iStrategy 2010 - day 1

I must say that this is another conference where there actually some really good knowledge, tips and ideas for our business. The other were Google and WebAsia2010 which I attend a few months ago. But this one is the most rewarding of all.

 

Blake Chandlee from facebook shared about how facebook connecting to the world and what revolutionary means to them. Games can connect to friends in a very interesting way. Communities connect to their friends through facebook games. Their model: Efficiency, Effectiveness and Scale.

 

Kathleen Tan talked about how AirAsia build a successful social media and how they interact with their fans. She talked about integrating print ad with social media. This is something my company is doing too but not very successful yet. To make social media works, The Company has to embrace it too. Pick what suits you and don't pick everything. So true.

 

Driving ROI and growing our brand through social media gave me an insights that there are still a lot of challenges we are facing in SEA. Many brand value still top down. One of the speakers talked about measurable marketing to so true in today context. Keynote take away is social media is a feature, not a destination (Haresh Khoobchandani, CMO Consumer and Online APAC).

 

The workshop I attended was a bit disappointing. I might have wrong expectation but I did took away some knowledge the comparison between standard display ad vs video ad. If your video ad cost 5-10 times more than standard ad, don't bother to proceed coz you can't get ROI.

 

Ogilvy talked about Muslim market was really interesting and relevant to our business. I always believe FMCG is the way to go and our advertisers include the B2B should target Muslim consumers. It's so true that Muslim market is under serve and they are 'The Futurist'. Muslim make up to 11% of world's populations and 52.5% of the populations are under 25 years old. Stay away from stereotype or conservative approach to reach the net generation. Lesson learnt: Not true that only Chinese advertisers have ad spending power or only B2B have the big budget. In fact they must cater for Muslim market.

Shariah compliance importance:

1. Food & beverage
2. Fashion & beauty care
3. Airline
4. Hotel
5. Travel
6. Financing / loan
7. Insurance

What will work:

• Help other
• Be better Muslims
• Positive and Progressive

CIMB Islamic Success: (Nokia shared similar success)

• Inclusive
• Muslim friendly value
• progressive & innovative
• Collective

Lastly I like that the speaker said brand doesn't need to have Islamic symbol to tap into Muslim market. So true and now I have I know there are a lot of people agreed with me! Hehehehe..

Conference in Singapore

I finally arrived at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel. This day started off fairly intense too. Arriving at the office this morning and straight away I had to settle a few papers work and meeting supplier for our new office.

After that was brainstorming with my sales director and marketing manager to our 2011 campaigns and company KPI. That took up till lunch time. I was so hungry by then and went to Singapore Chicken Rice Shop. The outlet we went serve really nice chicken rice. Not all places retain the same quality though...maybe is because of the francise.

Lunch over and back to office to catch up as much as I can before leaving for airport. By then the rain has started. Funny thing was all the way to the airport, I experience several raining condition. First, it was light rain falls, then it was thunder storm that my taxi driver can't see the road clearly. I don't think he can see past 1 meter. After that, back to light rain and then it stopped, just clouldy sky. After a few minutes, it's heavy rain again follow by few rain drops and stop totally. Just I was about the reach the airport, it heavy downpour again and by then I started to worried. But just before I reach the airport departure hall, the rain stop.

At the low cost airport, each time I wanted to check in for my trip to Singapore, it always brought me to different counter. This time, check-in through kiosk. Mind you, there are a lot of passengers don't know how to use the kiosk yet. People tend to kelam-kabut when they face something new. It's not easy to try something new for some people. After that, the gate has change too. The new area has completed and it's quite nice. Wider.

While waiting for my flight, there was a group of guests, I think they are on tour and they are so loud! I guess they must be excited to go somewhere. The flight was delay slightly due to the rain. During the journey to Singapore, it was raining with lots of cloud and lightings. It somehow remain me of a horror movie. Thumbs up for the Captain because he really avoid the heavy cloud the best he can. We basically went around the clouds. Touch down at Changi airport at 8.10pm.

After crossing the custom, I had to face a long queue waiting for taxi. It took me 50minutes until it was my turn to board a taxi. The elderly uncle still there ashering passengers to the taxi. I wonder if he's working to pass time or he has no one to depend on and therefore having to work at his age. He looks like he's 80 years old, but he's still look very healthy and strong. Strong than most people twice his age.

I arrived at the hotel almost 10pm. There were a lot of guests at the lobby area and dining area. Check-in by a front desk whose English is quite a bit to understand. I think she's either Koren or Japanese. I had to cut short my stay here by a day but since my reservation is through the organiser, front desk will get back to me tomorrow.

The room was really nice and cosy. Bathroom is clean and amenities are well prepared. Overall the room is really nice. View from the room was excellent too, although I'm not much the type who needs view from a room. I told Sugar I won't eat but in the end I was so hungry I order room service. I had spaghetti Bolognese. It arrived just after I took shower and the meal was 5 stars standard. I finished everything and the plate was squeaky clean. I even ate the bread. Even the bread was nice. I finished my enjoyable meal in my room with a cup of instant coffee. By then I don't mind the lousy coffee because I was contented.

Now I'm watching cable TV while entering my blog. Tomorrow I will have to wait up at 6am so I can go for breakfast at 7am before the iStrategy conference starts. I am hoping to network and contact from other attendees and leads for my company. Based on the schedule, it's going to be fairly tied. It's a good thing I stay in this hotel.