like the fish), played with much aplomb by Saoirse Ronan, was brutally murdered and raped on her way home from school in 1973 and the events which unfurled before and after the incident.

Online Buzz and Omnipotent Brands

March 12, 2010 • Blog • no comments

Disney’s one of the top dogs both online and offline – it is 10th on Interbrand’s list and 3rd online (courtesy of Jeff Bullas)

An interesting social media monitoring report by Jeff Bullas highlighted the buzz which major brands generated online relative to their overall brand equity as measured by Interbrand. What’s noteworthy is that the most prominent brands in the digital social spaces – at least as measured by Jeff over the last 12 hours – is fairly comparable to those offline. The top 10 brands on Interbrand’s list, which are assessed by a robust mix of different factors linked to market value, financial earnings, and others, are measured vis-a-vis their online might.

Other than Google which appears to be a pure internet play, the rest of the companies have very significant brick and mortar presences.

The Painful Truth About Branding

March 2, 2010 • Blog • 1 comment

Courtesy of America’s Story from America’s Library (CREDIT: Fleischhauer, Carl, photographer. “Branding Iron [35mm slide].” Date Recorded 79/10. Buckaroos in Paradise: Ranching Culture in Northern Nevada, 1945-1982, Library of Congress.)

It is interesting to note that even after so many decades, marketing professionals and senior executives alike still think that a brand belongs to either of the following:

A) A huge ego exercise

A Fabulous Night Out @ Bras Basah and Bugis

February 28, 2010 • Blog • no comments

At the kind invitation of Alvinology from Omy.sg, I was invited for a Trishaw Night Tour as part of the Night Out at Bras Basah, Bugis Precinct activity organised by the National Museum of Singapore. Part of the overall effort to inject more buzz and excitement into the Civic District, the activity showed us how much more vibrant and fascinating Singapore’s cultural hotspots can be after dark.

Helmed by the DJs Jianwen and Kemin from the Radio Station 100.3 FM, the three-wheeled tour was an interesting blend of whimsical fun and wonder through the brightly lit nightscape of Singapore’s cultural hub. Commencing at the Bugis Trishaw Park (between Albert Centre Hawker Centre and Fu Lu Shou Building on Queen Street), it ended at the Settler’s Cafe at SMU where food, drink and friendly conversation capped off the night on a high.

Here’s a photographic account of our journey. No prizes for guessing who the real stars of the night were. 🙂

Free Ideas to Boost Productivity?

February 24, 2010 • Blog • 4 comments

Courtesy of Learning By Doing

To heed the country’s latest call to increase productivity, help entrepreneurs and managers everywhere, and satisfy my own need for intellectual stimulation, I wonder if its useful to start an online forum to discuss ideas to increase productivity.

This could be a way for all of us to contribute our share of ideas, innovations, and suggestions towards the national cause. Such a forum could also be used to clarify misconceptions on productivity (for example that we should all work 18 hours a day), or to build upon each other’s plans in a (hopefully) constructive manner.

Why You Should Listen First

February 22, 2010 • Blog • no comments

Courtesy of papershine the art of learning

The fine art of listening seems to be one that is fast becoming lost. It is ironical that in an information overloaded world, people actually has a lower propensity to absorb feedback and act on them.

I suppose that this could be an impact of the numerous digital distractions that plague one. With so much available at the tap of a screen and click of a mouse, who really needs to pay attention to the person in front of you anymore?

Capitalising on Celebrations

February 16, 2010 • Blog • 1 comment

Courtesy of eTour Singapore

Festive holidays have always brought much cheer to those in the retail and service businesses, especially seasonal ones like Christmas, Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Hari Raya Puasa. Considered peak periods for those in the consumer and lifestyle industries, festive holidays are peppered with numerous promotions and special deals by shops in order to trigger purchases both impromptu and planned.

Many retail outlets are dressed to the nines during these occasions, decked in splendid eye-catching and attention-grabbing hues.

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