Courtesy of Life’s a comic strip!
In the world of User Generated Content (UGC) on social media platforms, a common question always arises for those whose job involves blogging, facebooking or twittering.
How do we separate our personal and professional selves? More importantly, are we able to do that in the first place?
As I was walking to work recently, I couldn’t help noticing the following workplace safety advertisement on a bus stop shelter (I have a peculiar habit of noticing outdoor advertisements of all shapes and sizes):
Put up by the Ministry of Manpower’s Workplace Safety and Health unit, the poster had a simple and succinct message reminding everybody to be careful and to take care of themselves. This is important as some 29 per cent or 3,000 workplace injuries last year were from non-factory industries like retail, entertainment and services.
Source of image: Mind Revolution
What is the most difficult task as a manager in a corporate organisation?
a) Finding a way to fund your projects, justify ROI and achieve your KPIs?
It was an afternoon to remember at Movida of St James Powerhouse when virtual virtuosos became real rock-stars. More than 100 bloggers, models, singers, friends, fans and followers of social media stardom congregated for Omy.sg’s Singapore Blog Awards 2010. As one of the judges for the awards, I had the privilege of evaluating the shortlisted finalists for two of the categories, and was blown over by the quality of the entries.
Looking around the hall, I had the following quick thoughts (being an insightful blogger – remember?) on what Singapore’s blogging scene has become:
…Without going to the gallows!
One of my favourite fables is Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes“. If you haven’t already read that tale, do check out this charming little cartoon below:
Don’t just benchmark Google for its technology – it also has one of the best corporate cultures in the world. (source)
Yesterday morning, I had an interesting conversation with my wife (an organisational excellence whiz) on the question of benchmarking and best practices.
First, we spoke about how global liveability indicators like this (from Mercer), this (from the Economist), this (from Monocle), and this latest one (conceived in Singapore), are used as top-line outcome measures in the Balanced Score Card – a universally accepted system for strategic management. Such measures provide objective assessments of a city’s efforts to position itself as a beacon of success.
T-Mobile’s Flash Mob at Trafalgar Square
In the world of advertising, it is common for one to think about generating Attention first before anything else.
After all, that age-old mnemonic AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) is predicated on the ability to capture your target audience’s eyeballs/ eardrums in the cacophony of marketing clutter.
A few weeks ago, at the kind invitation of Coca-Cola’s agency Fulford PR, my colleagues and I were given a juicy treat of about 3 dozen bottles of the new Minute Maid Pulpy juice. I also received a brightly coloured package which came in cheerful splashes of orange.
Apparently, this was part of the new launch by the world’s number one fruit & vegetable juice brand, Minute Maid, which incorporated pulpy fruit sacs into their new juices. Part of the Coca-Cola company’s stable of products, the beverage giant has undertaken its largest sampling promotion campaign ever for Minute Maid.
Which would you rather be? A marathoner or a 100-metre dasher? (source)
Do you know what the most important tip in social media success is?
Let me give you a few hints.
Ibu Oka’s Babi Guling at Ubud
Bali has always held special meaning to me and my wife. It was on this tropical island that we had our honeymoon way back in January 2003. Back then, I was so inspired by the holiday experience and customer encounters that I wrote an article that was published in the Straits Times on the legendary hospitality of Balinese.
Sadly things have changed, even at Ubud (Bali’s cultural heart) which is supposedly less mercantilist than Kuta, Uluwatu or the coastal cities. While its verdant and pastoral landscapes have largely remained, the ugly effects of commercialisation and gentrification have left major scars on the island.
