I blinked, and blinked again, speechless. Sigh. Yes of course brands are first identified by colors, logos, tag lines, but, but, but appearances alone do NOT constitute a brand. Uh uh. No more than new clothes made an emperor look as grand as he wanted ha ha ha. WHAT am I going to do?
The workshop on Branding was lots of fun and the participants were very sharp and creative. All of them were owners of their own businesses and understood how critical profits are to survival. They were quite dogged about getting the most out of the session titled 'Branding as a Market-Driven Business Strategy' and ALL of us did. We were each others' resource persons sharing joys and woes for the sake of helping each other to capture and retain repeat profitable business. It was a satisfying session that more businesses could benefit from if the concepts of Branding were better known.
You've heard THE classic story haven't you? It's about research that was done in the US between Coca Cola and Pepsi? Coca Cola has reigned supreme as the world's most highly-valued brand - did you know that it actually gained value during the recent recession? But I digress. Well, when both brands were offered to blindfolded consumers, they preferred the taste of Pepsi, but when when they were asked to make a choice between the brands, Coke won the day. Now THAT's the power of Branding! Woo Hoo! Buyers choosing a color, logo, tag line over their taste buds. But was that really what they were doing?
Delving a little into the history of Branding strategies showed that $ was being put out by consumers for a promise, not a set of visuals. Over time - and building a brand does take time - consumers had begun to associate the visuals of Coca Cola with the promise of an emotional experience which even MJ for Pepsi could not beat. The evocative promise of satisfaction like when a perfume or after shave can evoke memories of .............. (smile).
Hmmm. So, how to help people and companies to build on their strengths and create Brand perceptions that secure customer loyalty for themselves? How to bust the myth that its necessary to shell out oodles of $ for consultancy that might be too in-depth to begin with?
How about telling real-life stories about the range of attributes of Branding, and making them available free of charge so that businesses can catch glimpses of what they may or may not want their Branding strategies to be about, before embarking on some high-expense activity? Sounds like a plan!
And so, a sibling blog Brands Help Heal was birthed from the passion to share, just for you. Enjoy! Read it at http://brandshelpheal.blogspot.com.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
DILEMMAS AND PLEASURES
Ahhh! The first weekend of the year and it’s a relaxing one – such bliss! Yes, I know I haven’t blogged for a while but hey, wait! Actually that’s not strictly true, you know.
A few weeks ago I discovered the joy of recording an audio message and posting in on Facebook for you to hear. Did you? Last week I blurbed a little for 30 seconds about an effort for my team that did go down quite as well as it had been intended and my Christmas message was an audio too. Well someone responded to that one.
Therein lies my dilemma – to visual blog for a page or audio blog for under 60 seconds. So tell me - what would YOU prefer me to do. Send me your reply to my Facebook inbox? What do you mean you want both! Weeelllll, if a couple of projects turn out the way I want them to then I’ll have the time; but NOT otherwise.
Umm, the truth be told I really did not feel up to repartee since I lost my balance, slipped, and plunged into icy cold waters. Those icicles actually stab and hurt, you know! You didn’t know I had feelings?! Oh! I see. Well anyway that was one reason why I wasn’t blogging as regularly as before. And I have had an unusually busy work schedule too. It’s been fun in that sphere.
Yes, you know how mobile technology advances so rapidly? Now, it is possible to deliver high end content onto low end phones, so that has got my creative juices gurgling with excitement. My collaborators and I have been chatting non-stop about the various things we can do, so 2010 will see lots more of my content on many mobile phones. YOURS included too, I hope.
I’ve missed cooking up various delicious concoctions but caught with that these holidays. You’d think that all the festive eating would put me off food, wouldn’t you? But no; I missed my own cooking - even though all the fancy menus were superlicious. Mmmmm it has been a VERY pleasant holiday season indeed, all round. Smack my lips and my memories. A lovely rendition of the Moonlight Sonata found its way onto my FB page too and I reveled in the sights, sounds and senses it conjured up within me each time I listened to it. Try it for your self and see / hear’ whatever it arouses in you. Quite tempting – even misleading.
And there’s something else I need to do more diligently – muscle toning. That’s right. My mother has been passing on ALL her gifts of chocolates to me, and simply insisting that I eat them. What could I do? She INSISTED, I tell you, and I am a good daughter and didn’t want to disappoint her. So a couple of resolutions this year are to get better toned up and to fall out of love with distractions too. It’s going to be a good and productive year. Grin. Here’s wishing YOU a fabulous 2010 too.
A few weeks ago I discovered the joy of recording an audio message and posting in on Facebook for you to hear. Did you? Last week I blurbed a little for 30 seconds about an effort for my team that did go down quite as well as it had been intended and my Christmas message was an audio too. Well someone responded to that one.
Therein lies my dilemma – to visual blog for a page or audio blog for under 60 seconds. So tell me - what would YOU prefer me to do. Send me your reply to my Facebook inbox? What do you mean you want both! Weeelllll, if a couple of projects turn out the way I want them to then I’ll have the time; but NOT otherwise.
Umm, the truth be told I really did not feel up to repartee since I lost my balance, slipped, and plunged into icy cold waters. Those icicles actually stab and hurt, you know! You didn’t know I had feelings?! Oh! I see. Well anyway that was one reason why I wasn’t blogging as regularly as before. And I have had an unusually busy work schedule too. It’s been fun in that sphere.
Yes, you know how mobile technology advances so rapidly? Now, it is possible to deliver high end content onto low end phones, so that has got my creative juices gurgling with excitement. My collaborators and I have been chatting non-stop about the various things we can do, so 2010 will see lots more of my content on many mobile phones. YOURS included too, I hope.
I’ve missed cooking up various delicious concoctions but caught with that these holidays. You’d think that all the festive eating would put me off food, wouldn’t you? But no; I missed my own cooking - even though all the fancy menus were superlicious. Mmmmm it has been a VERY pleasant holiday season indeed, all round. Smack my lips and my memories. A lovely rendition of the Moonlight Sonata found its way onto my FB page too and I reveled in the sights, sounds and senses it conjured up within me each time I listened to it. Try it for your self and see / hear’ whatever it arouses in you. Quite tempting – even misleading.
And there’s something else I need to do more diligently – muscle toning. That’s right. My mother has been passing on ALL her gifts of chocolates to me, and simply insisting that I eat them. What could I do? She INSISTED, I tell you, and I am a good daughter and didn’t want to disappoint her. So a couple of resolutions this year are to get better toned up and to fall out of love with distractions too. It’s going to be a good and productive year. Grin. Here’s wishing YOU a fabulous 2010 too.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
ROBIN’S WAKE HERALDED THE ADVENT SPIRIT
Who was Robin? Why was his wake powerful enough to usher in the meaning of Advent in a real way? On the eve of the first Sunday in Advent, like balm to my bruised soul, I was about to find out!
Colleague phoned to ask the difference between a wake and a funeral – he was unfamiliar with the rituals, being of a different set of customs. And, several of us attended Robin’s wake – the informal gathering of friends and family of a deceased before the formal send-off of a funeral. The atmosphere was quite astounding, as were the ways in which the event unfolded! Let me tell you about it?
Oh how heart-wrenching it must be for a parent to lose an offspring! But, as I expressed my sympathies to Robin’s father, the gentleman said with conviction that he was so glad to see his son released from pain. That sentiment obviously transcended his deep personal loss of a fine son! How amazing! But this seemed to permeate the feelings of Robin’s other loved ones too! In turn they each spoke about his quiet but selfless ways – he had been an intellectual, much accomplished, wealthy man who cared for those around him above himself. They spoke of how he planned and generously paid for the needs of his parents, aunts, nieces and nephews even while suffering the painful ravages of a terminal disease. They paid tribute to having been blessed by knowing him instead of mourning their personal losses.
His stoic young widow recounted how he was always pre-occupied with the welfare of his loved ones, and of his leaving specific instructions for her to be cared for and his admonitions to keep herself safe. The photos on the screen shouted out the closeness of the relationships among all those connected with Robin which left no doubt of the community spirit that flowed so naturally among them all, year in, year out. I was moved by this wonderful phenomenon that exists in the midst of the Me! Me! Me! of our times. Even their church family spoke of this rare, binding communal spirit that Robin had inspired in the lives he touched, even among the less advantaged. What genuine, touching, concern – it was THE impressive thread which ran through the entire evening, spawning an atmosphere of hope and reality for those who would purpose to live out their convictions without succumbing to the ravages of brutal carelessness that often lashes out in the name of ‘survival-of-self’.
At sporadic intervals verses of Scripture were displayed and songs with deeply meaningful words were sung with gusto by those present. They somehow blended so well with the spontaneous testimonials and montage of photos, to herald the reminder that there can indeed be ‘Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all Men’. We heard that Robin’s intellectual bent meant that he did not accept spiritual concepts without deep and thorough questioning. So his public declaration of his faith by baptism as thinking adult, drove home that he lived out his spiritual convictions thoughtfully and deliberately. The tapestry of the evening trumpeted Robin’s success in planting the seeds of his personal values to bear fruit-trees of spontaneous goodwill among myriad communities.
Why was such a marvelous person released from Earth in the prime of his life? Ah! A seed cannot become a tree without first disintegrating before germinating can it? Who knows how Robins’ early passing has spawned many, many fruit-bearing trees? Colleague, for example, had obviously been affected by the evening and was uncharacteristically quiet and contemplative. Is he on the verge of experiencing a personal Advent?
Colleague phoned to ask the difference between a wake and a funeral – he was unfamiliar with the rituals, being of a different set of customs. And, several of us attended Robin’s wake – the informal gathering of friends and family of a deceased before the formal send-off of a funeral. The atmosphere was quite astounding, as were the ways in which the event unfolded! Let me tell you about it?
Oh how heart-wrenching it must be for a parent to lose an offspring! But, as I expressed my sympathies to Robin’s father, the gentleman said with conviction that he was so glad to see his son released from pain. That sentiment obviously transcended his deep personal loss of a fine son! How amazing! But this seemed to permeate the feelings of Robin’s other loved ones too! In turn they each spoke about his quiet but selfless ways – he had been an intellectual, much accomplished, wealthy man who cared for those around him above himself. They spoke of how he planned and generously paid for the needs of his parents, aunts, nieces and nephews even while suffering the painful ravages of a terminal disease. They paid tribute to having been blessed by knowing him instead of mourning their personal losses.
His stoic young widow recounted how he was always pre-occupied with the welfare of his loved ones, and of his leaving specific instructions for her to be cared for and his admonitions to keep herself safe. The photos on the screen shouted out the closeness of the relationships among all those connected with Robin which left no doubt of the community spirit that flowed so naturally among them all, year in, year out. I was moved by this wonderful phenomenon that exists in the midst of the Me! Me! Me! of our times. Even their church family spoke of this rare, binding communal spirit that Robin had inspired in the lives he touched, even among the less advantaged. What genuine, touching, concern – it was THE impressive thread which ran through the entire evening, spawning an atmosphere of hope and reality for those who would purpose to live out their convictions without succumbing to the ravages of brutal carelessness that often lashes out in the name of ‘survival-of-self’.
At sporadic intervals verses of Scripture were displayed and songs with deeply meaningful words were sung with gusto by those present. They somehow blended so well with the spontaneous testimonials and montage of photos, to herald the reminder that there can indeed be ‘Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all Men’. We heard that Robin’s intellectual bent meant that he did not accept spiritual concepts without deep and thorough questioning. So his public declaration of his faith by baptism as thinking adult, drove home that he lived out his spiritual convictions thoughtfully and deliberately. The tapestry of the evening trumpeted Robin’s success in planting the seeds of his personal values to bear fruit-trees of spontaneous goodwill among myriad communities.
Why was such a marvelous person released from Earth in the prime of his life? Ah! A seed cannot become a tree without first disintegrating before germinating can it? Who knows how Robins’ early passing has spawned many, many fruit-bearing trees? Colleague, for example, had obviously been affected by the evening and was uncharacteristically quiet and contemplative. Is he on the verge of experiencing a personal Advent?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
OF PARTY DRESSES AND PIERCED HEARTS
Yes! yes! yes! It was party time!! My new dress was an absolutely gorgeous shade of turquoise shot with deep emerald, with lots of ultra feminine folds and gathers. Hmmmmm I was really looking forward to wearing it, but how would I accessorize it? I looked through my collection of baubles and bags and NOTHING matched. Sigh. Was it really worth buying something new? The ensemble was not going to last me after all – it was to be worn a couple of times and then discarded for being out of fashion. And though the colour was simply stunning, the fabric was not the best and it would be a mismatch to use real jewellery with it.
Out shopping, I wandered happily through arrays of costume jewelry, pulling the dress out to match it with some likely pieces that beckoned and noticed …………….. the cheaper items were very accessible to touch and try on. The mid-range ones were packaged and not so easily accessible, while the real thing was locked behind glass, needing a key before they could be tried on. One could look but not touch, unless one at least appeared to be a genuine customer. As I reflected on the various displays, strangely, a raw stab from the past ripped through my memory and still managed to pierce even my now older heart: When I was young my boyfriend had said something similar – about baubles being easily available to be tried while the precious jewels are kept locked away. So? So?
It had been party time then too, but my parents had not allowed me to attend it, yeah well. No long after though – you know how it is - word had got back to me about his behavior with a ‘friend’ of mine. And that had been his response – about baubles compared with jewels. Quite inexperienced and naïve, I hadn’t thought too much about what lay behind his glib explanation until it was waaaay too late and we were married – to my mind, for the rest of our lives. His value system of varying values with regard to women was alien to mine in which partners were mutually exclusive out of a willingness to honor one another while a relationship was ongoing. He saw nothing wrong with his way – neither do many other people which is fine if it is by mutual agreement, but our value systems were obviously incompatible and repeatedly left me painfully devastated many times over in the years we shared. If only I’d known sooner?
Anyway, I managed to get nice but inexpensive accessories to match the casual turquoise dress, and received many compliments about the overall effect. Why not? It was all about having fun, after all. I was chirpily happy to have enjoyed the dress and accessories, even though they would not stay in my wardrobe for very long.
Shortly after that party however, another celebration was coming up, and this time I chose to wear an old favorite – a red velvet dress in a classic, timeless design. Aha, this one had been a keeper, so the golden accessories I chose to go with it were suitably not of the category to be discarded in a hurry too. On the night of the second party several people remarked on how good I looked. BUT but but ………oh me, oh my, it was obviously not good enough for the only person who mattered to me. Accessibility won out yet again, and my tears flowed for weeks and weeks and weeks afterwards. Oh well. At least this time the searing pain came sooner and not later. Still, it had gone deep though and was not a bit relived or comforted even when Ms. Accessible soon went out of fashion herself and was conveniently replaced by Ms. Available. And life goes on. And on And on?
Out shopping, I wandered happily through arrays of costume jewelry, pulling the dress out to match it with some likely pieces that beckoned and noticed …………….. the cheaper items were very accessible to touch and try on. The mid-range ones were packaged and not so easily accessible, while the real thing was locked behind glass, needing a key before they could be tried on. One could look but not touch, unless one at least appeared to be a genuine customer. As I reflected on the various displays, strangely, a raw stab from the past ripped through my memory and still managed to pierce even my now older heart: When I was young my boyfriend had said something similar – about baubles being easily available to be tried while the precious jewels are kept locked away. So? So?
It had been party time then too, but my parents had not allowed me to attend it, yeah well. No long after though – you know how it is - word had got back to me about his behavior with a ‘friend’ of mine. And that had been his response – about baubles compared with jewels. Quite inexperienced and naïve, I hadn’t thought too much about what lay behind his glib explanation until it was waaaay too late and we were married – to my mind, for the rest of our lives. His value system of varying values with regard to women was alien to mine in which partners were mutually exclusive out of a willingness to honor one another while a relationship was ongoing. He saw nothing wrong with his way – neither do many other people which is fine if it is by mutual agreement, but our value systems were obviously incompatible and repeatedly left me painfully devastated many times over in the years we shared. If only I’d known sooner?
Anyway, I managed to get nice but inexpensive accessories to match the casual turquoise dress, and received many compliments about the overall effect. Why not? It was all about having fun, after all. I was chirpily happy to have enjoyed the dress and accessories, even though they would not stay in my wardrobe for very long.
Shortly after that party however, another celebration was coming up, and this time I chose to wear an old favorite – a red velvet dress in a classic, timeless design. Aha, this one had been a keeper, so the golden accessories I chose to go with it were suitably not of the category to be discarded in a hurry too. On the night of the second party several people remarked on how good I looked. BUT but but ………oh me, oh my, it was obviously not good enough for the only person who mattered to me. Accessibility won out yet again, and my tears flowed for weeks and weeks and weeks afterwards. Oh well. At least this time the searing pain came sooner and not later. Still, it had gone deep though and was not a bit relived or comforted even when Ms. Accessible soon went out of fashion herself and was conveniently replaced by Ms. Available. And life goes on. And on And on?
Friday, October 30, 2009
My mobile phone, my rescuing buddy
All smartly suited up and a couple of back-to-back meetings to drive to from one end of the Valley to another, I cruised sedately into the compound of the first meeting place when an urgent call threw my day into immediate, chaotic disarray! Aaaargh! My mother’s condition had worsened since morning, and she needed emergency care. My mind sped furiously into overdrive, prioritizing, deleting, scenario-planning and whatever my powerhouse does in its craaaazy inimitable way.
Swinging away from the parking lots and out back onto the main road, I made my first call to explain that meeting number 1 had to be postponed, with my apologies, due to this emergency. Yes, yes of course, I have a headset that allows me to drive as safely as if I were carrying on a conversation with a passenger in my car – my favorite mentor had shown me how to get the most out of Time and get business done on the go ha ha! Actually, he’s been great for my business deliverables but I confess I’ve sometimes compromised my previous standards of etiquette in favor of the timely efficiency of mobility, naughty me.
Now, which route should I choose to take, to get there in the shortest time? Tick, tick, tick, ticking away, my powerhouse kept up its mental computations for deriving what my next steps ought to be. Aha! A traffic jam up ahead with vehicles patiently craaaawling their way forward inch by inch – what a perfect opportunity to text some urgent messages to colleagues explaining the situation, and apologetically alerting them of my impending absence. But suddenly ……… screeeeech! Thump, thump, thump pounded my heart! WHERE did that rear bumper appear from????? Phew! I’d managed to come to a halt literally 2 inches away. No no NO! NOT good to text while moving even slowly – slap on the wrist – I should have known better anyway. What WAS I thinking!!!!!
By the time we were in the Acute Recovery Area (ARA), my business appointments had been re-arranged, due to the cooperation of my supportive colleagues (thanks guys) and my E71. All my commitments had now been properly delegated, and I could focus on the more mmediate family matters. Mum’s occupation of the Resuscitation Room took a good deal longer than in the ARA – hmmmmm how might I make good use of my loafing around the glass doors whose sensors authoritatively opened and shut firmly separating me from those needing medical attention? Tick, tick, tick why not keep those who need to know updated as events unfold? Sometimes in the dubious comfort of a vacant chair, at others leaning against the wall, I sent numbered updates of what was happening to family and close friends in the Valley as well as those spanning the globe. Did I mention how alien I felt lounging around an Emergency area for hours on end in my corporate gear? No, coordinated accessories are NOT what one normally wears when attending to the ill and distressed. I looked sooooooo inappropriate.
But I digress ….. the waiting time was spent incredibly fruitfully, tapping into family journalism at its best by producing mini mobile newsletters each time there was news to share. I duly numbered them too so that they would make chronological sense to the recipients. Hey! Don’t’ laugh?! The progress reports helped Sibling to decide whether he should take the next flight out or not. The text messages to Europe waited respectfully to be sent till that continent awoke while those in my time zone got the updates immediately This would never have been possible in the days of fixed lines and payphones eh?
And here’s the sweetest sentimental exchange: Mum’s sibling was concerned about the whole palaver, so, while Mum was lying in bed and her sister was in another country, E71 allowed them to exchange their feelings and allay their fears, enabling 2 older ladies to feel more assured than if they hadn’t spoken to each other. Have I told you I love you, E71? Yes, I do – even though you sometimes pout and change things you’re not supposed to; but maybe your upgrade won’t do that?
Swinging away from the parking lots and out back onto the main road, I made my first call to explain that meeting number 1 had to be postponed, with my apologies, due to this emergency. Yes, yes of course, I have a headset that allows me to drive as safely as if I were carrying on a conversation with a passenger in my car – my favorite mentor had shown me how to get the most out of Time and get business done on the go ha ha! Actually, he’s been great for my business deliverables but I confess I’ve sometimes compromised my previous standards of etiquette in favor of the timely efficiency of mobility, naughty me.
Now, which route should I choose to take, to get there in the shortest time? Tick, tick, tick, ticking away, my powerhouse kept up its mental computations for deriving what my next steps ought to be. Aha! A traffic jam up ahead with vehicles patiently craaaawling their way forward inch by inch – what a perfect opportunity to text some urgent messages to colleagues explaining the situation, and apologetically alerting them of my impending absence. But suddenly ……… screeeeech! Thump, thump, thump pounded my heart! WHERE did that rear bumper appear from????? Phew! I’d managed to come to a halt literally 2 inches away. No no NO! NOT good to text while moving even slowly – slap on the wrist – I should have known better anyway. What WAS I thinking!!!!!
By the time we were in the Acute Recovery Area (ARA), my business appointments had been re-arranged, due to the cooperation of my supportive colleagues (thanks guys) and my E71. All my commitments had now been properly delegated, and I could focus on the more mmediate family matters. Mum’s occupation of the Resuscitation Room took a good deal longer than in the ARA – hmmmmm how might I make good use of my loafing around the glass doors whose sensors authoritatively opened and shut firmly separating me from those needing medical attention? Tick, tick, tick why not keep those who need to know updated as events unfold? Sometimes in the dubious comfort of a vacant chair, at others leaning against the wall, I sent numbered updates of what was happening to family and close friends in the Valley as well as those spanning the globe. Did I mention how alien I felt lounging around an Emergency area for hours on end in my corporate gear? No, coordinated accessories are NOT what one normally wears when attending to the ill and distressed. I looked sooooooo inappropriate.
But I digress ….. the waiting time was spent incredibly fruitfully, tapping into family journalism at its best by producing mini mobile newsletters each time there was news to share. I duly numbered them too so that they would make chronological sense to the recipients. Hey! Don’t’ laugh?! The progress reports helped Sibling to decide whether he should take the next flight out or not. The text messages to Europe waited respectfully to be sent till that continent awoke while those in my time zone got the updates immediately This would never have been possible in the days of fixed lines and payphones eh?
And here’s the sweetest sentimental exchange: Mum’s sibling was concerned about the whole palaver, so, while Mum was lying in bed and her sister was in another country, E71 allowed them to exchange their feelings and allay their fears, enabling 2 older ladies to feel more assured than if they hadn’t spoken to each other. Have I told you I love you, E71? Yes, I do – even though you sometimes pout and change things you’re not supposed to; but maybe your upgrade won’t do that?
Monday, October 12, 2009
I spy and see ........ excitement ahead!
Whatever you’ve got planned for the weekend of Oct 23, 24, 25, make sure you make time to savor the bonanza of goodies waiting for you at the gleaming Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. What’s happening? It’s the GoMobile Expo 2009, that’s what - with all the bells, whistles and freebies you need to get you enjoying greater pleasure at lower cost, every day. Irresistible!!!
There’s a treasure hunt laid on for you, where you can pick up one of an assortment of mobile phones as a prize among many to be won. Do you have Bluetooth? Well, that’s how you’ll get your clues to follow the trail to the treasures. By the way, start thinking about a winning slogan to clinch the deal, yeah?
Maybe you enjoy feasting your eyes on professional fashion models? You can do that THREE times each day, and even vote for your fave designs too, via SMS of course. The designs you’ll see would have been created by Raffles International College and were inspired by – no prizes for guesses – mobile technology.
And while you’re wandering around, keep your eyes peeled for QR codes that’ll be placed around the hall. Just scan them with your mobile phone, decipher the clues from these codes and use them to answer questions that’ll get you super prizes. You do need a barcode reader app on your phone, though and if you don’t have on, just download it from the internet. And you thought you’d never need one? Huh!
While you’re wide-eyed with wonder, use your phone to snap photos of what enthralls you at the expo and send them to the judges via MMS. Prizes for the best shots will be given at 5pm every day, so start snooping around early! Keep it clean, though peeps J
Treasure hunts for codes and clues, gorgeous models, snapping photos of what tickles your fancy – what else is there to get and keep your adrenalin on high? Well, you can start getting a buzz right NOW! There are photo and video competitions to enter; just use your mobile phone to capture your minds’ imagination. AND, if you’re one of the first 50 subscribers to the Mobile World magazine, you’ll get an LG phone, FREE! FREE! FREE!
Well you can head over to Cyberjaya and capture photos of what YOU think portrays the spirit of this intelligent city. Your photos will appear in Harian Metro, and of course there are prizes to be won for having fun too. Details of how to participate are at www.gomobile.my
Or maybe you like video to capture the motion? Yes, you can do that too at the ‘Truly Asia Reality Mobile Video Contest’. Now this is one that tugs at the heartstrings – you get to submit what you see as being unique about Malaysia (any part of it), from YOUR point of view. Prizes promise to be tantalizing and yes, they do include mobile phones for you! Want to see what some students have submitted in a competition for them? Visit http://www.gomobile.my/ and judge by voting for your favorite entry by the students
Panting with anticipation already? Good. Join the rest of us at http://www.clique.gomobile.my/ and show your registration at the GoMobile Clique Booth to collect your very own gift. See you there on Oct 23,24,25! Promise?
There’s a treasure hunt laid on for you, where you can pick up one of an assortment of mobile phones as a prize among many to be won. Do you have Bluetooth? Well, that’s how you’ll get your clues to follow the trail to the treasures. By the way, start thinking about a winning slogan to clinch the deal, yeah?
Maybe you enjoy feasting your eyes on professional fashion models? You can do that THREE times each day, and even vote for your fave designs too, via SMS of course. The designs you’ll see would have been created by Raffles International College and were inspired by – no prizes for guesses – mobile technology.
And while you’re wandering around, keep your eyes peeled for QR codes that’ll be placed around the hall. Just scan them with your mobile phone, decipher the clues from these codes and use them to answer questions that’ll get you super prizes. You do need a barcode reader app on your phone, though and if you don’t have on, just download it from the internet. And you thought you’d never need one? Huh!
While you’re wide-eyed with wonder, use your phone to snap photos of what enthralls you at the expo and send them to the judges via MMS. Prizes for the best shots will be given at 5pm every day, so start snooping around early! Keep it clean, though peeps J
Treasure hunts for codes and clues, gorgeous models, snapping photos of what tickles your fancy – what else is there to get and keep your adrenalin on high? Well, you can start getting a buzz right NOW! There are photo and video competitions to enter; just use your mobile phone to capture your minds’ imagination. AND, if you’re one of the first 50 subscribers to the Mobile World magazine, you’ll get an LG phone, FREE! FREE! FREE!
Well you can head over to Cyberjaya and capture photos of what YOU think portrays the spirit of this intelligent city. Your photos will appear in Harian Metro, and of course there are prizes to be won for having fun too. Details of how to participate are at www.gomobile.my
Or maybe you like video to capture the motion? Yes, you can do that too at the ‘Truly Asia Reality Mobile Video Contest’. Now this is one that tugs at the heartstrings – you get to submit what you see as being unique about Malaysia (any part of it), from YOUR point of view. Prizes promise to be tantalizing and yes, they do include mobile phones for you! Want to see what some students have submitted in a competition for them? Visit http://www.gomobile.my/ and judge by voting for your favorite entry by the students
Panting with anticipation already? Good. Join the rest of us at http://www.clique.gomobile.my/ and show your registration at the GoMobile Clique Booth to collect your very own gift. See you there on Oct 23,24,25! Promise?
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Getting to ………. Sweet Surrender
Ooo Ooo Ooo! Girlfriends’ husband was flirting over the phone with their travel agent, using seductive tones to chastise her about not recognizing his voice straight off AND actually threatening to book their family’s vacation with someone else instead. Was it really teasing? Or massaged coercion would be more apt ha ha. And don’t we all just LOVE a massage?
Then there is jocular Couple who are successful business partners. Such a delight to be with, they are a warm and friendly pair with engaging eyes and smiles Part of their strategy is to introduce themselves as siblings; why? So that Husband could flatter business women into doing business with their company while Wife remained present without causing discomfort to female clients.
While mulling over these Eyesights which had unraveled before me, my mind traversed across Time and retrieved some other interesting conversations of yore: Waaaaaaay back when, we adolescents were relaxing on the beach, and the name of the game-of-the-moment was for the guys to see how many girls’ attention they could attract. Cousin was delighted at his repeated success and laughed as he said disparagingly “They think we’re whistling at them because we like them Ha ha fooled them!”. Hello, hello? Are you beginning to wonder about what’s behind the ‘tease and please’ of flirtations?
Hmmmmm. Remember the whole set of agonizing circumstances discussed in the book / movie/ shows etc. “He’s just not that into you” which cautions against imagining a relationship or emotional connection where actually there is none? The game of delicious innuendo is still played out every day, everywhere, to achieve differing ends. It is one common method of communication used by both genders for myriad reasons.
“Why do guys do that?” I had asked a guest Counselor at a radio station in England I used to work at. Well-seasoned Counselsor and I often engaged in extremely candid conversations (sometimes blushingly so) about human behavior . His answer was simple “Because they feel duty bound to try” HA HA HA Did that not match Cousin’s observations of a decade before almost perfectly? Clear and fair warning about how to be realistic about testosterone-motivated conversations - both verbal and non-verbal, by both guys and gals huh?
But fair’s fair, people – its not just guys who do tap into the effects of testosterone. Remember Samson and Delilah? Boy oh Boy, did she convince him so successfully with her flirtations that his emotional blindness became physical – he actually lost his eyeballs to his enemies!!!! What a horrible price to pay for ego-tripping. Are we perhaps ego-tripping when we succumb to flattery and flirtation in the workplace at the expense of exercising better judgment in a given situation? Can you perhaps recall instances of regretting falling for an engaging pitch that was not backed up by a good product or service? The reference here to intangible caressing not be validated by a tangible outcome?
The Sights of my inner and outer eyes pose this question “Just how harmless are innuendo, flattery and flirtation when they mislead another party into doing something that they otherwise would not have done? At what point does geninely building rapport give way to not-so-honorable intentions?” Do the means justify the end of reaching ones objectives? Are flattery and flirtation forms of coercive power and control, in disguise? What do YOU think?
Regardless, though, the decision to succumb to them lies firmly in the choice of those who choose to lie back and sweetly surrender to lingering glances and dulcet tones, and NOT with the seductive aggressors. Each of us is accountable for our own choices aren’t we?
Then there is jocular Couple who are successful business partners. Such a delight to be with, they are a warm and friendly pair with engaging eyes and smiles Part of their strategy is to introduce themselves as siblings; why? So that Husband could flatter business women into doing business with their company while Wife remained present without causing discomfort to female clients.
While mulling over these Eyesights which had unraveled before me, my mind traversed across Time and retrieved some other interesting conversations of yore: Waaaaaaay back when, we adolescents were relaxing on the beach, and the name of the game-of-the-moment was for the guys to see how many girls’ attention they could attract. Cousin was delighted at his repeated success and laughed as he said disparagingly “They think we’re whistling at them because we like them Ha ha fooled them!”. Hello, hello? Are you beginning to wonder about what’s behind the ‘tease and please’ of flirtations?
Hmmmmm. Remember the whole set of agonizing circumstances discussed in the book / movie/ shows etc. “He’s just not that into you” which cautions against imagining a relationship or emotional connection where actually there is none? The game of delicious innuendo is still played out every day, everywhere, to achieve differing ends. It is one common method of communication used by both genders for myriad reasons.
“Why do guys do that?” I had asked a guest Counselor at a radio station in England I used to work at. Well-seasoned Counselsor and I often engaged in extremely candid conversations (sometimes blushingly so) about human behavior . His answer was simple “Because they feel duty bound to try” HA HA HA Did that not match Cousin’s observations of a decade before almost perfectly? Clear and fair warning about how to be realistic about testosterone-motivated conversations - both verbal and non-verbal, by both guys and gals huh?
But fair’s fair, people – its not just guys who do tap into the effects of testosterone. Remember Samson and Delilah? Boy oh Boy, did she convince him so successfully with her flirtations that his emotional blindness became physical – he actually lost his eyeballs to his enemies!!!! What a horrible price to pay for ego-tripping. Are we perhaps ego-tripping when we succumb to flattery and flirtation in the workplace at the expense of exercising better judgment in a given situation? Can you perhaps recall instances of regretting falling for an engaging pitch that was not backed up by a good product or service? The reference here to intangible caressing not be validated by a tangible outcome?
The Sights of my inner and outer eyes pose this question “Just how harmless are innuendo, flattery and flirtation when they mislead another party into doing something that they otherwise would not have done? At what point does geninely building rapport give way to not-so-honorable intentions?” Do the means justify the end of reaching ones objectives? Are flattery and flirtation forms of coercive power and control, in disguise? What do YOU think?
Regardless, though, the decision to succumb to them lies firmly in the choice of those who choose to lie back and sweetly surrender to lingering glances and dulcet tones, and NOT with the seductive aggressors. Each of us is accountable for our own choices aren’t we?
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