The Role of Showmanship in Marketing

The Role of Showmanship in Marketing

December 25, 2011 Business and Management disabled comments

On a recent visit to Takashimaya Shopping Centre for Christmas shopping, my family visited their highly popular basement food mall area looking for gift ideas.

Amidst the festive air, I noticed that there were many stalls offering gourmet food items for sale where the delectable pastries and candies were made ‘live’ by chefs.


Was Steve Jobs the Perfect CEO?

December 23, 2011 Blog disabled comments

As the head honcho leading an organisation, being a good CEO isn’t an easy job. Sure, they’ll probably pay you more (or much much more) than the average salary man down the food chain, but the expectations are often sky high.

For a start, a good CEO has to have vision, ambition and the ability to inspire and motivate the troops. She needs to be great with forging relationships with customers, employees, partners, board members, investors, suppliers, government regulators and other stakeholders. Functioning as a mentor, coach, drill sergeant, and referee, she wears multiple hats depending on whom she speaks to.


Does Sex-vertising Really Sell?

December 15, 2011 Business and Management 2 comments

Does sex-vertising really sell
Everybody talked about the shirtless Abercrombie & Fitch greeters in 2011 (Courtesy of A&F)

Let’s talk about sex in advertising – one of the longest running meme in the history of ads.

Time and time again, the topic has ignited heated discussion amongst marketers, manufacturers and moralists alike.

Does sex sell? Would a sexy ad have a better chance of grabbing the attention of one’s target audience? Or will it just be too “been there, done that” to have any effect?


Should You Hire the Generalist or the Specialist?

December 13, 2011 Blog 1 comment


Should you hire a General (like Cao Cao) or a highly specialised Sniper? (courtesy of Rongwen’s blog)

In the Human Resource function of any organisation, an age-old dilemma commonly exists.

Should a company hire somebody with years of vertical expertise with deep and specialised knowledge in a niche area? Should it instead recruit somebody with horizontal expertise (ie a generalist) who may even hail from an entirely different profession or industry altogether? How about a candidate with a mixture of both horizontal and vertical areas of specialisation?


Why Leaders Should Embrace a Higher Calling

December 9, 2011 Blog disabled comments


Michael Beer (courtesy of Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute)

To rise above the vagaries of the uncertain economy, what should companies do? How can they manage the wrath of Wall Street and the severe backlash of a liquidity crunch?

Well according to Michael Beer from Harvard Business School, the answer is that companies should embrace a higher purpose. In an excellent podcast from HBR Ideacast, Beer shares some of the characteristics of these firms and the leadership styles that they embody.


How Tightly Should You Manage Your Team?

December 5, 2011 Blog disabled comments


Should you control your subordinate’s every move? (courtesy of River Empowerment)

There are two major schools of thought in leadership and management.

The first approach is the older “Command and Control” style. Here, an authoritative leader uses a clearly domineering way of getting things done. Charging ahead like a bull, he/she will steamroll over anything – or anybody – who gets in his or her way. Instructions given are clear, specific and often unidirectional. Its “my way or the highway”.


World’s First Transformers Ride Opens in Singapore

December 3, 2011 Blog 1 comment

TRANSFORMERS The Ride
EVAC, a new autobot created specially for the attraction

It’s a night of 3D thrills and spills as Transformers The Ride made its global premiere at Universal Studios Singapore.

Rumoured to cost more than S$100 million and to take more than four years to plan and build, Transformers The Ride is probably one of the world’s most expensive theme park attraction. It is also the world’s first theme park based on the popular robot franchise from Hasbro, with the next opening in Universal Studios Hollywood in 2012.