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Honest Shit

Famous Brand Manifestos, Revised

By Ewe Shufei No Comments
Famous Brand Manifestos, Revised

Are manifestos necessary for brands? And are they quite as dubious as the politician ones?

One of the perks and perils of working in an agency means we are constantly exposed to copious amounts of purposes, aims, objectives, inspirational quotes, etc. etc.

In the spirit, however, of every “can we rewrite the copy” we receive daily and some extremely questionable life choices later, our Copywriters decided to just do it and go forth into revisions – of a more fun kind.

1. Niké – Just Do It

“Greatness.
It could start with an unshakable gut feeling.
A brisk run. Or a few.
An inextinguishable fire in your belly.
A purposeful squat.
The truth is, there is no hard and fast way to greatness.
Except to begin.
Because greatness is about getting it out as much as it is about getting there.
Greatness is about having the intestinal fortitude to go straight for the throne.
Greatness is about making the first move.
Your move.
Just doo it.”

– Audrey Lee, Copywriter

2. Fiat – Life is Best When Walked

“There are some people who simply shouldn’t drive. The people who take charge of their lives – and the lives of others – every time they take the wheel. Chaos defines their every lane change and every turn they make – big or small. It’s not just a cursory disregard of road rules, but unadulterated contempt for them. It is this ability to ignore basic safety with such joy that arises from a relaxed way of life. It is this attitude that is at the core of speeders, double-parkers and red light runners across the Malaysian peninsular. So don’t drive, walk. It’s safer. Just look both ways before you cross the road.“

– Matthew Corban, Copywriter

3. Holstee – This is Your Life

“This is your life.
Do not “do what you love”, unless you love being broke. Chances are you don’t like a lot of shit, like your job, or not having enough time: congrats on being human.
Stop looking for the love of your life. You cannot afford it in this economy. And no, “start doing things you love” is not a Tinder euphemism. Stop overanalysing – overthinking is where it’s at. All emotions are not beautiful, unless you’re a puppy. 
Life is simple: You work, then you die. Do not be that psychopath asking people about their dreams and opening up your arms to embrace people, you will get punched in the face.
Go travel. Get lost. Never come back. If opportunities come once, wave at them as they pass by. Since life is about people and interaction, please use alcohol as a coping mechanism together. It’s cheaper too.
At the end of the day– life is short, until you have to go to the bathroom…during a meeting.”

– Ewe Shufei, Copywriter

4. Gary Provost – This Sentence Has Five Words

“I try to write a manifesto.
I begin by writing a moderately long sentence.
And then I shorten it.
Into a few words.
And it becomes
One.
Word.
Pandas.
I interrupt your reading pleasure with a super long sentence that hopefully starts to make some sense.
It doesn’t.
But oh, here comes another moderately long sentence.
I swear there’s a point to all of this.
So I continue on by creating a suspenseful build-up to the big idea.
I then rephrase my big idea into another one-liner.
And end this with a prelude to the tagline that took me weeks to write.
Panda butts are great.”

– Beatrice Tan, Senior Copywriter

And, thankfully, you’ve reached the end of this post.

In case you need to contribute to our therapy fund, you may call us at 1-800-The-C-In-C27-Stands-For-Copy.

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By Ewe Shufei
Shit We Like

Step Aside, Marie Kondo: How To Spark Joy, The Jeremy Phun Way

By Jeremy Phun No Comments
Step Aside, Marie Kondo: How To Spark Joy, The Jeremy Phun Way

No, that’s not my studio. It belongs to my friend Casey.

Life might be a mess but your things shouldn’t be. I mean, why do you have to ask yourself whether something in your life sparks joy before you can start organising? All you need to do is to store things nicely and keep things tidy™.

My mum calls me a hoarder but I would like to think of myself as a collector. I love hoarding collecting all sorts of things from random coffee cups to Eclipse mint boxes (you’ll see). I mean, you’ll never know when you need inspiration from these items.

So I’m gonna show you how I organise my life without spending too much money (sometimes).

Unless your room looks like this:

Then I think only Marie Kondo can help you.

BAGCEPTION

All your items should have a place they belong to. Get smaller bags or pouches to categorise your items. This creates a modular system so you don’t need to dissect your bag every time you need to find something. Nothing should have too much freedom.

I personally like to use different bags for different occasions; it makes it easy for me to swap them around for different events. Here are some of the pouches I have and how I use them.

THE TECH POUCH

The pouch that I have in my bag every day for work. Everything that I need can be found in this pouch. I have 3 different types of phone cables here: USB-C, lightning, and micro-USB (I’m that one true friend you need). There are also compartments for drugs pills like painkillers (for when somebody tasks me at 6pm and the deadline is at 7pm), charcoal pills, and motion sickness, and storage systems for my 2TB hard drive and a thumbdrive (so I can pass around my emo mixtape).

I usually carry my camera (never know when there’s a freelance job, I’m always ready) around with me daily so I have some essentials such as a charger for batteries and an SD card reader. On top of that, I have some pretty random stuff like a hairpin and a food “kiap kiap“ thing (lol what are those things called?)

Here’s where you can get it. (Don’t judge me. I got it for a good price second-hand.) This also doubles as a sling bag with the Peak Design anchor hooks.

THE WEEKENDER

It’s like a daily tech pouch, but compressed. This is the pouch I bring along when I want to travel light and give my back a break. I only store my essentials here (but I still bring along 3 types of cables. Why? I don’t know ?).

THE WINDOWS LAPTOP LIFE POUCH

For my big ass charger and big ass mouse (I love you though). This is super useful because it keeps my mouse safe and it’s easy to throw this into any bag I have my laptop in. It being a bright colour also helps when it’s stored deep in your bag.

THE “MIC CHECK, ONE, TWO” POUCH

For the time I ever bump into Wes Anderson on the streets and I get the opportunity to interview him– this bag holds everything I need: an audio recorder, wind muff, extension cables, and a fresh AA battery (just in case our conversation goes well).

THE “I FEEL LIKE A ROCKSTAR” POUCH

For whenever I have to play the guitar on the weekend, this is the bag I carry with me: a capo, tuner, tin (thanks Abu) of picks and an in-ear monitor with an extension. This automatically lets people know that you are legit.

DRAWER INSERTS

Remember that episode when Marie Kondo told you to use random shoe boxes to organise your things in drawers? No thank you. It is ugly and makes your drawer feel like an old newspaper or sao kao pou chi bin.

Use drawer inserts instead – they are usually the same size as your drawers. Make each section to store a particular item. Once you make a mental visualisation of where each of the items belong to, you should be able to keep them organised. Easy.

I only have 2 drawers in my office table (pictured below) and this is what I do with them.

MY PERSONAL PANTRY

I LOVE COFFEE, but buying and drinking kopi peng or flat white every day isn’t too kind on my wallet (I need to fund my pouch obsession). So I’ve resulted in drinking instant coffee (the only reason I bought Essenso is because they have the best packaging). Other times when my tummy doesn’t allow me to drink coffee, I have a nice collection of tea (thanks Jon) on top.

Yes, those are all mint boxes but no, sadly they are all empty. I like hoarding mint boxes because they are good for storing things. And they look nice.

This is actually a kitchen drawer insert from IKEA. I believe there are different sizes for this, and are also very affordable.

ALL MY OTHER RUBBISH

Without these inserts, my drawer would be a chaotic mess with the amount of stuff I have. The smartest thing I’ve done? I created a spot for me to throw all my coins in. Brilliant. Definitely made my quest to be a billionaire much faster.

I found this insert from DAISO, but I’m not sure if they still sell them. Fun fact: They are actually stackable.

And that is all, folks! PM tepi if you guys need links to any of the stuff above. Most of the pouches I’ve purchased are either from Bay or Lazada. Have fun organising your things!

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By Jeremy Phun
Honest Shit

From DM to PM

By Joseph Pek No Comments
From DM to PM

Did you get the Christina Milian AM To PM reference? K. Nvm. Anyways, I didn’t know what Community Management was when I first started my career in social media. I didn’t even know there was a career in social media but I knew I wanted to create better content. It all started when someone from a certain publication said, “You’re quite opinionated on social media. Why not make it into a career?” I’m sure he meant try to be an influencer but 4 years later, here I am.

Do I like community management? Yes.

Do I love community management? No.

Love is a four letter word okay. Over the years though, I’ve learnt that with great insights (from a CM’s perspective) comes greater content. It also numbs me in life. I hardly feel surprised anymore, trust me.

Contrary to popular belief, I always try to start my day feeling all positive and nice and fluffy. I sit down, turn on the Macbook that my company so graciously provided, head to Business Manager, click on pages that I manage and… HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FRIEND.

I get it. You think of a brand’s social media page first when you want to enquire about something (I mean, without that I wouldn’t have a job and probably end up on my knees in Changkat), but I’ve always wondered if people think their questions through before asking. At the end of the day, I still have to be nice despite how stupid some questions may be so I thought I’d run you through some thought processes before you get the replies you get. Sit back and get your tea set out cause sis gonna spill some tea. #NoShadeNoTeaNoLemonade

QUESTION: I can’t log in to my account. I don’t know why but my email is xxx and my password is xxx.

MY REPLY: Cool story, bruh. Thanks for the email and password. Why don’t you just give me your credit card and CVV numbers while you’re at it? We have a brand website which has a Help Centre y’know? Oh oh! How about the link we’ve provided in our bio?

ACTUAL REPLY: Hi fam! That sucks and we never want that to happen. Let’s get you some help from our amazing customer service team at xxx, alright? *emoji, emoji, emoji*

QUESTION: Can you recommend me products? My skin is dry but oily and got jerawat pasir. *Sends selfie*

MY REPLY: First of all, gurl. I still want to have my lunch. Second, I can’t simply recommend products without a proper skin consultation because it is unethical. I don’t want to be the cause for muka kau pecah.

ACTUAL REPLY: Hi xxx. For product recommendations, we would advise a complimentary skin consultation in our stores. Our highly-trained staff will be able to prescribe you with the right routine for your skin.

 

QUESTION: Hi.

MY REPLY: AND THEN WHAT? You don’t leave people hanging like that!

ACTUAL REPLY: Hi there! How can we help you?

You may have noticed that I’ve left “PM, sis” out of the picture because in this house, we do not stan for that.

Don’t even get me started on people who cyberly-harass (yes, C27 Copywriters. I just invented a new word) brands on a weekend. Do you think we work like dogs? That we don’t rest on weekends? Or have a life? Even my dogs don’t work like dogs. My dogs are sleeping in their IKEA tent while I’m here working so I can feed them.

People who attack brand pages and be like “Hello?? Can I get a reply?”

And I’m like, “Hello?? I’m busy watching RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

I’ve also been stun, wig and snatch with different types of enquiries that you will not believe.

  • Sending a photo of the product with price tag asking for price
  • Sending a photo of the product WHILE they are in the store, asking if it suits them
  • So-called influencers proclaiming their love for the brand with the last sentence asking for sponsorship
  • Sending photos of their private parts

In reference to the last part, I’m gay. Like very gay. The kinda gay that will appear in your room if you say the word “unicorn” thrice. So imagine my ‘excitement’ when people send me pictures of their hoo-haa on social media. Dick pics don’t help either. I have one myself so I know what it looks like, thank you.

Okay, I think I should stop now cause this is getting awfully lengthy and it’s not something we practise here in C27. Even my CEO is shorter than this. Kidding! I LOVE YOU, FAZIL FUAD.

They say if you’re good at what you do, you can find happiness in whatever you do. I don’t know who this ‘they’ is but I heard it somewhere lah. It’s quite true. You truly feel like it’s heaven on earth when one single fan understands your puns or pop culture references. It’s almost orgasmic when they reply your GIF with a GIF and when they want more replies from you.

Although, if you ask me what my favourite part of the job is, I’d say it’s when social media platforms are down. While everyone on Facebook and Instagram is posting about their favourite platform being dead, I’m here sipping my tea, applying my LUSH ‘Sleepy’ lotion, smiling my life away; praying it’ll stay down for an hour or more.

It’s also kinda sad, isn’t it? That we want so much validation from social media and people we don’t even know. I’ll just leave this right here.

Disclaimer: The views expressed by the authors on this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of C27, our CEO, the management, the fish in our fish tank, and/or all the awesome people within the agency. The content and opinions shared are the personal views of the author so please don’t sue us.

…or the author.

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By Joseph Pek
Honest Shit

Things We’re Tired of Hearing as Copywriters

By Beatrice Tan No Comments
Things We’re Tired of Hearing as Copywriters

You’ve done your research for the entire day. You’ve typed out the best damn lines you’ve ever put together, new option after new option. You’ve sent the final copy to the team and/or client. And then comes the moment you’re dreading: the feedback. Oh, the ruthless feedback from everyone and their mothers.

Every day is a new battle between your Google Doc, your team’s views, and your client’s comments. Your copy gets tweaked. Somebody requests for a new tagline. A whole chunk of your paragraph is added into the mix. And suddenly everybody becomes a Copywriter.

Now don’t get us wrong. Anybody can write. Everybody should write. Writing is necessary to function. And Copywriters — no matter how skilled or experienced they are — are still subject to feedback and criticism. But there are certain (ridiculous) things we get tired of hearing:

“Hold up, Janice. I think you’re confusing typing with writing. Sure, I can type a one-liner in a minute, but writing one? No can do.

Just so you know, whipping up a ‘quick’ one-liner will take me between a few hours to infinity. I need time to churn out that one single line that would encapsulate the amazingness of a campaign or product. I need time to think of all the possible words in the dictionary, kill the tons of duds I’ve written, and bless my soul, come up with a rationale too. Suddenly it’s not just about writing a one-liner anymore, huh? Yeah, think about that.”

– Beatrice Tan, Copywriter

“I’m sorry, HWAT? Yes, what with an H for emphasis because are you kidding me right now? Easier than what exactly – a colonoscopy? As Copywriters, our jobs are often seen as “easy”, since a lot of what we do involves us staring into space, thinking. Our work is intangible. You see a witty headline or a funny caption on Instagram, but what you don’t see is what went on behind the scenes. The hours of self-doubt, self-loathing, and therapy. It all takes time.

So please, be careful with the E-word, Janice. If it looks easy, it rarely ever is.”

– Michelle Francis, Associate Creative Director

“No. Yes, I know how to write. No, they’re not the same, Janice. First off, if I had what it takes to come up with one, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation; I’d be somewhere up in my plush penthouse thinking of all the animals I’m about to adopt with my 7-figure pay. Second of all, I like my full stops. Short, snappy sentences. English. Legal documents have none of the above.

You like these things, too. That’s why your ass feverishly clicks ‘Agree’ on every iTunes Terms and Conditions update without so much as reading past the first sentence. I see you. So please, for the love of God and everything on his green earth, quit being cheap. Lawyer up. Thanks. Have yourself a very merry Christmas.”

– Audrey Lee, Copywriter

“Y’know that feeling when you’re just about to reach your peak Omg-Words-Are-Flowing state and your brain doesn’t roll back downhill the way the car did in Princess Diaries?  Me neither. Because every time I’m at that point, there’s someone blocking my path to talk to me about something that could’ve been a message on Slack.

When writers get in the zone, don’t come to us to discuss anything because chances are you’ll throw off our groove (which can take hours for some of us!) and we’ll end up having to throw an old man out of the window to start again. Send us a message. We’ll reply when we’ve conquered the mountain that is fitting the 500 ‘super important and essential’ keywords into two sentences.”

– Rathika Sheila, Copywriter

And there you have it, folks. Just a few things we Copywriters are tired of hearing on the daily. But it’s okay. We’re used to these sort of things. Kind of.

That being said, maybe you can keep a few of these in mind the next time you need your Copywriters to write something for you. And since Christmas is on the way, give them a present. Or a hug. Or maybe just some peace and quiet.

P/S: No Janices were harmed in the making of this post. We don’t even know who Janice is.

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By Beatrice Tan
Shit We Like

How to Brain Like Coca-Cola

By Michelle Francis No Comments
How to Brain Like Coca-Cola

If I was Oprah Winfrey, I’d buy a copy of Design to Grow: How Coca-Cola Learned to Combine Scale and Agility by David Butler and Linda Tischler and give it to everyone in C27 and their mother. I’d give it to every new hire, to interns, I’d leave it under the tree as a Secret Santa present, and I’d fling it with full force at people I hate.

Design to Grow

Alas, I don’t have handbags filled with cash. And so you’ll just have to read bits and bobs of what I’ve decided are the most interesting parts of this book. It’s a pretty spesh book that spoke to me on so many levels because the ideas and lessons in it have a self-help vibe to them. And we’re all about self-improvement and shiz.

Before we get into it, let me introduce the authors. The late Linda Tischler was a longtime Fast Company editor and David Butler was, at the time, Vice President of Innovation at Coca-Cola. What a badass title. The book is so seamlessly written by the two that you can’t tell which of the authors are writing which bit. It sounds like one amazing mind. Okay now let’s get into it. Imagine me rubbing my hands with glee at this point k.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the camel. This quote needs to be printed and stuck on the wall of our agency door. A0 size. David and Linda call this idea Systems Thinking; a discipline for seeing wholes. How does one thing connect to the next and form a cohesive thought or story? It’s a framework for seeing interrelationships and patterns rather than static snapshots. I honestly think this is where we fail when it comes to the work we do. Everyone is often so focused on perfecting their little part of the campaign, that when it’s all strung together, in the end, it can sometimes resemble a very hot mess. This is when we frantically try to put toothpaste back into the tube. This is also what causes my angina. So for the love of all things holy, think of the (forgive the cliché) bigger picture. Always.

Fun fact: Most people don’t know that WD-40 means Water Displacement, 40th formula. So my man Norm over here turned all his epic failures into the name of this now famous product we all use. Clever bloke. Lesson A: Mistakes are great. Lesson B: Be open about your failures. As creatives, we’re always worried about letting people see that we’re normal people who sometimes muck things up. But good old Norm decided to fuck it and show people how much work went into creating his product. Another fan of this idea of moving fast and breaking things is Apple.

“If you bought one of the earliest iPhones, you probably remember that it was very buggy and unreliable. However, this allowed the company to start learning what worked and what didn’t very quickly, which made them smarter.”

Copy of C27 Blog Quote Template (4)

Christ Almighty, what a quote. Robert Woodruff was the President of The Coca-Cola Company once upon a time. His words really do ring true – everyone who has ever created or built something was unhappy/annoyed/sad/angry about something. Their reaction was to create something better. Heck, that’s how C27 came to be. I know we’d all rather complain about things and then shrug it off, and let someone else deal with it. But if you hate something enough, fixing it could be the answer.

There are lots of good bits in this book that transcend its original purpose – to inform us about the inner workings of Coca-Cola and how the people who work there think. Some of it isn’t even related to advertising. Or is it though? Since it’s all very much connected at the end of the day. It leaves you questioning your role in the long chain of events from the second the product is assembled in a factory to when it hits the shelves in supermarkets. It makes you shift your perspective. I think all good books are meant to do just that. I leave you with this fellow readers: think of ideas from A to Z and then add your cool, expensive, award-winning ideas in between. Because as much as we try not to admit it, what we do is actually a very small portion in the grand scale of things. 

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By Michelle Francis
Honest Shit

Go Away, Imposter Syndrome

By Beatrice Tan No Comments
Go Away, Imposter Syndrome

Let me tell you a little secret: I’m nothing but a no-good fraud. A phony. A fake. An imposter.

I’ve never really felt like I belonged in the advertising industry. Sure, I have written a few things here and there, and I know the job scope fairly well – but I’ve never really believed in my achievements. Am I really a Copywriter? Do I deserve being called one? Maybe someone made a mistake. “It’s only a matter of time before people find out that you have no fucking idea what you’re doing,” says the little voice in my head. But in actuality, I have done nothing wrong.

People who feel the same way as I do go through a psychological phenomenon called Imposter Syndrome. Being caught up with the fear of someone “finding out” that our achievements aren’t real; that our successes come from serendipitous luck; that we’re never good enough. It’s a constant battle between knowing you’re competent and also a failure. But why do I feel this way?

(Even writing this article about Imposter Syndrome makes me question whether I’m capable enough to write it. Ugh.)

The true reality of dealing with Imposter Syndrome is that you can never get rid of it. But at the very least, you can stay on top of it. I’ve come to terms with my “imposterism” and instead of wallowing in my own self-pity, I’m trying to find ways to use it for good instead. So if you’re learning how to deal with this little soul-sucking demon like I am, I’m about to tell you how.

1. Recognise the signs and acknowledge it.

To be honest, I only came to learn about this syndrome a few months ago when my colleagues sent me articles and said, “Hello, this is you.” From there, I discovered that there are different types of people who experience Imposter Syndrome and you can take a test to find out your level of “imposterism”. Once you recognise which “imposter” you are, you can then start learning how to overcome it with solutions that best fit you.

2. Cut yourself some slack.

When you start to have these feelings of inadequacy, quickly shut down the voice in your head and tell the little fucker to go away. Nobody’s perfect in this world, and being wrong doesn’t make you a fraud. Instead, learn from your mistakes, see where you can improve, and focus on providing value—to yourself and to those around you. After all, going through Imposter Syndrome just shows how much you’re trying to be better at something.

3. Give yourself some credit.

While others love receiving compliments, I get super awkward and tend to make up some excuse as to why I don’t deserve the praise. That’s because I find it difficult to believe that I’m responsible for my achievements, and constantly think my success is just based on luck. Well, no no, that has got to go! If you can’t take praise like me, remind yourself that you are where you are because you deserve to be there, and you’ve received a compliment because you freaking worked hard for it. If you think you’re just a potato, remember you’re also a beautiful french fry.

4. Know that you’re not alone.

No. you. are. not. While it can feel extremely isolating to deal with Imposter Syndrome on your own, this phenomenon is more common than you think and many people feel the same way. In fact, 70% of people experience Imposter Syndrome at least once in their lives, and even big names like Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Ryan Reynolds, and Neil Gaiman suffer from it. So don’t be afraid to talk to others about it—they’re most likely dealing with the same thing!

To anyone out there who has Imposter Syndrome like I do, I hope these “tips” are helpful in some way. With a little bit of effort and awareness about yourself, you’ll be able to overcome these stupid feelings and own your accomplishments like the true boss you are. (I know, I know. It’s easier said than done, but we all try la k.) As for me, I’m not sure where this Imposter Syndrome will take me, but you can be sure that I’ll be trying my best.

Disclaimer: The views expressed by the authors on this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of C27, our CEO, the management, the fish in our fish tank, and/or all the awesome people within the agency. The content and opinions shared are the personal views of the author so please don’t sue us.

…or the author.

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By Beatrice Tan
Honest Shit

A Copywriter’s Utopia

By Michelle Francis No Comments
A Copywriter’s Utopia

Most writers are introverts. Some aren’t. Increase our bounce rate and close this tab if you’re an extrovert who likes noise and lots of interaction cause this post ain’t for you. Back to the introverted writers. We have to manage in agencies where quiet offices and private cubicles are a thing of the past. Where everyone’s weekend adventures, lunch plans, and love lives are loudly discussed in open planned offices, also known as hell. Even as I write this, there is loud techno music blaring from a speaker. Lord, give me strength. This sad but true fact got the Copywriters of C27 thinking about what our Utopia would be like. Daydream with us won’t you? 

Image source: slate.com
Image source: slate.com

Hush little Writer, don’t kill a soul. In our dream office, every Copywriter would get their own designated soundproof pod like these babies. We’d get to proofread in peace and actually hear ourselves think. Hearing your own thoughts at work? What a fucking foreign concept. You wouldn’t have to listen to someone else’s playlist or realise you had been reading the same sentence over and over again for the past 5 minutes. Rules: No one is allowed to bug Writers when they’re in their Quiet Pod. We’ll emerge for the nightmare otherwise known as a brainstorm and for meetings where everyone breaks into mini discussions and absolutely nothing gets done. Oh and for lunch too. Actually on second thought, we might just stay inside for lunch with a book. 

– Michelle Obama, Senior Copywriter

Sometimes the best thing to have after sitting in for an entire day of meetings, catching up with the 300 group chats (Internal, External, Secret Internal, External That We Don’t Know Why We’re In), channeling all our energy into not calling a bomoh to hex condescending clients, and finding time to finish our assignments is a hug. Or in our case, squeezing something until all our frustrations go away.

Pillows are too soft, and stress balls don’t last long for us. It would be great if we had something that didn’t break easily if we squeezed it for too long, something that’s strong but not too solid, something that looks good (let’s be real, some of the stress toys are ugly) and makes us feel good instantly…what we need is Henry Cavill. I want Henry Cavill.

Image source: GQ Italia

– Rathika Sheila, Copywriter

Image uploaded from iOS (1)

Or if we can’t get Henry Cavill’s marvelous booty in our office, plush toys are all we ever need. You see, these little squishy creatures have this magical ability to give us peace; we can hug them when we need to or strangle them when things go to shit. Like in my case, I have Farkopf (pronounced like Schwarzkopf), my little stuffed panda. Because sometimes it’s not the best idea to lose your shit in front of your colleagues. The next best thing is to take it out on squishies like Farkopf.

Like so. (Yes, I’m aware this is not Farkopf. Meet Pan Pan.) So a haven of plush toys would be a great addition to any Copywriter’s table. Need a work break? Squishy. Need a cuddle? Squishy. Need to let out your frustrations? Squishy squishy.

(P/S: No pandas were harm in the making of this post. Or ever.)

– Beatrice Tan, Copywriter

And if none of the above are made available to you, nothing is going right in the world, Elon Musk hasn’t gone to Mars, and everything has gone to shit, get yourself a pair of noise-cancelling headphones! Tune out the bullshit of the world at the push of a button. Sony has this really great pair called the h.ear on 2 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones.

Image source: Sony

Just look at the dude. That’s the face of someone who’s experiencing true peace and quiet for the first fucking time in his sad, miserable life. This Shawn Mendes wannabe is in awe of the possibilities that he can achieve as he has an intellectual conversation with himself for the first time. You may ask, “Isn’t that unproductive at the workplace?” or “What if a Suit/Strat comes up to you for something and you have to take them off creating more of a hassle?” Well to you sir/madam/everything-in-between, I say, fuck you.

This pair of headphones from the heavens has a feature called Ambient Sound which lets you hear external sounds so you don’t have to take off this God-sent creation when someone comes to bug you.

(P/S: No, this isn’t an ad for Sony, although I wouldn’t mind a free pair from them cause ya boy is broke. So if you’re reading this Sony, ask yourselves, what would Jesus do?)

– Khairul Raimi, Junior Copywriter

As you can tell by now, the Copywriters have been under quite a bit of stress lately. We’re actually very simple creatures. Just give us our own space, some quiet, and a yummy snack every now and then, and we can be civil. Whether we choose to be or not is a story for another blog post.

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By Michelle Francis
Tech Talk

How to Outsmart Advertising Tech

By Jonathan Lee No Comments
How to Outsmart Advertising Tech

Wake up people! Cyberdyne’s Skynet is real, sort of.

Advertisements are generally the bane of our existence, more so when you’re targeted by brands that do not resonate with you. (Yes, I’m aware I work in advertising.) With technology taking over every aspect of people’s lives, advertisers are getting smarter in ensuring that their ads reach the intended audience but also evoke an emotional connection that will hopefully garner consumer loyalty and the intent to purchase/consume said product/service. With the rapid advancement of drones, VR and virtual assistants that are taking over the world, marketers are finding new and exciting ways to promote their products so as consumers, you’re kinda caught in the crossfire of these new waves of advertising. So here are some tips on how to stick it to the big guys.


1. Speak Only When Spoken To

The concept of future living made possible by Intelligent Digital Assistants or Voice-enabled Digital Assistants have been all the rage in recent years with companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft dishing out their fair share of artificial intelligent (and possibly sentient) and smart devices to bring the convenience of a personal assistance into the comfort of everyone’s home.

How it works

Basically it’s clever software (artificial intelligence) coupled with specialised hardware devices such as a smart speaker, watch, or phone to provide functionalities that best replicate a human assistant by performing tasks like setting up calendar appointments or requesting for info. The A.I. gets to know you better the more you use it and eventually will be able to provide relevant suggestions based off your past activities. This is all done through complex machine learning.

How to outsmart it

Despite the useful nature of virtual assistants, it’s no surprise that our smart devices are constantly listening to us and feeding advertisers with keywords and our vocal queries so that it refines the kind of ads that reach us. Firstly, you can restrict certain apps from having access to your device’s microphone/camera, just check your mobile application’s permissions and you should be able to tell which apps are secretly playing double agent. Secondly, most home assistants have the mute function, whether it be software-based or a physical button, so you always have an option on when you want Google or Alexa to hear ya.


2. Your Second Life

Many brands are now exploring the possibility of feeding advertising through VR headsets, with Oculus Go TV being the latest in VR set-top streaming box that may have such a functionality from day one. Monetisation of VR is a tricky business as it usually requires a hefty investment by the consumer and is currently still a niche tech that only a handful of tech enthusiasts own.

How does it work?

Virtual Reality immerses the user in a virtual world that they can interact with. VR has the potential to stimulate the human senses, including the sense of sight, touch and possibly smell. The concept of VR is also closely tied to Telepresence technology that enables people to feel as if they are actually present in a different time or place. Successful VR marketing includes Virgin Travel, Volvo Reality and Cupcake flavoured Oreo cookies.

How to outsmart it


3. Shifting Realities

Augmented Reality has been around since its inception in the 1960s though successful implementation of the tech in games like Pokemon Go which gave AR a wider mass appeal. It has since become a viable advertising platform with M.I.A. X Versus Versace, Pepsi Max & Coca Cola X WWF pushing the envelope on how the technology can be utilised to compliment advertising campaigns.

How does it work?

AR works by projecting virtual images over real-world objects, essentially creating an illusion that allows users to engage in a virtual world. You can learn more about the history of Augmented Reality here if you’re into that kinda shiz.

How to outsmart it

AR software requires access to your phone’s cameras and doesn’t really require much outsmarting as the advertisements would normally need user input. E.g.: using your camera to interact with an AR code. So this is an easy one to dodge too.


4. Negasonic

If you’re not paranoid enough (you should be), the use of Ultrasonic cross-device tracking is another discrete tech advertisers use to gain valuable insights to our consumer behaviours. In a world where our technologies are “always-on” and listening for our voice commands, marketers have found a way to embed high-frequency tones that are practically inaudible to humans in our entertainment content, advertisements, websites and even on ground retail stores. These unseen waves can be tuned to better under

How does it work?

Ultrasonic beacons are used to emit audio sequences from speakers that are then picked up by our device’s microphones. Some apps can detect the signal transmitted and start to string together a profile of ads you’ve been exposed to (E.g: on your daily commute, while consuming content online), helping advertisers to form a profile of you.

How to outsmart it

The biggest worry about this form of consumer monitoring is that it requires giving an app (or a couple of apps) the ability to listen to everything around you. The best way to prevent ultrasonic interference is to check on your app permissions so that you’re aware of which app has access to your microphone and block/ or restrict further access. Duct tape works too if you want to take the Mark Zuckerberg approach.

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By Jonathan Lee
Honest Shit

Thoughts I have during a brainstorm

By Michelle Francis No Comments
Thoughts I have during a brainstorm

Where is everyone? Why is the whiteboard never erased? When did cleaning a whiteboard start feeling like a workout? How old am I? Have I aged while waiting? Seriously, where the hell is everyone? What is the point of calendar invites? What is the point of my life? How many pages of my book could I have read by now? Everyone’s here? Can we start? No? Who isn’t here yet? Can someone call them?


Okay everyone’s here? Wait, what fresh hell is this? When did the brief change? Does anyone have any alcohol? Or a joint? Does anyone have weed-infused alcohol? Is that a thing? Can that be the idea? Is anyone writing this down? Do you think the client will green light it? When did I start saying shit like “green light it”? Is the client cool? Are they socially savvy? Can they spell savvy? Can we do a video? What’s the budget?


Why don’t we shoot it ourselves? Sorry, I meant why don’t we shoot ourselves? Do we have enough ideas? We have nothing? Really? 


Is this what prisoners feel like? Is this what compels people to commit murder? Can I write a script from the perspective of a serial killer? Is that too dark? Is anyone else hungry? Just me? Why don’t we have snacks when we brainstorm? Doesn’t it help you think or some shit like that? Why don’t we brainstorm somewhere cool next time? Somewhere with food perhaps? Oh we have enough ideas? When did that happen? Okay cool, are we done?

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By Michelle Francis
Hit or Shit?

What You Need To Watch On Netflix

By Harish No Comments
What You Need To Watch On Netflix

Three weeks into my time here at C27, I was approached (well not really, more like tasked) with writing about my recommendations for a few good shows on Netflix. Not shying away from a challenge (and my atrocious viewing history), I decided to take it up. This works out great because Malaysia finally has its own Netflix page (shameless plug here), which also means it’s your solemn duty to go like that page if you’re reading this. And well, if you disagree completely with everything I’ve written, go and hound the page for my head to be put on a spike.

Okay, enough pish-posh, let’s get straight into it.

1. Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King
Netflix - Hasan Minhaj Homecoming King

Trust Harish to start off a post with some sort of brown influence (I know you said those exact words in your head). But not only is this comedy a special one that’s actually worth watching, it’s one worth watching with your parents.

Hasan goes about the struggles of being a brown kid in the States, dealing with the stigma of 9/11, weaving it all in with humorous and heartbreaking anecdotes of his life. Comedy and storytelling aside, this show will serve as a subliminal plea to your overbearing Asian parents to allow you to date outside of your race/religion/sexuality and the likes. The refugee mentality, although not entirely applicable here in Malaysia, will still appeal to the elders in your household, finally giving you something good to bring to the family Netflix table.

Chances of Your Parents Asking You If You Have A Muslim Girlfriend - 70%
2. Big Mouth
Netflix - Big Mouth

The usual connotation associated with students from all-boys schools is that they’re shy, perverted, and possibly homosexual. I went to an all-boys school time and I can confirm that 2/3 of these statements are true in every school. That being said, I’d like to direct the attention away from my La Sallian heritage and to this amazing (animated) flurry of hormones titled Big Mouth.

I stumbled across Big Mouth through the genius that is the Netflix algorithm. I’m positive I did not include my schooling history in my payment information but I’m not complaining. Big Mouth has a great mix going for it – Jordan Peele as the Ghost of Duke Ellington, the non-existent 4th wall, and clearly, The Hormone Monster. The entirety of it revolves around teenagers and the nightmare that is puberty, and the writers hit the nail right on the head (well almost). Each episode is cut into a palatable 30-minute bite but this is one meal you will not regret binging on.

Accurate Description of You During Puberty? - 60%
3. Altered Carbon
Netflix - Altered Carbon

Since we’re on this whole Netflix topic, I thought I’d take it upon myself to add some variety to the mix – you know, to make myself seem less one-dimensional. You’ve heard of the crazy embryonic installations at CES in Vegas and the talk of immortality. Keeping all of that in mind, my third recommendation would be Altered Carbon.

Altered Carbon is your Blade Runner-esque sci-fi drama with an interesting take on immortality. Essentially, our consciousness is all housed in a stack, this disc-like addition to your spinal cavity (imagine having a slipped disc now). A serving of Altered Carbon comes with amazing visuals, a diverse cast, and is bedazzled with nudity. I say bedazzled because the people in this show are actually attractive (everyone except that guy who has his shirt on but no pants in Episode 9). I don’t say this much, but I’m already looking forward to Season 2.

Chances of Rewatching Solely Due To "Plot" - 90%
4. Brahman Naman

This one’s a longshot – I don’t think I’ve met anyone who’s watched Brahman Naman. There isn’t much I can say about this comedy other than it’s the first Netflix production out of India.

Brahman Naman tells the tale of Naman, a Brahman (obviously) and his college quiz team as they embark on a journey to win the coveted “All India Finals”, and um… lose their virginities. Set in the 1980s, Brahman Naman is the ultimate throwback, citing hit rock records from yesteryears and bringing to light a side of comedy I rarely see. To put it into perspective, I thought I was vulgar, coming from an all-boys school, but boy (no pun intended) was I wrong.

Chances of You Finally Understanding Boys From All-Boys Schools? - 40%
5. Stranger Things
Netflix - Stranger Things

You saw this one coming from a mile away, didn’t you? What can I say, it’s amazing! Providing the ultimate throwback when it comes to fashion and culture, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Stranger Things.

Aside from the million reasons you’ve heard of about why you need to watch Stranger Things, I’d suggest it solely because of the hype (and the memes). It comes as no surprise that the show has a cult following of those who love everything from the 80s. From the stars now being the faces of Gucci to Dustin’s purple Brontosaurus hoodie selling out and crashing the webstore of the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul, it’s clear to see that the public has a vested interest that extends beyond the show. So go ahead and grow out your locks in aspirations to reach Steve level style and of course, tune in to Stranger Things.

Would You Adopt Dustin Given The Chance? - 100%

And that, ladies and gentlemen, are my 5 picks for your Netflix list. Please like, comment, and subscrib… wait.

Cheers.

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By Harish