Why do many businesses fail when times are tough? It's the same reason that any business can fail when times are good: faulty marketing.
Faulty marketing - or no marketing at all - means no customers. And that means no sales, no profits and no business.
Marketing to build a powerful brand is all about identifying the needs of a target market and taking action to satisfy those needs better than the competition. So, embracing a customer-led mindset throughout the company is critical to success. Every decision on all aspects of your business - from product design and pricing to supply chain and distribution channels - must revolve around customers and their needs.
Empty pockets, full marketing plan
I often hear business owners say: "That sounds good, but I don't have enough money, people, or resources to market effectively." The key to success is to change your mindset from what you don't have to what you do have.
In fact, I guarantee you already have five powerful resources in your company that can help you market effectively. For business owners who are prepared to build and maintain a solid marketing foundation, these five resources can be used to bring greater success.
1. Positioning: The way you want customers to perceive, think, and feel about your business versus your competition.
2. Customers: We'll talk about how to effectively market to keep your current clients coming back for more.
3. Your products and services: Learn to review your portfolio through the eyes of your customers to attract more business.
4. Your team: There are powerful ways that your team can help you market, day in and day out.
5. Your competition: How can your competition help your business to grow? We'll explore this in the final article of this three-part series.
We'll cover all five resources in upcoming articles, but today, we'll focus on the first:
Positioning
Without positioning to differentiate your brand or business from all the others in a meaningful way, your products or services become commodities, and you end up competing on price alone, and this is a precarious market position at best.
Businesses without well-defined positioning statements are not in the driver's seat. After all, if you aren't exactly sure what your company stands for, how can your customers be sure? Indeed, if you don't take charge of your positioning yourself, there's a good chance your competition will step in and define your positioning for you.
I often hear business owners say: "Positioning is only for big companies or companies who sell direct to consumers," or: "We've never written it down, so we don't even have positioning."
The truth is, you already have positioning whether you know it or not. Large or small, your company's positioning is how customers perceive, think, and feel about your brand or business versus the competition. Since your clients are already out there perceiving, thinking, and feeling about you right now, your positioning already exists in their minds.
The question is, do you have the positioning you want?
Another popular myth is that small companies don't need positioning. In reality, it's just the opposite: smart positioning helps level the playing field for businesses with fewer resources. While large companies often have deeper pockets to help communicate what they want their business to stand for, companies with fewer resources must be smarter, to identify and solidify that one particular "sweet spot" that they, and they alone, can and want to own.
Taking charge of your existing positioning is one of the most powerful activities you can do to stand out from the competition and win in the marketplace. And, it doesn't have to cost you a lot.
The key is to spend quality time with your management team, defining and aligning your business to the six core elements that make up your positioning: target market, need, competitive framework, benefits, reasons why and character. These six fit together like a jigsaw puzzle to form your Positioning Statement.
Once defined, your positioning should become a mantra of sorts for your team, guiding everyone on a daily basis and helping to make important decisions. That's how you build a powerful position in the market without spending a lot in doing so.
BRENDA BENCE is managing director of Brand Development Associates International. Earlier, she spent 20 years with Procter & Gamble and Bristol-Myers Squibb, managing dozens of brands on four continents and in 50 countries. She may be contacted at brenda@brendabence.com. Watch for the second of this three-part series to learn about the next two marketing resources that can be used to create a powerful, but inexpensive, marketing plan.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Kingdon's best crafts
Great stuff handmade in rural corners all over the country are on sale at the October 10 Thai Craft Fair in the Jasmine City Building on Sukhumvit Soi 23.
Shop for baskets, hand-woven silk, ceramics, hilltribe stichwork and recycled items and view the exhibition "Khon Lek Lek", featuring the amazing baskets of Montri Yimyean and his fellow weavers in Rayong, who've found a less harmful altfernative to factories and fishing.
The fair is running from 10 to 5. Call (02)676 0636-8, extension 231,or visit www.ThaiCraft. org.
Shop for baskets, hand-woven silk, ceramics, hilltribe stichwork and recycled items and view the exhibition "Khon Lek Lek", featuring the amazing baskets of Montri Yimyean and his fellow weavers in Rayong, who've found a less harmful altfernative to factories and fishing.
The fair is running from 10 to 5. Call (02)676 0636-8, extension 231,or visit www.ThaiCraft. org.
Magnificent seven
In the most important, most revered event since the invention of the brontosaurus trap,Microsoft shipped the most incredibly fabulous operating system ever made; the release of Windows 7 also spurred a new generation of personal computers of all sizes at prices well below last month's offers.The top reason Windows 7 does not suck: There is no registered website called Windows7Sucks.com
Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.
Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Book Expo Thailand 2009
Realising that true knowledge comes from reading, the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (Pubat) proudly presents Book Expo Thailand 2009 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Bangkok, from Oct 15 to 25, 10am to 9pm.
This comprehensive book fair aims to promote the paramount significance of reading among youngsters in line with fostering Thailand's ambitions to become a lifelong learning society and an education hub.
This comprehensive book fair aims to promote the paramount significance of reading among youngsters in line with fostering Thailand's ambitions to become a lifelong learning society and an education hub.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Spending rise predicted in Q4
Advertising spending is expected to increase in the last quarter of this year after falling for more than six months due to the downturn, says the Advertising Association of Thailand.
"We have seen some good signs since the third quarter and total ad spending this year will be on par with 89 billion baht last year," said AAT chairman Parames Rachjaibun.
When the economy is bad, ad budgets are the first to be cut as firms reduce expenses. But the current crisis is less severe than the slump in 1997 and the Thai economy is now improving, he said.
Many product and brand owners have realised ads are necessary to communicate with consumers during tough times so the industry has not been affected that much, he said.
The Nielsen Company, a media research firm, said first-half ad spending fell by 5.11% from a year earlier to 41.9 billion baht. However, monthly media expenditures in August rose for the first time this year, climbing 2.8% year-on-year to 7.74 billion baht.
Ad agencies, however, must adjust to changing demands from clients with limited budgets who expect higher returns on their spending, he said.
The trend for ad spending in 2010 will depend in part on the government's creative economy project, he said.
"It is difficult to predict the ad spending trend next year. I think a key driver for the sector is government policies,especially the creative economy project,"said Mr Parames.
TrueVisions' approval from MCOT Plc to run commercials on its pay-TV channels will not be a key factor to spur the industry next year because ad agencies want to see True's airtime rates first, said Mr Parames.
But he forecast that TrueVisions' freedom to air commercials would force free-TV stations to improve their content because agencies will have more choice.
On Tuesday night, the AAT held the 2009 Adman Awards, which attracted 752 entries from TV commercials, print ads and integrated marketing communications, down 25% from last year.
Ogilvy & Mather Advertising took the top prize as agency of the year. Phenomena won production house of the year and Verasu Retail Co was named advertiser of the year.
The best TV award went to Brand Connections Co for its "Khon Thai-Phra Maha Wudhijaya Vajiramedhi " and "Khon Thai-Phai Soysraklang " for the Yuvabadhana Foundation.
Leo Burnett & Arc Worldwide Thailand took the best print award for "Stadium of Dreams" for Heineken.
This year, the association added the category of Interactive and Digital Media in response to the growing role of online media and internet marketing. The category has four sub-categories: advertising (banners and pop-ups), website design,viral advertising and integrated interactive campaigns.
Only two entries won gold medals this year: Far East DDB for "Phoenix 29 Chuan Ploi Kong" for Mama Shrimp Creamy Tom Yam Flavour in the single viral ad category, and JWT Bangkok for "Avatar" for Oriental Princess in a viral ad campaign.
"We have seen some good signs since the third quarter and total ad spending this year will be on par with 89 billion baht last year," said AAT chairman Parames Rachjaibun.
When the economy is bad, ad budgets are the first to be cut as firms reduce expenses. But the current crisis is less severe than the slump in 1997 and the Thai economy is now improving, he said.
Many product and brand owners have realised ads are necessary to communicate with consumers during tough times so the industry has not been affected that much, he said.
The Nielsen Company, a media research firm, said first-half ad spending fell by 5.11% from a year earlier to 41.9 billion baht. However, monthly media expenditures in August rose for the first time this year, climbing 2.8% year-on-year to 7.74 billion baht.
Ad agencies, however, must adjust to changing demands from clients with limited budgets who expect higher returns on their spending, he said.
The trend for ad spending in 2010 will depend in part on the government's creative economy project, he said.
"It is difficult to predict the ad spending trend next year. I think a key driver for the sector is government policies,especially the creative economy project,"said Mr Parames.
TrueVisions' approval from MCOT Plc to run commercials on its pay-TV channels will not be a key factor to spur the industry next year because ad agencies want to see True's airtime rates first, said Mr Parames.
But he forecast that TrueVisions' freedom to air commercials would force free-TV stations to improve their content because agencies will have more choice.
On Tuesday night, the AAT held the 2009 Adman Awards, which attracted 752 entries from TV commercials, print ads and integrated marketing communications, down 25% from last year.
Ogilvy & Mather Advertising took the top prize as agency of the year. Phenomena won production house of the year and Verasu Retail Co was named advertiser of the year.
The best TV award went to Brand Connections Co for its "Khon Thai-Phra Maha Wudhijaya Vajiramedhi " and "Khon Thai-Phai Soysraklang " for the Yuvabadhana Foundation.
Leo Burnett & Arc Worldwide Thailand took the best print award for "Stadium of Dreams" for Heineken.
This year, the association added the category of Interactive and Digital Media in response to the growing role of online media and internet marketing. The category has four sub-categories: advertising (banners and pop-ups), website design,viral advertising and integrated interactive campaigns.
Only two entries won gold medals this year: Far East DDB for "Phoenix 29 Chuan Ploi Kong" for Mama Shrimp Creamy Tom Yam Flavour in the single viral ad category, and JWT Bangkok for "Avatar" for Oriental Princess in a viral ad campaign.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
International education "beneficial"
The trend towards international education is growing in Thailand.
More Thai students are eager to become fluent in English, because it is the global language and will help them to find better job opportunities.
Students who acted as exhibitors and visitors at yesterday's Thailand International Education Exhibition 2009 gave their opinions on international education in Thailand to The Nation.
Thanaboon 'Na' Wanlopsirinun, 20, an exhibitor, video jockey of OIC television programme and a third-year communication arts student at Assumption University (ABAC):
"I studied for my secondary-school levels at a state school. I understood very little English. My English has improved since studying here. Every lecturer always speaks English. It's really useful for me when I interview foreigners, like Korean singers. I understand them, so it makes my job easier. ABAC sets out to change students to be like business people, so I've learned to be punctual, methodical and responsible.
"Future work [prospects for those who study in Thailand] are not inferior to those of people who study abroad. We have connections in Thailand; it's good for us to work here. Students studying abroad have connections there. They will benefit if they work abroad, too. However, if I decide to work abroad and they [want to] work in Thailand, both of us [will] need to adjust ourselves."
Arisa Klinkhachornsak, 18, an exhibition visitor and a freshman studying journalism at Thammasat University (TU):
"I decided to study in the international programme because I want to be skilled at English, but I don't want to spend the high costs of living abroad. Studying here makes me more confident in expressing my opinions, as lecturers listen to me.
"I have opted for other international programmes in Thailand, for instance business. I'll probably use the knowledge to run my family's business.
"However, when I graduate with my bachelor's degree from TU and I can take care of myself, I aim to further my higher education abroad. My cousins told me of their experience abroad, and how being fluent in English helped them to get well-paid jobs when they studied there, especially in the US.
"People graduating from foreign lands are better off than those from the international education system in Thai land, particularly those who graduate from prestigious or world-class academic institutions. This also happens in Thailand. Graduates from the country's top universities are considered before others."
Ratchawut Cherdchuvanit, 20, an exhibitor and a junior studying communication art at Chulalongkorn University (CU):
"CU focuses on giving students basic knowledge and encourages them to apply the acquired knowledge themselves. I chose the international programme here partly because of cheaper costs. Parents should invest in their children's education as much as they can. It's worth the investment.
"Graduating from an international programme is better than graduating from a Thai programme in my opinion. We learn specialised knowledge together with practising English. It's easier to work in an international company.
"I wish to work in Japan and maybe China, so I study Japanese as my third language and probably Chinese will be my fourth language."
Kusuma Suksri, 17, a visitor and a Matthayom 5 (11th grade) student from Suansri Witthaya School in Chumphon:
"I'm studying in the science-mathematics fields. Not only science and mathematics are important for me, but also English language. I'll try to gain more and more information until I finish my secondary-school levels before I make a decision on whether I will study in an international programme or study abroad. I will look for information about both education formats to compare their strong and weak points."
More Thai students are eager to become fluent in English, because it is the global language and will help them to find better job opportunities.
Students who acted as exhibitors and visitors at yesterday's Thailand International Education Exhibition 2009 gave their opinions on international education in Thailand to The Nation.
Thanaboon 'Na' Wanlopsirinun, 20, an exhibitor, video jockey of OIC television programme and a third-year communication arts student at Assumption University (ABAC):
"I studied for my secondary-school levels at a state school. I understood very little English. My English has improved since studying here. Every lecturer always speaks English. It's really useful for me when I interview foreigners, like Korean singers. I understand them, so it makes my job easier. ABAC sets out to change students to be like business people, so I've learned to be punctual, methodical and responsible.
"Future work [prospects for those who study in Thailand] are not inferior to those of people who study abroad. We have connections in Thailand; it's good for us to work here. Students studying abroad have connections there. They will benefit if they work abroad, too. However, if I decide to work abroad and they [want to] work in Thailand, both of us [will] need to adjust ourselves."
Arisa Klinkhachornsak, 18, an exhibition visitor and a freshman studying journalism at Thammasat University (TU):
"I decided to study in the international programme because I want to be skilled at English, but I don't want to spend the high costs of living abroad. Studying here makes me more confident in expressing my opinions, as lecturers listen to me.
"I have opted for other international programmes in Thailand, for instance business. I'll probably use the knowledge to run my family's business.
"However, when I graduate with my bachelor's degree from TU and I can take care of myself, I aim to further my higher education abroad. My cousins told me of their experience abroad, and how being fluent in English helped them to get well-paid jobs when they studied there, especially in the US.
"People graduating from foreign lands are better off than those from the international education system in Thai land, particularly those who graduate from prestigious or world-class academic institutions. This also happens in Thailand. Graduates from the country's top universities are considered before others."
Ratchawut Cherdchuvanit, 20, an exhibitor and a junior studying communication art at Chulalongkorn University (CU):
"CU focuses on giving students basic knowledge and encourages them to apply the acquired knowledge themselves. I chose the international programme here partly because of cheaper costs. Parents should invest in their children's education as much as they can. It's worth the investment.
"Graduating from an international programme is better than graduating from a Thai programme in my opinion. We learn specialised knowledge together with practising English. It's easier to work in an international company.
"I wish to work in Japan and maybe China, so I study Japanese as my third language and probably Chinese will be my fourth language."
Kusuma Suksri, 17, a visitor and a Matthayom 5 (11th grade) student from Suansri Witthaya School in Chumphon:
"I'm studying in the science-mathematics fields. Not only science and mathematics are important for me, but also English language. I'll try to gain more and more information until I finish my secondary-school levels before I make a decision on whether I will study in an international programme or study abroad. I will look for information about both education formats to compare their strong and weak points."
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
A QUIETER MOTOR EXPO THROUGH NOISE MANAGEMENT
Organisers of the Thailand International Motor Expo, one of two major auto shows staged annually in Thailand, plan to offer visitors to this year's event a more pleasurable experience by improving noise management.
The show will be held in Muang Thong Thani's Challenger Hall in December.
Organising chairman Kwanchai Paphatphong said his team was working to raise the standards of the show in several ways.
"We want visitors to be able to walk around the Expo in comfort. We have come up with a new system to keep noise at any location in Challenger within appropriate levels by continuously monitoring noise levels in a central control room," he said.
Excessive noise at any location in the hall will be detected by a special instrument that will alert the control room, allowing staff to deal with the noise at its source.
Kwanchai claimed it was the most sophisticated noise-management system ever employed at a trade show in Thailand.
"We will set up a Motor Expo Information Centre, like at previous expost, to provide all sorts of useful information, such as specifications of cars displayed in the show, various promotional offers, or booth locations, Visitors will be able to find what they want from a compilation of hard copies that we provide or they will be able to ask our service staff at three locations in front of the entrances," Kwanchai said.
"This year we will also work with Impact Muang Thong Thani to install the latest and most effective temperature detectors at the entrances of Challenger Hall to scan visitors and ensure that the Expo in a virus-free zone," he said.
The show will be held in Muang Thong Thani's Challenger Hall in December.
Organising chairman Kwanchai Paphatphong said his team was working to raise the standards of the show in several ways.
"We want visitors to be able to walk around the Expo in comfort. We have come up with a new system to keep noise at any location in Challenger within appropriate levels by continuously monitoring noise levels in a central control room," he said.
Excessive noise at any location in the hall will be detected by a special instrument that will alert the control room, allowing staff to deal with the noise at its source.
Kwanchai claimed it was the most sophisticated noise-management system ever employed at a trade show in Thailand.
"We will set up a Motor Expo Information Centre, like at previous expost, to provide all sorts of useful information, such as specifications of cars displayed in the show, various promotional offers, or booth locations, Visitors will be able to find what they want from a compilation of hard copies that we provide or they will be able to ask our service staff at three locations in front of the entrances," Kwanchai said.
"This year we will also work with Impact Muang Thong Thani to install the latest and most effective temperature detectors at the entrances of Challenger Hall to scan visitors and ensure that the Expo in a virus-free zone," he said.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
BUILD YOUR BRAND WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK
Why do many businesses fail when times are tough? It's the same reason that any business can fail when times are good: faulty marketing.
Faulty marketing - or no marketing at all - means no customers. And that means no sales, no profits and no business.
Marketing to build a powerful brand is all about identifying the needs of a target market and taking action to satisfy those needs better than the competition. So, embracing a customer-led mindset throughout the company is critical to success. Every decision on all aspects of your business - from product design and pricing to supply chain and distribution channels - must revolve around customers and their needs.
Empty pockets, full marketing plan
I often hear business owners say: "That sounds good, but I don't have enough money, people, or resources to market effectively." The key to success is to change your mindset from what you don't have to what you do have.
In fact, I guarantee you already have five powerful resources in your company that can help you market effectively. For business owners who are prepared to build and maintain a solid marketing foundation, these five resources can be used to bring greater success.
1. Positioning: The way you want customers to perceive, think, and feel about your business versus your competition.
2. Customers: We'll talk about how to effectively market to keep your current clients coming back for more.
3. Your products and services: Learn to review your portfolio through the eyes of your customers to attract more business.
4. Your team: There are powerful ways that your team can help you market, day in and day out.
5. Your competition: How can your competition help your business to grow? We'll explore this in the final article of this three-part series.
We'll cover all five resources in upcoming articles, but today, we'll focus on the first:
Positioning
Without positioning to differentiate your brand or business from all the others in a meaningful way, your products or services become commodities, and you end up competing on price alone, and this is a precarious market position at best.
Businesses without well-defined positioning statements are not in the driver's seat. After all, if you aren't exactly sure what your company stands for, how can your customers be sure? Indeed, if you don't take charge of your positioning yourself, there's a good chance your competition will step in and define your positioning for you.
I often hear business owners say: "Positioning is only for big companies or companies who sell direct to consumers," or: "We've never written it down, so we don't even have positioning."
The truth is, you already have positioning whether you know it or not. Large or small, your company's positioning is how customers perceive, think, and feel about your brand or business versus the competition. Since your clients are already out there perceiving, thinking, and feeling about you right now, your positioning already exists in their minds.
The question is, do you have the positioning you want?
Another popular myth is that small companies don't need positioning. In reality, it's just the opposite: smart positioning helps level the playing field for businesses with fewer resources. While large companies often have deeper pockets to help communicate what they want their business to stand for, companies with fewer resources must be smarter, to identify and solidify that one particular "sweet spot" that they, and they alone, can and want to own.
Taking charge of your existing positioning is one of the most powerful activities you can do to stand out from the competition and win in the marketplace. And, it doesn't have to cost you a lot.
The key is to spend quality time with your management team, defining and aligning your business to the six core elements that make up your positioning: target market, need, competitive framework, benefits, reasons why and character. These six fit together like a jigsaw puzzle to form your Positioning Statement.
Once defined, your positioning should become a mantra of sorts for your team, guiding everyone on a daily basis and helping to make important decisions. That's how you build a powerful position in the market without spending a lot in doing so.
BRENDA BENCE is managing director of Brand Development Associates International. Earlier, she spent 20 years with Procter & Gamble and Bristol-Myers Squibb, managing dozens of brands on four continents and in 50 countries. She may be contacted at brenda@brendabence.com. Watch for the second of this three-part series to learn about the next two marketing resources that can be used to create a powerful, but inexpensive, marketing plan.
Faulty marketing - or no marketing at all - means no customers. And that means no sales, no profits and no business.
Marketing to build a powerful brand is all about identifying the needs of a target market and taking action to satisfy those needs better than the competition. So, embracing a customer-led mindset throughout the company is critical to success. Every decision on all aspects of your business - from product design and pricing to supply chain and distribution channels - must revolve around customers and their needs.
Empty pockets, full marketing plan
I often hear business owners say: "That sounds good, but I don't have enough money, people, or resources to market effectively." The key to success is to change your mindset from what you don't have to what you do have.
In fact, I guarantee you already have five powerful resources in your company that can help you market effectively. For business owners who are prepared to build and maintain a solid marketing foundation, these five resources can be used to bring greater success.
1. Positioning: The way you want customers to perceive, think, and feel about your business versus your competition.
2. Customers: We'll talk about how to effectively market to keep your current clients coming back for more.
3. Your products and services: Learn to review your portfolio through the eyes of your customers to attract more business.
4. Your team: There are powerful ways that your team can help you market, day in and day out.
5. Your competition: How can your competition help your business to grow? We'll explore this in the final article of this three-part series.
We'll cover all five resources in upcoming articles, but today, we'll focus on the first:
Positioning
Without positioning to differentiate your brand or business from all the others in a meaningful way, your products or services become commodities, and you end up competing on price alone, and this is a precarious market position at best.
Businesses without well-defined positioning statements are not in the driver's seat. After all, if you aren't exactly sure what your company stands for, how can your customers be sure? Indeed, if you don't take charge of your positioning yourself, there's a good chance your competition will step in and define your positioning for you.
I often hear business owners say: "Positioning is only for big companies or companies who sell direct to consumers," or: "We've never written it down, so we don't even have positioning."
The truth is, you already have positioning whether you know it or not. Large or small, your company's positioning is how customers perceive, think, and feel about your brand or business versus the competition. Since your clients are already out there perceiving, thinking, and feeling about you right now, your positioning already exists in their minds.
The question is, do you have the positioning you want?
Another popular myth is that small companies don't need positioning. In reality, it's just the opposite: smart positioning helps level the playing field for businesses with fewer resources. While large companies often have deeper pockets to help communicate what they want their business to stand for, companies with fewer resources must be smarter, to identify and solidify that one particular "sweet spot" that they, and they alone, can and want to own.
Taking charge of your existing positioning is one of the most powerful activities you can do to stand out from the competition and win in the marketplace. And, it doesn't have to cost you a lot.
The key is to spend quality time with your management team, defining and aligning your business to the six core elements that make up your positioning: target market, need, competitive framework, benefits, reasons why and character. These six fit together like a jigsaw puzzle to form your Positioning Statement.
Once defined, your positioning should become a mantra of sorts for your team, guiding everyone on a daily basis and helping to make important decisions. That's how you build a powerful position in the market without spending a lot in doing so.
BRENDA BENCE is managing director of Brand Development Associates International. Earlier, she spent 20 years with Procter & Gamble and Bristol-Myers Squibb, managing dozens of brands on four continents and in 50 countries. She may be contacted at brenda@brendabence.com. Watch for the second of this three-part series to learn about the next two marketing resources that can be used to create a powerful, but inexpensive, marketing plan.
"THAILAND MAXIMISE" TO REVIVE MICE
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau will explore international markets this quarter with its "Thailand Maximise" campaign to revive the MICE industry.
The TCEB will debut the campaign at the 17th IT&CMA and 12th CTW Asia-Pacific, together with its newest privilege package called "Max Value", created to boost the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions business.
"We are officially introducing the campaign to over 2,000 operators and buyers visiting the event. Thailand has been the choice for IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific for eight straight years now," Malinee Kitaphanich, the TCEB director of meetings and incentives, said yesterday.
The background of Thailand Maximise that the organisation had conducted a survey and research on the MICE industry from 2008-2009 and found that Thailand undoubtedly offers efficiencies and value for money for organising MICE activities of all sorts.
"Be it the facilities, transportation, professional Mice management, reputation as a world-class travel destination, world-renowned hospitality or unique Thai culture, it truly contributes to and encourages the overall growth of Thai MICE industry," she said.
The Thailand Maximise campaign stems from the integration of the country's core strengths and strategic marketing plan, basing on an international outlook. From these impeccable advantages, Thailand is eventually represented as the ideal destination for the MICE industry in Asia.
With value for money in meeting in Thailand, a variety of meeting sites set among fabulous attractions and the country's unique heart-warming hospitality, the TCEB believes it would inspire and reflect a new perspective to MICE travellers.
The organisation is now ready to appeal to international markets, both short and long haul, in order to encourage the recovery of the MICE industry and guarantee constant growth.
"We believe that Max Value will boost meeting and incentive visitors by 15 per cent next year, from the current estimate of 250,000 visitors this year" she added.
Last year, Thailand attracted 727,723 MICE travellers, with 51 per cent or 371,681 of them for meetings and incentives, generating earnings of more than Bt21 million.
This year, the TCEB forecasts that MICE will bring over Bt41 billion in revenue into the country, with MICE travellers estimated at 500,000.
The TCEB will debut the campaign at the 17th IT&CMA and 12th CTW Asia-Pacific, together with its newest privilege package called "Max Value", created to boost the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions business.
"We are officially introducing the campaign to over 2,000 operators and buyers visiting the event. Thailand has been the choice for IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific for eight straight years now," Malinee Kitaphanich, the TCEB director of meetings and incentives, said yesterday.
The background of Thailand Maximise that the organisation had conducted a survey and research on the MICE industry from 2008-2009 and found that Thailand undoubtedly offers efficiencies and value for money for organising MICE activities of all sorts.
"Be it the facilities, transportation, professional Mice management, reputation as a world-class travel destination, world-renowned hospitality or unique Thai culture, it truly contributes to and encourages the overall growth of Thai MICE industry," she said.
The Thailand Maximise campaign stems from the integration of the country's core strengths and strategic marketing plan, basing on an international outlook. From these impeccable advantages, Thailand is eventually represented as the ideal destination for the MICE industry in Asia.
With value for money in meeting in Thailand, a variety of meeting sites set among fabulous attractions and the country's unique heart-warming hospitality, the TCEB believes it would inspire and reflect a new perspective to MICE travellers.
The organisation is now ready to appeal to international markets, both short and long haul, in order to encourage the recovery of the MICE industry and guarantee constant growth.
"We believe that Max Value will boost meeting and incentive visitors by 15 per cent next year, from the current estimate of 250,000 visitors this year" she added.
Last year, Thailand attracted 727,723 MICE travellers, with 51 per cent or 371,681 of them for meetings and incentives, generating earnings of more than Bt21 million.
This year, the TCEB forecasts that MICE will bring over Bt41 billion in revenue into the country, with MICE travellers estimated at 500,000.
Brainstorms for the future
Fancy footwear, a modern-art gallery fashioned out of old containers and a coffee table made from abandoned wood are just some of the highlights of the Bangkok Design Festival '09 that runs at various venues throughout the city from Thursday to October 21.
Part of an ambition to turn the Kingdom into Asia's design hub, the third edition of the festival is bigger and better than before, with more than 1,000 Thai designers showcasing their talents alongside 40 foreigns projects.
"The city will be enhanced by a range of projects that are being exclusively initiated for this event under the concept 'Balancing the Future'," says festival director Prathan Theerathada. "They all convey a sense of innovation, creativity and sustainability."
Prathan, who's also the editor of art4d magazine, launched the festival three years ago as private initiative. This year the government is providing support.
"The Bangkok Design Festival will lead Thailand into the new econolmic era throught its creative ideas and innovation, in accordance with government policy," says Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Pollabutr.
"We need the inventive minds of Thailand's designers to stimulate and develop our economy under the umbrella of the 'Creative Thailand's designers to stimulate and develop our economy under the umbrella of the 'Creative Thailand' project.
"Our aim is to make Thailand the hub of creative industry in Asean and to enhance the economic value of creative industry from 12 to 20 per cent of Gross National Product by 2012," he adds.
the festival features everything from outdoor interactive installation art to a poster exhibition, film screenings to DIY workshops, and designers' talks to shopping.
It kicks off at the Victory Monument, Bangkok's so-called "Kilometre Zero". Passers-by are invited to participate in "Creative City Km.0", created by Briton Maria Stukoff and Thai graphic designers Apostrophy.
The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is hosting various exhibitions, among them "Abundant Australia", a display of 160 innovatuve structural models fresh fro the Venice Architecture Bienniale.
Meanwhile B Muse, a group of young Thai curators and artists, shows how much fun you can have visiting a museum in the exhibition "What is your Dream Museum?"
"Do It Together by Knotting Else" sees 10 leading interior-design companies use recycle materials in environmentally friendly designs.
Award-winning designer Anon Pairot blurs the boundaries between his furniture and sculpture in "A Part."
Last but not least, is Designer's Saturday. Mark Holmes, a founding partner in one of the UK's greatest manufacturing successes of the decade, Established & Sons and Douglas Young, the founder and chief executive of Hong Kong's innovative retailer GOD/Goods of Desire will talk on October 10.
Over at Siam Paragon'a Pare Paragon, Thai talen is on show in an ultra-modern art gallery made of five containers decorated with a dozen balloon trees.
Supported by M150, Japanese architect Onishi Takaya - who teaches at King Mongkut University of Technology - designed the gallery to host "Degree Show'09", featuring fashion, jewellery, animation and graphic and interior design by the year's top design students.
At the Hall of Mirrors, the "DEmark" exhibition shows a selection of design works by Thai entre-preneurs and designers taking part in DEmark (Design Excellence Award) 2009, or ganised by the government's Department of Export Promotion.
Decor Mart converts its showroom into an art gallery featuring high-end German brand Hangsgrohe, with designs by Philippe Stark, Jaen-Mari Massuad, Antonio Citterio and Patricia Urguiola.
Thai brand Furniture House by Plato displays its futuristic home decor inspired by origami, and designer Krit Sangvivhien has the "Thainess" exhibition, focusing on traditional local craftsmanship, recycled materias and modern designs.
Architect firm G49 celebrates its 20th anniversay with "Twenty-Twenty", a showcase of 20 innovative project by both Thai and foreign architects inside 20 boxes.
Meantime Tiga invites 100 designers to take part in its exhibition, "Kiew-koy 100 Designs."
At Siam Centre you can see Thai proverbs interpreted as shoes at "Shoes'cream by Gold City", an exhibition by design students from Silpakorn, king Mongkut and Srinakarinwirote universities.
Siam Discovery hosts "Illustration Poster" by Takashi Akiyama, the econo-peoject "Rebuild/Refresh by SCG featuring DesignLab, and the photo exhibition "I Am a Thai Graphic Designer."
The shopping centre is also playing host to workshops, the "Young Creative Entrepreneur" exhibition and to a minimart that's selling products priced between Bt9 and Bt999.
The Thaoland Creative and Design Centre at the Emporium is hosting a series of talks, among them "The Dimension of the Plan - Communication Design Germnay," focusing on corporate design, digital media, typography and signage systems.
Following the successful screening of Gary Hustwit's "Helvetica" at the first festival, this year Pratha is bringing his new documentary, "Objectitied", which portrays the stories behind the work od elite product designers from around the world. The film screens at SF CentralWorld on October 15.
Shoppers should not miss the "BIG+BIH" fairs at Challenger Hall in Muang Thong Thani from October 13 to 18, hosted by the Office of Product Value Development.
Part of an ambition to turn the Kingdom into Asia's design hub, the third edition of the festival is bigger and better than before, with more than 1,000 Thai designers showcasing their talents alongside 40 foreigns projects.
"The city will be enhanced by a range of projects that are being exclusively initiated for this event under the concept 'Balancing the Future'," says festival director Prathan Theerathada. "They all convey a sense of innovation, creativity and sustainability."
Prathan, who's also the editor of art4d magazine, launched the festival three years ago as private initiative. This year the government is providing support.
"The Bangkok Design Festival will lead Thailand into the new econolmic era throught its creative ideas and innovation, in accordance with government policy," says Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Pollabutr.
"We need the inventive minds of Thailand's designers to stimulate and develop our economy under the umbrella of the 'Creative Thailand's designers to stimulate and develop our economy under the umbrella of the 'Creative Thailand' project.
"Our aim is to make Thailand the hub of creative industry in Asean and to enhance the economic value of creative industry from 12 to 20 per cent of Gross National Product by 2012," he adds.
the festival features everything from outdoor interactive installation art to a poster exhibition, film screenings to DIY workshops, and designers' talks to shopping.
It kicks off at the Victory Monument, Bangkok's so-called "Kilometre Zero". Passers-by are invited to participate in "Creative City Km.0", created by Briton Maria Stukoff and Thai graphic designers Apostrophy.
The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is hosting various exhibitions, among them "Abundant Australia", a display of 160 innovatuve structural models fresh fro the Venice Architecture Bienniale.
Meanwhile B Muse, a group of young Thai curators and artists, shows how much fun you can have visiting a museum in the exhibition "What is your Dream Museum?"
"Do It Together by Knotting Else" sees 10 leading interior-design companies use recycle materials in environmentally friendly designs.
Award-winning designer Anon Pairot blurs the boundaries between his furniture and sculpture in "A Part."
Last but not least, is Designer's Saturday. Mark Holmes, a founding partner in one of the UK's greatest manufacturing successes of the decade, Established & Sons and Douglas Young, the founder and chief executive of Hong Kong's innovative retailer GOD/Goods of Desire will talk on October 10.
Over at Siam Paragon'a Pare Paragon, Thai talen is on show in an ultra-modern art gallery made of five containers decorated with a dozen balloon trees.
Supported by M150, Japanese architect Onishi Takaya - who teaches at King Mongkut University of Technology - designed the gallery to host "Degree Show'09", featuring fashion, jewellery, animation and graphic and interior design by the year's top design students.
At the Hall of Mirrors, the "DEmark" exhibition shows a selection of design works by Thai entre-preneurs and designers taking part in DEmark (Design Excellence Award) 2009, or ganised by the government's Department of Export Promotion.
Decor Mart converts its showroom into an art gallery featuring high-end German brand Hangsgrohe, with designs by Philippe Stark, Jaen-Mari Massuad, Antonio Citterio and Patricia Urguiola.
Thai brand Furniture House by Plato displays its futuristic home decor inspired by origami, and designer Krit Sangvivhien has the "Thainess" exhibition, focusing on traditional local craftsmanship, recycled materias and modern designs.
Architect firm G49 celebrates its 20th anniversay with "Twenty-Twenty", a showcase of 20 innovative project by both Thai and foreign architects inside 20 boxes.
Meantime Tiga invites 100 designers to take part in its exhibition, "Kiew-koy 100 Designs."
At Siam Centre you can see Thai proverbs interpreted as shoes at "Shoes'cream by Gold City", an exhibition by design students from Silpakorn, king Mongkut and Srinakarinwirote universities.
Siam Discovery hosts "Illustration Poster" by Takashi Akiyama, the econo-peoject "Rebuild/Refresh by SCG featuring DesignLab, and the photo exhibition "I Am a Thai Graphic Designer."
The shopping centre is also playing host to workshops, the "Young Creative Entrepreneur" exhibition and to a minimart that's selling products priced between Bt9 and Bt999.
The Thaoland Creative and Design Centre at the Emporium is hosting a series of talks, among them "The Dimension of the Plan - Communication Design Germnay," focusing on corporate design, digital media, typography and signage systems.
Following the successful screening of Gary Hustwit's "Helvetica" at the first festival, this year Pratha is bringing his new documentary, "Objectitied", which portrays the stories behind the work od elite product designers from around the world. The film screens at SF CentralWorld on October 15.
Shoppers should not miss the "BIG+BIH" fairs at Challenger Hall in Muang Thong Thani from October 13 to 18, hosted by the Office of Product Value Development.
SUCCESS OF FOOD INGREDIENTS ASIA 2009 SETS THE STAGE FOR 2010 EXPANSION
Bangkok was once again the center of attention for the food ingredients industry as Food ingredients (Fi) Asia 2009 got underway at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center on the 9th of September.
This exciting event ran for three days and attracted over 7000 attendees from around the world. They were drawn to Fi Asia by the outstanding opportunity to network with the industry's key players and learn about the latest developments in this dynamic market.
Many attendees were particularly interested in opportunities in the rapidly growing functional food market. Dr. Damri Sukhothanang, Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Industry, underlined this trend in his opening address. He stated the industry' s current health-oriented focus has developed in response to consumers increasing affluence and health consciousness, and many companies in the region are now offering healthier food choices with high nutritional value.
The 2009 show featured a highly informative program of conderences and seminars. The first in the series was "What's New in the World of Functiional Food ingredients?" which was co-organized by the Food Science & Technology Association of Thailand (FoSTAT).
International speakers covered 18 other relevant topics and all the high level conderence events were well attended and covered by the many media companies in attendance.
In order to offer Fi Asia exibitors and visitors increased access to the ASEAN region, the Fi team will be branching out into new markets in 2010.
Fi Asia be held in Indonesia in 2010 and return to Thailand in 2011. a new event, the Fi Asia Summit, will make its debut in Vietnam in 2010 and then bring the industry to the Philippines in 2011.
This exciting event ran for three days and attracted over 7000 attendees from around the world. They were drawn to Fi Asia by the outstanding opportunity to network with the industry's key players and learn about the latest developments in this dynamic market.
Many attendees were particularly interested in opportunities in the rapidly growing functional food market. Dr. Damri Sukhothanang, Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Industry, underlined this trend in his opening address. He stated the industry' s current health-oriented focus has developed in response to consumers increasing affluence and health consciousness, and many companies in the region are now offering healthier food choices with high nutritional value.
The 2009 show featured a highly informative program of conderences and seminars. The first in the series was "What's New in the World of Functiional Food ingredients?" which was co-organized by the Food Science & Technology Association of Thailand (FoSTAT).
International speakers covered 18 other relevant topics and all the high level conderence events were well attended and covered by the many media companies in attendance.
In order to offer Fi Asia exibitors and visitors increased access to the ASEAN region, the Fi team will be branching out into new markets in 2010.
Fi Asia be held in Indonesia in 2010 and return to Thailand in 2011. a new event, the Fi Asia Summit, will make its debut in Vietnam in 2010 and then bring the industry to the Philippines in 2011.
Friday, October 2, 2009
BALANCING THE FUTURE
Bangkok will once again play host to a unique art and design showcase when the "Bangkok Design Festival 2009" raises its curtains next week.The third edition to be held, this year's festival involves innovation, creativity and sustainability under the idea of "Balancing the Future."
The 14-day event, from October 8-21,will take place at various hot spot venues around the city - Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC), Bangkok Art and Culture Centre,Siam Paragon, Siam Centre, Siam Discovery,The Emporium and Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani. There are also exhibitions in public spaces such as Victory Monument.
On show are stunning works by professional and young designers, both Thai and foreign,special themed projects, interesting activities, top thesis by design students from various universities, a Thainess show, a creative party, an art fair and a mini mart.
"Bangkok Design Festival 2009 will lead Thailand to the era of a new economy via the tactics of creative work," said Alongkorn Pollabutr,deputy minister of commerce.
"The event also goes in line with the government's Creative Thailand in-
tiative, aimed at turning Thailand
into the hub of creative industry
in Asean and to enhance the
economic value of creative
industry."
"In the art and design industry, Thai designers
are second to none in
terms of their knowledge
and talent and the Bangkok Design Festival is an excellent platform to unwaveringly drive Thailand's design industry to the international level,"said Mayuree Chaipromprasith, marketing promotion senior director of Siam Paragon Development Co."This year, we have highlights at every spot. Among them, the Degree Show, which presents the year's top thesis by students in interior, product, graphic,fashion and jewellery design as well as animation," said Prathan Theerathada,director of the Bangkok Design Festival.
"Another fascinating exhibition is the showcase of more than 70 pieces of work from seven different fields creatively displayed in five Design Containers among balloons," he said."Despite a limited area, larger-than-life quality is guaranteed
and you can see these ou-
standing pieces for yourselves at Parc Par-
gon, Siam Paragon."
The programme also includes "Creative City km.0." This year, Change Bangkok Project continues what it began earlier. From last year, the selected photographs of places in Bangkok that need change the most is the Victory Monument (km 0).
The designers responsible for the change are Maria Stukoff, an artist from the United Kingdom, and Apostrophy's from Thailand.
In the heart of the city at Siam Paragon is "DEmark", a selection of good design works by Thai entrepreneurs and designers in a contest of DEmark 2009 Award (Design Excellence Award) organised by the Office of Product Value Development, Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce. This is a golden opportunity for art enthusiasts to admire these creations at the Hall of Mirror, M floor.
At Siam Centre's Atrium 2 on the first floor is the "Shoes' Cream by Gold City",an exhibition of shoes designed by students from Silpakorn University, King Mongkut Institute of Technology Lad Krabang and Srinakarinviroj University.
Causing quite a stir and fun among Thai graphic designers is the project,"I am a Thai Graphic Designer" by Practical Studio. The project, set to take place in the Grand Hall of SiamDiscovery, showcases more than 1,000 works by graphic designers from across the country.
Each work is presented using photographs of each designer holding a plate with his/her own design of the phrase "I am a Thai Graphic Designer." Related activities in this area include a graphic design workshop for high school stu-dents, and seminar on the topic "Put the strong faith in Thailand by Thai graphic designers."
Also on show in the Grand Hall is the "Illustration Poster by Takashi Akiyama"exhibition. Akiyama is a world-renowned Japanese visual communicator and graphic design professor at Tama Art University. Through some 40 posters,Akiyama communicates stories with illustrations that convey profound meanings that are beyond the ability of words or any international languages to communicate.
On show at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is "Do It Together by Knotting Else" featuring works of 10 leading interior design companies presented in the Tetris puzzles pattern. The exhibition gathers recycled materials under Green Design or environmentally-friendly design concepts from each company.
BIG+BIH at Challenger Hall, Impact Muang Thong Thani, will probably be the most familiar event as it's been held for many years. This year, the event is held under the theme,"Unique Lifestyle",with a trade fair and exhibitions showcasing updated movements in both local and international product design scenes.
"Bangkok Design Festival 2009", October 8-21, at various venues around the city. For full activities and exhibition programme,venues and map, please visit www.bangkokdesignfestival.com.
Work from the "Designers Saturday"showcase (above);and two art pieces from the "Abundant Australia" exhibition (below and right).
This year's festival features stunning works of art and design by professional and young designers.
The 14-day event, from October 8-21,will take place at various hot spot venues around the city - Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC), Bangkok Art and Culture Centre,Siam Paragon, Siam Centre, Siam Discovery,The Emporium and Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani. There are also exhibitions in public spaces such as Victory Monument.
On show are stunning works by professional and young designers, both Thai and foreign,special themed projects, interesting activities, top thesis by design students from various universities, a Thainess show, a creative party, an art fair and a mini mart.
"Bangkok Design Festival 2009 will lead Thailand to the era of a new economy via the tactics of creative work," said Alongkorn Pollabutr,deputy minister of commerce.
"The event also goes in line with the government's Creative Thailand in-
tiative, aimed at turning Thailand
into the hub of creative industry
in Asean and to enhance the
economic value of creative
industry."
"In the art and design industry, Thai designers
are second to none in
terms of their knowledge
and talent and the Bangkok Design Festival is an excellent platform to unwaveringly drive Thailand's design industry to the international level,"said Mayuree Chaipromprasith, marketing promotion senior director of Siam Paragon Development Co."This year, we have highlights at every spot. Among them, the Degree Show, which presents the year's top thesis by students in interior, product, graphic,fashion and jewellery design as well as animation," said Prathan Theerathada,director of the Bangkok Design Festival.
"Another fascinating exhibition is the showcase of more than 70 pieces of work from seven different fields creatively displayed in five Design Containers among balloons," he said."Despite a limited area, larger-than-life quality is guaranteed
and you can see these ou-
standing pieces for yourselves at Parc Par-
gon, Siam Paragon."
The programme also includes "Creative City km.0." This year, Change Bangkok Project continues what it began earlier. From last year, the selected photographs of places in Bangkok that need change the most is the Victory Monument (km 0).
The designers responsible for the change are Maria Stukoff, an artist from the United Kingdom, and Apostrophy's from Thailand.
In the heart of the city at Siam Paragon is "DEmark", a selection of good design works by Thai entrepreneurs and designers in a contest of DEmark 2009 Award (Design Excellence Award) organised by the Office of Product Value Development, Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce. This is a golden opportunity for art enthusiasts to admire these creations at the Hall of Mirror, M floor.
At Siam Centre's Atrium 2 on the first floor is the "Shoes' Cream by Gold City",an exhibition of shoes designed by students from Silpakorn University, King Mongkut Institute of Technology Lad Krabang and Srinakarinviroj University.
Causing quite a stir and fun among Thai graphic designers is the project,"I am a Thai Graphic Designer" by Practical Studio. The project, set to take place in the Grand Hall of SiamDiscovery, showcases more than 1,000 works by graphic designers from across the country.
Each work is presented using photographs of each designer holding a plate with his/her own design of the phrase "I am a Thai Graphic Designer." Related activities in this area include a graphic design workshop for high school stu-dents, and seminar on the topic "Put the strong faith in Thailand by Thai graphic designers."
Also on show in the Grand Hall is the "Illustration Poster by Takashi Akiyama"exhibition. Akiyama is a world-renowned Japanese visual communicator and graphic design professor at Tama Art University. Through some 40 posters,Akiyama communicates stories with illustrations that convey profound meanings that are beyond the ability of words or any international languages to communicate.
On show at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is "Do It Together by Knotting Else" featuring works of 10 leading interior design companies presented in the Tetris puzzles pattern. The exhibition gathers recycled materials under Green Design or environmentally-friendly design concepts from each company.
BIG+BIH at Challenger Hall, Impact Muang Thong Thani, will probably be the most familiar event as it's been held for many years. This year, the event is held under the theme,"Unique Lifestyle",with a trade fair and exhibitions showcasing updated movements in both local and international product design scenes.
"Bangkok Design Festival 2009", October 8-21, at various venues around the city. For full activities and exhibition programme,venues and map, please visit www.bangkokdesignfestival.com.
Work from the "Designers Saturday"showcase (above);and two art pieces from the "Abundant Australia" exhibition (below and right).
This year's festival features stunning works of art and design by professional and young designers.
Makers show off new gadgets at Mobile Expo
Samsung is gunning for pole position in mobilephone sales by the end of this year by showering the market with appealing new products.
Yesterday the Korean handset-maker launched Samsung Candy, its newest touch-screen phone aimed at teens and new users at a price of Bt5,990.
The gadget made its debut at Thailand Mobile Expo 2009, which started yesterday and runs to Sunday at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
Manatase Annawat, head to telecommunications marketing at Thai Samsung Electronics, said sales of Samsung Candy are targeted at 30,000-40,000 units per month.
Manatase believes that sales of touchscreen phones will continue to gain momentum on the demand of geeks to use the devices to wirelessly connect to online social networks.
The public's perception of touch-screen phones has also changed.
Earlier they thought that the models were difficult to use and very expensive, he said.
Samsung Thailand will introduce about 10 models during the rest of this year.
It sold about 1.5 million cell phones of all types in the first eight months of the year, closing in on its year-end target of over 2 million units.
The company is confident of passing current market leader Nokia Thailand by building up a share of 35 per cent by the end of the year.
Nokia has recently said it is confident of maintaining its superiority with a wide-ranging product portfolio and attractive mobile solutions.
Besides great devices, if offers an array of services such as mobile e-mail, music and games and navigation solutions.
Yesterday the Korean handset-maker launched Samsung Candy, its newest touch-screen phone aimed at teens and new users at a price of Bt5,990.
The gadget made its debut at Thailand Mobile Expo 2009, which started yesterday and runs to Sunday at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
Manatase Annawat, head to telecommunications marketing at Thai Samsung Electronics, said sales of Samsung Candy are targeted at 30,000-40,000 units per month.
Manatase believes that sales of touchscreen phones will continue to gain momentum on the demand of geeks to use the devices to wirelessly connect to online social networks.
The public's perception of touch-screen phones has also changed.
Earlier they thought that the models were difficult to use and very expensive, he said.
Samsung Thailand will introduce about 10 models during the rest of this year.
It sold about 1.5 million cell phones of all types in the first eight months of the year, closing in on its year-end target of over 2 million units.
The company is confident of passing current market leader Nokia Thailand by building up a share of 35 per cent by the end of the year.
Nokia has recently said it is confident of maintaining its superiority with a wide-ranging product portfolio and attractive mobile solutions.
Besides great devices, if offers an array of services such as mobile e-mail, music and games and navigation solutions.
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