SUIT UP !

To celebrate International Suit Up Day the crazy CaKe boys, Ren Hao and myself gathered at the CaKe Studio to do some formal crazy shots. And thanks to this photoshoot I have got a new blog header.

Check out some of our highlights !

Me spinning my balls

@CTham and his epic shampoo ad hair.

Father @WongRenHao , Self explanatory  

As usual, our in house cheesy cheese cake - @inrsoul

We, the god father.

Ah yes, climbing the cooperate ladder. 

Expired boy band. The innocent, the specky, the long hair and the pretty boy. 

And yes, we celebrated it a few days late cause we actually forgotten about it. :p . This year we only got four and we hope to get more next year at the studio. See you guys next year during International Suit Up Day at Cake !!

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Sesasmith St : Sold Out Vs Sell Out

Hello Boys and Girls ! Welcome to SesaSmith St once  again !

On today's episode, I'm going to teach you two very interesting terms. Although the very first word of these two terms are basically same word in different tenses but their meaning is actually way different. Sold Out Vs Sell Out.

SOLD OUT : 

iPhone 3GS 

 This is SOLD OUT. There could be a few reasons why this is sold out.

1. This is an exclusive product.
2. This product is really awesome and thus everybody wants it.
3. This product is really worth the price.
4. This product has gone through a good marketing segment and found it's positioning and everyone in that subculture loves it and got it.

Generally in Singapore's term we call it "Sorli, No Stock !"


SELL OUT : 

Picture from unknown source, texts are edited.

This is SELL OUT. There could be a few reasons why this is SELL OUT.

1. Because he/she is poor and jobless and needs to get freebies.
2. Because he/she needs the attention and trying to be famous.
3. This person is not worth any price and getting freebie is all he could get.
4. He/she totally has no positioning and he does like almost everything and is seen everywhere.
5. He/she has no clue.

Generally in Singapore's term we call it " Giam Peng Giam Sai."

This is actually a classic example of how some celebrities loses their market shares in doing endorsement. Like my marketing lecturer once pointed out about Brad Pitt endorsing both Edwin Jeans and Levi's Jeans. (Although it's different year) This gives consumer a mix feeling cause they will feel that the pair of jeans are the same but are the two brand the same? Are they selling the same brand image? Do they even want to be associated with other brands that Brad Pitt was endorsing? Brand image is very important and so is personnel branding, some of the other products he endorsed includes Honda integra, Jewelry, Coffee, Heineken Beer, Tag Heuer and even Evance Rolex. Does all this brands share the same brand image? No doubt he is a face, he is popular but is that what a real marketer wants and "is there no one else ?" 




I just have to do this. Brad Pitt in "Troy"


Same thing for a blogger if you ask me. Should a single blogger be talking about everything under the sun? Every single brand even where it does not tell people about you? Should it be a marketer's job to make sure they endorse the right blogger or should it be a bloggers job to say no to brand that does not speak their personel image? 


Words to the marketers : Choose your bloggers wisely if you want your product to be sold out.


Words to bloggers : Choose your products wisely and don't be a sell out and hard sell every single thing. You might think you are helping the product but you are actually doing more harm than help. 


Mr.Smith, always sharing but never shared out.  


P.S : All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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Harmony

I am not too sure if I am a little late to blog about this, but I stumble upon Chen Show Mao's maiden parliamentary speech. And can I say this is really one of the very very few times I am actually inspired by a local parliament figure.

This is what it is :


“政者正也， 子帅以正，孰敢不正”，“为政以德，譬如北辰，居其所而众星拱之”，“风行草偃”，这些都是孔子说的来形容好的执政者，意思就是，一个好的领导者，只要有信心，有正确的方向，有好的道德与能力把政绩做出来，人民自然会乐意跟著他走。不需要害怕国家分裂，强调团结。
爱国的权利不是任何一个政党可以独占的。一个党再伟大也只是国家的一部分而已，不是国家全部啊！陈独秀说过，＂党外无党，帝王思想。＂在民主社会里，有不同的意见，不同的建议，是很自然的事情。这也是好事。

其实孔子三千年前就已说过，“君子和而不同”。和谐，可却不尽相同。晏婴说过：乐团只演奏一个音符，谁听得下去？白开水上再加白开水，谁喝得下去？一个和谐的社会，不只有一种声音。而是每个人很和平的在法律的範围内发表他的看法，从事政治活动。我们不必防民如防贼。

I'm not too sure how many of my readers actually understand what it means cause if it's just base on the Chinese characters I must confess that I only know around 75-80% of them but in context wise I actually fully understand and in fact feels it that much. (I hope I got it right. )

It talks about unity, it talks about bonding and it talks about something that has always been in my head, the ideal world I wanted, the utopia that I have been looking for - "One Voice".

I always thought that when mending a company, a team or maybe even in a family, it is important for everyone to be united as one, do things as one and I believe this is what many mangers and management thinks as well. We will try to create team bonding session, we will try to pass down mission statements, visual and goals to make sure everyone is on the same page, works together towards one goal to make the whole team better. We try to enforce everyone to go to event together, we try to hire like minded people to form this team dynamics. I always thought that by doing so means getting everyone on the same side.

The speech above reminded me that having differences is common, having differences is inevitable, having difference is actually healthy. It's thru all these differences that people improves and become better. We do not need to fear differences, in fact if everyone is the same, what is the beauty in it? And if an organization is under a good leadership, "one voice" is not needed, it is not something an organization should work towards but instead it should be "harmony".

We can have different thoughts, different culture, different style of work and different beliefs but and the end of day it is harmony that we need to work on to ensure that all the differences only make things better, only make things work out and it is not but using fear or any other ways to eliminate and iron out all differences. It is through good leadership where we integrate all the differences.


Thanks CSM for sharing this. It is really inspiring. I hope I got the meaning correct but nevertheless I think it did inspire me the way I got it.


Mr.Smith, harmony 

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Twitterverse in Singapore is just ...

Things had change. And the single word that best describe the situation now starts with D and Ends with a G.

Anybody in for a game for hanging with friends ? D I _ _ _ _ _ I _ G. Yes, D I S G U S T I N G.

Things started slow for local Social Media scene I suppose and I shall not say that I am a pioneer but I can easily say that I am one of those who jump onto the bandwagon a little wee bit earlier than the mass. And what puts me off recently is that the Twitterverse is lacking of love. Lack of this little bit of 人情味 as compared to maybe two years back.

Back than Twitter is like a little kampong to me where everyone tries to make friends with one and other and follows one and other, we help each other by RT-ing important tweets, showing support when one is down, meeting up for random dinners, showering each other with #FF / #FollowFriday.

Today, Twitter is like a developed country where everyone is for themselves and trying to create controversy and trying to get more followers yourself and it once again become another big rat race. People are using tricks to get followers, enabling bots to do auto tweets, trying to have more followers than following, trying to get free deals, putting hashtags all over to get the attention, only attending events with exclusive invitation and maybe even putting others down to make oneself look good. More and more bloggers spotted on twitter using it as a form of branding/advertising, spamming nothing but their own blog or related tweets, worst still, influential bloggers using it as a tool of cyber bullying ganging up the others and maybe a lot of brand jumping onto the bandwagon and talks about their promotion and get 5,000 or more followers within the first 3 months and than gone mum after that because contract ends with the agency.

I ask you people.

WHERE IS THE LOVE  ? 


The golden rule to me of social media is that it is not like(or rather not supposed to be) traditional media where it is a one sided media. Social Media is form in a unique manner by two words. "Social" and the other word is "Media". The word "Social" comes before the word "Media" for a simple reason, it's Social that brings the word out, it's Social, it's Love that make things go round. 


What went wrong? Is it because when the "country" got bigger and things just get harder to manage? Is it because how community managers and brand managers has shaped the society to become as such? Is it because local media is giving social media too much attention? No, I take the last question back, our country IS giving social media TOO MUCH, WAY TOO MUCH attention. I do know that listening to feedback is important but going through tweets and facebook comment on national TV is just too much. Every possible prints or TVC comes with a "Follow Us" or "Find Us On", FUCKING GOD DAMN IT, KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU ARE DOING AND STOP JUMPING ON AND DOING IT FOR THE FUCK OF IT. 


Fine, social media spaces are still shaping itself as the time goes by and we are suppose to be able to accept the changes for how it is but I seriously ain't enjoying where this shape is going. It's no rocket science and I can foresee what it is going to be like down the road. There is no right or wrong of how you use each tools, it's always about the perception and where you are standing and watching. As for now, I do not like what I am seeing from where I am standing. Although I am a marketing person, although I do lavish on social media as a source for my work but I do hope to see the glory days where it's love we are showing. That is almost a lil impossible for now and the least I could pray for is it does not go any further into the ashtray. 


No, I do not need 20,000 followers, all I want are friends. No, You do not need 20,000 followers cause your tweets stinks. 


Mr.Smith, very very disappointed ...

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Happy International Suit Up Day !

SUIT UP BITCHES !

Totally forgotten about it. Got this done up last min. Hope we are still in time to celebrate the awesomeness of Barney Stinson. Read all about it here. Or follow the official twitter account at @ISUDay . #StinsonRocks

Mr.Smith, seriously, it's too hot to suit up here.  

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On Today's Sesasmith's Street : Circle !

Hey kids, welcome to the new episode of SesaSmith Street. Today we are teaching you on the shape - CIRCLE !

Yes, repeat after me CIRCLE ! 


Well Done !

Can you name me somethings that are circle or round ?

YES ! A Coin !

 And of course ! My favorite ! A Basketball !

 Oh ! This is one you see pretty often in Singapore. The "NO SMOKING" Sign ! You kids are doing really well !

OH ! And the newly launched CIRCLE LINE !

Circle line? Really?

Wait a min. erm.. Where's the circle ?  Ah-har ! There it is !

BREADTALK®’S LIMITED EDITION CIRCLE LINE BUNS

As you guys should know by now, our circle line is finally in full circle ! You can now go to Holland Village for a drink with by train ! How awesome ! And to make things even better, BreadTalk is celebrating this event with their very original limited edition circle line buns !

You could get it at any breadtalk outlet at only a price of $1.50 ! Sorry I have to break the bad news to you that this awesome bun is not here to stay like the MRT line, it is only available at all BreadTalk outlets from 6 to 16 October 2011.

Oh wait? There is something else which is circle ? Yes ! A HALO !

My mum is 60 and still playing w food. haiyo.

Looks like everyone is very happy with the circle line ! You can now meet our favorite SPG by train ! Who ? Of course ! 

TANGSS ~~ 

And kids this could be the story of How I Met Your Mother !

Anyway, On today's SesaSmith's Street, we learnt about the shape : CIRCLE !

Until next time ! TANGS ~~~ TANGGGGS ~~ AVEEBADI ~~ 

Mr.Smith, I'm such an educator.

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Win a chance to meet Lin Chi-Ling !

Remember the good times that I blog about being at Singapore Turf Club and all the fun I had ? Like how I met your mother Sheikh and how my "cheap fashion" almost got me access denial at the club. This time round you can join me too ! Erm, just remember try not to wear berms like I did and I will assure you an awesome time gathering with other bloggers and happy horse betting !

I am not sure who you will meet this time round (yet) at the Longines Singapore Gold Cup Event on 13th Nov 2011 but the last I went I get to met popular blogger/model Nira Chan , one of the usual suspect who is so so pretty in horse raching fashion - the HollyJean , Karen better known as Renzze who real motive at turf club is to make use of the nice head dress that she bought and didn't get to wear , Roseanne who is not at far away land (you know I miss you) and of course my favorite Sara or better known as icyabstract !! Sorry I'm bias this way cause I only mention the female bloggers. HAHA. Of course if you wish to meet some guy bloggers you get to meet yours truly - me ! #Burn.  Anyway on top of meeting other bloggers you might stand a chance to meet Taiwanese celebrity Lin Chi-Ling !!!

Hi, I'm waiting for you. ; )

So here is the deal , just join the MOST GLAMOUROUS CONTEST !


Just follow these few simple steps :

1. Take/Find a most glamourous outfit photo of yours. Check if it still looks like you or have you grow any hotter.

2. Send it to socialmedia@turfclub.com.sg before 31st October 2011.

3. Your photos will be uploaded to facebook by us so you will just wait to be judged and pray with your fingers cross that you are one of the hottest most glamourous !!

See ! it's just that simple ! But that's not all ! If you are selected to join us at the Longines Singapore Gold Cup Event on 13th Nov 2011, come dressed in your most glamourous outfit and you stand a chance to walk away with a too awesome Longines watch worth $4000 !!

Tar dar ~~ and you are ready to go ! You do not even need to write anything or create any videos ! Simple right ??

I'm looking forward to seeing you at the event !

Mr.Smith, horse racing is not all about gambling !

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The popularity rat race.

Some of my clients had ask me this very silly question about whether I am considered a popular blogger or so call famous. My question is what makes you popular and famous ? Is it the number of read/clicks you get per day? Is it the number of followers you have on twitter or likes you get on facebook? 

Like seriously, wake up already. 

For bloggers or Tweeples (Twitter People) are generally known as opinion leaders in marketing terms. (Thanks me later for the knowledge with a beer if you have to) Technically we are people who have opinion and in a way influential to our own sub-culture. Moreover with platforms and more and more people on each platforms you will become a very influential guy even before you know it. Social media voices are getting very very loud these days. Especially with traditional media like TVs, Radios and even prints are watching us. But like I always tell everyone 

"Social Media - Everyone has a voice but not everyone has a brain." 

It's really very much who you are reading and who you are believing. It's very much you are who you read kinda thing too. As for me, I read gutteruncensored more than anything. (I think they are down recently, right? ) 

We all know who are the people we read online and who are the good to follow on twitter especially for me as a marketer who lurks around local social media scene more than anything else. I prefer to use the word "active" to describe most people who have good numbers of followers/readers/likes on any of the platform. It's about you being active to get certain amount of support in your own sub-culture. It's just like how well people know your mother in your neighbourhood wet market. Maybe 90% of the store owner knows her but that doesn't make her famous cause her going to a new market might not have this good % of support too right? 

So if you ask me who are the really famous one locally ? I will only give you two names. 

Xiaxue and Mr.Brown. It's only when you can be recongnize by the world or being mentioned by the minister during his speech. That is famous. You see, I do not even need to hyperlink both of them and I'm sure you know their sites. 

No doubt you get fame and what not freebies and get treated like a V.I.P, but being famous comes with a price of haters. I am sure many out there hate XX for how bitchy she is or Mr.Brown for being lame at times but comon, even grammy awards winning has haters no? Than again to quote myself earlier on twitter 

"We always say that u need to be famous to have haters but it's not a 2 way road.Stop trying hard to gather haters to prove u r famous. "

Reversing the process doesn't work. Seriously.

To sum this post up, social media to me is really social and social is about making friends and not gathering minion to make yourself popular. Stop all the check score on social media. Followers/Friends/Likes are friends NOT FOOD(for your ego). 

Signing off with a quote from one of my favorite wrestler : Undertaker 

TRY ME, I'LL MAKE YOU FAMOUS 

Mr.Smith, don't get trapped in your own little rat race. 

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If you love those tits ... GPGT

This is what i am saying ! If you love those tits, you better take care of them !

For all my hum sup mate from #humsupleague !

Of course, I am not posting this just to ask you to look at my friend - moonberry's tits although they are really awesome in this picture.  I am helping to pass the message around ! It's breast cancer awareness campaign !

From her blog :

" Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Singapore. 1 in 17 women develops breast cancer in her lifetime.[via] Worldwide, breast cancer is the second most prevalent cancer and is the most common cause of cancer related deaths among women. I hate to break it to you... if you're female, then you are definitely at risk. :( So I want to emphasize that early detection is crucial. "

Read more on her blog here !

And if you are scare of going to the doctor where the machine is going to press onto your tits, I can surely help ! I mean I can go with you to the doctor ! What were you guys thinking ?

Mr.Smith, I love big tits and I can't lie

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My take on H&M Singapore

Nope, I did not visit H&M Singapore last weekend and neither did I do it yesterday. So what is there to talk about if I did not even visit H&M Singapore myself ?

The reaction of netizen and shoppers towards H&M.

We have people commenting on people who visit it as silly and stupid and why Q so hard. Well on the other hand we still see that H&M is still full of people and the Q goes on and on even on a weekday evening.

I think it's fun to do such things as in go Q and feel the atmosphere if you have friends to go with. It's just like Chinese new year bazaar. You might end up with nothing but it's all fun no ? I will not be there a day before just for the voucher however I do not rule out the fact that I might go Q if I had the time and correct company to go with. Too bad I was busy that weekend.

Neither would I comment on those who did not go as "sour grape" cause i believe that everyone has their own shopping preference. As for me I think if I really want to shop, i prefer a nice quiet environment and I will just go in a few months time but if i am to visit it now, it's all for the fun of it. But no, i will not worship H & M cause i love my guan yin ma.

It's always about the perspective isn't it ?

Anyway H&M is no high fashion to me ( I did visit the HK one before) but I think it's always good to see a new brand locally.

And my ah dum did went in during the weekend and l00ted me some stuff too !

it's only $3.90 each !

Mr.Smith, H&M cum than cum lor, I also can't control right?  

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