In today’s economy and rapidly-changing market, any company can be fragile. One moment you’re behind your competitors, and one little negative influence that really didn’t need to exist can cause your share prices to drop in an instant. Leadership, thus, has become more important than ever. And leadership, has more effect than ever.

With my recent efforts to land a job in the marketing / advertising / PR industry, I’ve been hit hard with a realization: I should have entered this industry when I had the chance, and I should have had a wider network with professionals in this industry. The job search process has been very difficult for me, as I couldn’t find the right opportunity that would accept my limitations (no agency background, an international, not a New Yorker). But I’m a very optimistic guy, and someone who just won’t give up. But as days turn into now months of hard labor trying to find an opportunity, my level of hope has been decreasing. In a way, it’s been very depressing.

As an effort to really try something new, I decided to contact the CEO of a major ad agency, Kevin Roberts at Saatchi & Saatchi. Didn’t expect him to respond or even reach him. But he read it. And he responded. And most importantly, he gave me hope. He gave me the reason to continue my search, the reason for me to even try harder. He gave me words of wisdom, of encouragement, of inspiration, and, of hope.

That is how one leader can change a person. My motivation to work for the ad industry is higher, my morality is at highest, and I will do my best – not for the prospect of earning an income, but for pure passion. In any organization, one may feel at risk, or feel vulnerable to the amount of stress and work. One great leader who encourages his/her team, can certainly change the way they work, and the way they feel.

So if you are a supervisor, say some motivating and encouraging words to your team. If you are working under a supervisor, respond to him/her with how much better you perform as a result. If you have a co-worker, encourage one another too. Make it a goal to do or say nice things to each other once a week. Pick a day. Wednesday perhaps. It will make team work more efficient, more prolific, and more stress-free. It will make an employee feel at home, feel the inspiration to be better.

(I know exactly the process of buying and eating an Oreo, just as I know it with many other CPGs on the store shelves. I will probably buy it from my grocery store, Giant Eagle. It’s in the biscuits and cookies aisle, next to the frozen goods aisles. I know it’ll be next to a variety of Chips Ahoy and Newton Figs. I know that there are some varieties of Oreo’s, but I’ll pick the original because it’s my favorite. I know that they come in pretty big sizes. I’ll probably leave it on my kitchen counter, and I know that I’ll give it a go as soon as I come home from the grocery. I know that I’ll probably have about a quarter of the packaging, but it’ll take some time to have seconds. Meanwhile, I’ll be worried that it might go stale. Also, I know I must have milk with it, because without it, it just isn’t as much fun. Actually, it just doesn’t go along well with water, juice, or soda. Now, with of this in mind, should I go ahead, and make the purchase, right now?)

As someone who enjoys Oreo’s, I know exactly when I will buy it – when I’m craving for something sweet, but something that’ll fill my stomach to a certain level as opposed to candies and chocolate bars. At this point, I no longer care about how fattening or bulky the size is, or the price, or anything else that might conflict with my feelings about guilt. All of that, I can justify – “I’ll work out later. It’s worth all the penny as long as I finish it. I haven’t had one of these in quite some time, so it’s all worth it.”

We all now know how great Oreo’s taste with milk, and it has become an association that, thanks to great Account Planners at DraftFCB New York, become more of a conscious trend – if I buy an Oreo, I’ll make sure that I have milk in my fridge. But to try something new, perhaps understanding the exact moment when I crave for the next packaged set of Oreo’s could be an insight that could awaken the subconscious minds. For me, it’s when I want something fulfilling and sweet at the same time.

It’s all about that moment you crave for something, that moment you think about the process of buying and using it based on your past experiences. That’s where the sweet spot lies.

When do YOU crave for Oreos?

But that doesn’t mean everyone should leap into a new level of marketing. For example, while my mother now owns an iPhone – just because it’s considered the new trend for everyone, she would still prefer to read a letter on hard copy rather than browsing and zooming in on it using the iPhone. Just because people adapt a new trend does not necessarily mean that they are accustomed to it. Until then, think about where your brand is positioned in the market, and more importantly, what your customers are more accustomed to.

However, despite the old vs. new, this is something that’s clear today as it was yesterday: the more personalized, the more welcoming, or the more engaging, the more the customer will be sure to stick by your side.

    1. The Douche-Bag:

Typically, this is the nickname we give to people with such traits. But the truth is, “douche bags” are actually much nicer than you think. These people tend to act as if they are the “macho man,” the true manhood exposed from every aspect of their behavior – even their stance, and the remarks that come out of their mouths. But these people are actually naive at heart. They tend to have a delicate sense of emotion, but they retaliate such feelings by acting as if they were nothing. And they detest other people with delicate feelings, simply because they think such a thing is not a thing for people like themselves. Often times, this is a result of early education or some point in life where they have experienced hardships for their timidness or shyness. It’s a defense mechanism to overcome their biggest fear, or a lesson from their parents to “don’t be a sissy!” To approach them, begin by being a fellow douche-bag. They will admire you, thinking you are a natural douche-bag. Then, show them that you too, have great emotion, and they will admire you even more, and open up to you with their true self.

    2. The Cynic:

They will criticize everything in their world from how a person walks to how things are detrimental to society. Because of their perspective on the world, they are often times very meticulous people – in order to state their expression of criticism, they will ensure that their own behaviors do not cross borders with such remarks. At the same time, they tend to be jealous of things. Positive things that they are jealous of, can become negative criticism. And they will have logical reasons for such things, and position themselves as the only people behaving correctly. But by and large, these people are… humans, after all. Their words tend to speak louder than their actions. And anything to prove them wrong, they will discover more criticism for doing so. So if you run into people who mock you for making it seem like you’re doing something really evil, simply, confide to their words. Never confront them, because they can argue with you for a long time, and your relationship will never last. Tell them that you’ve made a bad mistake, and say that you’re sorry. That will give them the sense of winning, which they love. But if you get sick and tired of hearing them mock others (which most likely you will one day), tell criticize them for the way they always criticize others. Find their weak spot. Perhaps simply telling them that they should act upon doing something rather than just criticizing can give them a small shot of awakening. That’s their biggest weakness, but just make sure you’re in a close relationship before acting upon so.

    3. The Dramatic:

Well, these people tend to be people who’d you might call a “whiner.” They consistently seem to have problems with the world, and how the world makes them the victim. They think that they are the only people on earth hurt on the outcome of an event outside of their control. Just as an example, these people are the people who go into a deep coma after the end of a relationship, thinking that what just happened could only be possible in a romantic drama movie. Often times, these people have become so accustomed to thinking that they are victims that others tend to take advantage over them through ridicules. Others make fun of them because The Dramatic people can’t defend themselves real well. These people also tend to have a pessimistic view, and often times, fall in deep regret. “Ah, only if I hadn’t done that back then,” are thoughts that often strike them. But the truth is, these people are always aware of the fact that they’re the victims, and while they might appear to be quiet, terse, and having a mellow character, one day, they will explode like an atomic bomb on Tsunami. To approach these people, it’s important to stand by them at all times, and to talk deeply about their problems, and in the end, to give them encouragement. Don’t offer advice like “you shouldn’t think you’re the victim,” but more like, “cheer up. Things like that happen in this world, and the world is a crazy place. Cheer up.”

    4. The Narcissist:

There are actually two types of these people 1) those who deliberately show that they’re the best in the world vs 2) those who believe in it in their heart. I’ll talk about the first instance here. These people think that all else is trivial to the stature of themselves. Things are repeatedly questions about “why would he do that? Why is she like that?” In a way, it’s an unbelief about how things are just lowly as they are. These people tend to have a very ostentatious behavior – not through their words, but through their behaviors. For example, these people would wear fashion brands that have huge emblems imprinted on them; these people will only consider driving a car in its highest class – the class that the general population would know about. (so, tweaking the performance of the car isn’t what interests them. It’s about the name and the make.) Everything has to be packaged perfectly to look good, and naturally, these people are very careful about what they say and do, and keeps everything organized and tidied up. These people are great planners – every thing they do is planned before hand. The best way to approach these people is to make them your king. Whatever these people do, they’re planned, as they are hoped to be acknowledged. So, acknowledge them, tell them they are the greatest, tell them their shirt is awesome, etc. Whatever it takes, just never insult them, and never disorganize what they have created – because it took them a lot of planning and effort to prepare.

    5. The Wannabe:

These people are also known as “flatterers,” people who tend to stick to the leader of the group. They are simply put, opportunity-seekers. They want the best chance to be at the top, and they will ensure this comes by great relationships with the king of the herd. While these people want the greatest, they have a tendency to at times, detest their situation. They are also wannabes. They will try and mimic those that possess qualities they admire or want to have. Because they are always following the pack leader, they feel that they are always second, and not the winner. And naturally, they are trend leaders, or early-adopters. They know right off the bat that something will be a buzz, and do their extensive research on them. They are consistently looking to find such new buzz, because they want to be part of it – faster than anyone else. And because of this trait, sometimes, a bad influence as being acknowledged as ‘being cool’ can blind them from what’s right and wrong. However, they are overly conscious of people despising them for their behavior of sticking (and switching) to the leader or trends. To approach them, the best way is to make yourself the leader of the group. Naturally, they will follow you. Otherwise, it would be really difficult for them to even notice you.

    6. The Conqueror:

These people are another form of The Narcissist group. While some may not have the leader-like quality, all of them for sure have one common trait: the belief that one is the best. Those with extrovert qualities tend to be the leader of the group. They are the people-person. The story-tellers. Those who can hang around with any group, and can entertain anyone. These people constantly want to be praised, want to be complimented. Any criticism is what they detest, and simply cannot take it. On the other hand, those with a more introverted personality tend to believe that they are worthwhile to be on top. They are often times very optimistic, because they know in heart that while others are being praised for, they know for a fact that one day, their time will come – it’s only a matter of time and luck for others to recognize their talent. Either way, if these people aren’t the center of attention, they feel left out, and will fall into a deep abyss of depression and disincentive. To approach these people, make sure to make them the center of attention. Give them all the praise and glory and responsibilities – and if done so, their performance will be greater than anyone else, as this is their natural habitat.

    7. The Rash:

These people are, under natural circumstances, are people that tend to act upon feelings. Thy are often abrupt, and always take into action whenever things come their way. One could call them hyperactive, simply because a small incident can turn out to be something far greater, and sometimes, malignant. But these people, on the other hand, are people who are truly loyal. Should you have a problem in a social situation, these people will be the leader to fight for justice on your side. They are proactive, and are those willing to die to save their closest friends and family. What makes these people really great is that they are down-to-earth, have a ‘straight from the gut’ attitude, and great honesty. But this doesn’t always turn out in the right direction. For business decision makers, this is risky business, as they can be focused on trivial matters and losing track of the big picture. To truly get mixed in with these people, it is best to be honest and frank with them. It’s what they truly admire, and betrayal is the last thing on earth they will tolerate.

    8. The Wanderer (and Wonderer):

These people always seem to live a mind of their own. At the same time, they seem to be curious of all things in this world. They are often times quite difficult to understand – “what are these people thinking?” They come and go like the wind, and there’s no real way of knowing what they are thinking at this right moment. Now this sounds like something out of a quirky person from a movie, but such people who tend to live and work in a more dynamic environment tend to be like this an emotional level – their moods change from hour to hour, and their logic seem illogic. Often times, they make arguments that seem out of the question and on a whole new level. These could be points of trivial matter, but after hours of argument, you could end up realizing their point of view – a view generally acknowledged, but they tackle it as if it was a whole new topic for argument. If in a place that requires a lot of decision making, these people can delay the process, or create moments of frustration. But on the other hand, they can view things from a whole new perspective that have been unthought of before. And what’s quite the most unique thing about them is that they only pay attention to things that they are focused on – all other things in this world are invisible to them. If you want to be noticed about your new hair-cut, it would be difficult to get a compliment from them. At the same time, they might notice a change of color of your shoelace. To be friends with them, you’ll need to understand and agree to their minds, and their own logical structure. It’s a whole new experience, which can sometimes be quite enlightening and fresh. The more questions you ask them to understand them, the better they will try to explain it in a logical format.

    9. The Wiseful:

These people, what could be a mutant form of The Narcissist + The Conqueror are people who believe that they know the world inside and out. They think they have experienced every storm, every facet of life, and are at a heightened level of enlightenment, where they see the world from a divine perspective. They admire the teachings of confucianism, of the holy bible, of the yin and the yang, and how balance is created through tranquility, inner peace, and inner harmony. But part of this is for an ostentatious effort to seem like one, and often times, find themselves contradicting their own words. They believe that every word they speak is like a quote from a nobleman. However, their weakness lies in that once they are unconscious of their wisdom behavior, they act in a total different way that would totally contradict their own words. Yet the greatest thing about these people is that they will continuously develop to become a wiser human being. They will find fault within themselves after regaining conscience, and will remedy that through hard meditation and seeking patience within. And they live to help others make the right decisions. They truly want to help others through words, and want to influence the world as they see it. They believe they have the answers, and often times, can get frustrated when their words are not acknowledged. To approach these people, it is best to seek for advice – the more advice one seeks from them, the more they feel enlightened, and satisfied for providing a guide to their fellows.

I know generalization is an evil things to do, but I just wanted to share some of my perspectives of a common trait I found during my multi-cultural life. People are people. No matter what people eat, speak, wear, or believe, people’s personalities tend to reveal many common traits.

Any more to add? Let me know at dk@brandathon.com

As part of the brief for this competition, they created some hilarious videos on some sales techniques.

However, contrary to such videos, many pitches I have faced were far from these – they weren’t hilarious, nor were they relevant. But in fact, they were intimidating. They were so intimidating that I would never, ever want to go to the same store again, I will never, ever walk receive such a call again. In reality, this sort of aggressive selling seems to be practiced more often, which in fact, seems detrimental to the brand. In today’s world of information, where one can gain the necessary information from a passive method, such approaches are surely overwhelming. While these videos are an exaggeration of good sales in place, perhaps they do provide some good examples of how today’s consumers can be better persuaded.

From a psychological point of view, such events are understandable. Given the highly competitive industry for celebrity professionals in Korea, under pressure from young rising stars, yet in a cluttered society with an extremely high population density, Korean celebrities cannot even step out of their doorstep without being confronted by a total stranger who would begin gossiping about the sighting of a celebrity. In a country where even the top celebrities live in an apartment complex amongst laypersons, it is highly likely that they have no freedom for privacy. I mean, think about it, most Korean celebrities date in their underground parking lot inside their cars. That’s something ain’t it?

As such trends continue, I fear that there will be more to come. But my point it, in this competitive world, the same goes for the top brands out there. One second, they are at the top of their market. The next second, through digital and viral marketing and a new sense of taste of its customers, brands will lose their share in a split second. This could mean the death of brands, or the survival of the fittest. Perhaps a smarter move towards survival in this competitive world is to ensure that:

1. The brands stays on top of every micro-level moment, making sure that every move, every little thing that relates to the brand does not reflect a negative PR in even the most unexpected situations

2. Make sure to go beyond a market that is cluttered, dense, and fully mature. Whether its horizontal, vertical, or cross integration (expansion), brands must ensure that they do more than simply meeting the needs of its 100+ year old audience.

Today’s consumers are no longer the same. They are no longer loyal to a single brand. They switch from brand to brand, and just because their next purchase is your brand does not ensure that they’ll do the same again. It is more important than ever before to ensure that brands look from a bigger perspective, but in smaller steps.

As an international person educated, living, and working in America, there are some downsides. One is, despite the fact that I have a legal work Visa (H1B), and despite the fact that it can be transferred quite easily, companies are not willing to hire me because doing so requires much paperwork, and costs for such paperwork are somewhat burdening now and beyond. As someone who’s looking to eagerly transfer to a company where I can develop into a marketing expert, I cannot state how difficult and frustrating this is. Give me just one chance, and I’ll show you what I’m capable of…. Well, I doubt anyone would buy that.

I wrote this down in my journal years ago based on the assumption that a hiring manager may ask, “why should I hire you over U.S. citizens who basically have similar backgrounds and skills?”

My answer to this is “opportunity.” By this, I’m referring to the fact that I’m seeking the opportunity to grow, to develop, and to provide more to the company.

First, here’s an interesting insight. Foreigners who have never even visited this country have more knowledge of America than Americans. It’s a generalization that probably isn’t true down to earth, but in all truthfulness, I’ve met many foreigners (outside of America) who know more idioms than Americans. Fascinating, isn’t it? They know more vocabularies, know more about the English grammar, and can recite every line on “Friends” and follow along every lyric on the Billboard Hot 50. That’s the whole point. They look at America from a totally different angle – as if it was a subject of study. Naturally, they are better experts at some things of being ‘American.’ As an international person myself, this is what I can bring – a whole new perspective, and both a subjective and objective look into the American culture. This is something that can’t be found with American candidates.

Second, because I wasn’t born and raised in America, I know for a fact that Americans have a better advantage over me in terms of success or adjusting with corporate America. Well, here’s the insight: if your best buddy just purchased a million dollar home, wouldn’t you want something bigger than that? If she just pulled out the newest S-class, wouldn’t you want to show off your Bentley the next time you meet her? It’s a psychologically engaging outcome, that you’d want something more and better than your fellow peers. And that’s just what I’m after. Because I’m not American, because I do not hold ground, I will try my best to be better, to be of more value. It’s a competition where I’m already way behind, and I need to catch up by developing, learning, and engaging with the best techniques possible.

So in the end, it’s all about grabbing that opportunity. It’s about learning to be American, to win the competition where others clearly have a head start. And then there’s the ‘Plus Alpha’ variable in the equation, but I won’t mention that here. (please contact me at dk@brandathon.com to have a chat with me)

So, give me just one opportunity, so that I can take that opportunity and transform it into more value.

Just one chance….

Well, Nielsen gives you a great 17-minute overview on what the new trends will be

via Nielsen 2010 Global Consumer Outlook | Nielsen Wire.

One of the most amazing things is that the TV, Internet, and Mobile Phones will be the BIG THING this year.

With the roll out of the iPad, new Android devices, and an upgraded iPhone, this year will be a battle of wireless technology.

Yeah, cell phones have been around for so long, but why with all the hype now? Amazon already has the Kindle, so does Sony et al., but what’s the hype with the iPad?

Well, I think trend-setting can be really defined as something that actually sparks a new market, as opposed to something simply new.

Apple’s iPhone brought about a whole new applications market. Android is doing the same, but it’s Google’s. Kindle sort of did, but the iPad is creating a much more creative and larger market.

So if you’re looking to do something big in 2010 and beyond, don’t look into following what’s being done – look into creating a new market that can be followed by others.

Where's Your Superman?

Sometime in the mid 20th century.

The sky is grey, and the terror of tanks and heavy machines roar the earth.

I’m standing in fear, of Nazi infantry and armored vehicles that are bombarding every town as far I can see atop the roof of a mediterranean-style mansion. All I can see are roof after roof, civilians that have evacuated to roam free of German invasion.

Just as the enemy comes near, I hear a loud bang, and the building next to me is split in half. All the town’s people are stranded, and together with the building they begin to fall, one by one, hundreds by hundreds.

The moment comes. I suddenly gain a remarkable power – a super power. I know in that instant, that I’m Superman. I can fly. I can run. I am invincible.

I’ve had many dreams like this. I forced myself to become more than who I am in the greatest moment of danger. But this time, I decide not to flee. Instead, I return to my neighbors hanging on the falling building. I use my superpowers to help raise building after building, to save the town, to save the people, to save humanity.

It’s only a dream, but this is my vision. I believe in doing a great for the people, I believe in doing a great for an organization that I am part of.

Whether you are a corporate marketer, an advertising professional, or anyone who is part of any great organization, are you ready to use your superpowers for your company? Are you ready to sacrifice yourself for your customers and clients? The powers at those moments are immense, beyond imagination, and in that moment, you can save the world with a true Super Power.

People Are Connected. Opportunities Lie Where There's More Connected People, Not Where There's More People.

I was doing a search on good reads in some of today’s trends, and I can’t believe there’s not a book titled “age of connection.” There was the Age of Access by Jeremy Rifkin, where he talked about how we no longer want to own, but that we’re into sharing and renting.

But I go beyond that. Looking at this on a macro scale, with recent focus on China and India, I think the next step is the Age of Connection. By connection, I’m referring to societies that connect with one another. The Internet surely helped catalyze this process – people are now linked to everyone. People are connected to each other. And so are businesses and products. And in the end, it’s the people that are either directly or indirectly connected to businesses and products. Now that’s an opportunity. It’s not about just population nor mass markets by head-count. It’s about the mass market for how much we are connected.

For market researchers and planners, I would tap into understanding where these connected people are, and how much they are affected by such relationships. Take Korea for example – they are perhaps one of the most connected peoples I know, as evidenced during the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup when millions flooded the streets. Or perhaps how Starcraft became a national phenomenon and culture in a matter of months, or how CyWorld became a social networking culture way before Facebook or MySpace. Korea showed quick signs and became a worldwide example of economic recovery. All with deep respect to the culture of connection.

There are countries and areas out there that show vital signs of connection. Eastern European countries tend to have strong pride for their country and language. They have experienced moments where people had to get together, and they strive and love connecting with one another. They are open to change, and are adapting technology faster than ever. They are lovers of the Internet. Perhaps a great opportunity there?

But you may still be weary of the fact that population (head-count) is what counts more as the potential market is greater. But let’s take a simple example based on the benefits:

If you had to extract blood from all the types of animals on this planet for a project, would reserve an air ticket, apply for multinational visas, wait, then go to the airport, change planes, then land in some country in Africa, then hire an interpreter and tour guide, then drive around the bushes and deserts, and drive from country to country looking for the different animals? Or would you take a trip along to the local zoo?

If you were looking for someone to invest in your next big idea, would you try out intercepting people on the street hoping for a guy with a fat wallet? Or would you rather go to a National Venture Capital Association’s annual conference?

It’s down to basics. It’s the same way you target your audience in your marketing plan. But it’s on a bigger scale. Think of it. Today, we’re all part of some group. Meetup.com is an exemplary model of how we are connected. On a macro scale, some countries are simply more connected than another. And China and India, despite their mass population, aren’t quite connected yet. They have too many dialects, too many cultures. Until there’s a way to connect them all, meanwhile, it could be more efficient to look into countries that have a stronger point which brings people together.

Why? Here’s my little insight (albeit, not based on any research).
The past year has been difficult for most U.S. consumers. Unemployment reached over 10%, bonuses have been reduced to other types of perks, and the consumer’s were wary on spending. And something that every parent wants is to keep their kids happy amidst all this turbulence. And what keeps kids happy the most? A Zhu Zhu hamster, an iPod, and other types of toys and gadgets.

These tiny things were the big thing this shopping season

So after nearly a year of guilt – for not having made their kids as happy as possible, parents were willing to go out there, fight till death in the war against other guilty parents.

Well, then, perhaps that could work as a new marketing theme for a struggling company next season: “music makes your kid happy,” “husbands are most happy when napping in an airplane,” “the most romantic thing your wife truly wants is a trip to Dubai.”

The Ad Industry Needs to Be Marketed More

While English may not be my first language, I never knew what the term “marketing” was until I took an intro marketing course in college.

Isn’t that ironic? How the billions of dollars spent on marketing can’t push the general term out to young kids.

I was lucky. I fell in love with it. And maybe most marketing professionals were lucky like me.

But here’s an ugly truth: I’ve never seen or heard of any child who’s dreamed of becoming a marketer. Period.

I’ve heard cute dreams of being a doctor, a princess, a president, a lawyer, a pilot, or a inventor… but a marketer? Wow and ow.

What’s even sadder is that Advertising, which is really a part of all the marketing efforts is even more clandestine.

Ask a layperson if they know what an Account Executive does: “what? some kind of accounting CEO?”

Ask a layperson what a copywriter does: “someone who makes copyrights?”

See, I learned marketing, but never knew about such roles in advertising until I actually started studying advertising on my own.

But why? Why should I not know?

I knew that there were analysts, associates, and partners and directors in law and consulting firms.

I knew there were software developers and project managers, network administrators and database managers in IT firms.

I knew there were CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CMOs, CSOs, Presidents and Chairmen.

Why not Account and Strategic Planners, Media Coordinators and Planners, Traffic Coordinators, Account Executives and Supervisors and Directors, and Copywriters and Art Directors and Creative Directors?

How come none of these were advertised, or even a small discussion passed by at least once in my eclectic lifetime - aren’t advertisers the best at this?

Enough about job positions. I knew what advertising was… I’ve seen Marlboro men on and off highways and deserts in the middle of Africa. I’ve seen Coca-Cola bottles being used as a divine symbol by a Zulu tribeman in the 1980 movie, The Gods Must Be Crazy. But who made these ads? I’ve always thought it was the actual marketers making them. How would I have ever known there were ad agencies behind all this? And if so, how would I have known which were the famous?

Tiger Woods started golf before he could even speak. Doctors have doctors in their family, as do lawyers. Business moguls inherit their businesses from their parents and grandparents. That’s what we call exposure. These people were exposed at an early age, and they chose it as if it were their destiny. Advertising is all about exposing to the biggest, or at least, the most targetable audiences. And so are careers. If the Advertising Industry wants to become a bigger, proliferous industry, it must invest in talent. In order to invest in talent, it must invest in exposing what Advertising is to young audiences. Make it their dream, make it their fantasy. Start advertising advertising.

I came across may situations during my start-up experience where wrong decisions led to wrong paths.

Now, in a corporate, every decision has an enormous risk: time, money, and efforts are wasted.

Imagine that in a start-up, where you can’t afford t lose anything but the three mentioned above. It’s catastrophic. It’ll end your future, your dream of changing the world.

While Seth tells you to make a decision, be careful on what you decide. Instead of making an unwisely decision under pressure, gather your resources: people.

Ask people what they think. Brainstorm it. Analyze the complex situation together. Then come up with an agreement.

If you’re uncertain any way, why not bring more certainty from many minds?

I’ve lived in 4 different continents, lived in 6 different countries, and traveled to over 20 countries.

Of all the places I’ve been, I must say, that the worst customer experience was in the most powerful, rich country – United States.

That’s quite an irony, because if you talk to anyone in the world, they think the U.S. would have the best customer service – otherwise, how could they be #1?

Well, I will probably have a lot of posts related to customer service in the future, but here are some of the things I find that drastically reduces customer satisfaction:

1. Employees are not professional: Yes they are, I’m sure they all received training, but it’s only up to a certain point – when the customer keeps arguing about returning a product, that employee would become all emotional – and hit back at the customer with vulgar or aggressive tone of speech. The customer is supposed to be king, but only when they don’t cross the employee’s emotional capacity.
2. Employees are slow: Yes, believe it or not, I have never seen employees so relaxed. Even if there are 30 people waiting in line to checkout, everything’s done in a systematic way, one at a time. For example, when someone orders cigarettes, I often see an employee moving about slowly to the cigarettes section, and walking back slowly back to the counter. It may seem like “what then, should they run?” but unfortunately, when you have 30 people in line, that is what one expects. Just go to a far eastern Asian country and see how fast they are.
3. Employees don’t think they are part of the business: What I mean here, is that employees work individually, only on their given assignments. It’s quite fascinating, and seems quite rude as a customer when there are two employees: one is at the cashiers, and one is checking inventory next to the cashier. Now, when there’s a long line of customers at a quick-mart – and by definition, quick-mart is supposed to be something ‘quick,’ the one person checking inventory would not care about the long line formed. Perhaps his/her manager told him/her to do so, but is inventory checking so much an importance to the business that customers who gets fed up and leaves should not matter at all? (I’ll probably have many stories regarding this)
4. Employees do as they please: Now, this probably refers to some bad employees, but nevertheless, I see this every day. Often times, I would see an employee at a cashier talking on the phone – I have no clue what it’s about, but it’s definitely not business – and then I’m left with waiting – there’s one thing to have a lot of people in line but few working employees, but being the only customer, I feel mistreated, as if I am not there to buy anything. Now isn’t that something? Or often times, I’d ask questions: “do you have any product XXX?” and they’d answer: “no we don’t carry them.” Finito. The End. Why not increase sales by at least asking: “we don’t have XXX, but XXY is pretty similar. Would this work for you?” Without such responses, it seems like I’m in there asking for a favor which they don’t want to help out. Who’s the King?

Well, there’s a lot more to customer service. But these are some real, basic problems I found when compared to other cultures I’ve lived in. And this happens daily, I mean it can happen right as you read this on your iPhone…

It was a depressing day. And by “day,” I’m not referring to its weather, but the activities and heartaches that I suffered just on that day.

Perhaps it was one of those really, really depessing days that only come every 5 years or so – something big enough to get your life all twisted in the wrong way.

Well, I took the grass way in the community park.

Maybe over the past years, I’ve gotten too used to the hustle and bustle of contemporary life, that I totally forgot what it meant to be ‘free’ in thought. I haven’t written a poem in nearly 10 years, and I haven’t cried for a soul. (except in two movies for some reason: Hotel Rwanda and Up)

Well, the grass route in the park showed me something quite clear: From far away, it’s fresh, green grass. When I walked over it, I realized that the grass had different colors: the old were darker, but there were new sprung grass, baby grass that would make up quite some portion. It was clear that one was new, one was old, but somehow, they coexisted to reveal just ‘green’ grass. But what stunned me was – how on earth (haha) did they spring up? And inbetween them lied little dandelions – how on earth did they get stuck in there? And for the first time, such irregularities seemed like regularities, and how their coexistance seemed just too beautiful – too emotional that I could not help but stop. I stood still over a hill of grass, only to realize not one human was visible, and how I wished at that moment the world seemed to love me.

Now, if nature could do such things, wouldn’t we as humans, the greatest of all living things – what is there that we CAN’T do?

Welcome everyone, to my world of marketing, where I believe that nothing can be more effective than touching the human side of things. Forget your homework, your projects, your iPods and iPhones, your boss, your next vacation – come join an honest, down-to-earth discussion of the human side of brand marketing.

(Thanks for reading my First blog post)