back from bangkok!!! more post coming up!

McControversial - Di Mana Babi? - lucky charm not lucky at all...

Recently, our favourite fast food restaurant, McDonald, launched a very cutesy range of collectibles for their fans and also for avid collectors like me. Yup, the DORAEMON Lucky Charms.

How this promotion works is at such that you can buy the Doraemon plush with any purchase... yes, even jus buy the applepie at $1, you can get these lucky charms at $2 each... (you can buy as many pieces you like, no limitation)... and of course, for collectors like me, we will try to collect them all... but the catch is that, they only release 3 designs per week, so it will take a full 4 weeks to complete the collection. (please note, McDonald is not responsible for the increase in your weight during the course of collecting this series) :p

a closer look at the lucky charms

the concept of the charms is a representation of each of the Chinese Zodiac Signs (namely, Rat, Bull, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Chicken, Dog, Boar) however, to my dismay was that, they removed Boar from the series and replaced it with the HEART... i was disheartened, GET IT?! prolly because i am born in the year of Boar myself and they dont have that Zodiac sign! argh... gave me second thought to get it as my collection. but what the hell!

There have been alot of discussion on this issue online, in publication and even in blog.. (yes including mine)

the main thing is that, McDonald, apparently is trying to protect the Malay locals' interest by removing the pig and being a Halal Restaurant Chain it is even more of a reason to not make the Boar in the complete Zodiac collection. SO some 'clever' Marketing guy in McDonald decided to remove the Boar and replaced it with the Heart... such that hoping they will not offend the Malay locals... and then giving Heart to appease them... well not bad an idea though since Valentine's Day is round the corner..

this is the Boar version - go poll to bring it on sale @ www.mcdonalds.com.sg/doraemon

below is an article taken off from Straits Times that McDonald realised this decision of theirs (the replacement) not only it did not make the situation better, it made it to the hot topic of discussion in 2010

WE'RE SORRY AND WE'RE GRATEFUL (abit contradicting rite?) 

We could never have anticipated how passionate Singapore is about our Doraemon lucky charms. A happy community is important to us, and it was never our intention to offend anyone.

Therefore we are grateful for your feedback. This, we believe, is the backbone of McDonald's™ relationship with you. You tell us, we listen.

We are doing our best to make things right. And as you have requested, we will bring in the Doraemon 'pig' lucky charm to complete your collection in mid-April owing to production schedule.

Just a small favour: Please indicate* below your interest to purchase Doraemon 'pig' lucky charm at $2 each (all nett proceeds will go to the Ronald McDonald Children's Charity™). We really want to make sure there are enough stocks to meet your needs.


Thank you for your understanding and continued support of McDonald's™.

* Do note this poll is for McDonald's™ to gather an indicative order quantity and is not an order reservation

COMEON MAN!!? want to appease the situation but yet not willing to spend to make the same number of quantity as per the other Zodiac Signs..
 
Anyway, though with this polling decision, i am still not agreeable to the initial dumb decision to think too much about the Boar.. in the first place right, if they want to have this promotion on the zodiac signs, they should have thought about it even before they launch. why now? i guess the thought process could have been more thorough..

oh ya, i happened to get my hand on this pic of the other Doraemon set in other region of the world... WTF rite... it looks bloody much more nicer than the Singapore version.... talking about Uniquely Singapore.

BACK TO SCHOOL!!

Finally!!!! after many coaxing and encourements... i have decided to pick up the 'sword' i have left in my cupboard for 5 years and head on to a 'battle' with the textbooks and notes....

yeah... i have decided to jump course ... i was a grad in Electronic Telecomm Engr in Ngee Ann Poly... but now i am more or less firmed in my selection of my degree course of study... i will be taking Double Major in Hospitality, Tourism Marketing Management in May... Murdoch Uni at Kaplan Campus..

however, prior to that i'll need to take 6 bridging modules...

can you imagine.. 6 x 20hrs of gruelling crash course for the span of 3 mths.... each paper with an exam..

gosh... okok i am studying for my first paper as i am typing this.. off to my books...

wish me luck

Heart Wrenching New Year - paying my last respect... Good Bye Xue Yao

i went to Xue Yao's wake today... i got a msg from Bernard Sim, he represented Ying to come down to pay the last respect... Ying is in Shanghai for work.... i promised Ying too that i will give her a call when i reached so that i can put her on speaker phone and that her words can reach Xue Yao even from a distance... everything was ok until i walked towards the coffin... i quickly dial Ying's number and put her on speaker... i too couldnt control my emotional self... i broke down... i teared and the feeling was heart wrenching... i lost another brother...

Brother, as i am reading your Facebook i came across your message

Initially I have no hopes, no fears & nothing to lose.. Now I got my hopes, my fears & too much to lose..!! Whu does not wish to have hopes..=) Everybody hopes for somthing..

you left us too early... and i am sure there are people out there to help you accomplish your hopes and dreams...

my condolences to the Tan's... life still have to go on... please stay strong and i am sure he will watch over all of us from above.. keeping us safe...

i am starting to miss your laughter... your jokes... even right now as i am writing this... the image of you lingers in my mind... take care.. my lil brother... our path will cross again next time i promised.. i will drink with you.

2009 - A Year of Sadness

to think having recession is bad enough for everyone... i have closed ones taken away from me...

got this tragic news today... another of my 'brother' passed away... yes again... after Augustine... now is Xue Yao...

i am trying not to get too emotional today.. but i couldnt, a tear still rolled down my cheek...

life is too fragile to be taking too lightly on it... we are not tough afterall... everything can just be taken away from you blatantly...

images of me working with Xue Yue on days when the Management have to be in the shops... the jokes we shared and the life goals.. you spoke to me about... your studies... your work... your unhappiness... everything are flashing back to me as i am typing this..

i will pay you my last respect o you my lil. brother...

a tribute to my 2 brothers.. May you find peace in the other world... look after all of us from above... you will be missed...

 Cheerful Small nice & friendly aka the Haley J Osment lookalike

Tan Xue Yao - March 3rd 1988 - January 2nd 2010 (age 21)
NUMPremium (账柜)

 

Rock.In.Peace 

Augustine T. - Aug 18th 1988 - Nov 15th 2009 (age 21).
NFF (flipflops Rocker)

on a side note... Hadi... please GET WELL SOON!!! I STILL WANT TO SEE YOU AND JOKE WITH YOU!!!

Getting Married is a CHOICE!

come 2010 February 14, a day for chinese to rememeber as Double Happiness 喜喜

chinese used this symbol to represent a newly wed couple for 2 person to be happy and share the joy

however, to my surprise if you were to view it sideway in this particular symbol, another word appears. - CHOICE!

i guess for a couple to put their life together is really a choice made a lifetime. :)

fantastic way of analyzing a market and identifying opportunity - Steve Jobs, Apple

Even though the way Steve presents this analysis is simple, it is not easy. You will need to have as much information as you can gather about your primary competitors and your potential customers. As a summary here are the basic steps.

Step 1: Product & Markets

The first step in segmentation and targeting is to identify the product classes in your marketplace, meaning solutions that solve similar problems for your potential customer. As an example, in the vacuum market you might have: standard home vacuum cleaners, shop vacuums, portable vacuums… you get the idea.

Step 2: Competition

Create a diagram with the product segments of your target market listed on the header. Now visualize the top two competitors in each product segment. Steve did this as a bubble roughly relating their size to their percentage market cap in that market. This helps you recognize the competitive pressure within a given customer segment.

Step 3: The Emerging Market

The best way to approach a market is to target the emerging opportunity within a sector. Think about where the market is going to be in a 5 year time frame. Where your market will be five years from now is typically where the emerging market is today. Create your products accordingly.

do you remember?

see the similarities to the below King of Pop's Michael Jackson's songs?

Remember the time? That time?



the way you make me feel...

D&G Fragrances

A new movie to look out for in 2010!

CLASH OF THE TITANS

for the fantasy war strategy games fanatics!