Happy Sunday! I had a great end of my week with lots of fun family activities and gym time. Gearing up for a big week ahead, so here’s this weekend’s list:
Best marketing I saw this weekend
For those of you who don’t know, Dyson is a pretty big deal in Singapore. The company relocated their headquarters here and their products are super trendy and popular. While visiting Toys R Us on Saturday I saw a whole aisle filled with toy Dyson products. Now I may be out of the loop since I haven’t paid attention to kids’ toys in 25+ years, but I can’t think of another brand that has/licenses toy versions of their products other than cars. There are lots of generic phone toys, but I don’t think any of them are branded for example. What an amazing way to start building brand loyalty from a young age. Mom uses Dyson to vacuum and do her hair, of course, the little one wants to copy her and use the same product. Genius.
What I listened to this weekend
Speaking of kids stuff, this episode of Vox’s Today Explained is all about the kids’ show Bluey. This short animated cartoon from Australia is about of family of dogs and has become a global hit. It’s my daughter’s favorite show, and as they discussed on the podcast I think one of the reasons it is popular with both kids and parents is that it doesn’t talk down to kids and also shows great parenting in action. The show is only in its third season, but recent episodes have hinted some big changes might be coming soon, whatever they are, I hope Bluey keeps being made because it is a fantastic show and I would love my daughter to be able to continue watching it throughout her childhood.
What I learned about networking this week
I’ve honestly never been a fan of networking, I don’t feel I’m good at small talk, and introducing myself to strangers makes me a bit anxious and uncomfortable. I’m much happier meeting people one-on-one or in small groups. But I decided I needed to work on this and get out of my comfort zone and get the reps in. So this week I planned a day full of networking, I scheduled three one-to-one meetings with business partners and like-minded professionals, then attended a networking gathering for marketers, and finally caught up with an old from the gym. The good news was that I wasn’t burned out by the end of the day, I had a bunch of great conversations and learned and shared a lot. I think it helps me to choose who I network with carefully, and plan ahead so I’m fully prepared and know what’s coming. This week I’m looking forward to three more in-person events.
Best ad campaign I saw this week
Dove has been at the forefront of promoting beauty in all shapes, sizes, and colors since their “Real Beauty” campaign launched in 2004. Last week they launched a new ad and commitment to never use AI to alter images of women in their advertising. This is a brilliant idea that goes against the grain of companies leveraging AI, and everyday people using filters and beauty cameras, as well as fits perfectly in line with their mission to celebrate realistic beauty standards. I love the ad and campaign, we hear all the time about the pressure women are under to look a certain way and it is great to see a big brand keep pushing this topic while remaining genuine. I hope this movement continues and my daughter grows up to see herself as beautiful without the need for filters, plastic surgery, or anything else.
Biggest news in Singapore this week
Lawrence Wong has been appointed to take over as prime minister in a few weeks. This is big news because Singapore has only had 3 Prime Ministers since its independence. Wong gained prominence when he led the task force during the peak of COVID and has since taken on bigger roles leading to this appointment. As an immigrant to Singapore, the way COVID was handled here helped cement my desire to settle here for good and raise my daughter here. While watching the shit-show that went down in my home country, the US, and other places around the world, I was grateful to be in a country that took reasonable action, the population followed the rules and we got through it with minimal loss of life. Whatever you think about one party being in power for over 50 years, the benefit I see is that leaders generally rise upwards when they are competent, not better at attacking the other side. I’m not sure that this system is the best answer, but it is working well in Singapore, and I hope Prime Minister Wong will lead Singapore to continued success in the years to come.
What I’m pondering about consuming media this weekend
I currently have subscriptions to Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime, and yet I realized I spend far more time watching YouTube than any other platform. One of the key reasons is the comments. When I watch or read something I enjoy, that enjoyment is magnified by reading what other people think about it. Similarly, I really enjoy Reddit, where comments are a huge part of the experience. Reddit threads often end up a fantastical mix of “inside” jokes, puns, and real advice or opinions. I don’t think I’m alone in this, with the rise of platforms like Twitch or “let’s play” and “reaction videos”, people obviously enjoy watching people enjoying the same things they do. Would I enjoy Netflix shows more if there was a comments section? Possibly, especially for reality shows, but it would depend more on the quality of the comments and the type of community that evolves. Facebook has comments, but they are mostly junk and I barely browse there anymore.
That’s all for this week, have a great week ahead!
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