Who said a good product endorsed by a well know celebrity will always sell like hot cake?

If the market doesn’t buy, the good product will not fly off the shelves.

If the market thinks the celebrity isn’t the hot topic of the day, there’s no WOW factor to go gaga over.

Before Michael Jackson, most big companies wouldn’t dream of engaging him to endorse their products. The King of Pop just didn’t have a positive image to drive sales.

What is happening to Tony Robbin now?

After two episodes, NBC yanked Tony Robbins’ reality show from its summer schedule. Effective next week, NBC will air repeats of game show “Minute to Win It” in the Tuesday-night slot instead of “Breakthrough with Tony Robbins.”

Tony Robbins is known to help real people solve tough challenges yet audiences didn’t show up; the most recent episode generating only 2.8 million viewers.

NBC wants big advertising dollars from the big boys and they are not showing up with 2.8 million viewers.

So what’s happening?

Should Tony Robbin waves his magic only in seminar room,  CDs and DVDs only?

Did NBC and Tony Robbin not do enough to attract audience?

I’m scratching my head and will be happy to know some insider information on this. Any one?

If they can remember what they have briefed me; if they can recall why we ended up with a copy like this and an advertisement like that, my team of Account Executives probably will have an easier time on writing Contact Reports.

Call me old fashion, but, yes, I still get my team to write a tight Contact Report every time they returned from the client’s office.

I prefer everything to be properly documented because Contact Reports have saved lots of time and hassle for me during the past decade.

“No, I didn’t say that. No, I’m quite sure I didn’t agree to having my TVC appear after midnight.”

“Yes, Ms Client, you did. You agreed after the TV Station agreed to let you have a huge discount of 80%. You actually met Cleo, the TV Sales Rep with us on 21 Sept 2009. See, Ms Client, the details are all recorded in the Contact Report.”

I trust you would have such a client at least once or twice in your marketing and advertising career with an advertising or design agency. If you don’t, count your lucky stars. If you do, maybe you would like to buy them a ticket to a Super Memory workshop. I got from the grapevine  that the Guinness Book of Record holder for Best Memory, Eran Katz, is heading to Singapore to hold a Super Memory seminar. I’m thinking a ticket to the seminar may be a better gift for some of my clients compared to a few bottles of Shiraz!

In today’s business world, we all need to have a presence on the Internet. This means that we will need to have some kind of web hosting.

But web hosting is not cheap. Let me re-phrase that – GOOD web hosting is not cheap. What is “good”?

• A good web host is reliable (uptimes, maintenance, security…).
• A good web host is approachable (tech support, response time, different ways of contacting them…).
• A good web host is honest (statistics, tracking, clear records, no over-charging, clear policies…).

Frankly, there are many good hosts. Unfortunately, there are also many, if not more; bad web hosting companies. Worse, some are even scams. There are several ways to find a good host:

Friends recommend (on of the best ways IF you friend is knowledgeable)

• Check forums for comments and recommendations (also good if you know what to look for)
• Check with your local business bureau
• Get a consultant you can trust to handle your web project

For us, this blog is hosted on Hostgator. It has been a very reliable host for us and several blogs we run for some of our clients. Last week, they sent us a Discount Coupon and we would like to share it with you, so that you can enjoy a 20% discount if you sign up with them. We recommend that small businesses should start with the Baby plan instead of the cheaper Hatchling plan. The difference in price is small, but the difference in future expansion and flexibility is significant.

Anyway, use this code if you are looking for a web hosting plan for your new business (or old one): hgnews12.

We wish everyone a very successful and productive 2010!

In 12 hours , 7 Insightful Techniques will be taught to unleash the true power within you:

1. How to eliminate uncertainties and doubts in your money generating activities?
2. How have absolute clarity on what you want, your passion, purpose, talent and more?
3. Are you “in flow” with what you are doing now? What is FLOW? Why stuck energy penalizes your success? How to unlock your “flow” to generate results effortlessly?
4. What are the 8 ways to attain financial abundance? Which is the one and only way for you?
5. What are the 9 level of wealth? Where are you now? Where can you be in the foreseeable future?
6. How to develop a strategy to turn your passion into cash flow
7. How to see opportunities and start doing things effortlessly yet producing amazing results

Continuous learning is how we enriched ourselves so that we can push forward in life with less difficulties. If  you are one of the few people who would bother to invest in seminars and workshops to better yourself, than check out this, especially if you are residing or visiting Singapore. Though conducted by an Asian, I understood from my British friend that the class he attended in Hong Kong is a mini United Nations with Asians and Non Asians participating. This bloke got me to a preview and basically I like what I heard from the young, no-nonsense millionaire who was an ex-McKinley consultant. There’s one thing I really like what I heard. We cared for our business but did we ever treat our life as our business? Anyway,  I will be in Singapore for the full 2.5 day session in May, but for those who like a crash course, the 1-day version in Singapore in February should be a good start to begin 2010.

Why am I publishing this online? Well, Buckminster Fuller, who inspired the world famous “Money & You” program had this to say” Learning is sharing more”. I believe knowing our bottomlines is important. It will set the tone and pace for the year. Let’s fly together this year with continuous learning.

Check out official website with all essential information.

Happy New Year.

TBWA India has just fallen out of grace. It should be a happy and fun campaign but the TBWA India’s  Haagen-Dazs ice cream launch in India has successfully offended many Indian nationals and subsequently trigger an avalanche of backlash by bloggers.

The offensive posters were prominently displayed the very first Haagen-Dazs outlet in a Delhi shopping mall. The agency’s original intention was to create  up market cosmopolitan feel with a reference to the French Riviera hence the copy “Exclusive Preview for International Travellers. Access restricted only to holders of international passports.” Those words deeply hurt the pride of many Indians.

In a blog post headlined “Sorry, Indians Not Allowed,” Rajest Kaira said his  friend was refused entry to the new ice-cream store . More than  1,000 comments poured in. The first comment by Samir, started the ball rolling by stating that , “This is an insult of Indian nationals. … They should be barred from doing business in India.” The next comment by Born India agreed: “The store should be shut down immediately,”. Basically, people were fury, most said Haagen-Dazs should be fined or kick out of the country, or better still,  both.

Is this an overeaction? This might look as an over-reaction to non-Indians, but anyone who’s lived there will know where the reactions stem from. During British rule, it was a common sight on a few ‘privileged’ locations to have boards such as ‘Dogs and Indians not allowed’. un

Even Mahatma Ghandi was disallowed to take the train reserved for the white in his younger days.

Anti colonialism is evidently present by the response and reaction.