Cooler Insights

How to Start and Sustain a Movement

2012-01-28T21:50:00.001+08:00

Student volunteer guides Jessie and Janet from Naked Hermit Crabs

By now, you've probably heard how social technologies can transform social, political and environmental movements. Globally, one can find numerous examples of causes given an online shot-in-the-arm through Twitter, Facebook, Youtube videos, shared photos, and other platforms. These channels have been further accelerated by the ubiquity of mobile apps on smartphones, tablets and other devices.

While the tools for making a difference have expanded tremendously, the core principles of creating and sustaining a cause are less well understood. Through a recent guided tour of Chek Jawa led by the Naked Hermit Crabs, I had the privilege of speaking to Ms Ria Tan, a passionate nature activist and founder of the Wild Singapore website. A close associate of my good friend Siva (another legend in nature circles), Ria provided useful insights on her journey.

What are some of these lessons then?

First, one should identify a niche area of focus so that limited resources can be better concentrated and deployed. Green or environmental management is a huge field that is almost endless in scope. Thus, Ria and her partners chose to focus on promoting and preserving the coastal and marine ecosystems over other possible causes.

Next, it is important to work the ground consistently to shore up one's knowledge of a specific domain. As part of Ria's work, she spents over 160 days out of 365 days a year visiting Singapore's coastal habitats and marine ecosystems to investigate, document and monitor their status. Records on the species mix and available biodiversity are also tracked so that the richness of flora and fauna in these environments are duly captured.

One should also find ways to educate and involve the public (especially the young) through public educational outreach efforts. These can be done through a calendar of activities and events like talks, forums, workshops, tours and more. A good strategy which Ria herself has pursued is to rope in the schools and teachers, inculcating a love for nature from young.

Reaching and informing the public is also key, and it is only here that online platforms play their role. Facebook pages, blogs, tweets, Youtube videos, and photographs assist in communicating key updates, events and activities to one's larger community in an inexpensive way. An important point to note is to be consistent - in the case of Wild Singapore's blog, Ria shares that she minimally provides a weekly update.

Working with a network of passionate believers is also important. Sustaining and promoting any cause is hard work, and having a band of volunteers help's one to delegate responsibilities. This can also include other related crusades in a cross-promotional win-win effort that helps one's message go beyond a limited circle. There are many ways of volunteering on Ria's Wild Singapore website.

Sustaining a movement is also key, and here it is worthwhile to look at succession planning. To get the younger generation involved in this, Ria recruits student volunteers through the school network, enlisting the help of student leaders who can positively influence their counterparts while planting the seeds in the next generation of leaders. It is also necessary to delegate responsibilities such that the burden is shared with others as burnout can be a real issue.

Finally, it is important to work in partnership with key stakeholders on long-term solutions in a 3P approach of Public-Private-People partnership. Other than the government agencies involved in regulating or promoting a specific area, companies are also important allies in any cause. An example is HSBC, which has been a long-time supporter of nature causes in Singapore, and has "adopted" Chek Jawa, helping in its upkeep and promotion. While it is inevitable that there will be differences in opinion and views from time to time, successful campaigns normally work towards a mutually agreeable position which may necessitate certain compromises on both ends.

Poke The Box (Seth Godin): A Book Review

2012-01-27T00:12:00.000+08:00

"When was the last time you did something for the first time?"

With a secondary title like that, you can bet that Poke the Box - Seth Godin's first title under The Domino Project - is going to be all provocative and punchy. And boy, the renowned marketing cum motivational blogger sure doesn't disappoint in that department.

Beating all records as Godin's shortest book ever at less than 90 pages, Poke the Box has a simple message: Go and start something now. Billed as a "manifesto", the slim volume is full of catchy one-liners urging one to initiate, instigate and innovate. Some of its quoteworthy phrases include the following:

"Curiosity drives us to the haunted house because the thrills lie in what we don't expect, not in what's safe."

"Art is hard. Selling is hard. Writing is hard. Making a difference is hard."

"The market is obsessed with novelty. So go make some. We're tired of your old stuff."

"Please stop waiting for a map. We reward those who draw maps, not those who follow them."

"Forward motion is a defensible business asset."

And so on.

What I like about the book is that the riffs (and rants) do not just urge you to go Go GO - they actually offer some sensible words of advice too. For example, one shouldn't just be a serial starter (what Seth termed as a "hypergo" person) but end up quitting each enterprise before they could see fruit. Rather, one should aim to finish and ship what's started.

Other than the key message of poking the box (ie starting and shipping), Seth also offers the following vignettes (paraphrased in my own words):

- One should overcome one's "lizard brain" and the fear or laziness which it brings

- One should never stop trying, attempting new stuff, or being wrong.

- Don't settle for a "cog" job, even if you're not an entrepreneur.

- Curiosity doesn't kill the cat. In any case, the cat (or yourself) has nine lives.

- Don't be afraid of getting out of your cage. The boundary is in your head and not in the system.

- Hiding your spark or burying your ideas from your organisation is tantamount to a sin.

As a quick picker-upper, Poke the Box shines with the usual Gordin glisten. Treat it like a shot of expresso through your jaded, work weary system. However, don't expect to receive anything more than an energetic clarion call to start a new venture/project/idea. Like its title suggests, the book is more of a kick in the butt than a business manual.

How To Stick To Your Resolutions

2012-01-24T20:48:00.000+08:00

Peter Bregman (courtesy of Bregman Partners)

As 2012 and the Year of the Dragon dawns upon us, I'm sure some of us would have made new year resolutions. These can be as massive as writing a book or scaling Mount Everest to something more manageable like losing 10 pounds, exercising every week, or having dinner with one's family every fortnight.

Unfortunately, many of us falter along the way. There are just so many distractions, side-tracks and urgent things that need to be done daily, weekly, and monthly that they take us away from these noble goals. In fact, we probably can't remember what resolutions we made in 2011 to begin with!

How does one manage and keep to one's resolutions then?

Peter Bregman, a highly popular columnist on Harvard Business Review, shared some useful tips in a recent HBR ideacast on "How to Keep Your New Years Resolution". The author of "18 Minutes" shared some useful tips on this, and I'll extract the key points below (paraphrased).

The first thing to note is that you shouldn't overdo your lists. Having too many things in your plate will result in you ending up with indigestion or worse - throwing away the half eaten food. Rather than have a laundry list, focus on only five major accomplishments for the year, and stick to your guns as much as possible to achieve these five items.

Create a 6 box "To Do List" for keeping new year resolutions. One of them would be the other 5% which is the lower priority list. This is like sugar or candy - stuff that is nice to do, but not critical in your roadmap to sucess.

One of the major stumbling blocks to achieving one's goals is the fear of failure. This can be proportional to the the size of the enterprise, and the larger and more visible the endeavour, the greater the fear. To overcome this, there are two tricks that Bregman teaches:

1) Visualise what's the worst thing that can possibly happen. Would it result in possible death? Loss of one's livelihood? Or just a minor embarassment amongst friends and family members? Often, the worst case scenarios are not as bad as we imagine them to be.

2) Alternatively, learn to do smaller projects that can fail less painfully first and gauge the reactions. Maybe those will show that it isn't that bad after all and strengthen one's resolve to overcome the fear of starting on a larger project.

Keep your list somewhere visible so that you can view it, preferably every day. This will then serve as a constant reminder of what needs to be done each time, and you can tick them off one by one.

Do a little everyday to build up your respective areas. See if you can work on each area wherever possible rather than attempt to dive too deeply close to the end of the year. Be relentless too in paring away tasks that fall into the other 5% and leave these luxuries for later.

In a work context, it may be useful to share these priorities between employees and bosses. This helps to ensure that there is common understanding on what should and should not be done while clarifying intents. It also reduces the possibilities of last minute work being dumped on an employee - although that sometimes may still be inevitable.

Schedule specific times and deadlines for doing things, otherwise they will not be done. Want to go for a run after work? Put that in the calendar! Working on a book? Include some "writing time" in your calendar which is uninterrupted or distracted.

Clear your emails/facebook messages/tweets at specific period of times in a day, maybe once in the morning, afternoon and evenings? Learn to control your own time and reach an uderstanding with your boss or staff on what works best - and stick to it!

Finallty, be truly present when speaking or being with people like family members, staff etc. Put away those smartphones! Where possible (and I'm telling myself this), don't be enslaved by that 2 by 2 inch screen at the expense of those whom you love and care about.

What Dragons May Teach Us

2012-01-22T23:21:00.001+08:00

Courtesy of Hong Kong - a Visual Research Blog

As we celebrate the arrival of the Black Water Dragon this Chinese New Year, the fengshui masters and economists have given varying prognoses of what it'll bring for the year.
Taking a different trajectory, I thought it'd be fun to look at the traits of this mythical beast and propose what it could possibly mean for us, with a few lessons by the side.

First, we should know that there are dragons and there are dragons.

In Eastern traditions, the dragon is a noble beast associated with heaven, the emperor, long life, and power. Full of masculine or "yang" energy, the oriental dragon is a chimera - a beast composed of different body parts of animals - and the most magnificent creature in the oriental heavenlies. Symbols of the dragon are commonly used in artworks and designs on ceramics, clothing, wall murals, furniture, architecture, and practically any decorated surfaces.

In Western and Middle Eastern traditions, however, the dragon has a sinister significance. According to the Bible, the dragon is used to describe the Satan or the devil - the age-old nemesis of Christians around the world. Dragons are often depicted as fearsome, loathsome beasts that breathe fire and devour hapless villagers in legends and stories.

Hollywood has of course portrayed the dragon as the ultimate bad "boss" monster which the hero (St George or his derivatives) should slay before rescuing the fair damsel in distress. Of course, there are also cute and cuddly ones featured in animated movies like "How To Train Your Dragon", Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" and Disney's "Pete's Dragon".

Love them or loathe them, dragons are majestic creatures. They are usually at the top of the pecking order - be it good or bad - and are usually seen as the leaders with authority in some way or other. In the hierarchy of monsters, nothing strikes fear or admiration as much as the dragon.

In the same manner, we can perhaps embody the quality of leadership in whatever we do, whether at the office, home, church or other social setting. Like the dragon, we should not be afraid of being focused on Of course, we shouldn't go around devouring other people, but instead, focus our leadership qualities on positive pursuits.

There is also something mystical and mysterious about dragons. Nobody (well almost nobody) has seen a real life fire breathing dragon, yet they have triggered countless stories, legends, and myths told from generation to generation.

Mystique is certainly something that we can try to weave in our work and our lives. Instead of giving the entire game away and aiming for the lowest common denominator, let us weave in little teases, secrets, clues and trails, enchanting our customers/friends and family members every step of the way.

According to legend, dragons are also highly intelligent and wise creatures. In movies like Dragonheart and books like "The Hobbit" (with an upcoming movie), dragons are depicted as sophisticated, witty, and all-seeing beasts.

While we need not speak in riddles or oracles, we could boost our knowledge of whatever we do or tap wisdom of experienced elders who've eaten more salt than we've eaten rice. Learn to identify where our intellectual gaps and weaknesses are, and seek to strengthen them through books, discussions with the learned, or just simple observation.

Finally, dragons are magical monsters. Other than their well known fire breathing qualities, dragons are often seen as beings possessing tremendous strength, long or immortal lives, and are able to fly all the way to heaven (or hell).

In a similar vein, we could perhaps inject a little magic into whatever we're doing in a positive sense. See if we can bring a smile on our customer's face by going beyond their expectations, do a good deed to help that person needing assistance every morning at the bus stop, or maybe bake a delicious cake for a loved one.

Here's wishing all of you a Happy and Properous Chinese New Year! Or in Mandarin: 恭喜发财，万事如意, 新春愉快!

The Parable of the Pump

2012-01-21T08:21:00.000+08:00

Zig Ziglar (courtesy of Decisive Minds)

Zig Ziglar (Hilary Hinton) may be 85 years of age, but he sure packs a lot of punch. A highly respected motivational speaker grounded in Christian values, Zig is known for his fiery workshops and power-packed programmes focused on motivation, success and salesmanship.

In a recent podcast I listened to, Zig spoke about the story of the pump. Here's the man himself speaking to a life audience for your viewing and listening pleasure:

What are the key lessons from the story of the pump?

First, you've got to prime the pump. In pumpspeak, this means you need to pour some water in first before the pump can continue to suck water out from a well.

In any endeavour in life, work, school or other circles, you need to put something in first before you can get anything out. Contribute your fair share of effort, especially during the initial stages, before expecting any reward.

Second, you've got to sweat at it and pump away for some time before the water will flow. This means putting in enough hard work pumping away until the water comes all the way up to the top and beyond when it cascades from the tap to the pail.

Similarly, if you work hard enough, long enough and enthusiastically enough, rewards may flow (however, make sure you choose the right pump in the first place). Perseverance and determination are timeless virtues that relevant in any age - 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 or beyond.

Finally, once you've managed to get the water to flow, it will continue to flow on its own, allowing the pump to supply the sweet nectar of life for some time. That source of water would help to quench parched throats, energise exhausted horses, or refresh dirty bodies.

What do you think of this little anecdote? Does it get your blood "pumping"? :)

Marketing Metaphoria: Book Review

2012-01-19T07:03:00.000+08:00

Metaphors and analogies form an integral part of our everyday lives. They form an integral part of our "mindscape" and help us to describe what we think, hear, say and do in a deeper fashion. Metaphors also help to drive human behaviours and add colour to our world.

Tapping the fields of consumer psychology and research, Marketing Metaphoria by Gerald Zaltman and Lindsay Zaltman describes how "deep metaphors" can help marketers better understand their customers. The highly readable book cites that these "human universals" are found in virtually every society. Deep metaphors (eg resource) are expressed through themes (eg money is like liquid) and surface metaphors (eg "I am drowning in debt", "Don't pour your money down the drain.").

Citing the problem of depth deficit amongst managers - "never confuse working hard with thinking hard" - the Zaltman's basic premise is that discovering similarities in consumer behaviours may be more fruitful than focusing on their differences. In other words, age-old techniques in segmentation are moot. By probing more deeply into the emotional and subconscious drivers of consumer behaviours, marketers are able to better understand how their products and brands are viewed through consumer lenses.

What are these deep metaphors then? There are seven main ones and as follows:

Balance: This covers ideas of harmony, equilibrium, adjustment and the maintenance and offsetting of forces. Examples cover physical, moral, social, aesthetic and social balance.

Transformation: This involves a changing state or status, eg "turning over a new leaf", children putting on makeup to play adult roles. They can be both positive (marriage) or negative (death).

Journey: As the saying goes, life is a journey. Confucius has famously said that "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Journeys can be both predictable and unpredictable, can be fast or flow ("time flies"), and both uphill and downhill.

Container: This metaphor looks at either keeping things in or keepting them out, becoming a form of protection or trap. We can be in a good or bad mood, stuck in a rut, store up our money, energy, and goodwill. Memories form one of the most vital containers for many of us.

Connection: Another universal deep metaphor, one which looks at feelings of belonging or exclusion. One can be connected to friends through social networks, and feel disconnection when losing a job, sending kids to college and so on.

Resource: Other than the more obvious food, water, money and fuel, resources can be freinds or family members - Simon and Garfunkel's "bridge over troubled waters", and the expression "a friend in need is a friend indeed". One can be a "walking encyclopedia" or "Mr Fixit".

Control: This doesn't just apply to those in power and authority but to everyone of us. When people succumb to a disease, they feel "powerless". Social norms may also dictate how people should behave, and losing control often denotes having a meltdown, throwing a tantrum or blowing our stack.

Other than the seven metaphors (kind of like Seven Giants or the Seven Dwarves in Snow White), other deep metaphors include Movement/Motion, Force, Nature, and System. These metaphors, like the ones above, are discerned through deep questioning and interview methods, involving trained facilitators who are able to use visual aids to paint vivid pictures and descriptions of consumer's thoughts, feelings and perspectives on various consumption scenarios.

To leverage on deep metaphors in consumer insight reports, marketing communication materials, products/services, and brands, the Zaltmans propose that one could adopt a strategy for "workable wondering". In order to meet the customer's personal values and life goals, marketers should develop product attributes that have functional and emotional consequences (psychological and social) that are seen to be aligned to those metaphors.

Like any other competitive strategy, the authors have also proposed that companies should focus on deep metaphors that are not already "owned" by a competitor. Focus is also a key virtue here, and firms should not go overboard in trying to be all things to all men in their use of metaphoric language and approaches.

Overall, I found the book an enjoyable and enlightening read, albeit a little short on implementation details. I guess Marketing Metaphoria probably works better as a primer to spur change in marketing research more rather than a textbook telling you how to do it. If you're jaded by the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of existing techniques in consumer research, deep metaphors may be a good weapon to add to your arsenal.

This advertisement uses the deep metaphors of resource and container (Courtesy of Meghan's Blog)

Interviewing Crystal Jade's Chairman Ip Yiu Tung

2012-01-16T20:15:00.001+08:00

Crystal Jade Golden Palace in The Paragon (courtesy of Crystal Jade)

In the restaurant-eat-restaurant world of F&B, few local brands have stood up as clearly as Crystal Jade, one of the market leaders in Singapore. Celebrating its 20th anniversary last year with a refreshing of its identity that involves extensive refurbishments at its restaurants, Crystal Jade enjoyed a turnover of S$240 million in 2010.

Over the last three years, it has expanded aggressively, investing $25 million (together with partners) to open 39 new outlets across Asia. This year, the F&B group will sink in a further $17 million to open 17 new outlets across 8 cities. These efforts helped it to achieve a targeted 10% to 15% yearly growth in sales.

Beginning from a single outlet in Cairnhill in 1991 - which was closed and reopened with a Kitchen outlet in Shaw Plaza and a Palace outlet in Ngee Ann City - the group now has more than 100 outlets sprawled across 18 cities in 9 countries. Half of these are in Singapore while the other 50 are in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and more.

To find out more about Crystal Jade's longevity in the hypercompetitive F&B market, I had the pleasure of speaking to Mr Ip Yiu Tung, its Group Chairman and CEO. Joining the group in 1992, he was responsible for the group's sterling performance in the last two decades. With a passion for pianos, the former engineer by training is surprisingly soft spoken with a gentle demeanour despite being the chieftain of such a large enterprise.

Courtesy of Crystal Jade

Three Keys to Success

Keeping things simple and straightforward, Mr Ip's business philosophy is embodied in three basic principles:

1) Offering great food;

2) Providing attractive service; and

3) Caring about the dining ambience.

While innovation is part and parcel of Crystal Jade's strategy, the group has not veered away from its core competence in traditional Chinese and East Asian cuisine. To ensure that every dimension of the business runs like clockwork, Mr Ip travels extensively to his outlets around the region. He also has his pulse on the business, knowing the ins-and-outs of the business down to its nitty gritty details.

Courtesy of Crystal Jade

Sourcing and Buying Fresh

Sacrificing profitability for customer experience, Crystal Jade spares no expense in sourcing for quality ingredients in its dishes. Mr Ip shared that its restaurants actually imported higher quality soya sauce from Singapore (which costed about 23 RMB per bottle) rather than buy cheaper alternatives costing 4 RMB in China. They also use hazelnut oil sourced from the UK for their Hearty Five Treasures Yu Sheng, giving it a greater fragrance compared to competitors who use the cheaper peanut oil.

Known for its roast meats, Crystal Jade also purchases 49 day old ducks from a farm in Ipoh. Unlike the more conventional 40 day old birds that other restaurants may purchase, a 49 day old bird is lighter and leaner with more muscle mass and less fat. Pound for pound, Crystal Jade is willing to pay more to ensure that customers enjoy a premium dining experience.

Innovating to Please the Customer

To understand what its increasingly demanding customers desire, the Group conducts regular surveys to gain their inputs. These insights help to spark new menu ideas or service improvements. It also operates a full-time customer care team since 2005 with a hotline and email for customers to contact them during retail hours. A service call bell is also installed at the tables of new restaurants like Scott's Square.

While the group is focused on traditional Chinese cuisine, it hasn't stopped inventing new ways of serving its customers. The group was one of the first to offer takeaway Yusheng back in the old days, and has recently pioneered a new dish called the Pagoda of Eight Treasures. Every quarter, its menu would have a new chef's special, and seasonal promotions help to keep its customers coming back.

Responding to feedback from business customers, Crystal Jade has recently launched a new Nourishing Treats menu that combines fresh, high quality ingredients with taste, texture and health. I had a chance to sample some of these dishes and thoroughly enjoyed myself without feeling the typical guilt accompanying Chinese restaurants.

Recruiting, Retaining and Motivating Staff

People are the most important resource in the manpower intensive restaurant business. Running the Crystal Group chain of restaurants is an army of more than 4,000 chefs, waiters, operations, and office staff. To keep its staff happy, Mr Ip adopts a simple management mantra of giving them respect and allowing them the freedom to innovate. Believing in the staff empowerment, managers are free to handle their subordinates.

To ensure that it recruits the most talented chefs - considered the lifeblood of the F&B business - Crystal Jade gives aspiring joinees a cooking test. In a manner reminiscent of Iron Chef, candidates must cook in front of a committee and pass the taste and food presentation test. Once they join the group, however, all chefs follow a strict training programme to ensure that they could meet the high quality and standards needed by the Group.

The Road Ahead

For the journey ahead, Crystal Jade is paying particular focus on marketing strategies that help it to draw closer to its customers. Other than refreshing its logo and restaurant designs, the group will continue to engage both traditional and social media channels, working with journalists and bloggers alike to get the word out. Future innovations include the refreshing of its website and the introduction of a customer loyalty programme to allow priority queueing for members.

Courtesy of Crystal Jade

Fearing versus Failing

2012-01-14T23:54:00.001+08:00

Lucy wouldn't have discovered Narnia if she didn't open that wardrobe (courtesy of WikiNarnia)

As humans gripped by our lizard brain (aka the amygdala), our automatic reflex is to freeze in our tracks when encountering any of the following:

1) A potentially great product or service which does not have any known markets

2) A potentially lucrative client who is widely known to chew poorly prepared account managers for breakfast

3) A potentially profitable project which costs a couple of million bucks (or more)

While the rewards of such situations may be high, they also carry with them the potential to hurt us - physically, emotionally, psychologically and perhaps even spiritually - if we fail. And of course, the sheer amount of effort needed to scale these everyday "Everests" can be rather off putting - conducting primary market research, preparing a rock solid sales presentation, and pitching for those elusive corporate funds.

Sometimes, the fear can be so strong that it maims us, preventing us from crossing the Tipping Point. Those giants in Canaan sure looked formidable, occupying the land of milk and honey.

However, if we don't try, we wouldn't really know if we could succeed, would we?

If Edison hasn't failed a couple of thousand times, he wouldn't have invented the light bulb. If JK Rowling hasn't persisted in submitting her early literary works to agents and publishers - it took 7 years for her first book to be published after numerous rejections - we wouldn't have Harry Potter. If former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and our founding fathers hadn't persisted in building a new nation against the odds, we wouldn't have Singapore.

As the chinese saying goes, "失败是成功之母", ie "Failure is the Mother of Success". You've probably heard it a thousand times, but let me repeat it again that it is better to have tried and failed than not to have tried at all. With persistence, with determination, with resilience (and a twinkle in our eye), we would be able to smile at any storm.

How can we "arrest the amygdala" so that we can transform inaction to action then?

First, focus completely on the task at hand rather than its anticipated consequences. Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself.

Next, practice deep breathing and meditation so that you can dissociate your sense of self worth from the outcome of the activity. Develop an impervious hide - like Captain Jack Sparrow - that can withstand the arrows of critics and sceptics. Quell those ghosts lurking in your mind.

Thirdly, form a support group of like-minded believers who can join you in your quest. There will be tough and rough times in your voyage to victory, and your ship may even sink along the way. This is where sponsors, family, friends and colleagues come in to encourage, to prod, and to re-energise.

Finally, embrace every learning opportunity that you may have from the experience. Often, failure helps one to learn a lot more than succeeding.

Three Ways to be Truly Great

2012-01-12T05:56:00.000+08:00

Can you compete with the above brands on scale, distribution and price? (image source)

In the world of consumer businesses, there are probably three main ways to differentiate yourself from the hoi polloi.

The first way is to level your competition by beating them on price, variety, convenience, and distribution. And while you're at it, look at meeting the lowest common denominators in consumer needs and wants. Huge consumer retailing outfits like Walmart, Target, 7-Eleven, Amazon and Carrefour are examples of companies adhering to this strategy, and so are major FMCG manufacturers like P&G, Unilever and Nestle.

Here, access, affordability and range are the trump cards. These conglomerates and businesses flatten everybody else by their sheer "superlative-ness" - having the greatest range of products and services, at the most affordable prices, and making it available whenever and wherever you want it. I term this as the Massively Mass strategy.

The second way is to remove as many elements of pain as you can from the purchase and consumption process. What are the things that irk your customers in their dealings with your competitors, for instance? How can you take away the grouses commonly heard about your product or service? This requires a deeper and more introspective research into what makes a customer tick, and how one can "massage" away the pain points.

Zappos and Virgin Airlines are great examples of businesses in this arena. The former offers a no questions asked policy for refunds of unsuitable merchandise (even providing a package with postage to do so), while the latter dispenses with the usual dreary experience of riding on commercial airlines. This approach is christened the Positively Painless strategy.

The third and final way is to invent an "insanely great" product or service, borrowing a phrase from Steve Jobs. This would be your "Purple Cow", a remarkable item that is peerless and stands out from the crowd - so much so that it motivates its customers to talk about it through their own networks. Examples include Hayao Miyazaki's movies like "Spirited Away" and "The Secret World of Arrietty", and Disney or Universal Studios theme parks.

Here, we're looking at transcending the usual barometers of preference like convenience, affordability and features to include stronger measurements like love, trust, belief, and commitment. Where its no longer an expense but an investment - of money, time, and emotional energy - in a relationship between buyer and seller. Those who succeed in this game could even create "Lovemarks", which are brands that reach deep into the emotional lives of its customers. Really Remarkable is what I would call this final group.

This can perhaps be summarised in a simple diagram below:

Of course, many great companies or businesses are able to weave all three elements into their strategy. Apple, for example, has managed to solve much of the pain involved in navigating PCs and smartphones while creating a "ding in the universe" with products that are attractively designed and easy to use.

However, being all things to all men isn't easy. Start-ups without access to huge pools of funds, talents or networks may be wise to instead focus their attention on one strategy at a time, at least from the onset of their business.

The Wal-Mart Effect: Book Review

2012-01-09T22:16:00.000+08:00

What secrets does mega-retailer Walmart hold? Is low-price retailing always good for the customer or does it exert other insidious impacts on one's lifestyles?

The answer to those questions and more are answered in the bestselling book "The Wal-Mart Effect" authored by award winning editor of Fast Company Charles Fishman. Leaving no stone unturned, Fishman's highly readable volume dived deeply into the massive impact exerted by Walmart, and paints a sobering and sordid picture of its true influence.

An American retail icon, Walmart is the world's largest company by revenue (it raked in US$422 billion in 2010) and the largest private employer with some 2 million staff on its payroll. The ubiquitous buying behemoth operates 8,500 stores in 15 countries under 55 different names. Serving some 100 million customers a week (nearly a third of the entire US population), Walmart is founded in 1962 by the legendary Sam Walton who passed away in 1992.

Offering "Every Low Prices", Walmart is discount retailing at its best. According to Fishman, the super-efficient retailer is a paragon of productivity and zero waste. With its sheer colossal size (its Supercentres can be more than 24,000 sq m in size), and extensive range of merchandise, Walmart and its affiliated stores squeeze prices as low as possible for the benefit of its shoppers.

Blazing a trail in efficiency and taking an active role in how its suppliers operate, Walmart has raised the bar not just in retailing but in distribution, logistics, manufacturing and sourcing of raw materials. In the book, this virtuous cycle has an anti-inflationary effect, helping to moderate prices of almost every product available on the shelves - from toothpaste to tyres, lawnmowers to lingerie.

The positive impact of Walmart and its virtuous beginnings is elaborated in stories like a "Wal-Mart Fairy Tale". The chapter illustrates how the mega corporation helped "Makin Bacon" founder George Fleck's business of bacon cooking microwaveable dish take off. In various sections of the book, Fishman also wrote about Sam Walton's legacy and how the business grew over the years, often with the best intents in mind.

Unfortunately, Walmart's colossal size and obsession with low prices have exerted an almost "godlike" control over its suppliers - sometimes with a death inducing vice-like grip. Citing various examples of suppliers from Salmon fisheries in Chile, sweatshop factories in Bangladesh, to the ill-fated Vlasic (maker's of a gallon of pickles which sold for US$2.97 in Walmart stores), Fishman paints a vivid account of its seemingly disastrous impact on small town economies and jobs.

By lowering prices year after year by "pennies at a time", The Wal-Mart Effect cited that Walmart's business practices have resulted in American jobs being lost to cheaper manufacturers overseas. This account is most heartwrenchingly painted in a section interviewing five ladies who used to work at Nelson - a maker of lawn sprinklers compelled to ship jobs overseas in a bid to satisfy Walmart's seemingly insatiable demand for low prices.

Apparently, Walmart's social ills do not end there. The most staggering impact is the way it treats its country-sized workforce who are portrayed in the book as often being lowly paid ("twice the pay of minimum wage standards"), discriminated (especially women), and occasionally made to work overtime without pay. With an "austere" average take home pay of US$1,280 a month, the book described that many Walmart employees are in fact on government assistance programmes - 10,261 children enrolled in the state of Georgia's insurance programme for poor kids had a parent who worked in Walmart.

Compellingly written with well-placed stories and statistics that hit where they hurt most, The Wal-Mart Effect is investigative journalism and anti-corporate storytelling at its best. One can't help but feel the pain of those afflicted by the "Wal-Mart Effect" after reading the no-holds-barred accounts of companies which have shuttered their operations after going on a negative cost death spiral.

Fortunately, there is a glimmer of hope offered towards the end of the book. It sagely advised that the company can redeem itself - and all Americans as willing consumers - by balancing a relentless drive towards low prices with responsible actions on the economy, the environment and society at large.

Will the conglomerate adhere to these words? Only time will tell.

Fantabulous Fun at Phuket FantaSea

2012-01-07T23:31:00.000+08:00

The beautifully designed Palace of the Elephants Theatre at Phuket FantaSea

Claimed to be the "Ultimate Nighttime Cultural Theme Park", Phuket FantaSea is Thailand's first cultural theme park located close to Kamala Beach on Phuket island. Focusing on a motley mix of "Myth, Mystery and Magic", Phuket FantaSea blends Thailand's exotic heritage with a carnivalesque Mardi Gras like feel that is more Vegas than Vegas itself.

Occupying a sprawling 140 acres (or approximately 57 hectares), it features the "Fantasy of a Kingdom" show in the 3,000 seat "Palace of the Elephants" theatre, a huge cavernous 4,000 seat restaurant (Golden Kinnaree Buffet Resataurant), a Tiger Jungle Adventure, the Similan Entertainment Centre featuring carnival games, and a Carnival Village offering lots of specialty retail outlets.

Built at a cost of about US$100 billion (3,500 million Baht), the nocturnal attraction is staffed by a heavily costumed cast of street entertainers, dancers, greeters, retail assistants, waiters and waitresses, and theatre performers. With a nightly fireworks extravaganza (Iyara Spectacular), elephant riding, carp feeding, animatronics, themed restaurants, carnival games, live bands, parades and more, the island-based theme park appears to be all out to dazzle. You can also shop till you drop at more than 15 shops offering leathers, crystal, soft toys, clothes, stationery, bags, and other consumer goods.

Join us on a tour of Thailand's largest nighttime attraction and judge for yourself if Phuket FantaSea is truly what it claims to be.

The fun begins at the entrance with Siamese mermaids beckoning you with their charms.

Everything is larger than life here - even the real life koi in their feeding frenzy.

Costumed cast members guide you in your journey through the theme park.

Doesn't this remind you of Disney theme parks?

Almost every shop front offered photo opportunities, providing a mix of mysticism with the macabre.

Believe it or not, famous Siamese twins Chang and Eng are now theme park characters!

Yes, nothing is too colourful or luminous here.

One of the centrepieces in the park, the Golden Kinnaree Buffet restaurant is a sight to behold.

Doesn't the cavernous dining hall remind you of heaven, with its clouds and angelic beings?

Yes, gold is the auspicious and aesthetic colour of choice here. Now if only I can have some...

The Similan Entertainment Centre was decked in gaudy, psychedelic, glowing colours. Again, I thought this seem to replicate the Little Mermaid exhibit in Disneyland...

Ethan had some fun with the carnival games, like fishing for that elusive red fish with a magnetic pole.

With some assistance from the assistant, he managed to pop in some balls here too.

Going on an elephant ride is also par for the course, with a souvenir photo to seal in the mammalian memories.

The crown jewel of the cultural theme park is the Elephant Palace theatre, decked with beautifully carved elephants and Siamese palatial architecture. The show itself was more Moscow Circus with acrobats and animals than Cirque du Soleil - I lost the plot after 10 minutes into the 90 minute show!

Ethan brought home two soft toys from his wins - a fitting end to a fabulous night.

View our complete set of photographs here:

When Does It Pay to Quit?

2012-01-05T21:38:00.000+08:00

Source of image

Believe it or not, quitting isn't necessarily the mark of a loser. There is a time and place for giving up, just as there is a time and place for digging one's heels in and staying on.

Does that mean then that Napoleon Hill's saying "a quitter never wins and a winner never quits" is moot?

According to a podcast by Stephen J. Dubner on Freakonomics.com, there are upsides to quitting - if you do it for the right reasons. Other than the often cited career changing quits, one may quit a band, a bad habit, a sports team, a community and even a religion.

In evaluating the dilemma between staying or going, a common consideration is the balance between sunk costs and opportunity costs. This a trade-off between what you've spent (time, money, energy) in any endeavour, and what you're foregoing if you do choose to continue in that trajectory.

Often, people end up sticking to what they're doing because of the blood, sweat and tears that they've already invested in any activity. Indeed, Dubner shared that humans are psychologically wired to avoid waste, and quitting would seem counter-intuitive.

However, failing to recognise that one is on wrong path may sometimes be an emotionally and psychologically damaging exercise if one recognises, many years later, that one has been flogging the wrong horse. By then, it may be too late to unravel the years of lost youth and opportunity.

This problem is further compounded by the issue of knowing when to quit. According to Seth Godin's book "The Dip", one shouldn't simply bail out at the lowest point of one's career/relationship/project/whatever if pushing it for that much longer will yield the results that one desire.

In other words, don't quit when you're feeling down, crappy, or embattled. Instead, quit when you're clear that you're running the wrong race, headed to a destination that is uncertain to bring forth personal fulfillment.

Of course, the question is further worsened by the difficulty in measuring success and failure.

Does rising to the top of the organisational food chain constitute self actualisation? Is material achievement the only yardstick? On the flipside, is success measured only by your own happiness as opposed to your influence on the lives of others?

In the arena of one's mind, played between one's dreams, goals and ideals, one also needs to consider the harsh realities of life. Repeated quitting may give one a temporary psychological boost, but does nothing for one's financial situation. And we all know that inflation isn't going to go away anytime soon in a growing economy.

As we consider once again this age-old question, let me leave you with a song that perhaps best characterise the issue of whether one should stay or one should go:

The Mesh: Why the Future of Business is Sharing (Book Review)

2012-01-03T21:05:00.000+08:00

Every now and then, you pick up a book which offer such a compelling new idea that you simply cannot put down. The Mesh: Why the Future of Business is Sharing by Lisa Gansky is one such title.

In an increasingly crowded, economically uncertain, and enviromentally damaged world, people are becoming increasingly wary about the financial and personal burden of buying and owning stuff. Aided by social media, wireless networks and data crunched from every available source, people are moving towards sharing goods and services at the point of need.

The rule of thumb? Ownership is out. Access is in.

These form the precepts behind the futuristic sounding principles of "The Mesh", which is characterised by:

1) Having a core offering that can be shared within a community, market or value chain. These include products, services or raw materials.

2) Using advanced web and mobile data networks to track goods, aggregate usage, customer and product information, and strengthen customer intelligence.

3) Sharing physical goods (including materials used and services procured), which focuses on the local and efficient delivery of services and products.

4) Having offers, news, and recommendations transmitted primarily through the power of Word of Mouth, augmented by social networking services.

With a background in entrepreneurship and investment in social ventures, Gansky obviously knows her stuff. This is evident in the book's narrative which intersperses numerous case studies, personal anecdotes and prevailing trends to support it's main thesis.

Some of these examples include Roomorama, a peer-to-peer platform for making one's home a short-stay time-share, and Netflix, an innovative social network based business of sharing and listening to one's customers that overcame video giant Blockbuster.

A central premise in the book is the concept of making products more resilient so that they could last longer after multiple uses by different members or users. By collecting customer data and preferences, "Mesh" entrepreneurs can also "define, refine, and scale" their businesses accordingly, improving each step of the way. This approach allows users to embrace the "Mesh ecosystem" - an interconnected web linking suppliers, partners and distributors of Mesh products and services. These intermediaries can now leverage on the collective wisdom of the social network and its ability to offer real-time user intelligence.

On the issue of customer relationship, Gansky advises that businesses should win back the trust that customers have lost in big business - an unfortunate aftermath of the great financial crisis. To do so, they should embrace the following:

1) Say what they do - manage expectations and revisit them frequently

2) Use trials

3) Do what they say

4) Perpetually delight customers

5) Embrace social networks and go deep

6) Value transparency, but protect privacy

7) Deal with negative publicity and feedback promptly and skillfully

So what should entrepreneurs do if they're keen to tap on the opportunities available in "the Mesh". Gansky proposes five ways to forge a competitive advantage in this arena, namely:

1) Providing services or platforms that enable and encourage Mesh businesses, eg Amazon Web Services, PayPal, FedEx, iTunes, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

2) Leveraging physical assets, both products and materials, as share platforms.

3) Engaging partners by mutually sharing resources and information - including customer feedback and preference - so that products and services could be better designed, more timely and more relevant.

4) Integrating the supply chain both forwards and reverse. Key examples here are Walmart, which has introduced a "reverse supply chain" for the recycling and upcycling of products, and Patagonia, a green oriented supplier of outdoor gear.

5) Extending the Mesh ecosystem to include related products and services. Hotels can work with car and bike sharing services, wguke childcare services can be integrated with clothing exchanges and enrichment programmes. An example is Zipcar (a car sharing service) partnering with Kimpton Hotels and Six Flags amusement parks to reach common markets.

To show that there are numerous possibilities out there, the book includes a very useful Mesh Directory (also found here) which showcases a whole range of Mesh businesses. These hail from industries as diverse as books, writing, energy, home exchange, entertainment, travel, kids stuff, home appliances and much more. From the obvious to the obscure, they range from Groupon to Get Satisfaction, thredUP to TechForward and more.

If you're keen to find out what the future of consumption and business beholds, The Mesh may just provide a glimpse into that elusive crystal ball. Highly recommended for entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and anybody with a desire to change the world for the better, with a better way to utilise our fast diminishing resources.

Highlights of 2011 with 3 Wishes for 2012

2012-01-01T17:20:00.001+08:00

Courtesy of MarvinTM

2011 has certainly been an impactful year, both literally and metaphorically.

On the international front, environmental disasters like the devastating Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami and Fukushima Nuclear Plant Fallout has horrified many around the world. The flailing economies of Western nations continues, perpetuated by the EuroZone Debt Crisis while a flicker of hope arises with rising job growth in the US. Major political upheavals have also taken place, with the Arab Spring in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and other Mid-East regimes, Myanmar's longstanding opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi getting back into politics, and election of former Thai Premier Thaksin's sister Yingluck Shinawatra as the kingdom's first female prime minister.

While major tectonic shifts have taken place, the year has also seen some significant deaths with the demise of terrorism kingpin Osama bin Laden, beloved digital demi-god Steve Jobs, Hollywood screen goddess Elizabeth Taylor, and dear North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (with the mantle of power bequeathed to his baby-faced son Kim Jong Un).

The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton have captured the imaginations of many around the world, aided by social media networks on an unprecedented scale. Of course, nobody would forget that 2011 has also seen more hopping on board the tablet bandwagon, aided by the competing titans of tech: Apple's iOS on iPads and Google's Android on numerous other devices. Everybody's also shifting their applications, storage and transactions into the Cloud.

Locally, 2011 has seen several major events, with the biggest being the Singapore General Elections, followed by the Presidential Elections, both of which have seen generational shifts in the composition of our leaders. Citizens have worked closely with the authorities to find solutions to preserve the green/rail corridor, while the Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Timah Railway Stations were gazetted as national monuments and conservation buildings respectively. Discussions are now ongoing to determine the right balance between preservation and development surrounding the Bukit Brown cemetery.

More young Singaporeans are speaking out on issues which concern them, while more Ministers and government agencies have extended their influence through social media channels. Unfortunately, climate changes and freak weather conditions have resulted in flash floods in 2011, while the recent incidents involving SMRT train stoppages have triggered strong public reactions. Both events have spurred significant reviews of our drainage platforms and rail networks.

On the recreational front, the grand opening of Resort World Sentosa's Universal Studios and its various rides have created waves of excitement, while the opening of Marina Bay Sands and Disney's Lion King brought broadway glitz to Singapore. The sneak previews of Gardens by the Bay and its Flower Dome has created lots of buzz amongst nature lovers. Meanwhile, museums like the National Museum, Asian Civilisations Museum, ArtScience Museum and Maritime Experiential Museum and Aquarium (MEMA) provide intellectual thrills with quality shows like Dreams and Reality, Terracotta Warriors and Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition.

As we embrace the dawn of a New Year, made somewhat foreboding by the predictions of the Mayans, I thought that it would be useful to borrow a phrase from Aladdin and make three wishes for the year.

Courtesy of Three Things

Wish 1: More Stepping Forward to Save Wildlife and Protect Earth

It was heart wrenching to read that 2011 has seen the most number of African elephants (2,500) killed in 23 years for their ivory, that East Asians are still eating shark's fin soup, and that the African Western Black Rhino is now extinct. Closer to home, we flinched at reports on the increase in animal cruelty of the most intolerable and inhumane variety. Meanwhile, the price of oil continue to skyrocket, while mankind's negative impact on the environmental crisis loomed larger than ever.

My wish for the year ahead is for lovers of nature, animals and wildlife to do more. In an age of 24/7 mobile social networks, ubiquitous smart phones and instant connectivity, we can help to champion causes that we believe in.

Let us lend our hand to the preservation of threatened and endangered species of animals, birds, fishes, reptiles, and amphibians. Let us also do what we can to reduce our carbon footprint by eating more vegetables (and less meat), use canvas bags, reduce as much waste as possible, and recycle plastics, paper and metal whenever we can.

Wish 2: People Shifting from Gut Reactions to Thoughtful Actions

My second wish is for more people to translate restless energy and pent-up frustrations into meaningful and affirmative actions. It is great to see the rise of civil society in Singapore but there is a lot more that we can do to translate words into action. I myself have been guilty of being an armchair theorist at times, and I resolve to make a difference in an area that I care about.

For the year ahead, I'd love to see more people coming together in concerted ways to make a positive change in their lives. This should go beyond lobbying companies and authorities to building organisations, initiating platforms and seeding programmes that help to ignite that latent essence in those who feel for the cause. Some good examples of citizen initiated approaches can be found here and here.

Working cohesively in partnership with governments, businesses, and non-profits, everyone of us can make a distinct difference in our lives, our workplaces, our neighbourhoods, and our society.

Wish 3: More Businesses Embracing Impactful Innovations

My final wish is for businesses to be more creative, bold and willing to do things differently to improve productivity, strengthen customer experiences and build robust corporate cultures. There are numerous tips and techniques out there authored by hundreds of authors for one to refer to.

For the year ahead, let us take care of those long running consumer complaints and focus ceaselessly on their needs, wants and desires. Let us look deep within our companies and pay attention to what our customers, supporters, and colleagues (especially front-liners) are telling us. Let us find ways to make life easier for our customers, distributors, suppliers and partners, and surprise them in the most delightful way. Let us build stronger and more cohesive organisations with robust cultures.

With everybody continuously streaming their lives on Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, Path, WhatsApp and other platforms, companies need to be plugged into the socio-sphere. Ignorance is not only unblissful - it can actually be rather deadly.

Why Advertising Mishaps Aren't Funny

2011-12-31T00:01:00.000+08:00

As I was reading my copy of the daily newspaper yesterday (yes, my family and I are still traditional newspaper readers), a colourful brochure with coupons popped out. As I glanced through its content, I couldn't help noticing this promotional message which appeared to be a wee bit ironic in my view:

For a start, using a glossy, printed coupon and distributing it on a large scale hardly counts as being environmentally friendly. Free canvas or drawstring bag giveaways are also so common that many of us have more "recyclable" bags than we'll ever use in our lifetimes. This begs the question of whether these are truly as resource friendly as they claim or just another premium item.

Of course, ironic advertising isn't only about using the wrong means to convey a message. Sometimes, it is occurs due to any of the following "wrongs", as shown in the examples below:

Wrong placement next to another advertisement

Courtesy of Metabolic Syndrome X

Wrong placement in product aisles

Courtesy of Visual Consumer

Wrong timing (just after Michael Phelps' pot smoking history was highlighted)

Courtesy of TMZ

Wrong context (this classic ad is quite...err...classic)

Courtesy of copyranter

While we do get more than a few laughs every now and then, having your web banner/poster/print ads/banner parodied in a negative fashion isn't quite a fun thing. To prevent this, I guess marcom and advertising managers could do the following:

1) Test advertisements with 3rd parties - particularly folks whom you know are more culturally sensitive than the rest - to gauge their responses;

2) Work closely with media placement agencies or media owners themselves to ensure that visual gags do not occur;

3) Be alert to what's happening in the news (NB - its not just the job of the PR department);

4) Think more critically about the meaning of one's marketing message.

Of course, if all else fails and something wacky does get puts up (and it happens), having the good sense to quickly remedy the situation (if it warrants so) would help.

Can you think of other examples of misplaced ads?

Why Saying Sorry Matters in Business

2011-12-28T19:52:00.000+08:00

BP Former CEO Tony Hayward's Apology came too little too late (courtesy of Infinite Unknown)

Recently, everybody in Singapore has been talking about the spate of SMRT train delays and breakdowns in December. Numerous netizens have called for extreme measures to be taken, including the resignation of the CEO, granting of free rides to commuters, andother actions to be taken.

As an aftermath of the incidents, we learnt that the CEO Saw Phaik Hwa has apologised soon after the incidents. The SMRT Board has also apologised for them, and has commissioned a committee led by NTUC Dy Sec Gen Ong Ye Kung to look into the matter. Separately, the Government is also investigating the incidents as part of a formal Committee Of Inquiry.

SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa apologising for the incidents (Courtesy of Channelnewsasia)

Honestly, SMRT is doing whatever it can to prevent this incident from escalating further. While the issues are grave, especially with passengers trapped in the tunnel, the transport company has is working around the clock to address them.

The question, however, is whether there is a sincere, honest and "correct" way to apologise. What can one do to truly make amends for a mistake?

Thanks to a story in Church of the Customer, I learnt that FedEx had to swallow this bitter pill recently when a courier threw a customer's computer monitor over the fence. This was caught on video and circulated on Youtube for all to see:

While some damage to FedEx's reputation has been done, its quick and unwavering response to the incident has helped it to salvage the situation somewhat.

Back in 2007, JetBlue has also set a good example of how to say sorry. When dozens of JetBlue Airlines' passengers were stranded for more than 10 hours on the tarmac without taking off, JetBlue's CEO David Neeleman issued the following statement soon after the incident:

Through efforts like this, JetBlue managed to get the JD Power & Associates Award for #1 Customer Satisfaction for the airline industry that year.

Of course, while some companies get it right, others have come across as being insincere despite their pleas for forgiveness. Check out these examples of the most famous/infamous corporate apologies. Some of the companies like Johnson & Johnson (of the Tylenol poisoning deaths) have gone on to grow from strength to strength while others (like Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein's apology) have left a bitter taste in the mouth.

How can one say sorry in the right manner then? Using JetBlue's example, Myra Golden shares the following 5 steps for consideration:

1. Outright apology. Start out with a clear and direct apology. eg JetBlue's “We are sorry and embarrassed. But most of all, we are deeply sorry.”

2. Explain what happened and why. Taking the time to explain to a customer what might have caused the problem helps organizations re-establish trust.

3. Acknowledge the customer’s “pain.” Make an empathetic statement that responds to the customer’s emotions.

4. Explain steps you’re taking to minimize problems going forward.

5. Humbly ask for forgiveness. Make a request for your customer’s continued business.

What are your views on corporate apologies? How far should companies go to say sorry?

The Role of Showmanship in Marketing

2011-12-26T07:55:00.000+08:00

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.

Wielding their knives, rolling pins, trays, and cookie cutters with much flair, these professionals were neatly dressed and groomed with chefs hats, aprons, dresses or fitting tees. As customers looked on in amazement - or rather droolworthy expressions - they paraded their craft.

To me, these demonstration chefs are performers on a stage, just like 'live' actors and actresses. Their ability to mesmerize, tease, and tantalize their 'audiences' can make all the difference between success and failure, from the "Wow" factor to the wallet.

Here performance is measured in how effective you are in making customers so enamored, so tempted and so seduced that they decide to reach into their pockets and wallets to bring a couple of boxes home.

There are several points to note:

1) People ARE interested in the process behind how their products and services are made. The trick therefore is to 'prettify' that method and transform it from drudgery to art.

2) Showmanship makes a lot of difference in almost any consumer and lifestyle facing business. The twirl and flipping of a roti prata, the popping of champagne corks, the clasping of a necklace on a lady's neck - these are the stuff that helps make the difference.

3) The audience can tell if you're having a bad day and choose to let it show. It is said that a grumpy chef cooks less tasty food. Similarly, a surly retail assistant or sales person who chooses not to interact with shop browsers is going to cut less deals.

4) Like any art or craft, being a great performer on the consumer goods stage requires hours and hours of practice - maybe even 10,000 hours if you want to be a maestro in the marketplace.

5) Having the right stage, props and tools matter. A shabbily dressed sales staff will find it harder to close deals. Having the right backdrop that is aesthetically pleasing to the senses is also important.

6) Finally, it takes a whole village to raise this child. An entire army of people - open kitchen designers, equipment makers, logistics, food suppliers - are needed. Teamwork is key to making any show a crowd success, and everybody should pull their weight in choreographing the consumer experience.

Was Steve Jobs the Perfect CEO?

2011-12-23T20:18:00.000+08:00

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.

With a watchful eye on the bottomline - particularly in today's jittery financial markets - the CEO must walk the tightrope between betting the farm or maintaining status quo. While he must push the envelope for change if the occasion calls for it, the CEO must also preserve certain semblance of order as total anarchy wouldn't lead to any form of progress.

A good CEO needs to also have both telescopic and microscopic optics, zooming out to see the bigger economic and industry-wide picture and zooming in on the infinitesimal intricacies of product and service features.

Is it then possible for one to find a "Perfect CEO". Well, Steven Levy of Wired Magazine thinks he has. In fact, he is none other than the recently bereaved Steve Jobs.

By now, you would have read tonnes of tributes and lots of leadership lessons (some good ones here, here and here) on Steve Jobs. Some of you may have even bought a copy of his best selling biography.

Sure, Steve Jobs was a great man, but the perfect CEO?

Quoting from Levy, Steve has these qualities which distinguish him from the rest:

"Understanding customers and what they want, even if they don’t know it yet.

Mastery of market dynamics with the acumen of a poker champ.

Commitment to excellence and brutal rejection of “good enough.”

Accountability when things go wrong.

Charisma that makes product launches as exciting as a Springsteen show.

...the ability to defy the corporate equivalent of nature’s law."

Levy went on to cite that Jobs has mastered the "Innovator's Gyre", where each game changing breakthrough is followed by another, and another, and another - a counterpoint to the Innovator's Dilemma. Everybody knows the story of the iMac, iTunes, MacBooks, iPod, iPhone, and iPad.

Like any outstanding leader, Steve Jobs also has a dark side. We know that he has a mercurial temper and is extremely overbearing in ensuring his way (or the highway). He has also embroiled the company in various law suits and been known to maintain a high degree of cloak-and-dagger secrecy. Transparency and openness isn't one of his greatest strengths.

Personally, I feel that perfection may be too strong a word to describe Steve Jobs. For sure he does have fabulous qualities, but his huge overwhelming presence has also made it difficult for Apple to earmark a clear successor. His reluctance to contribute to society through philanthropy has also left a dent on the otherwise sterling reputation of Apple (compared to Bill Gates for instance).

Are there other candidates for the "Perfect CEO" award? Who would you nominate and why?

Disciplined Dreaming: A Book Review

2011-12-21T12:15:00.000+08:00

Can creativity ever be managed? Shouldn't it be a spontaneous process that happens when a flash of brilliance strikes somebody? How can one be creative if one is an engineer/accountant/mechanic?

Well, according to Josh Linkner, CEO of ePrize, anybody in any profession can be creative and it doesn't just happen by accident. In his book Disciplined Dreaming, the business innovator and jazz musician shows that creativity isn't born but made. Any organisation can be a creative one so long as it applies his five step process to strengthen one's "creative chops" as follows:

Step 1: Ask - This entail identifying and clearly defining one's specific Creativity Challenge (the creative project identified for action) and learning how curiosity and awareness can be driven in one's team. A key part of this is the development of a Creativity Brief that articulates and directs one's effort.

Step 2: Prepare - The next step is to develop the mental and physical attributes necessary for the creative process. This includes the clearing of mental and emotional hurdles to creativity, creating a physical environment that is positioned for maximum creative output, and building a supportive culture.

Step 3: Discover - This stage looks at how creative ideas could be bubbled to the surface through concepts like the Borrowed Idea, inflection points, Upside Down, and patterns to trigger one's imagination.

Step 4: Ignite - The real act of generating ideas comes here, with all kinds of techniques ranging from Imbizo groups, the Hot Potato and the Wrong Answer, which are then elaborated into fully formed ideas with techniques like EdgeStorming, RoleStorming (imagine if you're Steve Jobs, what would he say?) and Brain Writing. You can find these examples and more here.

Step 5: Launch - In the final stage, one's analytical left brain is reconnected with the creative right brain to look at tasks like selecting the best ideas, developing KPIs for measuring them, and building an action plan to realise them in a fruitful and productive manner.

To bring the creativity process to life, Linkner spinkles lots of useful tips and methods in the book. In the section on Driving Curiosity and Awareness, for example, one is told to ask the three magic questions (Why? What if? What not?), adopt a beginner's mind, and use a big box (filled with anything and everthing that could lead to inspiration - photos, magazine articles, songs, toys etc). In chapter 5, one is also taught the seven rules of creative cultures, namely:

1) Fuel passion

2) Celebrate ideas

3) Foster autonomy

4) Encourage courage

5) Fail forward

6) Think small

7) Maximize diversity

In my opinion, the most useful part of the book is the section on ideation (Ignite). Here, Linkner provides useful tips like the Eight Commandments of Ideation (Thou Shall Not Judge, Thou Shall Not Comment, Thou Shall Not Edit, Thou Shall Not Execute, Thou Shall Not Worry, Thou Shall Not Look Backwards, Thou Shall Not Lose Focus, Thou Shall Not Sap Energy) and techniques on brainstorming. I particularly like the method created by Alex Osborn with the acronym SCAMPER, ie Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Magnify or minimise, Put to other use, Eliminate, Rearrange or reverse.

To strengthen his key thesis, Linkner cites numerous examples of companies and individuals which have embraced creativity from Pixar, Cold Stone Creamery, ZipCar, Amazon, Quicken Loans, Tony Robbins, Intel and more. Many of these stories were fascinating. For example, one learns that Nintendo opted to build a device with a better game experience (Wii) rather than deliver the best graphics and sound to compete with Sony's Playstation and Microsoft's XBox (this was called the Upside Down concept of turning a problem around).

Compellingly written with lots of useful anecdotes and ideas, Disciplined Dreaming provides a good way to dive into the world of ideation, imagineering, and creative strategising. Pick this book up if you're looking to sweep away the cobwebs of run-of-the-mill business strategies and are game to turbo-charge your creativity processes.

Does Sex-vertising Really Sell?

2011-12-15T23:42:00.000+08:00

Everybody's now talking about the shirtless Abercrombie & Fitch greeters (Courtesy of A&F)

In the last few days, many would have seen the muscular half-naked guys in red pants, flexing their bare wares for all to see. Hired by Abercrombie & Fitch in Singapore for their store opening, they have created a buzz on Facebook, especially amongst the fairer sex.

Of course, this isn't the first time that A&F, renowned for using sex in their selling, has created a sensation. The uber fashion brand also created ruckus in Orchard Road with a huge and "indecent" half naked torso.

Courtesy of Coffee with Amee

Of course, girls have always been the subject of erotic imagery in ads, much more than than guys. A recent example from PETA (well known for using nude celebrities in their cause against animal cruelty) is seen below:

Courtesy of Trends Updates

The question I want to ask, however, is this:

Does sex in advertising sell? More importantly, will it work for your brand?

Well, for a start, using half-naked models or sexual imagery certainly helps in grabbing one's attention in a highly cluttered consumer landscape. Like love, food, and fresh air, sex is one of the instinctive urges wired into our primitive brain. Studies have shown that these effects influence both our physiological and cognitive senses - in other words, both involuntary and voluntary responses.

Having sexual innuendoes, nudity or visual images of physical attraction also generates buzz as seen in the A&F example above. The more sensational the ads, the more publicity they would generate, at least during the short term, and some would even "go viral".

Certain brands were also built on sex (or at least in its portrayal). Calvin Klein, Victoria's Secret, and more recently Abercrombie & Fitch consistently employ highly sexualised images to generate their business. According to this article, sex may work for products with a sex-related brand benefit (eg condoms for instance).

However, there are some dangers inherent in this "bedroom" game.

First, the strong reactions cited above are often negative and mostly by women. For years, feminist groups like AWARE in Singapore have lobbied against the portrayal of women as sex objects. To circumvent this, it is important to portral erotic appeal in the right context (eg in a relationship as opposed to a fling).

The heavy reliance on physical appeal alone may also not work if one's core product isn't up to scratch. I recall that a few years ago, a bubble tea shop employed bikini clad models as a gimmick to generate sales through "oogling" customers. That venture quickly fizzled out as the core product itself wasn't tasty enough to quench the thirst of customers, eye candy notwithstanding.

In a similarly vein, brands that deploy sex in advertising may also lose their message if their product has little relevance to what's being portrayed. While cars and girls have always gone together, vehicle workshops and tire/battery shops may not find it profitable to use the fairer gender in their ads.

Finally, if everybody is doing it, there is a danger of message dilution. Being unique and differentiated sometimes mean going against the flow. If all clothing retailers use a half naked torso, having one yourself isn't going to help you stand out from the "barely there" crowd.

What are your views on sex in advertising?

Should You Hire the Generalist or the Specialist?

2011-12-13T21:34:00.000+08:00

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?

Before we sign the contract with our "dream candidate", it may be useful to walk through the 3 "Cs" of recruitment as follows:

First, identify where your organisational competencies are. Do you lack a critical area of expertise (eg accounting, corporate law, software development) that is needed to push the organisation forward? Is there an important gap in management and leadership experience which cannot be covered by other members of the team? By asking these questions, you'll be able to determine if a candidate with vertical versus horizontal expertise is required.

The culture of your organisation is also important. If you're structured like a Silicon Valley start-up with a pool of mainly geeks and nerds wired to their computers and mobiles, bringing in an accounting trained CFO to "regulate the mess" may be a tough call unless he or she has some tolerance for ambiguity. In cases like this, consider if its better to procure such services from a professional services firm as opposed to forcing a square peg into a round hole.

Lastly, bear in mind the context of your organisation and the industry in which it operates in. If the organisation is going through a change management process where creative brainstorming and problem solving is needed, you may need to hire folks who have greater breadth in their experience so that they can look beyond the obvious. On the other hand, companies transiting towards a more steady state environment may require professionally trained builders to put in the nuts and bolts of the organisation, piece by piece. Here, depth and specialisation is needed.

In thinking through the above, one would have a clearer idea of who the best candidate would be. The candidate should have the right mix of depth and breadth in experience and expertise, specially tailored to the unique and specific needs of your organisation.

Contrary to popular belief, he or she isn't the most highly qualified person in the room who is "appropriately priced". Rather, the best candidate is one who best fits the needs of your organisation considering its competencies, culture, and context.

Celebritize Yourself: A Book Review

2011-12-11T22:49:00.001+08:00

Images courtesy of Celebritize Yourself

[Article first published as Book Review: Celebritize Yourself: The Three Step Method to Increase Your Visibility by Marsha Friedman on Blogcritics.]

Are you keen to be better known and respected in your field of expertise? Have you wondered how seemingly ordinary folks - policeman, plumbers, teachers and housewives - have risen to become well known household names?

If you do, consider adopting the principles written by Marsha Friedman in Celebritize Yourself: The 3-Step Method To Increase Your Visibility and Explode Your Business. So what are the three steps? They are:

1) Write!

2) Speak!

3) Sell!

Written in simple plain English with a direct "DIY" style, Celebritize Yourself outlines the benefits of being a celebrity, describes how one should publish a book to establish credibility in any field, and elaborates on the publicity generating process. Backed by Friedman's own experience as a seasoned PR consultant, the slim volume narrates the whos, whys, whats, whens and hows of achieving personal limelight.

To reinforce learning, salient points for key ideas are summarised into factoids. Examples of these are:

"Opportunity has no birth date, though it most definitely has an expiration date."

"For your book to become your marketing tool, you must become the architect - the carpenter, if you will - of your very own celebrity."

"Your message is what will define you."

The first three chapters of Celebritize Yourself adopts an introspective "why should I be doing this" approach. Peppered with examples from the real and "reel" worlds, Friedman highlights the pros and cons of stardom, helps us to identify how we can change the world, encourages us to determine our weaknesses, and provide tips on how we can make transform ourselves accordingly.

With the foundation in place, the book next elaborates on the book writing and publishing process (hint: you don't have to do it all yourself) and strategies on generating publicity. From the local presses to nationwide TV, Friedman shares that the way to secure an interview is to be entertaining, informative and motivating. We're also told about the importance of having a good sound bite and how this makes all the difference - in fact, the book is chockfull of them on every page!

In the final three chapters or so of the book, Friedman dives more deeply into the nuts and bolts of the business of fame. Here, we're taught about the process of newsmaking and why different approaches are needed for radio, TV and print media like newspapers, magazines and websites. To clarify our journey, we're also asked a series of questions, namely:

1) What's Your Vision for Celebrity?
2) What is Your Commitment to Your Vision?
3) What is Your Own Unique Message?
4) Why Does Your Message Appeal to You?
5) Why Will Your Message Appeal to Others?
6) Who's Your Target Audience?
7) What's Your Plan for Celebrity?
8) When Will You Start?
9) Have You Picked the Right Teammates?
10) How Will You Measure Success?
11) How Did You Score?

With its target set on lay readers who may be doctors, chefs, insurance agents or anybody with an area of specialisation, the book is more heavily slanted towards personal motivation than management methodology. As a seasoned PR practitioner, I find that much of the book's publicity tips are fairly commonsensical. You can probably find most of these strategies if you surf article websites and blogs widely and deeply enough.

Having said that, I like the optimistic (almost bouncy) way in which Friedman paints the picture of personal profile building. Personal branding, publishing and PR strategies are presented in a refreshingly straightforward manner without the usual marketing speak. With the proliferation of personal profiles and in the age of "Me Media", building one's star status becomes more important than ever before, and Friendman's book provides a good road map of the way ahead.

Special thanks to my buddy Daniel Goh of Young Upstarts for making this review copy available to me.

Why Leaders Should Embrace a Higher Calling

2011-12-09T21:00:00.000+08:00

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.

The key is to adopt a long-term rather than short-term view. Manage and lead your companies according to higher order values and purposes as opposed to quarterly gains.

How should companies do so?

First, invest in building human and social capital. Keep your hiring process highly selective and rigourous, with a mind towards maintaining a positive corporate culture. In Southwest Airlines, for example, only one out of 100 applicants get the job.

Next, don't grow too fast and end up overextending your company. If possible, try to keep debt low and manageable. In the case of Southwest Airlines, the company was able to minimise the retrenching of staff in a downturn by keeping their debts low so that they could afford to pay their staff.

Thirdly, one should forge a strategic identity. This begins by looking at the services or products you offer, the markets that you're in, and why your company is doing what its doing from an inside-out rather than an outside-in perspective.

Don't chase profits like what many firms in Wall Street (or the Stock Exchange of Singapore) do. Instead, discern what your company's passions are, what its values are, and find the intersect between market profits and purpose. This may translate to a steadier and slower rate of profitable growth but it will be more sustainable and enduring over the long-term.

In other words, look at building an institution (ie long-term view) rather than be ruled by quarterly earnings in the market. In doing so, adopt a multi stakeholder view - community, customer, supplier, distributor, investor - as opposed to merely satisfying one's shareholders.

Create a performance-based culture - one which is inventive and innovative in times of troubles to develop solutions to ride through the storm. This entails creative high standards and enrolling people in those standards.

Once the above are done, policies should then be shaped according to these perspectives.

In doing the above, companies can then tell Wall Street the long story rather than the short story about their firms. In most cases, this story does sell and would probably attract the right kind of investors.

Another example of a company which embraced higher ambitions is United Stationers. The company's strategies enable their partners and customers to succeed, as opposed to gaining pure profitability for themselves. Thus they create a higher purpose of serving their community and customers, giving them more meaning, and is rewarded with a more consistent performance on Wall Street.

On a national level, how can such practices be "evangelised" more effectively? Well, Harvard Business School has a few ideas for a start, namely:

1) Creating linkages between CEOs who think like this, and start a movement. This will resulting in the building of a set of norms that eventually become conventional wisdom.

2) Propose changes in the elements of the context in which business operates. For example public policies in buying and selling equities could help to reverse the speculative fervour, encouraging investors to get back to holding stock for longer periods of time instead of speculating obsessively.

3) Encourage management reforms amongst one's board of directors. These governance bodies should move away from short-term fiduciary duties to longer term building of a company and its culture.

4) Leadership as a discipline would also need to be more established in business schools. This includes inculcating values more clearly in the syllabus. For example, integrity actually requires integration between what you do, what you say and how you function rather than just honesty alone.

5) Finally, at the CEO level, a return to performance over the long term as opposed to short term is key. This requires the steering of companies towards sustained compounded performance which is above average in one's industry while breaking away from the scourge of shorter and shorter timeframes in management.

The Thank You Economy: A Book Review

2011-12-07T21:40:00.000+08:00

Written by straight-talking serial entrepreneur and founder of Winelibrary.com Gary Vaynerchuk, The Thank You Economy presents a no-holds-barred approach to how businesses can leverage on the power of social media. Packed with case studies from online retail darling Zappos, burger joint AJ Bombers, burrito selling Boloco, Dr Irena Vaksman (a tweeting dentist!) to the Joie de Vivre Hotels, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal best seller is written in his characteristic heart-on-the-sleeve and conversational manner.

For an idea of what this means, check out the video featuring Gary below:

Unlike university professors or big-name consultants, Gary doesn't waste time on fancy frameworks or theoretical underpinnings. Instead, his ideas are honed from the school of hard knocks, peppered with anecdotes from his own experience and a sprinkling of statistics. Hailing the return of personalised, one-on-one attention, the book proposes that caring for one's customers, overdelivering on their brand experience, and building a rock solid company culture can trigger the Word of Mouth marketing while sustaining customer communities.

A huge fan of social media and networks, particularly Twitter and Facebook where he drew much of his examples from, Gary dedicated an entire chapter to the importance of social media. While admitting that traditional media still has a place in the marketing mix - Gary himself has advertised on New York billboards to promote his previous book Crush It! - managing one's online communities is paramount in the Thank You Economy.

My favourite chapter is the one critiquing the Old Spice Man commercials. Although the campaign created a major spike in sales and brand awareness for the heritage toiletry brand, it did not follow through with its hordes of 120,000 fans on Twitter. As a result, it was seen more as a "sprinter stuck in a traditional marketing mind-set, not a marathon runner living in the Thank You Economy".

So what are the key ideas in the Thank You Economy? They're pretty straightforward actually, and include:

1) Caring for one's customers, employees, vendors and brand - with everything that one's got.

2) Erasing any lines in the sand (ie not being afraid of trying anything new or unfamiliar), especially when it comes to deploying social media.

3) Showing up first in a market, early and ahead of the rest.

4) Instilling a culture of caring in one's business by being self-aware, committing to change, walking the talk, investing in one's employees, hiring culturally compatible folks, being authentic and empowering one's team.

5) Remembering that there is a C behind every B2B transaction.

6) Speaking one's customers' language and allowing customers to help shape one's business or brand without losing control of the direction.

7) Building a sense of community around one's brand or business.

8) Deploying both traditional and social media to extend the conversation. Gary calls this the "Ping-Pong" effect. Here, brands should try to "earn media"

9) Directing one's marketing initiatives towards the emotional centre and the creative extremes. In other words, connecting to the hearts of your customers while being boldly creative.

10) Embracing good intent, aiming for quality engagements rather than quantity. Inauthentic intents can often be easily sniffed out in a transparent social media mediated world.

11) Use shock and awe to blow your customers' minds and get them talking. Here, Gary is talking about overdelivering on the customer experience such that they have nothing but great things to say about you.

12) Use "pull" tactics (engagement, conversation, service) that remind consumers why they should care about your brand.

13) Play it big if you're small, and play it small if you're big.

14) Don't be afraid to crawl before you run.

The final chapter of The Thank You Economy contained little thoughts, ideas, and snippets in a style which echoed Seth Godin's own approach. Paying homage to Zappos and its legendary founder Tony Hsieh, it reproduced Hsieh's email to all Zappos employees following its sale via a share swap to Amazon. Gary cited this as an example of how one should communicate to one's employees in a company obsessed with a customer centric culture.

Before I end, let me offer a word of caution. While the book does have many useful ideas for entrepreneurs or intrepreneurs, one should also be mindful about running oneself ragged. Work related burnout is a very real issue in this day and age, and trying to be all things to your customer may derail your own health and peace of mind if it borders on obsession-compulsion. For sure, you should keep the tweets coming and to respond to them, but do remember that you're human too.

How Tightly Should You Manage Your Team?

2011-12-05T21:50:00.000+08:00

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".

Often, the nicknames used for such leaders include dictator, warlock, or Hitler.

The second approach is the newer "Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom" style. Here, we're talking about a rather lasse fairez leader who allows his/her colleagues to run the show whichever way they want to. Instructions, if any, are often ambiguous, and members of this team need to "roll with the punches" and guard their own backs as the game proceeds.

Often, the nicknames for such leaders include country club manager, papasan/mamasan, or just the dude.

The question is this. Which leadership style should you adopt?

I suppose most of us already know the answer. Yes, it all depends on the circumstances and contexts of your organisation.

In a transitional or new organisation like a start-up, company undergoing restructuring, and M&A targets, a tougher style is needed. Here, survival is paramount, and having everybody on board and paddling in the same direction is key if one is to ride the storms of entrepreneurial uncertainty. With an objective clearly fixed in everyone's mind, the only way to move is forward.

Some may argue that some flexibility may be needed in times of change. This depends on the maturity and experience of the staff on the team. While some leeway could be given to competent talents, the limited time and resources available often mean that one cannot spend too much time on unnecessary discourse.

In a more steady-state organisation like a market leading company or a long-time family business, a looser style of management may be useful. Here, product or service innovation, ie "what's the next big thing", is key. By relinquishing some control, one is able to engage the minds of one's team in reflecting about the situation and coming up with the next "game changer".

Often, the team members in a mature organisation tend to be more experienced and have stayed longer with the firm. The goal here is not so much to tell them what to do, but rather, to excite them and light their fires so that they can create and innovate once again.

To help you visualise this better, let me introduce two charts and theories in organisational management.

The first is the situational leadership theory developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard as seen below:

Source: Hersey, P. and Blanchard, K., (1982) Management of Organisational Behaviour: Utilising Human Resources. 4th edition. Prentice Hall International. New York (Image source here)

Unlike other charts, this one actually moves backwards from right to left. Beginning from S1 and ending at S4, you can see that a more delegatory style of management is embraced as the organisation and its team matures.

Combining this with the stages of an organisation, we get the next chart below, also known as Tuckman's Stages of Group Development:

Image source here

In the forming stage, everybody's getting to understand each other's style and here, independent players must be made to work as a team. Moving on to the next storming stage, differing views and ideas must be synergised by the leader, with a fine balance needed. Norming is what happens when teams can agree on a common goal and to move forward, and successful teams will then reach the final stage of performing. Leadership styles will then adapt itself accordingly.

From the above, one can tell that the degree of management control really depends on many factors. Evaluate what stage your organisation is in and how ready your team members are. Finally, of course, you must be comfortable with the preferred mode of management.

World's First Transformers Ride Opens in Singapore

2011-12-03T09:41:00.001+08:00

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.

Decked to resemble the military NEST (Networked Elements: Supporters and Transformers) facility from the series, Transformers The Ride is located within Sci-Fi City. Considered Asia's most technologically advanced motion thrill ride, the attraction includes a retail store (Transformers Supply Vault) for die-hard fanboys and a food and beverage venue (the Starbot Cafe). Theme park guests will also be welcomed by walking Optimus Prime and Bumblebee characters.

Thanks to Matthew and Krist from Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), I experienced the unveiling of the ride last night, graced by Transformers film director and executive producer Michael Bay. Join me on a visual journey as I embark on the "Ultimate 3D Battle".

Striking a pose with a serious looking NEST "army officer".

Entering the "highly protected" NEST facility. I'm amazed at the number of screens they have throughout the themed attraction!

Robot party central, with a huge screen in the middle of the stage. Wait a minute, isn't that...

...Bumblebee? Yes, he is perched high up keeping a watchful eye on us.

Genting Group Chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay addressing the audience, joined by Universal Parks & Resorts boss Tom Williams.

Watch this video to witness the dramatic entrance of Transformers film director Michael Bay.

These "soldiers" in camouflage joined in the action next, bringing in the "Allspark" for the launch.

VIPs and the winner of a contest (who has the Autobot insignia shaved on his head!) launching the ride by giving "power" to the "Allspark" shard.

After a puff of smoke and pyrotechnics, they were joined by Optimus Prime and Bumblebee! Who says a robot cannot be in two places at one time?

Enough of the ceremony - let's dive into the action!

We walked through rather long passageways built to resemble the facility. Thankfully, there was never a dull moment with lots of anticipation building stuff to see.

Intruders are obviously not welcomed here.

Optimus Prime abandoned the VIPs he was accompanying earlier and barking us our orders.

I thought these computers and buttons had a certain old school feel.

Another shard of the Allpark, "powering" our adventure.

Somebody lost his metallic arm here...

... no wonder he is pissed like hell (its Megatron by the way).

OK kids, here's how you do it. Sit four in a row, stay behind the safety bar, and don't try anything funny!

The metallic cast of the movie and the ride are presented in this "computer".

Almost there guys, now pick up your glasses and get ready.

Striking another pose, with the EVAC ride vehicle in the background.

My final shot before I was "commanded" to put away my camera. The ride itself was all headspinning, vertigo inducing, and hyperrealistic 3D excitement. It was awesomely action-packed, with winds, water, heat, smoke, and lights transporting one to the scene of a furious battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons. I'd rate it 110% for its heart-lurching gut-wrenching action.

After the ride, we carried our limp bodies into the well stocked retail store, stocked with all kinds of Transformers toys and merchandise.

I like this glass showcase of the robot toys on sale here, bathed in blue light.

Feeling hungry after the mission? Fear not as you can fuel up at the Starbot Cafe.

Outside, the party is still going on with a band (was it Jive Talkin?) performing. In the foreground is the world's most famous Chevrolet Camaro.

More indulgences after all that "hard work" battling giant alien robots!

Society 2.0, Social Tools and Gamification

2011-12-01T21:48:00.000+08:00

Preetam Rai of Global Voices Online (courtesy of GovCamp Singapore)

In an ideal Web 2.0 enabled world populated by active and engaged citizens, the public would be engaged, empowered and encouraged to use social technologies and digital tools to build a better society. As the government does not have a monopoly on ideas, it would be critical for citizens to help themselves so to speak.

What then are some of the developments in this area, and how can one take that tentative first step forward? Well, there are lots of food for thought from three sessions which I recently attended at the second Govcamp Singapore.

First, Prof Ashish Lall shared several trends that seem prevalent about Society 2.0:

- Citizens now understand what the key issues are. If they're given the right platform, many would be trusted to do the right thing. For example, in Chicago, more than 3,000 public suggestions were given in 13 months, 97% of which were on topic for a specific area. This was responded to by city leaders, NGOs and other civic groups, resulting in positive social infrastructure like heated bus stops, better train security and mroe bike lanes in the State.

- The financial crisis in Iceland has resulted in a form of "mob rule" where they're now crowdsourcing for a new constitution.

- In a certain sense, everybody is an expert. Thus, it may be useful to tap on the collective "wisdom of crowds" leveraging on the powers of the social web. The American Public Media has done this through the Public Insight Network. This provides a network which connects people who are experts in their personal passions and areas, thumbing its nose at elitists and professionals.

- There isn't a brain drain, considering that tools like Innocentive help to drive innovation, encouraging everybody to become a solver. Resumes and degrees appear to matter less than one's expertise in specific areas.

- Openly available government data could come in useful, for example the Billion Prices Project at MIT which provides a daily index of all online prices. The price data and statistics are collected from a wide variety of online sources, and are extremely useful to manufacturers and retailers keen to know how to price their products right in different global markets.

- The key is to leverage on the community and to build a society that is trust rather than compliance based. Examples of engendering this trust comes in the form of examples like a pledge bank which covers various causes, including trees in Kenya (trees4kenya).

Sharing on the related issue of using social tools in emergencies, Preetam Rai highlighted the example of Random Hacks of Kindness, and how a winning team in Jakarta built a software for social activism. Common examples of using Twitter to alert the public on natural disasters (Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Tsunamis), and of using mobile alerts were also cited.

An interesting worst case scenario was also cited, namely, what would happen in the event that the Internet fails (God forbid!). These include radical ideas like using Ham Radio, SMSes, and good old phone tag. I suppose where there's a will (to collaborate and to alert), there's a way!

Finally, to make the process of activism more rewarding and tangible, Roan Yong suggested that the principles of gamification could come in to help propel that next worthy cause. While having a shared purpose is a worthy starting point, collaboration may fail if you expect a leaderless movement without a coherent purpose to succeed (eg Occupy Wall Street).

In Roan's world, game design techniques includes elements such as the addictiveness factor, task autonomy, incentives, visible progress tracking, social validation, reputation system, and expertise matching. These components help social collaboration initiatives to more likely succeed. Examples include TED.com and Salesforce.com.

Personally, I felt that hingeing on game design alone may be oversimplifying the job of enlisting, engaging and sustaining a citizen-mediated effort to improve society. There are many other factors which lead to a movement gaining more traction over others. For example, the value of the cause, how meaningful and impactful it is, and of course the charisma and likeability of its purveyors.

I guess with all that knowledge and inspiration, the only thing which remains now is to start something. If you're willing to take up the challenge - or just want to give your two cents worth (like me) - do participate in the Wiki on GovCamp SG in the link here.

Conversational Capital: Book Review

2011-11-29T20:42:00.002+08:00

Article first published as Book Review: Conversational Capital by Bertrand Cesvet on Blogcritics.

By now, many would've heard of buzz and viral marketing, experiential marketing, and the art of conversational marketing. Many would have also learned about three key marketing ideas: creating a Purple Cow, pushing an idea over the Tipping Point, and the almost religious need to use social media in marketing.

What's the newest trick in the marketing bag? Enter Conversational Capital, a book written by Bertrand Cesvet, Tony Babinski, and Eric Alper from experiential brand collective SID LEE.

According to the authors, Conversational Capital can be seen in many leading "talkable" brands like Cirque du Soleil, Apple, adidas, Red Bull, IKEA, and the Volkswagen Beetle. It is about designing and creating products and services that are so meaningful and engaging that one's consumers feel personally invested in sharing stories about the brand.

At its core, the concept is embedded in the eight engines of Conversational Capital:

1) Rituals - These are behaviours or rites that one engages in to mark an "exalted" experience. Examples include the clowns interacting with audiences prior to each Cirque du Soleil show and the squeezing of a fresh lime into a Corona beer bottle.

A special category - Initiation - may even involve some degree of work (think of the first time you went swimming). Resonant rituals help to enrich experiences.

2) Exclusive Product Offering (EPO) - This occurs when a consumer experience is specially customised and individualised such that it appears to be tailored just for you.; When it is created in such a personal fashion, it helps to strengthen the salience of the brand. Examples include having monogrammed napkins with one's name for first time diners at the Regent Hotel in Hong Kong, and Starbucks allowing you to order coffee anyway you like it.

Over-delivery is what happens when a brand goes out of the way to strengthen customer engagement. It includes features, services or benefits that "Wow" customers and create talkability.

3) Myth - Yes, urban brand legends are always good for storytelling. As an engine of Conversational Capital, myth is about creating a strong brand story that captures the attention and imagination beyond just product features and benefits. Examples include how Steve Jobs founded Apple, and the "secret ingredient" in Coke.

4) Relevant Sensory Oddity (RSO) - Here, Conversational Capital meets experience design. As much as possible, one should surprise one's consumers by stimulating his/her range of senses: sight, sound, taste, scent, touch and feel. This should however be relevant and resonant in a meaninful way. Examples are Herman Miller's uniquely designed (and expensive) Aeron Chair, Abercrombie & Fitch (famous for the buzzworthy nude male torso in Singapore) for their anti-retail store environment, and Innocent Drinks with healthy juices in six ounce bottles.

5) Icons - These have strong symbolic value and can be anything that is rich in association and evocative power: places, buildings, people, logos, product designs, packaging, labels, and more. Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates are icons, and so is the Red Bull can.

6) Tribalism - Tribes are about forming customer communities and drawing like-minded folks together through brand stories that form and affirm their identities. Customer Capital happens when companies help to facilitate the formation of groups and communities based on their tastes, preferences and principles. The Build-a-Bear retail workshop forms tribes amongst lovers of customised cuddlies, and Harley Davidson riders themselves have formed strong tribes (most notably the Harley Owners Group or HOGs).

7) Endorsement - Here, endorsement is about getting your consumers to freely and independently advocate your brand without any solicitation or endorsement. In other words, if you build the experience compelling enough, "the magic will happen". It is not about paying celebrities or dignitaries to speak up for you. Endorsers are "converts".

8) Continuity - The final engine of Conversational Capital is about ensuring that you walk the talk, say what you mean, and mean what you say. It is about coherence, integrity, and consistency across every step of the way, as shown in this figure below from the book:

Source: Conversational Capital

To bring the eight engines roaring into life, the book provides tips on designing and implementing a solution. On design, one is told to know oneself and one's story, know what people want, assemble a multidisciplinary and culturally diverse team, multipl one's cultural referenes, dare to be different, think like an entrepreneur and to use the 8 engines above. Implementation, on the other hand, is about packaging one's ideas, building a prototype, monitoring progress, rolling out one's experience and improving one's work along the way.

While the ideas aren't entirely new - many of the concepts appear to be old wine in new wineskins - I like how the authors attempt to piece various marketing ideas into a coherent whole. As a trigger for action, Conversational Capital does set one thinking about how experiences can be better designed, looking at one's consumer pathways while emphasising unique and salient features.

If you're looking for some ideas on how you can generate more word-of-mouth in your business, this may be a good place to start. However, be warned that it isn't a comprehensive self-help book. Ultimately, the success of brands like IKEA, Cirque du Soleil or Schwartz's (a much loved smoked meat restaurant in Montreal) may be equal parts accident and equal parts design.

SPF's First Facebook Arrest - Crowdsleuthing in Action

2011-11-27T00:01:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to our boys and girls in blue for making the first Facebook arrest!

According to the Singapore Police Force's (SPF) media release, this development came on 11 Nov 2011 (an auspicious 11/11/11!) when a "public-spirited person called 999 and informed that he could identify a loanshark suspect from a photo posted on the Police Facebook Page since July 2009. The action led to the arrest of two 19 year old suspects for involvement in loanshark harassment activities in the Bukit Merah area.

Established since 2009, SPF's Facebook Page has garnered almost 190,000 "Likes". The page has helped to raise awareness not only of ongoing criminal cases but enhanced public education on law and safety. Apparently, this has worked as a complementary channel to traditional media in soliciting clues and appeals for help from the population.

While SPF's arrest of "crowdsleuthing" is the first such case in Singapore, the impact of social media and mobile channels in crime solving has been quite significant all over the world. Here are some more recent examples:

- In the US, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has used its Facebook Page to garner clues which resulted in recovering the body of a missing 34 year old mother Melissa Ann Best in Illinois. The tips from Facebook helped police to locate the lost van in which her body was found.

- Facebook and Twitter has helped to increase tips to the Missoula County Sheriff's Department in Montana, USA by more than 50%. This is remarkable even with just a modest 585 "Likes" on the Sheriff's Facebook page.

- Closer to home in China, police has used their equivalent of Facebook called Sina Weibo (新浪微博) to crack a kidnapping ring involving 15 children from Zunyi, Guizhou, who were sold them to places in Henan, Shaanxi, and Hebei. Over 1,500 tips and clues were submitted to their social network page for the case.

While the home security authorities in these countries and municipalities have embraced social media in the fight against crime, citizens have also embraced social tools to empower themselves.

An example of such a network is Crimestoppers International, a globally based platform which sprung from the UK which has made waves in highlighting prominent cases. In a similar fashion, citizens in the US have also organised themselves to fight crime using social media through online initiatives like Crimeseen.

Both platforms allow reports and tip offs to be made through confidential channels (phone or email), allowing informants to remain anonymous while ensuring that some degree of verification is made (to prevent bogus reports).

Over in Latin America, crime maps have also been used to chart the occurrence of crimes in different regions. Examples include WikiCrimes in Brazil and Victeams in Venezuela. These are useful in helping police departments to zoom in on "problem" areas and study trends.

As the war against crime hots up - many of which are ironically committed through social media and mobile channels themselves - it makes sense for security forces to engage citizens online. The increasing ubiquity of smartphones and "always-on" connectivity of social networks make it increasingly easy for citizens to play their part in making the world a safer place to live in. Conversely security forces could increasingly tap on the collective observation powers and "social antennae" of the public in sussing out clues, tip offs and suspects.

The next time you see your local police officer "just surfing the web", he or she may actually be investigating a case as opposed to just goofing off!

Imagine Wearing Your Customer's Shoes

2011-11-24T23:39:00.000+08:00

Consider what your customers will look, smell, touch and feel - from the start to end of your experience

Let's try this thought exercise for a few minutes.

Imagine that you're a customer of your own company's business. This could be anything of course, depending on what your company do. During this time, you should don the hat of your prospective customer, be he or she a swinging single, working parent, active ager, awkward teen, or urban professional.

First, what would make you attracted to "that company's" products and services? How do you find information on those goods or services? What would the chance be like for you to encounter information on that product or service in your reading/watching/listening habits?

OK, the advertisement/editorial write up/website managed to stir your interest. Now what is the next step? Should you call, fax, email, or travel to the premises offering that product? How about calling a friend or family member to get their opinion? Perhaps you want to "google" the company to see what others think.

After some hesitation - or perhaps none at all - you proceed to the place of transaction. Now imagine what factors you'll consider as a consumer: When should I go down to purchase that product? How much time should or can I spend doing so? How much is my budget for this? Would I do this on its own (eg a day at the zoo), or would I bundle other associated activities together (eg shopping for groceries)?

Now, you're at the shop/attraction/restaurant. What is the first thing that you would consider? Do you expect to be greeted enthusiastically or do I prefer to be left alone? How would you navigate your way around - visual icons, signages, staff directing me or other cues? Would you mind waiting for 5, 10, 30, 60 minutes?

As you walk through the aisles/tables/exhibits, think about the sensory encounters that you would experience. What are the sounds that you hope to hear? Are there any scents that envelop your nostrils (hopefully pleasant)? How about the textures on the wall, or the shapes/colours/patterns that you see? Do these augment or agitate your experience?

Finally, you arrive at where the product is placed/service is provided. What would you first do? Will you look at the price tags or price lists? Maybe you'll scrutinise the box, check out its ingredients, or study the packaging. Or perhaps the shape and ergonomics of the product, enthusiasm of the service staff, and ease of use (ala Apple products)?

After you have decided to buy the product or consume the service, what would you next do? Walk to the cashier and make your payment perhaps? How is the payment experience like - fast and fuss-free (or slow and painful)? Do you expect to receive anything after the purchase - like a card, an email, or even an SMS to "thank you for shopping with us" with an offer attached?

As you make your way home on the bus/train/car/plane, consider what your thoughts would be. Would you rush to tell all your family and friends about it via SMS, Facebook, Twitter or face-to-face? Maybe you prefer to just keep quiet.

And so on and so forth...

Now if you write down what you expect to experience every step of the way, and be as meticulous as you can, you would have the makings of a customer experience pathway. Design it in the most ideal manner possible - subject to costs and available resources - and you probably have the start of an ideal marketing plan.

The trick is to take the vantage point of your customer, rather than your company. Its not what you want to market or sell to them. Its what they would respond to and be attracted by.

Only by doing so would your firm truly be able to call itself a customer centric business.

[Article first published as Imagine Wearing Your Customer's Shoes on Technorati.]

Insights from GovCamp Singapore

2011-11-22T08:05:00.000+08:00

Should one protect privacy but ban anonymity on the web? Are citizens able to "DIY" to form their own self helping communities? Do we have adequate access to data that can improve our lives?

These are the sort of questions which arose from the recent GovCamp Singapore, organised by Microsoft with the support of various institutions like IDA, NUS and ISS. As I look back on the various sessions I've attended, here are some lessons I've learnt.

Key Policy Issues

Prof Jane Fountain proposed that in considering online engagement with citizens, governments around the world have to think about the following:

1) Allowing equitable and affordable access to information and services on the web

2) The readiness of civil service to embrace Gov 2.0 ideals

3) Encouraging citizen co-production of information and services

4) Levels of citizen engagement wanted and needed

5) Stimulating communal problem solving as opposed to just opening yet another complaint box

6) Understanding the constituents of digital citizens - who are they and who do they represent?

From Government to Citizen

She next shared how the Obama Administration in the US developed various social networking platforms to engage US citizens, from Apps.Gov, Idea Factory, Buisness.Gov to Defense Solutions. Of course, Obama himself rose to presidential fame partly due to the effectiveness of his efforts in social media engagement. These Gov 2.0 ideas are further mirrored by countries like Malta, a population of 408,373 looking to position itself as an ICT hub, and the UK which has an active programme of citizen engagement online.

From Citizen/NGOs to Citizen

Beyond the more top-down approach, examples from several countries have shown how the public could rally together using citizen sourced solutions. For example, Ushahidi - an open source and crowdsourced project - has allowed citizens to use fairly primitive mobile technologies (like SMS) to report on issues. For example, citizens in Sudan could report voting right abuses while those in Haiti could use the platform to sound the alert on emergencies.

Another example is Wildlife Trackers, which encourages folks to track the status of endangered wildlife species using a combination of crowdsourcing and visualisation tools. Other examples include Samasource, Crowd Flower, Many Hands and more.

Politics 2.0

Perhaps the more prominent examples came from the space of using social media to incite revolutions and causes. Everybody would have now heard of the Arab Spring, beginning from Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and possibly spreading to Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and more. Closer to home, the "Occupy" movement has shown some traction around the world, although with mixed success.

In Latin America, the "Pink Tide" is an example of radical populism where social media is used by Venvezuelan leader Hugo Chavez to villainise western corporate greed.

When the State Muscles In

In extreme cases where the State takes control of social media channels, information on the web may be filtered and propaganda is channeled - sometimes rather surreptitiously - on the social networks. An example is China's "Fifty Cent Party" where citizens were paid to vote on issues. Another issue is that of IT firms allowing "backdoor" access to citizen data for government surveillance purposes.

Active Citizenship and Public Engagement

In a rowsing discussion on the issue of citizen engagement, James Kang of IDA Singapore highlighted the government's e-government masterplan termed "Collaborative Government" that looks at the pillars of co-creating for better value, connecting for better participations, and catalysing whole-of-government transformation. Citizen participation is key to any Gov 2.0 initiative, and it was important for the public to step forward to play their part in shaping what they want. He then cited the possibility of introducing personal data management so that citizens can share data when they want it with whomever they wish if there is merit.

Prof Ashish Lall raised a somewhat controversial idea that one can have the right to privacy but not anonymity on the Internet. This is in the name of championing greater transparency and openness in dialogue. He added that access to technology alone isn't enough as there must be a reason for citizen activism, citing how the more positive stories seem to arise from poor countries with lousier technology infrastructure.

Caveat Emptor!

While there are many rich possibilities in leveraging on social and mobile technologies, several caveats exist in this space:

1) The challenge of balancing transparency and accountability with the loss of confidential data. Eg Julian Assange of Wikileaks and his war on secrecy.

2) The insatiable appetite for scandal and crisis all over the world on social media. Singapore certainly isn't a stranger to this!

3) The trade-offs between data privacy and efficiency. In the US, major companies like Amazon has such a finely tuned consumer intelligence system that they can track behaviours, transactions, locations down to a science. In this light, citizens need to consider the balance between surrendering individual data with convenience. Eg filling multiple forms at government departments versus having a single data capture mechanism.

4) The danger of movements and causes degenerating into examples mob rules which may sometimes be misdirected and unsustainable beyond the initial uprisings.

PS - Continue your discussions here at the official GovCamp Singapore Wiki.

Dinosaurs Live! at Singapore Science Centre

2011-11-20T06:50:00.002+08:00

Tina and Ethan posing next to an animatronic Apatosaurus

"Roar, Growl, Hiss, Grr, Screech and Scream!"

Welcome to the world of the fabulous dinosaurs (also known as the "terrible lizards") at Dinosaurs-Live!, a recently opened exhibition at the Singapore Science Centre. Happening from now til 26 Feb 2012, the exhibition showcases almost 50 life-sized dinosaurs, reptiles and other prehistoric creatures brought realistically back to life by awesome animatronics.

Ever since I was a kid, I loved these thundering, colossal, and monumental monsters. I'd pore over every single detail in the precious encyclopedias which I got my grubby hands on, and practically memorised their names. This latest exhibition of bellowing Behemoths and lumbering Leviathans by the Science Centre is certainly right up my alley!

Join my family and I as we tread through the treacherous terrain of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous forests with these close encounters of the terrifying kind.

Everything screamed dinosauria at this scientific showcase of staggering sauropods and titanic therapods.

Product sponsor LG got into the act with this 3D TV showcase of National Geographic documentaries. The three dimensional effect was surprisingly clear and good.

A previous crowd favourite, a replica of Stan the Tyrannosaurus Rex greeted visitors at the lobby of the Annexe building.

Ethan posing with a replica of a Triceratops. You'll notice later that we have a thing for this horny beast.

An eerie green covered this huge Deinosuchus, an ancient 15 m long crocodile which ate dinosaurs for breakfast!

Despite being shrouded in gloom, Ethan managed to get his dino "chops" on a souvenir education booklet.

Dimetrodon was a terrible lizard with a huge sail on its back... wait there's more...

Apparently, it was more closely related to mammals than to dinosaurs. Hmmm.... grandma what big teeth you have!

Fans of the Jurassic Park movies would recognise Spinosaurus, the huge-ass spine-backed carnivore which thrashed a T-Rex in a fight to the finish.

The body of a huge Sauropod (I think its an Apatosaurus) gave us a perspective of how little we are compared to these giants.

Ethan and Tina studying the characteristics of these feathery Sinosauropterys with a duck-billed Maiasaura (also called hadrosaurs) in the background. Incidentally, many scientists believe that dinosaurs were more closely related to birds than reptiles.

A huge carnivorous bird (Titanis walleri) which looked like a Dodo but was a lot more vicious!

A Dilophosaurus with two duck-billed Parasauropholuses in the background.

A family of three Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaurs with menacing killer jaws.

The roaring T-Rex was a fierce match indeed for my fearsome wife Tina! :)

These cute feathery dinosaurs were the real Velociraptors. Looks like Michael Crichton got his facts a little wrong in the Jurassic Park series!

On the contrary, it was likely that the larger Utahraptors (up to 7 m long) were the real protagonists in Crichton's fictitious fable.

A long-necked Diplodocus with two soaring Pteranodons hovering ahead. In case you do not know, the future Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum will showcase three of these sauropod skeletons. Yippee!

In case you do not know, China was famous for many wonderful dinosaur discoveries. Yes, they are giants in more ways than one.

This one, called the Omeisaurus, was another towering fellow named after a famous sacred mountain.

Here's Ethan getting into some handicraft action once again. He made a clay dinosaur cast.

The next two dinosaurs need no introduction. This is the walnut-sized brained Stegosaurus (which incidentally had a larger "brain" nearer its hind quarters).

And here in bathed in blue light is the famous Triceratops. Once again we wasted no chance in getting a photo op for Ethan here.

I believe this second T-Rex skeleton replica is Sue, the other fine specimen flown all the way from the USA.

Our third Triceratops of the day, this time with just its bones intact.

Toddlers wasted no time getting dirty while uncovering "fossils" with their spades and pails.

As for Ethan, he preferred a more sedate colouring activity, joined by Tina.

Finally, the biggest money gobbling "monster" of them all - the gift shop! Fortunately, we managed to sway Ethan's opinion to purchase something a little more enduring (and less plasticky) at the gift shop of the main foyer of Science Centre.

Who Should You Really Target

2011-11-17T06:54:00.000+08:00

Courtesy of Lost & Found Online Marketing

One of the most important chapters in the book of marketing is customer segmentation and targeting. You need to know who you're reaching and how you're making your product or service relevant to their needs, wants or desires. Without a keen understanding of your target segment, everything else may fall apart.

The challenge however is this. How do you know who they really are?

In an interesting post on targeting customers, Randall Beard shared that we should follow what direct marketers do and look at what customers do rather than who we think they should be. Look at who is buying your product and find out what their backgrounds and motivations are.

For household products, Beard suggests that you could ask questions such as these:
- What do these households look like?
- Are they truly women aged 25-34?
- What do these households watch?
- How did their media consumption differ from the original plan?

Once you've got updated information on who your precise customers are, modify your marcoms strategies - from messaging, creative, media channels, to partners - in order to best meet the needs of these segments. Adapt, modify and refine your promotions and dig deeper into understanding why segment A rather than segment B (whom you originally intended the product for) is buying from you.

Similarly, service or experience based businesses like museums, amusement arcades and theme parks should adopt more precise methods in customer analytics. Rather than assume most of your visitors are families, conduct surveys and eyeball observations to see who they really are. Find out what catches their fancy - a new ride, a particular product in a retail store, or an interactive feature - and jot down what they do.

The best way to do this? Begin by developing a solid Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy (not the IT system mind you), supported by the relevant technology and applications. See if there is a way to link your cash registers to your customer databases, so that you can track useful information such as purchase histories, volumes, product preferences, and values.

By enriching your customer data capture methods, you are able to better understand who they truly are, and to develop marketing strategies that are more precise, relevant and attractive. Knowing the action on the ground on a daily basis is far better than all the fancy audience research, consumer data, and future trends that money can buy.

Play Your Part at Singapore's 2nd GovCamp

2011-11-14T22:00:00.000+08:00

Its time once again for GovCamp Singapore, our island's only "unconference" focusing on how citizens and government can work together to improve our lives using technology as an enabler.

The second event this year - I moderated one of the sessions in the first in on 19 January - GovCamp looks at positioning government as a platform to engage key stakeholders in a country (namely everyone of us!) in a spirit of open collaboration, ideation, networking, and joint problem solving.

With the theme “Connecting People, Data and Ideas”, the second GovCamp will have the twin pillars of "Engagement" and "Open Data as a platform for Co-Creation". Do show your support at their wiki page and feel free to propose a new topic if you have a burning issue to get off your chest!

Other than the open session, distinguished academics like Professor Jane Fountain from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Professor Ashish Lall from the LKY School of Public Policy, and Professor Pallab Saha from the Institute of Systems Science will share their collective wisdom and insights.

Generously sponsored - and organised - by the good folks from Microsoft Singapore with the support of IDA Singapore and NUS, GovCamp Singapore looks at making our community truly open and transparent for anybody who wishes to participate. Do your part to contribute by signing up and attending the event, providing your inputs, or better yet, presenting a topic for discussion.

The best thing about this is that admission if FREE (so hurry and sign up if you want a place).

Singapore GovCamp
18 November 2011 (Friday)
The Rock Auditorium, Suntec City
3 pm to 10 pm
Registration details here.
Follow them on Twitter (#GovCampSG), like their Facebook page, or collaborate on their Wiki page.

NB - If you'd like to understand a little more about the principles of Government 2.0, you could check out my previous blog post on the topic here.

20 Things I Loved About London

2011-11-12T23:08:00.000+08:00

As part of my recent work trip to London, I spent many hours visiting numerous museums and art galleries in the city, topped by a full day meeting with the Tate Group. The institutions I visited include the Tate Modern, National Gallery London, National Portrait Gallery, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&A Museum, and the British Museum. While the trip was exhausting - we've put together a comprehensive report on its outcomes - there were many learning points that we have gleaned from some of the world's leading cultural institutions.

Here are 20 highlights of my trip, in no particular order. Note that this list is quite museum-centric as that's where I spent most of my time. Each highlight is accompanied by a photograph.

An eye catching installation at the entrance of the V&A Museum.

The lobby of the V&A with a hanging Chihuli crystal - one of the most beautiful I've seen amongst museums.

Regal replicas of the statues of Medieval European kings and queens at the V&A.

Scurrying human-sized "cockroaches" roaming through the Science Museum.

A luminous and futuristic model of the planet Earth in the Science Museum.

This wonderful dinosaur toy store at the Natural History Museum.

The giant cross section of a Sequoia tree - the world's largest living thing - at the Natural History Museum.

Another superlative organism: a life-sized replica of a 100 feet blue whale at the Natural History Museum surrounded by other large mammals.

A sombre portrait of Queen Elizabeth I at the National Portrait Gallery

Living art of plants at the wall hoardings outside the National Gallery London.

The bustling and happening Covent Garden Market at night.

Big Ben (with the London Eye in the distance), along with the adjoining Westminster Palace.

A strike in progress amongst disgruntled unionists (Ok, this was really for the novelty effect lah).

Westminster Abbey, the church where Prince William and Catherine Middleton recently got married in.

A night shot of St Paul's Cathedral, another monumental religious building.

Tacita Dean's installation "Film" at the ultra chic Tate Modern across the Thames River.

The controversial Elgin/Parthenon Marbles at the British Museum.

Another national treasure - the world famous Rosetta Stone - at the British Museum.

An innovative transmedia storytelling tie-up between manga artist Hoshino Yukinobu and the British Museum.

And of course, Harrod's Food Hall, probably one of the finest places for gourmet groceries and foods in the world!

The Last Lecture: Book Review

2011-11-10T21:57:00.000+08:00

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." - Randy Pausch (RIP 25 July 2008)

I first blogged about Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch back in 28 July 2008, 3 days after his death from pancreatic cancer. So moved was I by the video of his last lecture (do watch it if you haven't done so), that I bought the book. Of course, this was way before the recent death of the more famous Steve Jobs of Apple.

Written in a highly personable and conversational fashion, The Last Lecture is part autobiography, part life lesson, and all heart. In the slim volume, Randy covers material from his last lecture above ("Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams") and adds on anecdotes from his own academic career. Through a quick tour of his life and career, Randy demonstrates how one should live while being candid about his impending death.

Despite his condition, Randy's writing is light-hearted and upbeat. One can't tell from the prose that its the work of a dying man as its often peppered with deadpan and occasionally self deprecating humour.

I like how the author conveyed life philosophies through short little stories. They include pouring soda on the back seat of his own convertible (to show that vehicles are just for transportation), destroying VCRs with a sledge hammer (to demonstrate technology that frustrates), and allowing a supermarket cashier to deduct his credit card twice (because its not worth the time to make a report and get the $20 back).

One can also find many memorable quotes from the book - from Randy or others. They include the following:

- If at first you don't succeed, try try a cliché

- Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity (from Roman philosopher Seneca in 5 BC)

- The truth can set you free

- Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted

- The elephant in the room (ie his pancreatic cancer)

With steely eyed determination to get over those "brick walls" in his life, Randy demonstrated how sheer hardwork and perseverance could help one to realise one's dreams regardless of one's station in life. He also acknowledges the vital importance of how others can help make all the difference - from his dad, his wife Jai, his three young kids, to his former mentors Professor Andy van Dam, and Coach Graham.

Randy with his wife and three young kids (source)

Perhaps the hardest part of the book to read are the sections where Randy writes about his family. One can feel how painful it must be for him to plan so many things ahead - writing little notes to his kids, making videos, bringing his family on various activities etc - while in the throes of death.

It is certainly admirable that Randy manages to rise above his circumstances and to continue to be a teacher even unto his death. As the author himself has shared, the book isn't about dying but about living. I do know for sure that it has provided me with lots of food for thought about what I should do with my own life.

Hallmarks of Successful Entrepreneurs (A Local Perspective)

2011-11-08T21:06:00.001+08:00

Are there qualities common to entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs? (Courtesy of Digital Trends)

[Article first published as Hallmarks of Successful Entrepreneurs (An Asian Perspective) on Technorati.]

As the world continues to moan over the demise of Apple head honcho Steve Jobs, numerous articles have been written about his entrepreneurial legacy. These cover the length and breadth of his astounding career as one of the century's greatest CEOs.

While reflecting upon this, a thought occurred to me. Are there certain intrinsic qualities in entrepreneurs that make them who they are? What could we observe about their personalities, emotional make-up and life views that makes them different from the rest of us?

Looking back on my own experience in dealing with successful entrepreneurs, and what I know of them, I've noted that there are certain qualities embodied by leading entrepreneurs that shape and mould them. While many of us do have these traits in different quantities, winning entrepreneurs have them in spades.

What are the most definitive charactertistics of these business leaders?

For a start, entrepreneurs are usually more assertive and outspoken than your average Joe. They are normally slightly louder and more vocal in any social or professional setting than your salaried staff, asserting themselves in their respective niches. Being able to speak your mind is an important trait of entrepreneurship - you cannot be a wall flower if you want a thousand flowers to bloom.

Winning entrepreneurs are naturally imaginative and curious. On average, they ask a lot more questions, and do not shy away from probing more deeply in a group learning context. They are also more "kaypoh" than others, and are often engaged in gossip and discussions that not only serve to strengthen their networks, but help them to uncover critically important information. With eyes and ears wide open, they scan the landscape looking for opportunities and observing everything around them.

Being business folks, good entrepreneurs are also highly numerate. They have an uncanny feel for financial figures like sales, cost of goods sold, employee salaries, percentages, SKUs, volume and visitor traffic. After all, money is the lifeblood of business and any entrepreneur worth his or her salt ought to know how the money is made and the bills are paid.

Most business starters have a seemingly endless fount of energy. I recalled on a work trip to London many years ago how an entrepreneur asked a couple of us bureaucrats along for a few drinks, ventured out further while we called it a night, and returned to his hotel room later to send out business related faxes and emails at 3 or 4 am in the morning! The next day, he was still in time for our meetings, with not a hair out of place.

Naturally, risk taking is another distinctive trait of successful (indeed all) entrepreneurs. While some may display a more calculated measure of restraint, others simply go the whole hog when pursuing an opportunity. In Singapore, I do also find that certain Chinese towkays are also heavy gamblers not just in the business sense but in casinos!

Passion is the next defining factor in successful entrepreneurs. Some may call them hot-headed and obstinate, while others may label them as emotionally charged. Call it what you may, entrepreneurs are not your wall flowers. They will fight for what they believe in, and are masters in playing the game of emotion in order to achieve their ends.

Finally, and perhaps the most important, entrepreneurs are resilient. That old adage "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again" is especially true with this bunch. While failure does impact all of us negatively - entrepreneurs or otherwise - they normally bounce back more quickly and often see the silver lining in the cloud. As long as they have their two hands, a head, and two feet, successful entrepreneurs will continue to pursue their passion in starting, running and managing businesses.

What are some of the other traits of leading entrepreneurs?

What Facebook, Google Reader and iOS5 Have in Common

2011-11-06T21:23:00.000+08:00

iPhone 4S's short battery life was blamed on the super juiced up iOS 5(courtesy of Obama Pacman)

Something wrong seems to be happening in the hallowed corridors of Tech.

First, we're met with the "dynamic" and ever changing new Facebook News Feed which apparently is riling many of us. Between "Top Stories", "Recent Stories", "New Entries", and the ever updating Ticker on the right which gives me a constant migraine.

Of course, this isn't the first time that Facebook has been lambasted for layout changes. I'm sure many of my friends would agree that they're complicating things unnecessarily.

Meanwhile, Google + has started catching up with Facebook, achieving in 3 weeks (20 million users) what Facebook took years to accomplish. Unfortunately, while I like its simpler interface, migrating my 1,100 odd friends to a new platform is not going to be easy.

While Google seemed to have scored with Google + (so far. Let's not forget they're killing Google Buzz), they hit a bald patch with their new updates to Google Reader. Being a regular user of Google Reader, I find it confounding now that all the entries are sorted alphabetically. Apparently, I'm not alone.

Even the king of human oriented design Apple seem to have stumbled with the recent iOS 5. The biggest news is that it has been identified as the culprit sucking the battery life of the latest iPhone 4S dry. The operating system "upgrade" is also causing users lots of grief, taking forever to install, causing one to lose apps, and practically slowing everything down on older iPhones and iPads.

Of course, software giant Microsoft isn't innocent either. I remembered in the past that I could switch on my PC, go the loo for a wee, grab an apple (the red juicy variety), scan the headlines, return to my desk and still have time to listen to their ubiquitous opening chime. Many of us probably only use 10% of the features in Microsoft Word, Excel or Powerpoint (thank God they got rid of that irritating "helper").

Perhaps all these tech giants up yonder could KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) and make up with their consumers. Apple seemed to be getting it, at least until iOS 5's "Battery Gate" which unfortunately have to happen so soon after Steve Jobs' death.

Do consider the user experience from ordinary folks like us - not just the geek and gadget wizards. We're less enamoured by your technical wizardry and shiny new objects than your ability to help us achieve what we need to get done in the least painful and most hassle free manner. Spare us the over engineering and over design that adds confusion and frustration to our modern day hyper connected and hyper stressed lives.

What are your views on technology complicating (as opposed to simplifying) our lives? Do you agree with what I've said?

Smithsonian Institution: A World Class Museum Operator

2011-11-04T22:56:00.000+08:00

Aerial view of the Smithsonian museums in Washington DC (source: Tripadvisor)

As part of the Business Of Heritage conference, I had the pleasure of learning about how the Smithsonian Institution built its world class reputation as a leading museum brand. Delivering the talk was Ms Elizabeth Duggal, Director of International Museum Professional Education Programme of Smithsonian Institution and Co-Chair of ICOM United States.

Here are some of the key points of the talk which I thought would be useful to share.

Excellence in Museums

According to the Smithsonian Institution (SI), excellence isn’t just measured by size but indicators like context, mission, history and goals. It is about how the museum reaches out to its community and stakeholders in a dynamic and evolving fashion, and about being impactful and relevant.

Examples of excellent museums include the Exploratorium, Te Papa, Kelvingrove, Tenement, Louvre and Guggenheim. Each had a unique focus and mission which differentiated them from each other.

Changing Role of Museums

The role of museums are changing. This is captured in ICOM’s definition of museums, with a shift from preserving, studying and enhancing specimens (1956) to service, communication, education and enjoyment (2007). In the classical model, museums were internally and curatorially focused. However, in the emerging model, museums are externally focused while actively enlisting visitors as participants.

Museums in the US

There are more than 3,000 museums in the US reflecting the diversity of its culture and heritage. Unlike Singapore, there isn’t a Ministry of Tourism or Culture, and oversight comes mainly from the State and local agencies. There is only one National Museum operator in the US, which is the Smithsonian Institution. Most other museums are privately or philanthropically funded.

Facts about Smithsonian

The Smithsonian Institution was founded by Englishman James Smithson in 1826, who bequeathed US$500,000 in 1846 to the US. His desire was that the museum should be “established for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men” – a mission which has not changed more than 180 years later.

SI is the world’s largest museum and research complex, with 19 museums, 9 research centres, 20 libraries and the National Zoo. The complexes are situated in Washington DC next to the capital building, and is structured as a trust instrumentality of the US government.

The group is governed by a powerful Board of Regents, whose members include the Chief Justice, Vice President, 6 senators/house of representatives, and 9 prominent US citizens (philanthropists, university professors, academics). Its Chief Executive is called the Secretary.

Annually, SI receives about US$1.1 billion in funding, out of which about 66% (2/3) comes from the Federal budget. It employs more than 6,000 employees and works with another 6,000 volunteers who assist in all its museums.

SI has the world’s largest collection of 137 million objects, and draws some 30 million visitors through its doors each year, with another 188 million visitors online. It has a national affiliates programme working with over 100 centres.

Smithsonian Institution’s Strategic Plan (2010-2015)

The museum group has the following strategic goals:

- Inspire generations through knowledge and discovery

- Broaden access

- Revitalise education

- Cross boundaries

- Strengthen collections

- Enable the mission through organisational excellence

- Measure outcomes

- Focus on the grand challenges

Through this, it aims to boost art, science and cultural literacy.

Research and Partnership

SI is a powerhouse in research, with its aim to increase global knowledge. It has a human origins programme as part of the natural history museum where more than 100 researchers contribute towards an exhibit. The museum group also adopts the idea of a “museum beyond borders” by forging international collaborations. It spearheads research projects in more than 90 countries and partners institutions around the world.

Examples include a conference in Panama which it organises hosting some 900 scientists each year, a collaboration with Harvard University in astrophysics, and an ambitious global project to document biodiversity called the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL).

Audiences/Access

Catering from the elite to the masses, SI has recently partnered with primetime comedian Stephen Colbert on a tie-up featuring the comedian's portrait in the National Portrait Gallery. This collaboration was well received and resulted in spikes of 33% to 57% in monthly visitorship. The group is also well known for its collaborations with Hollywood for the Night At the Museums 2.

To increase access, SI has also developed mobile apps that solicit stories from beyond Washington DC (Stories from Main Street Mobile App).

Exhibits/Programmes

Moving from curator-defined to community driven exhibits, SI’s National Museum of the American Indian worked closely with the native American community. Its restaurants and gift shops are also customised to their needs and themes. The museum has also sought to break down the boundaries between visitors and objects.

Collections

SI has the world’s largest collection of 137 million objects out of which 6.4 million are accessible online. Only 2% of its collection is currently on display. More than 90% of the items are biological specimens.

To embrace living global heritage, the group organises the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival (which attracts about one million visitors a year) where living cultural traditions and intangible heritage are featured. About 23,000 musicians, artists, performers and craftspeople participate in this global carnival.

Technology

SI has embraced digital technology with two examples:

1) Echoes of the Past at the Freer Sackler Gallery, where "ancient Buddha art meets digital technology"

2) Leafsnap mobile app (working in partnership with Columbia University and Google), where a software is used to take a picture of a leaf and to identify its species.

Finances

About 66% of the group’s total budget of US$1.1 billion comes from the State, with philanthropic funds contributing about 15% and commercial income (SI Enterprises) contributing 2%, amongst others. It is predicted that this will rise to about US$1.5 to 1.6 billion in the future, and be increased primarily through the doubling of private grants and contributions.

Funding comes through diverse sources, and some of these channels are also used for access. They include the Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Channel on TV, Smithsonian Travel, restaurant and so on.

Note that there are no admission charges to all its museums, and fees only apply to certain specific activities like the iMAX movie theatre.

Accountability

The Smithsonian is accountable to a wide array of stakeholders internal to international. They include Congress, the Regents, Staff, Voters, Teachers, Schools, Families with kids, Researchers, Museums and so on.

Controversy

Like other cultural institutions, the group has also fallen prey to occasional controversies. An example was an exhibition on the Enola Gay (the World War II Bomber which devastated Hiroshima), and the Shipwreck exhibit of the Tang treasures which SI partnered Singapore with.

Vision Statement for 2015

Finally, Smithsonian has defined its lofty vision for 2015 as follows:

“We envision the Smithsonian Institution of 2015 as a world leader, an institution that uses its resources to influence the great debates of the day and engages millions more people than it does today. In short, the 21^st Century Smithsonian will be an institution that fulfils its vast potential to serve the nation and the world”.

Harry Potter: A Global Business Phenomenon (Book Review)

2011-11-02T20:45:00.000+08:00

[Article first published as Book Review: Harry Potter - A Global Business Phenomenon by Susan Gunelius on Blogcritics.]

By now, almost everybody in the civilised world would have wept sweet tears over the end of the Harry Potter movie franchise with the screening of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2". Considered the world's most bankable fantasy brand with an estimated brand value of US$15 billion, Harry Potter has changed forever the image of children's fantasy books with its massive impact. With its unprecedented wave of success, the world of Harry Potter has left many wondering if such a feat could be repeated ever again.

With that question in mind, I picked up marketing author Susan Gunelius' book Harry Potter: The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon hoping to find answers to how a geeky boy wizard has changed the business world. Laced with prodigious facts on the history and evolution of the brand, the book chronicled how the brand evolved from a desperate effort by poverty-stricken single mother J.K. Rowling to the most well loved literary and cinematic phenomenon. In the process, Rowling herself has transformed into one of the most well respected and popular billionaire authors in publishing history.

JK Rowling with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" (courtesy of Fallen Scoop)

So what are the secrets to the success of Hogwarth's most famous student? In Gunelius' own "Muggle-speak", they are:

Having a Good Product

Here, the longevity and breadth of the product depends on how a well a product can meet consumers' needs. Content is key. Harry Pottter's ingredients of a fallible hero, coming of age, good versus evil, likable characters, and elements of magic and suspense resulted in a winning formula.

Emotional Involvement

Engaging the three Ss of customer loyalty (stability, sustainability and security), the Harry Potter series embraced a linear, chronological structure where each book picked up from where the previous one left off. With a central story arc with the same set of main characters, the books and movies engaged readers and viewers in the fates of these young wizards as they tackle adolescent issues while battling an ominous threat.

The 7 Books in the Harry Potter series (Courtesy of Nightmare SB)

Word-of-Mouth Marketing and Online Buzz

According to the author, the advent of social media networks and online buzz triggered a huge Word-Of-Mouth (WOM) growth of the Harry Potter franchise beyond that of predecessors like C.S Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series. In Gunelius' definition, the five factors of successful WOM marketing in the Harry Potter saga are:

1) Start with a good product with a story to tell
2) Don't give it all away
3) Add a viral component
4) Allow a sense of community
5) Join the conversation

Initially, J.K. Rowling herself, Warner Bros and Scholastic publishing tried to take legal action against fansites who appropriated images and content from the franchise for their own purposes. However, they wisely decided to change their strategy early and to instead, embrace their most ardent fans (including the creators of fansites like Mugglenet and The Leaky Cauldron), encouraging them to create their own fan art, fan fiction, fan movies and the like.

Tease and Perpetual Marketing

This was probably the greatest lesson in the Harry Potter chronicles. By cleverly building anticipation and creating a veil of secrecy around each successive product, the creators of Harry Potter helped to drive emotional connection and continuity from each book and each movie to the next. The crowning achievement of this is probably the final two movies "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2" where the story in the last book was broken down into two parts. This resulted in greater longevity and impact.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 brought the world's leading movie franchise to an end

Brand Consistency and Restraint

Unlike the Disney movies whereby new shows and characters may sometimes be merchandised ad nauseum, Rowling herself has retained strict control over the Harry Potter brand as its guardian. With a strong hand in every dimension of the boy wizard's commercial direction - from publishing, film production, merchandising to the development of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Universal Studios Orlando - Rowling ensures that the brand isn't over extended by exercising strategic restraint.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure (Courtesy of Jaunted)

Other than the strategies above, each chapter detailed how Harry Potter grew in stature as it expanded from print to celluloid, plastic, digital media and a real life theme park. Gunelius also cites numerous case studies from consumer brands like Apple, Disney, PlayBoy, and devotes an entire chapter on the destinies of other literary greats like Charles Dickens, Dan Brown and Stephen King.

While the book provides hints and tips of how Harry Potter reached its worldwide mega status, it also admitted that the journey was rather serendipitous and accidental. Trying to replicate Rowling's success by adopting these strategies may still be a shot-in-the-dark, especially as copycat authors and filmmakers start crowding the scene. Reading this slim volume makes it sound rather easy and commonsensical, but the truth is probably far more dependent on uncontrollable factors than what it seems. After all, with hindsight, one does have 20-20 vision, magical spells notwithstanding.

Should Museums Attract Niche Or Mass Audiences?

2011-10-31T21:16:00.000+08:00

NHB's Night Festival 2008

I love reading Nina Simon's Museum 2.0 blog for her cutting insights on stuff happening in my neck of the woods. One of the issues that she recently wrote about - audience development - is something that museums and art galleries in Singapore are also grappling with.

In her post, Nina questioned the need for museums to organise "hip" events to attract younger audiences at the expense of alienating a broader more diverse crowd. While many museums have shifted from being a "cabinet of curiosities" for an elite few to "community destinations", the question now arises whether their activities should be narrowly focused on distinct segments or appeal more broadly across visitor groups.

I believe that we can achieve both if we play our cards right. Like libraries and parks, museums serve diverse communities hailing from different age groups, interests, behaviours and backgrounds.

By offering a plethora of experiences - thematic exhibitions, focused events, varied dining options for instance - museums can attract a wider proportion of the community. These can perhaps be considered across different spaces and timings, and with different marketing channels to reach the targeted groups.

For instance, a Friday night "chill out with culture" session can perhaps reach out to the youths and young adults, while a Sunday "Family Fun" event can be targeted at families with kids.

To address the issue of possibly alienating one group from another, more general activities could also be organised. Examples in Singapore include the popular Singapore HeritageFest, Night Festival and International Museum Day events. These broader appeal events would reach wider demographic and psychographic segments.

Beyond short-term events and festivals, the more important audience development question is one of engendering ownership and triggering grassroots advocacy amongst different groups. Other than our dear volunteers who also work as docents, can the museums reach out to a wider spectrum of society and get them to "own" parts of the experience?

As public institutions, museums really belong to the people (cliched though that may sometimes sound), and it is important for the public - regardless of their stations in life - to feel that it is a part of their lives. However, there is also a need to ensure some degree of academic rigour and scholastic discipline is maintained.

Can museums relinquish some control over to their audiences (perhaps a better term in future would be associates or public stakeholders) such that they have a greater role in adding to its cultural narrative? How can these be done in a manner that respects curatorial authority and integrity while embracing participation such that they can be an integral part of communities around the world?

Face-to-Face Still Trumps Facebook

2011-10-29T17:37:00.000+08:00

According to the latest post on Church of the Customer, the most important platform for consumers to talk about brands isn't on Facebook, Google +, Twitter or even SMS! Rather, it is good old person-to-person communication in the flesh (well at least in the US).

Have a look at this chart here from eMarketer:

Source: eMarketer.com

I wonder if the same is true here in geeky gadget crazy Asia (or more precisely, Singapore) where we're almost perpetually tethered to our smart phones.

From my own observation, it is more likely for us to talk about brands face-to-face or over the phone than on email (which is often for more officious stuff). We're also pretty huge on yakking about brands on forums, particularly specific interest group based ones like Hardwarezone.com, Cozycot, and Kiasu Parents.com. As for SMS or WhatsApp, I find that these are more for person to person communications with hardly any chats on brands.

What does this tell us then about our marketing communication strategies?

The simple answer is that there isn't any.

To reach your target customers, employ a mixture of methods from targeted advertisements, email invitations, Facebook invites, Tweets, to good old fashioned events (roadshows, meetings, product showcases). Employing cross platform marketing channels is a good practice as it leads to greater brand exposure and reinforcement.

Also, don't neglect the power of the spoken word. In an age of visual clutter, going audio may sometimes work in your favour. However, only call potential customers when they've indicated some levels of interest in your product or service (eg by registering on your website for instance).

What do you think?

Harnessing the Power of Colours

2011-10-27T19:34:00.001+08:00

Do you ever wonder why some people look fab in black, while others look sinister? Want to add a dash of colour to your professional wardrobe without looking like a clown (or 7th month Getai singer)?

I found out the answers to this and more at a recent Colour Dynamics seminar organised by Jill Lowe International, thanks to my buddy James Soh (Living in Singapore Today) and the folks from Jill Lowe. Held at their cosy premises at level 2 of the Raffles Hotel Arcade, the session provided much food for thought.

For a start, consider these cool facts that a fashion tortoise like me has just learnt:

- Light colours are better for first impressions, be it job interviews, dates, client meetings and so on.

- If you match your skirt or pants with your shoe colour, you will look taller. Conversely, if you match your blouse or shirt with your shoe colour, you will look shorter.

- Guys shouldn't cross their legs the same way as ladies do (some "ventilation" is needed)!

- Accessories can help to make a black or white outfit come alive for ladies. However, you need to match them carefully according to projected authority levels.

- Clothes should make the woman (or man) rather than the other way round. In other words, you should dress for a person to remember you rather than your wardrobe!

Peppered with examples from Hollywood and fashion, image consultant Gwen Goh spoke with much aplomb about the characteristics of colours and how they influence perception and behaviour. Consider the qualities of the following colours:

WHITE: Representing cleanliness, purity and innocence, white is supposedly the best colour in the wardrobe as it combines all 3 primary colours. It is a good colour for people in the sales professions (insurance, real estate), and can be worn with any colours. Those with warm skin tones should go for warm white while those with cool skin tones should opt for cool white. On the flip side, white may make people look fat and get dirty easily!

Does a white tie look good on him?

BLACK: Considered by many to be slimming, classy, mysterious, black is usually the most widely used colour in the corporate world. Care must be taken when wearing black as it projects seriousness, dominance, and danger (hence doctors should never wear black). Like white, there are several shades of black from midnight black to jet black. To wear this, you should try to use accessories to break from the monotony.

BLUE: Calm, cool, stable, trustworthy, and masculine, blue is probably the safest colour - conversely it can be boring, cold and old. To spice up your wardrobe, consider matching it with yellow (blue shirt and yellow tie?), wearing a blue scarf or other ways of mixing. People in technical, security (think Police officers and "jagas") and academic professions should go for this colour. Blue comes in different tints like cyan, turquoise, indigo, and midnight blue.

Blue isn't just for your friendly neighbourhood "mata"!

PINK: This is probably the most feminine colour, suggesting playfulness, sweetness, vibrance and romance which could also be too loud or girlish for guys. Men who can carry this off well portray an air of confidence. Apparently, pink is good for dates, fund raising efforts, pastoral work or family bonding. Pink should not be used for a top to toe dressing unless you want to look like Hello Kitty!

There are many shades of pink: peach, fuchsia, violet, skin and more.

James looking resplendent in peach pink. Time to ditch those stale colours dude!

Participants next learnt about the palettes of the four seasons and how we each have a different "season" depending (I suspect) on our skin tone, hair, eye colour and to some degree, personality. Different shades and tints on a palatte will determine the difference between the seasons.

Here's what I noted from the session:

SPRING: Generally considered the attractive type, Spring celebrities include Clay Aitken and Nicole Kidman. The shades of colour used here are bright and cheery but not overpowering.

SUMMER: Folks belonging to this category should don soft pastel colours, aiming for a porcelain doll look. Examples include Kate Winslett and Vicki Zhao Wei - both fine examples of damsels in distress!

AUTUMN: There are the drivers and movers (Gwen says I'm very autumn.. err hmmph), and the colours are normally more muted like rust red, most browns, olive green, chrome yellow. Three good Hollywood examples are Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts and Natalie Portman - all smart women in the controlling seat!

Cheryl is quite an autumn person apparently

WINTER: These are the ice queens and kings, and their numbers include Gong Li, Tom Cruise, Maggie Cheung and Pierce Brosnan. A more dramatic and striking use of colours is preferred here with brighter and sharper shades.

Upcoming singer and host Mint trying on a wintry shade of blue

Up next, Harvard trained coach and trainer Marion Neubronner shared with us a startling fact: only 5% of trainees usually made the change after attending such an image makeover session. Considered the peak performers, these are the folks who are constantly learning new things and willing to work to make the difference. They also surround themselves with positive people.

Marion urged us to make the leap forward by discarding our unmatchable clothes (based on skin tone and palette), understand than being outstanding may require us to be uncomfortable (at least initially), and to keep ourselves centred on what our values are. The act of changing our outer image/clothes actual jumpstarts a deeper renewal process within each and everyone of us.

Bottom line? We are all beautiful/handsome in our own special ways and we should not be afraid of letting that inner beauty shine through.

Before we left for the night, Jill Lowe herself shared how she started the business way back in 1984 as a 19 year old doing facials, incorporated the company as a brand in 1991, and worked towards what the company is today. Its laudable to consider her ambition of making her company a premium Asian brand in image and personal asset management.

Having experienced the Colour Dynamics seminar myself, I must say that it is useful not only for ladies but guys who wish to change how they project themselves. Will I be like the 5% of "peak performers" willing to discard my old wardrobe? Well, let me leave you guessing for now.

For more information on Jill Lowe's "presence communication" and image enhancing programmes, check out their website, in particular the section on their corporate programmes for companies.

Why Branding Isn't Just a Marketing Problem

2011-10-25T18:14:00.000+08:00

Ensure that all customer touchpoints are branded (courtesy of Carving the Apex)

You've probably heard variations of these conversations in your own organisation:

"Our branding sucks! Let's change our logo and splash it all over the place."

"We need a new tagline! And a fancy jingle that everybody can hum to!"

"Our website looks like a dog's breakfast. No wonder nobody can recall or remember what our brand is about!"

"Can the Marcoms do something about the low interest in our brand? How about a major branding campaign with our advertisements placed in the most prominent locations?"

Sadly, many corporate executives and managers associate branding with marketing (or more specifically marketing communications). After all, the brand identity of most organisations are often depicted through platforms like the logo, tagline, advertising templates, web design, banners, posters, T-shirts and so on.

The truth, however, is that branding is less about the message than about the experience. According to Branding Strategy Insider, "Marketing communication is much more effective in building brand awareness than it is in creating or changing brand perceptions."

In this regard, the only way to bail one's brand out of a sinking situation is to improve customer experience. This covers the work of the entire organisation - from manufacturing (product quality and features), logistics and operations (faster deliveries), HR (hiring the right service staff, culture), retail/frontline (ensuring that branded experiences are delivered), design (shoptfronts, furniture, stationery) and of course marketing itself.

To build a strong and robust brand - or to transform an ailing one - every facet of the organisation needs to be oriented in the right direction. While a spanking new uniform for frontliners or an aesthetically pleasing shopfront may help to do the trick, the real magic often takes place in the individual interactions between customer and staff.

Every facet of an organisation needs to be oriented towards the customer and to work towards a consistent and integrated brand-centric experience. Ensure that you deliver (or overdeliver) on your brand promise. If you can't, don't put it out in the first place.

The essence of great brands lie in every customer touchpoint. The only way to solve a branding issue is to align one's entire corporate machinery in the same direction. Only then can you build a truly great brand.

Have a "Beery" Good Time with Fine Brews in Chinatown

2011-10-23T11:24:00.000+08:00

Fancy a Hobgoblin, Kopparberg pear cider, or Pauvel Kwak with chicken rice or fish ball noodles? How about a lychee flavoured Taiwanese "Xiao Mei Mei" beer to wash down a steaming plate of fish head?

Now you can with The Good Beer Company, Singapore's first (and only) specialty and craft beer stall in a hawker centre. Opened by Daniel Goh of Young Upstarts fame, its a realisation of a long-time dream come true.

Located at Blk 335 Smith Street (stall number 58) in the famous hawker centre at Chinatown Complex (its near the famous Hai Seng Ah Balling Stall), The Good Beer Company offers local craft beer Jungle Beer Easy English on tap and a whole range of specialty brews in bottles. These hail from countries all over the world like Belgian, Holland, England, Australia, Japan and Taiwan - we're talking about a United Nations of hop-based brews!

Aimed at the beer aficionado who relishes a good brew in a fuss-free and casual setting, The Good Beer Company is probably the cheapest dining place to get wasted with premium brews! If you're feeling peckish, you can always increase your calorie load with the mouthwatering options from neighbouring hawker stalls.

On a recent visit, my friend and I tried a bottle each of Thatcher's Green Goblin (an apple cider) and Wychwood Gingerbeard (a ginger beer with alcohol). Paired with roast pork and char siew (caramelised pork) rice, the meal went down extremely well and we certainly made plans to return again.

It was good to see queues of customers during the beer stall's opening, no doubt a testimony to Daniel's own social networks and pulling power. An avid reader who is heavily plugged into the world of entrepreneurship, marketing, and PR, Daniel shared with me that the stall is a fulfillment of a longtime dream to be an entrepreneur doing something that he is passionate about - craft beers.

I cheekily suggested that he could tie-up with Erich's Wuerstelstand located downstairs at Trengganu Street of Chinatown's night market. After all, beer and German sausages go hand-in-hand with each other.

Perhaps the best thing about this new venture is that you can swig fine beers wearing slippers and shorts, tantalising your tastebuds and sense of scent without needing to dress up. And maybe fulfill that fantasy of pairing a fiery hot laksa with a sweet ice cold Hoegaarden?

The Good Beer Company
Blk 335 Smith Street #02-58 Chinatown Complex,
Singapore 050335
Tue - Wed: 11:00 - 22:00
Thu - Sat: 11:00 - 23:30
Sun: 11:00 - 22:00

How Businesses Can Learn From Nature

2011-10-21T22:16:00.000+08:00

Nobody manages resources better than Nature! (image source)

Sustainability seems to be the buzzword these days. We've all heard about how companies are investing in carbon credits to offset their industrial activities, embark on occasional recycling programmes, or improving their efficiency to reduce their carbon footprint. While such motives are laudable, they often compromise on business profitability, and are seen more like "CSR" investments. Should the economy - and business - nosedive, would companies still be as noble?

To overturn traditional thinking on business sustainability, Gregory Unruh of the Lincoln Center for Ethics in Global Management shared that one should adopt a "value cycle" rather than the standard "value chain" in one's business model. The idea behind this is reuse as much material from one's products as possible, and to feed that back into the manufacturing, distributing and retailing process. This should be done in a profitable manner and be so ingrained into business practices that it becomes second nature.

In his book Earth, Inc.: Using Nature's Rules to Build Sustainable Profits, Unruh cited how the biosphere perfected the art of sustainability by using renewable resources to generate life. Almost all living matter goes back into the Earth (ashes to ashes, dust to dust), gets absorbed by plants which are then eaten by animals all the way up the food chain before they die, decompose and are recycled.

What are these "Biosphere Rules" which companies can adopt? They are:

1) Materials Parsimony - This first rule involves reducing and simplifying the types of materials used in products. The simpler and more organically based they are, the better. This not only benefits recycling or reusing plans but help to reduce the problems associated with toxic waste disposal.

2) Power Autonomy - Here, energy efficiency should be considered in the making of products, from the design and planning stages, and not just an afterthought.

3) Value Cycles - This principle involves painstakingly looking at how materials can be continually reused or recycled into new value-added products and not simply downgraded in the product cycle. An example of a company that does this well was Patagonia, which encourages customers to deposit their used performance underwear, and uses its fabrics to be made into other sport apparel.

4) Sustainble Product Platforms - The idea here is for companies to develop foundational product platforms that can be continually leveraged for other uses. For example, Windows and Apple have operating systems that other programmes and applications can build upon, while cars have used similar body designs in manufacturing. It is also about finding commonalities among product, processes and markets.

5) Function over Form - With a focus on sustaining the value cycle, the idea of function over form looks at how companies can move from selling products to providing services to customers in a long-term manner. Body shop does a great job by encouraging consumers to reuse their bottles, but this same principle can probably be applied across many reusable categories. Rather than sell more oil, Castrol used its knowledge of lubricants to help customers use less, rather than more, of its products.

Learn how mother nature does it with Earth, Inc

The Dragonfly Effect: Driving Social Change through Social Media

2011-10-19T20:58:00.000+08:00

Article first published as Book Review: The Dragonfly Effect : Driving Social Change through Social Media by Jennifer Aaker and Andy Smith on Blogcritics.

Co-authored by Stanford University Marketing Professor Jennifer Aaker and her husband Andy Smith, a leading marketing consultant of Vonavona Ventures, The Dragonfly Effect offers a recipe for social change leveraging on the power of social media. Unlike many other books on social media which are strong on examples but weak on structure, the book proposed a systematic design thinking oriented process which anybody can follow.

Tapping the diverse fields of social media, marketing strategy, and consumer psychology, Aaker and Smith pepper their central thesis with many interesting case studies. These include micro-lending initiative Kiva, TOMS's one-for-one shoe movement whereby the company will donate a shoe to underprivileged kids in return for a shoe bought, and of course Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

The most memorable example was that of Team Sameer and Team Vinay, a heartfelt story of how friends belonging to the South Asian community in the United States came together to find suitable bone marrows to save their stricken friends' lives. Through the power of citizen activism, grassroots networks and social media, the teams recruited 3,500 volunteers, achieved more than one million media impressions and garnered 150,000 visitors to their websites.

How does the Dragonfly Effect work? Principally, there are four “wings” of the model: Focus, Grab Attention, Engage, and Take Action. Mirroring the way a dragonfly uses all four wings to propel itself, these phases can be represented by the model below:

Courtesy of the Dragonfly Effect

For Wing 1, Focus, one should identify a single, concrete and measurable goal. This should adopt the acronym HATCH, ie

Humanistic - focusing on who you want to help;
Actionable - tactical micro goals (low hanging fruits) that culminate in a long-term macro goal;
Testable, ie with metrics that help you to evaluate your progress and deadlines, and to celebrate small wins along the way;
Clarity, ie keeping your goal clear to improve your odds of success while generating momentum;
Happiness - ensuring that your goals are meaningful to you or your audience.

For Wing 2, Grab Attention, the acronym PUVV is used instead, ie

Personal - creating a personal hook with one's audience;
Unexpected - piquing the curiosity of one's followers by using new information and reframing the familiar;
Visual - Using the power of photos and videos;
Visceral - Triggering the senses: sight, sound, hearing, or taste, and hence unleashing emotions.

The next Wing, Engage, involves embracing a TEAM acronym as follows:

Tell a Story - Compelling, sticky stories to convey critical information;
Empathise - As you engage, let your audience engage you, and create narratives that compel them;
Authentic - True passion and sincerity is more influential and emotionally resonant;
Match the media - How and where we say something is as important as what's being said. Align one's message with the context.

In the final wing, Take Action, its design principles is embodied in EFTO...

Easy - Yes, making it easy for others will increase your chances of success. Don't make them leap through hoops;
Fun - Use elements of game play, competition, humour and rewards to make people "feel like kids" again. If it ain't fun, nobody will do it;
Tailored - Customise the programmes to unique individuals and groups with specific interests or skills for greater impact;
Open - Provide your point of view and story, and allow people to act without having to ask for permission.

Overall, I found the book very instructive and useful, with a step-by-step approach that anybody wanting to create a social movement can do. The case studies cited dive into pretty specific and pragmatic details which one can emulate, and they also cover the unique properties of different social technologies like blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and others without belabouring the point.

Perhaps the most meaningul message I got from the book came from Al Gore, former vice president, who once said, “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” By staying focused and concentraing on small acts that drive big change, The Dragonfly Effect provides a useful guide for social activism in Web 2.0 age.

To Research Or Not To Research?

2011-10-17T21:05:00.000+08:00

P&G researchers study customers where the action truly is (courtesy of Science in the Box)

Marketing research is a huge cannon in any marketer's arsenal. Or is it?

The weapons of choice? Street surveys, focus group discussions, straw polls, online surveys, telephone interviews, and behavioural observations. Supplement these with secondary (desktop) research findings published by research houses and voila!, you'll have the makings of a great marketing strategy.

Consider this. Apple, the much vaunted global brand founded by Steve Jobs (R.I.P.), doesn't conduct focus groups prior to launching its new products. Henry Ford, the inventor of the automobile, has also famously said that “if I gave people what they said they wanted, I would have made a faster horse”.

Often, the wellsprings of innovation, creativity and out-of-the-box thinking isn't found in consumer research. Asking people what they want may end up becoming a disappointing exercise of having "more-of-the-same" ideas being tossed about.

Should one then ignore one's customers completely and trust in the guts of one's CEO?

On the flip side, P&G, one of the most sophisticated consumer research oriented firm in the world, employs an effective way of tapping their customers to drive innovation.

The huge FMCG company conducts what is known as ethnographic research, whereby researchers actually live with their customers "to observe how they live their everyday lives and to identify customers’ needs first hand". They also adopt a whole range of consumer studies using both online and offline channels.

So what should we do then?

First, you need to have a clear understanding of what you need to find out. What do you know or not know about your customers and their behavioural patterns? Which bits of information are more critical to decision making than others?

Next, be aware that there is an entire barrage of marketing research methods and means out there. These can be as simple as asking a few questions to observing and tracking customer's visual pathways and actual responses in real-life buying situations. Adopt the 80/20 rule here and focus on the few techniques likely to yield the best outcomes.

Be mindful that most ordinary consumers aren't going to proffer cutting edge insights in an artificial environment. Instead of asking them how you should do your job, find out what makes them tick and draw inferences from them.

How do they typically spend their weekends, for example? What draws them towards a product lying on the shelf - its brand name, colour, physical location, price? Even better if you can spend a day with them like how P&G does.

Don't be so obsessed with the means that you forget about the ends. One can be lulled into a endless trap of analysis-paralysis, continuing to probe, enquire, ask, confirm and "double confirm" with benchmarks and research before taking action.

Remember that timeliness can is next to Godliness, especially in today's markets!

Finally, don't forget to use a whole lot of common sense (or maybe uncommon sense?) when interpreting one's results. Data alone isn't meaningful until its digested, interpreted and translated into clear and actionable strategies. Consider how the information is gleaned and think about the context of your own organisation and how it operates.

Are you a fan or foe of marketing research?

A Wordsmith's Manifesto

2011-10-15T19:03:00.000+08:00

Courtesy of tribe

I eat, pray and love the written word. My every spare moment is spent reading, writing, or listening to words that bring inspiration, comfort, wisdom and joy.

I am always poised to pen something down, especially when triggered by a flash of insight, moved by a scene, or teased by an idea that refuses to leave my head.

I carry a notepad and pen with me whenever I go for meetings, regardless of the agenda. Capturing prodigious quantities of notes is always a good practice for the inner journalist in me.

I read, and read, and read. During bus rides to and from one destination to another. Before I sleep at night. Whenever I'm waiting for an activity to happen. You will always find a book in my bag - and yes, I am a "bag man". Nothing triggers good writing better than good reads.

I'm a keen observer of my environment, the people surrounding me, and the unique situations that I find myself in constantly. They provide fodder to my literary outputs, planting the seeds of the narratives that chronicle my thoughts.

I pay special attention to how every word is crafted and honed to meet the page. I fuss over the flow and cadence of my sentences, the expressions used, the points highlighted, and how they are all assembled together. Especially the beginning and the end.

Being human, however, there will be "off" days when I can barely muster a single virtuous word. I understand that good writing isn't as easy as turning on a tap and letting it flow. Writer's block is an inevitable occupational hazard that hits all of us.

I believe in different strokes for different folks. Write for your audiences and write for the medium. There are distinct differences between an advertisement, a press release, a blog post, an invitation email, a strategy paper, and a diary documenting one's innermost thoughts.

I am always mindful of the contexts of my writing. There is a time and place for everything under the Sun. Finding the right moment to tell the right story to the right audience under the right conditions are crucial elements of writing success. Anything else is a compromise.

I am always learning and always picking up new things. While I trust in my own instincts, I am also painfully aware that I'm not omniscient. I will make mistakes, but I will pick myself up again, brush off the dust, and carry on.

I am a wordsmith. Writing is my craft.

The 5 Skills of Great Innovators

2011-10-13T20:46:00.000+08:00

Steve Jobs (bless him) associated calligraphy with beautiful fonts in the Macintosh (source)

Ever wondered how disruptive innovators like Steve Jobs (Apple), Jeff Bezos (Amazon.com) and A.G. Lafley (P&G) behave? What are the traits of these great entrepreneurs and business leaders?

According to INSEAD Professor Hal Gregersen (who co-authored the book "The Innovator's DNA" with Jeffrey Dyer and Clayton M. Christensen), they have what are called the five discovery skills as follows:

DOING

• Questioning - allows innovators to break out of the status quo and consider new
possibilities. This may mean becoming like a four-year old child and asking all kinds of questions.

• Observing - innovators detect small behavioral details in the activities of customers, suppliers, and other companies which suggest new ways of doing things.

• Experimenting - relentlessly trying on new experiences and exploring the world, with a habit of tinkering and fixing stuff until they work.

• Networking - with individuals from diverse backgrounds, hence gaining radically
different perspectives and inputs.

THINKING

• Association - combining the above four patterns of action to cultivate new insights. Steve Jobs is a master of this, fusing his love for calligraphy with the development of fonts for the first generation Apple Macs.

Fortunately for us, the "DNA" is actually more of an acquired behaviour than an inherited trait. Most of these inventor-CEOs have cultivated them into life habits , and it was discovered that they spend 50% more time on these discovery activities than do CEOs with no track record for innovation.

To get an idea of how these innovative CEOs compare across the five skills, check out the chart below:

From www.HBR.org

In their article in Harvard Business Review, the authors cited that Pierre Omidyar launched eBay in 1996 after using association to link three unconnected dots:

1) Wanting more-efficient markets, after being shut out from a hot internet company’s IPO in the mid-1990s;

2) Trying to solve his fiancée’s desire to find rare collectible Pez dispensers;
and

3) Observing the ineffectiveness of local classified ads in locating such items.

Other than the five skills above, most of these innovators are also risk takers who are willing to challenge the status quo. They steer clear of the conformist "cognitive bias" that many of us corporate types fall prey to and embrace a "mission of change".

For more information on the five discovery skills of an Innovator's DNA, watch the video below by INSEAD School of Business:

How To Create Delightful Customer Experiences

2011-10-09T01:24:00.000+08:00

Apple's success lies in providing premium customer experiences every step of the way (courtesy of The News Chronicle)

In an age which some may term as the "experience economy", companies and businesses can ill afford to focus solely on quality products or low prices. The entire spectrum of engaging and enrapturing a customer through every single touch point becomes critical. It isn't just the transaction itself that matters, but the entire journey - from reading/hearing about your product, browsing your stores, speaking to a retail associate, purchasing the product, using the product, to the ongoing provision of customer service.

With the ubiquity of social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and blogs, customers are sharing their positive or negative experiences with a far greater network than ever before. Ignore these voices at your own peril.

Against such a backdrop, what can companies do to enhance their customer experiences?

In this article by experience designer Dane Petersen, a customer's engagement with your products, services or environments are affected by these human qualities:

Motivations: why they are engaged with your offering, and what they hope to get out of it

Expectations: the preconceptions they bring to how something works

Perceptions: the ways in which your offering affects their senses (see, hear, touch, smell, taste)

Abilities: how they are able to cognitively and physically interact with your offering

Flow: how they engage with your offering over time

Culture: the framework of codes (manners, language, rituals), behavioral norms, and systems of belief within which the person operates

Understanding these qualities in your customer would provide a useful first step in designing physical environments, service offerings and interaction points. A good way to do so would be conducting interviews or focus groups with targeted customers, as well as to observe their behaviours at existing outlets (or competitor outlets).

You should also examine your customer's complete experience as highlighted by this HBR article by Adam Richardson. Here Richardson highlights three key facets to take note of:

Customer Journey: A thorough understanding of the journey that your customers take with your company. In a car rental company Zipcar's case, it starts with informing customers of the service and then signing them up, with multiple stages flowing out from there.

Touchpoints: All the various points of interaction — products, web sites, advertising, call centres, and others — that support the customer through their journey.

Ecosystems: This relates to the integrated ecosystems of products, software and services that may open up new possibilities for customer journeys and experiences in ways that more isolated touchpoints cannot.

OK, so we've looked at the human factors from our customer's perspective, developed a map of their interaction points, and considered how we can design them accordingly. What's the next step?

The answer? Get your entire organisation and all members of your team on board!

Here, the 6 Laws of Customer Experience by the Temkin Group may be worthwhile to consider:

1) Every interaction creates a personal reaction - Experience needs to be designed for individuals and optimised, putting in place the right measurements and employee empowerment mechanisms.

2) People are instinctively self-centered - Don't assume that your customers know as much as you do, seek to help customer buy things (not sell to them), and don't let organisational factors influence service.

3) Customer familiarity breeds alignment - Broadly share customer insights across the organisation, talk about customer needs rather than personal preferences, and don't wait for organisational alignment.

4) Unengaged employees don't create engaged customers - Training and development of staff is key, deploy technology to help your team members do their job better, communicate profusely, celebrate achievements and measure engagement.

5) Employees do what is measured, incentivised, and celebrated - Leave nothing to the imagination, define clearly what is expected, and look out for mixed messages. Ensure that measurements, incentives and celebrations are aligned.

6) You can't fake it - Anything below a 3rd priority is not good enough, don't start if you're not committed to a major customer service initiative, and advertise to reinforce rather than create a customer oriented positioning.

Engineering memorable and delightful customer experiences can be sheer hard work, since many of us are not intuitively wired to do so. Achieving it requires a keen understanding of your customers, how they interact with your products/services, and how you deliver it through your staff, website, physical stores, and any other touchpoint.

Sail on the Maritime Experiential Museum & Aquarium!

2011-10-06T21:28:00.000+08:00

Southeast Asia's exciting maritime past comes alive this 15 October with the opening of Singapore's first maritime museum. Known as the Maritime Experiential Museum & Acquarium (MEMA), the attraction at Resorts World Sentosa features more than 400 rare objects including the Jewel of Muscat (a life-sized reproduction of a 9th century Arab dhow), and treasures from the Belitung Shipwreck. Designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates, an international museum design firm, the museum depicts the romance of a bygone era with tales of seafarers braving the stormy seas along the Maritime Silk Route.

Set in the 15th century, the museum's centrepiece revolves around the story of legendary Admiral Zheng He who launched many maritime voyages from China to the Western oceans with a fleet of 300 shops. Through highly interactive features and realistic replicas, the stories of exotic lands and seas from the past comes alive.

Join me on a visual tour and let's "brave" the seven seas together!

A life-sized replica of the bow of the Bao Chuan, Admiral Zheng He's legendary treasure ship, dominates the cavernous interior of the museum.

A cross-section of the vessel. Apparently, Zheng He did bring back wild animals from Africa to China. My first thought however was that it looked like Noah's Ark!

Miniature Chinese junks "sailing" on steel wires.

More experiential decor, to create the right oriental mood and feel.

Interactives like this table top game helps to engage visitors young and old, while teaching them about our Maritime heritage.

Guess why this Malay couple here never need to eat, sleep or rest. (Clue: they don't blink either)

Coffee beans, grains, spices and other precious cargo were hauled from far away exotic lands to mainland China.

A Vietnamese water puppet stage complete with puppets.

This snake charmer and his cobra provide a good prop for photo ops.

More interactives, this time tracing the route of the legendary admiral and his ships.

Get your stamps at this station here - a favourite activity for kids.

Yes, Zheng He sailed all the way to the Middle East.

A view of the Typhoon Theatre, a 150-seat 360 degree multimedia theatre where visitors can "board" an Arabia bound sailing ship and go on a "perilous" and "stormy" voyage.

The Jewel of the Muscat, a replica which comes as a gift from the Sultanate of Oman to Singapore. Apparently the ship really sailed to Singapore all the way from the Middle East.

A little preview of our seafaring adventure awaited us before we...

...walked into the cool depths of the Typhoon Theatre. I must say that the 3D experience of howling winds, splashing waves and flashing lightnings were pretty real and immersive.

The next section in the museum showcased real artefacts hauled from the ocean bed. It began with a floor map showing the different spots where the Belitung sunken treasures were excavated.

Some of the sunken earthenware treasures brought to the surface for all to see. The research behind these were done by renowned archaeologist John Miksic from NUS.

Here's how they looked like when they were first uncovered from the depths of the sea.

You can also try your hand at creating some virtual pottery on this interactive screen.

To fill the hungry tummies of land lubbers, a snack shop beckons.

I'm sure my 8 year old boy would love these soft toy animals!

For more information on the MEMA (including ticketing and openign hours), check out its website here. At only $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and $2 for kids, its really quite a steal for such a wonderfully immersive experience (pun unintended)!

Superfreakonomics: Book Review

2011-10-04T21:59:00.000+08:00

Creators of the highly popular book Freakonomics, hosts of the Freakonomics radio podcasts, University of Chicago economist Steven D. Levitt and New York Times journalist Stephen J. Dubner join forces yet again in Superfreakonomics. Written in the same fast-paced and witty style, the authors combed through prodigious scientific and research data to present findings that astound, amaze and amuse.

Tackling the fields of behavioural economics, criminology, psychology, sociology and other fields, Superfreakonomics examines taboo topics and sheds new light - and answers - while challenging conventional wisdom. Reading through the easily digestible volume, one learns why walking drunk is more dangerous than driving drunk (shorter average number of miles before accidental death), why department store Santas are like prostitutes (seasonal demand), and how capuchin monkeys actually behave like humans when given the right monetary incentives!

Backed by oodles of statistics and research findings - Levitt's a data crunching economist by training - the book cites how microeconomics can often play critical roles in seemingly unrelated areas. In the sensationally titled Why Should Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance?, we're taught that would-be terrorists are unlikely to have savings account, withdraw money from ATMs on a Friday, or buy life insurance (since they don't cover acts of terrorism). We also learn from hospital records that the doctor you're assigned to in an ER ward - regardless of their seniority - have limited influence on your recovery rate.

The chapter on how simple solutions can avert tragic problems (The Fix is in - and Its Cheap and Simple)particularly resonated with me. Its fascinating to learn that in the pre-microbial discovery days (before Louis Pasteur's germ theory), a simple act like doctors washing their hands frequently can prevent deadly diseases like puerperal fever from happening in maternity wards. One also learned that automobile child seats only work well for toddlers 2 years or below. Older kids were equally safe (or unsafe) using adult safety belts with or without an additional seat.

Perhaps the most surprising chapter of all was the one on Global Warming. Here, the writers thumbed their nose at Al Gore's assertions that carbon dioxide is the principal culprit behind global warming, and offered instead a radical way to reduce atmospheric temperatures. The solution? Pump sulphur dioxide - the same noxious stuff emitted by volcanoes which actually cause global cooling - way up into the stratospheric layer! Citing the work of Intellectual Ventures (IV) founded by Nathan Myhrvold, the authors explained why incentives or disincentives are needed to change human behaviours when negative externalities are involved.

If you enjoyed authors like Malcolm Gladwell and Dan Ariely, Superfreakonomics by Levitt and Dubner will appeal to you. While their approach is probably more scientific than Gladwell (another New York journalist), the intellectual titillation gained from reading the books are probably similar.

Why Brands Need to Have Visual Equity

2011-10-02T09:24:00.000+08:00

Which Korean noodle would you choose and why? (source of image)

What is the most important marketing strategy for FMCG products?

Is it developing a strong brand? Advertising on TV, radio and newspapers? Embracing social media and citizen marketing? Or all of the above?

Well, these strategies are important. However, the trick to generating more sales is as simple as getting the right shelf spaces in retail outlets.

According to research studies done by INSEAD Marketing Professor Pierre Chandon, visibility on the shelves is critical to marketing success for most brands. The only exceptions would be the leader brands.

In this article, Chandon shares that visual equity - the act of being visible in stores - can exert a strong influence on sales. Quoting from him:

“If you’re located at the top of the shelf, it increases the percentage of people who see you by about 20 per cent, but it also increases (the likelihood of) your brand being chosen by the same amount."

Similarly...

"...if you’re in the middle of a shelf placement and if you can increase the number of facings, the chances you’ll be seen and bought are increased.”

For low market share brands (ie the newcomers with low brand strengths), the differences can be even more significant. According to Chandon, the right shelf placings can increase the probability of being chosen by up to 67%.

Being visible don't just apply to supermarkets and department stores. The same rules also work on the web with online stores. This is why being the first few names on a Google search matters.

How does this impact marketers?

Well, one should pay more attention to prime placement - on store shelves or online - rather than spend prodigious sums on fancy advertising, huge events, clever viral campaigns, or big-time Facebook splashes. Chandon suggests that marketing managers should "re-allocate their budgets to pay more attention to point of purchase and think more about brand presence instead of just brand preference."

In essence, the point of purchase is no longer just a distribution channel but a communication channel. Visual merchandising and in-store displays are thus more important than ever before.

As consumers become immune to the over-the-top efforts of numerous brands trying to drill themselves into their heads, their purchase choices appear to be influenced more by visibility than brand values. Instead of focusing on brand awareness, preference, and top-of-mind-recall, companies may want to look at where the real action takes place and grab a piece of it.

Unless, of course, you're Apple, Coke or Mercedes.