BMW - The Singapore Airshow 2010

The Singapore Airshow 2010 is here again. It is a biennale event which will taking place from 2 to 7 February 2010. The first 4 days are exclusively for trade attendees while the final 2 weekend days are open to public.

BMW is one of the key sponsors for the Singapore Airshow 2010.



TPM Outdoor is proud to feature BMW - Joy Takes Flight on the Queensway Shopping Centre LED Screen. Many car owners and shoppers will be able to view this advertisement featured at this key junction to the Leng Kee Road cluster of car dealers and showrooms in Singapore.

Enjoy the Show!

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Scream and Shout in South Africa with VISA

TPM Outdoor welcomes the 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa with our the installation of graphic display out-of-home advertising (OOH advertising) for VISA at VivoCity.

"Spend and Win; Then Scream and Shout in South Africa!"

So head on to VivoCity and shop your hearts out. Sounds like the only alternative way to enjoy the World Cup since Singaporeans may miss out watching live games over the cable thanks to the Singtel/ Starhub - FIFA.

It was reported in the Straits Times on Jan 17, 2010, that FIFA wants nearly 100 million Singapore dollars for the month-long World Cup. SingTel CEO Allen Lew had also been quoted that "FIFA has been asking for an unreasonable amount." But apparently, this “unreasonable” amount was revised only after Singtel won the EPL rights from its rival Starhub with an unbeatable bid amount... More analysis from news junkie, Abhijit at Pressnet.

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Singpost's Vandalised post boxes?

Taken from Stomp and AsiaOne's report posted on Jan 6, 2010. Please read more for details of the Singpost's Vandalised Post Boxes as a publicity stunt gone wrong here and here. Some extracts of the report include:


- "It turned out that blatant acts of vandalism of post boxes over the New Year weekend, which had angered several onlookers, were not carried out by criminals."



- "... the "rampage" had actually been a publicity stunt by Singapore Post, to reach out to youths here in conjunction with the Youth Olympic Games to be held from Aug 14 to 26 this year."

- "....photos and videos of the "vandal" [flooded streaming site YouTube and Singapore Press Holdings' citizen-journalism website, Stomp] - [the vandal] who wore a white long-sleeved shirt, black pants, gloves and a black hat - openly defacing the post boxes. He was seen spray-painting phrases such as "boomz", "inkman", "break out" and "live life" all over the mailboxes. Police were called in to investigate."



While guerrilla marketing is defined as an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget, and the sky's the limit in terms of creativity BUT, I guess there are unspoken markers in terms of taste and cultural sensitivities that a brand must consider when launching any campaign. My takes on the Singpost's recent publicty stunt:

- To quote Pat Law's twitter post on this campaign: "....At best, u can fault Singpost for trying too hard to be cool but what's the big deal with graffiti anyways?"
- To me, "What's the big deal with graffiti anyways?" - is graffiti necessarily synonymous with youth? Furthermore, is graffiti can be regarded as a form of street art or the other extreme of thoughtless vandalism (ie. with destruction of common property as intention). Based on the graffiti content on the post boxes with words like "Boomz" and other random lines, is it the intention for the Youth Olympics Games to be associated with criminal acts?

- Finally, as a vendor and executer of Out-of-Home media and production, outdoor related guerrilla marketing is part of our daily grind. And we should always keep the relevant authorities in view when planning any execution. I am reminded of the Balloon Boy when I saw the picture of all the police gathered at the "places of crime", at the post boxes.

The Balloon Boy hoax of a 6 year old boy feared adrift in a wayward homemade helium balloon in Colorado Oct 2009. He was later found safe in his home after a massive search Thursday afternoon. His rescue search was estimated to cost
US$47,000 for the time and efforts of the multiple government agencies including the Airforce, sheriff's office etc.

The Balloon Boy's parents have been sentenced with jail terms. Mostly the outrage from the Balloon Boy's hoax stems from the "...exploitation of the children of the Heenes, exploitation of the media, exploitation of the emotions of the people -- and it's about money. This was all done for the purpose of making money," Schapanski said in this CNN
report.

On one hand, we should be pushing the creativity envelope, but where do we stop at while being mindful of the environmental factors, putting out necessary disclaimers and providing prior information to the relevant authorities. It is all a fine balance of brand communications...

I am conflicted.

Your thoughts?

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Welcome 2010 and A Thank You to "The Man in the Arena"

Happy New Year!

The year is rolling along fast and furious, busy is good rather than the same time last year in 2009, when the phone was hardly ringing at all.

I'll like to take this opportunity to thank and give a big "pat on the back" to all those involved in Out-of-Home media and production everywhere around the world. All Out-of-Home industry participants deal with so many aspects of the living environment and multiple stakeholders, including the landlords, the conflicting tenants, the various city governments, the public that engage with the display etc etc etc. - thus we really get involved into every nitty gritty to pull off any campagin be it digital or traditional; one day only or more than one year. Perhaps a bigger thank you for the trust our clients have in all us to explore and exploit the full potential of Out-of-Home media. You all are "The Man in the Arena"

Define by Wikipedia:"Someone who is heavily involved in a situation that requires courage, skill, or tenacity (as opposed to someone sitting on the sidelines and watching), is sometimes referred to as "the man in the arena."

Exact from "The Man in The Arena" by by Teddy Roosevelt, April 23, 1910

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face in marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Happy 2010 everyone - all the best and HAVE FUN ;)

Thank you.
sasete itadakimasu - "It is a joy to be of service"

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