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The Vendor-Client Relationship

Ever had a client asked for a discount?  Well, at jooja!, we get that pretty often.  Which is why we always quote 27 times more on the initial quotation, then give 50% off when they ask for a discount.

Nah… just kidding!  We do get the occasional “could you do a design for us to see first before we decide to engage you guys”.  Of which, we then bring out our burly chef.

All Hail Yasmin Ahmad

I like this the first time I saw it.  It was engaging, funny and brought a tear to my eye (no, I wasn’t sobbing, just welled up a  little).  So, it was disheartening to learn later than Yasmin Ahmad, the director, admitted to ripping a large chunk from Good Will Hunting, right down to the fart jokes.  It did take the shine away a little.  But nevertheless, upon consideration, it was quite brave of MCYS (the client) and Ahmad to use a funeral setting as a public announcement ad for marriage.

Some people hated it but quite a big number resonated with it.  Some say the acting was bad.  I suspect these critics could be closet actors.  Whatever it is, I must congratulate MCYS on cross-platforming the TVC very well — onto facebook, a “beatifully imperfect” couple contest, and into print.

Kids Deserve The Best

This TVC series is arguably the best cod liver oil ad ever.  The funny faces, the overacting, and the spastic thumbs-up dancing definitely appeal to kids.  Parents of sickly kids all over Singapore are grateful to have an ad advocating the joy and benefits of taking a hard-to-swollow health supplement.  In fact, only a few days ago I resorted to the thumbs-up dance to coax my six year-old to not only take her cod liver oil but her anti-depressants as well.  Two thumbs up!!

Made To Stick

rs_madetostickI think I stumbled upon Made To Stick while reading The New York Times online. Or was it from HOW?

Anyway, the article talked about how most successful ad campaigns were formulaic and could be reasonably replicated by non-advertising guys. It alarmed me initially. Not because I felt my job was threatened but more so because I wonder what that formula was. And so I had to buy that book.

Made To Stick wasn’t disappointing at all.  It’s fun to read and thoroughly practical.  I use the easy-to-remember 6-step “SUCCESS” process for all my stories, pitches and ad campaigns now.  Highly recommended to teachers, trainers, marketers, PR chaps, and anyone who wants to persuade.  Good stuff.

Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hours

My colleague first raved to me about The Tipping Point in 2005 after Gladwell’s second book, Blink, came out. But I only read it after he lent me his copy. Two pages in and I was fascinated by Gladwell’s ability to slice through chunky facts and figures like hot knife into full-cream premium butter. He makes academic research, social science and psychology hip and relevant. Plus, The Tipping Point was pretty relevant to my line of work. I then bought my own copy together with Blink. And late last year, I got three copies of Gladwell’s latest, Outliers, and gave two as Christmas gifts.

The Tipping Point is about how an idea or product could spread like wildfire if it’s passed through a certain group of people. People with super social skills who are able to spark, connect, and sell to the rest of the world.

Gladwell’s second book, Blink, is about trusting our instincts and how we could be masters at the game of “thin-slicing“.

Outliers propounds that geniuses are nurtured rather than natured.  That smart and successful people are a product of their upbringing, environment and circumstances.  The book gives solid examples of geniuses such as Bill Gates, Oppenheimer and the Beatles.  I take great comfort knowing that destiny lies in our hands and Gladwell’s science supports this.

In fact, many other researchers and scientists have concurred with Gladwell, relegating the notion of born geniuses.  Last month, NYTimes’ columnist, David Brooks, wrote a compelling piece titled Genius: The Modern View.  Brooks made mention of Gladwell’s 10,000 hours theory—that a person who had 10,000 hours of practicing his or her craft will indeed be very good that that craft.

Okay, these three books aren’t life-altering but they’re definitely good brain food which will somehow reside indelibly in your system.

Ogilvy On Advertising

I never read Confessions Of An Advertising Man by David Ogilvy. It was this lesser known sibling book that got me excited about advertising. It’s engaging, funny and features some brilliant work of Ogilvy’s. Funny thing was that I found it lying around the agency I was then working in and decided to safekeep it in my bedroom. Years later, as it laid on my desk as reference, someone pinched it without me realising it until months later. I suspect it was during an office Christmas party where I mooned everyone. Karma does happen.

Life Begins At 40

If you had read Napolean Hill’s Think & Grow Rich, you’ll remember that Hill wrote that most successful people become successful after 40. For those born before 1969: rejoice! I guess there’s some logic to that because at that age, you’ll probably done your 10,000 hours already.

If you haven’t read Think & Grow Rich, then I highly recommend you to do so. It’s basically the original The Secret.  I think it’s better than The Secret because it offers some practical exercises to attain wealth—monetary and in other forms (but mainly money wealth).

I think Think & Grow Rich should be mandatory reading for those starting a business or going into sales.  In fact, I’d pass it to my kids when they turned 18.  It’d be sort of a trust fund release when they become a major.

If this book pitch piques you, you’ll be happy to know that you could download it for free.  Go read it.