The Power Of Marketing: Oscars Edition

The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, consist of a set of awards given annually to recognize the creative and technical talents in the film industry. The show is spearheaded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The AMPAS is the organization that assesses one’s cinematic achievements through the votes of its members.

Interestingly, movies who won at the Oscars get an increase of about 38% more in sales. This translates to about US$35 million in box office dollars. This significant jump happened to the award-winning 2010 film entitled King’s Speech.

Now, let us focus on the actors. Do they get paid if they win at the Oscars? The award itself costs US$0. However, the effect of the Oscars in an actor’s portfolio and talent fee is positive. It can be boosted by 60% on average! Furthermore, winners get a gift bag worth hundreds of dollars.

The marketing potential of the Oscars is the reason why filmmakers, actors, and movie-making companies aggressively vie for these votes.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

CAMPAIGNS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE

To create an Oscar buzz, members of the film industry shelled out millions of dollars! Now more than ever, campaigns have been reaching an all time high. The mere campaigns for “A Star is Born,” “Green Book”, and “Black Panther” ran from about US$20 to US$30 million per film.

Netflix is in the buzz too! Promotional budget reach about US$25 million when Netflix campaigned for “Roma”. This was an uphill battle as some members of the Academy do not want a digital platform to win the Oscars. Nonetheless, its marketing strategies paid off as Netflix won multiple awards such as winning for the foreign language film category and directing/cinematography. It does not stop there! “Period. End of Sentence” also won in the documentary short category.

ADS ARE STILL SELLING

In spite of the social media widespread, advertisers are still dishing out to get ads on shows such as the Oscars. Despite the Academy Awards’ steady decline in ratings, ABC Network sold million-dollar ads as live shows are attractive to advertisers.

CNN media critic Brian Lowry told Business Insider: “If you’re a sponsor and you’re trying to reach any kind of mass appeal, you sort of grab at the platforms that can still do that. The Oscars is in the same way that sports have an advantage, if you are really into the Oscars, you don’t want to DVR it and watch the next day. ”

Image Credits: pixabay.com

It goes to show that having audience stream live shows plays an impact in marketing and advertising!

Sources: 1 ,2, & 3

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Earn Healthpoints and Get Rewarded with HPB

It’s the beginning of the year and health and fitness goals are likely to be the top of your New Year resolutions! We all know the importance of keeping fit and eating well and that is why we take up gym memberships and choose healthier food. The good news is that with Health Promotion Board’s (‘HPB’) Healthpoints Loyalty Programme, you can now earn Healthpoints that can be exchanged for eVouchers to be used for dining, shopping and more!

What is HPB’s Healthpoints Loyalty Programme?

The HPB’s Healthpoints Loyalty Programme is an integrated rewards programme that is common across various HPB activities such as the “Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy Challenge”, “National Steps Challenge™” and HealthHub. Complete various activities by joining these programmes to earn Healthpoints. Accumulate these Healthpoints and use them to redeem eVouchers from a variety of lifestyle retailers, F&B outlets and supermarkets.

How To Earn Healthpoints?

To turn your healthy actions into exciting rewards with Healthpoints, you need to first download the Healthy 365 or the HealthHub mobile app. These are available on both the Apple and Google Play store.

After you have downloaded the mobile app, remember to register your profile and sign up for the HPB programmes.

A)   National Steps ChallengeTM Season 4 

If you have an active lifestyle and take plenty of steps daily, you may find the National Steps Challenge™ Season 4 a simple platform to earn Healthpoints. Sign up for the National Steps ChallengeTM, pair your fitness tracker with the Healthy 365 app and you are all set to go!

With your paired fitness tracker, you can now sync the number of steps onto the mobile app. For example, every 10,000 steps you take in a day earns you 40 Healthpoints!

Once you have unlocked Tier 2 of the Steps category and also completed a Health Declaration form, you will be able to earn daily Healthpoints from Moderate to Vigorous Intensity Physical Activities (MVPA) as well. This will double your efforts to earn Healthpoints to redeem HPB and merchant eVouchers.

B)   Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy Challenge

Besides walking 10,000 steps a day, why not go the extra mile and opt for low-sugar drinks and food products with the Healthier Choice Symbols under the Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy Challenge? Here is how your Healthpoints can potentially tally up:

Opt for groceries with the Healthier Choice Symbol at participating supermarkets such as FairPrice, Sheng Siong and Cold Storage. At participating merchants such as Kopitiam or Foodfare, ask for zero or less sugar on your drink/dessert. You can also choose healthier dishes that have less calories. As long as you purchase qualifying meals or drinks, you will be issued a receipt with a QR code. Simply scan the QR codes on these receipts with the Healthy 365 app to unlock Healthpoints!

C) HealthHub

Download the HealthHub mobile app and sign up as a member to start earning Healthpoints! Level up your knowledge by completing health quizzes on the app under “Quiz Time” and earn Healthpoints while you learn more about health.

Redeem Healthpoints!

Patiently accumulate your Healthpoints* and redeem them for your desired reward. For instance, simply use 750 Healthpoints to redeem a $5 HPB eVoucher that can be used at more than 1,500 participating outlets, including KOI, FairPrice and many more!

You can also opt to auto-redeem your Healthpoints for TransitLink eVouchers or TapForMore points so you will not lose them when they expire!

Start Earning Healthpoints Today!

With Healthpoints, you now have an extra reason to make your health a priority in 2019. There are so many activities that you can do or already do in your daily lives to easily earn Healthpoints and exchange them for exciting rewards. Wait no more and download these mobile apps so that you can be rewarded for your healthy living actions with HPB.

Find out more about Healthpoints here and start earning today!

 

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Best Budget Bluetooth Speakers In Singapore

I work in a private preschool environment where singing and dancing is my bread and butter. Carrying essential tunes was made easier by wireless Bluetooth speakers. The future is cordless, that is something I am certain about. Just take a look at the Air Pods and the smart home speakers that can help you around the house!

Some experts may perceive Bluetooth speakers as of lesser quality than its counterparts, but this list will round up the decent ones. Bring your favorite music around Singapore with portable Bluetooth speakers that will not break the bank. Continue reading to find out more!

JBL CLIP II PORTABLE BLUETOOTH SPEAKER
Price: About S$68 at Harvey Norman Singapore

JBL is a brand that needs no introduction in the speaker-making industry! It has been dominating the scene not only because of its quality, but also due to its innovation. Among its latest innovation is JBL Clip II Portable Bluetooth Speaker.

With a size encompassing your entire palm, it is a small waterproof speaker that packs a punch! It offers a crisp mid and high sounds as well as a significant bass for its size. You can expect it to last for eight hours when you play songs at 50% volume. It comes in 8 different designs too.

What’s more? You do not have to worry about dropping your speaker into the pool. This waterproof Bluetooth speaker will float!

UE WONDERBOOM
Price: About S$99 at Lazada Singapore

Coming from the realm of floating waterproof Bluetooth speakers is UE WONDERBOOM. In a nutshell, it is a miniature version of the UE BOOM 2. It boasts with a good sound quality, a robust design, and a waterproof feature. The WONDERBOOM is a perfect companion for both indoor and outdoor workouts due to its small size.

If you are the type of person who hates headphones yet enjoys hearing your favorite tunes then, the WONDERBOOM is an ideal workout companion. Due to its lightweight nature, you will have no qualms to bring it outside for a quick jog.

If you are the type of person who frequents the gym, you will not be afraid to drop it in your sweaty hands. It can withstand sweat! It is easy to carry around too.

ANKER SOUNDCORE FLARE
Price: About S$99 at Lazada Singapore

As a brand, Anker has a history of making great budget wireless speakers. While some experts are not entirely impressed with the Anker SoundCore 2, the succeeding Anker Soundcore Flare seems promising. Some people have declare it as the best budget Bluetooth speaker. Why is this so?

Firstly, it has a weight of 18.7 ounces and a battery life of 12 hours. You can easily bring your speaker in the workplace or in your car.

If you stretch your money further a hundred, you will get this amazing Soundcore Flare that can compete with the sound quality of the UE WONDERBOOM speaker.

TRIBIT XSOUND GO
Price: About S$49 at Lazada Singapore

It seems too good to be true, but this forty-nine dollar speaker will impress you with its balanced sound and attractive design. Let me start with the sound quality. At high volumes, it is near distortion-free. However, it has problems with complicated tracks and highlighting the bass.

Secondly, its attractive design focuses on its portability and waterproof feature. It claims to have an IPX7 water resistant rating. You may also keep it playing at a medium volume for more than 20 hours.

If you are someone who loves hanging out at the beach or by the pool while listening to countless tunes then, you could not go wrong with the Tribit XSound Go!

Image Credits: facebook.com/scopetechtt

With a myriad of Bluetooth speakers available in the Singaporean market, will you be able to filter out the good ones from the bad ones? Well, start with the budget Bluetooth speakers that are under S$100 and move forward from there.

Sources: 1 & 2

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4 Ways To Waste Your Money On Designer Goods

#1: BY SKIPPING ON LESSER KNOWN DESIGNERS

It comes as no surprise that a luxury fashion brand novice is familiar with Chanel, Prada, and Louis Vuitton. Do you know other brands beyond these three? Some lesser known designers, such as Ermenegildo Zegna and Mary Katrantzou, have been flourishing for years. Are you aware of their existence?

You see, you may come across some quality products from designers that you have not heard of. It is important to focus on the quality and craftsmanship of a product before seeking out renowned designer brands solely for their namesake. Consider this tip on your next trip to the thrift shop!

#2: BY NOT CONSIDERING THE CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES

Being a fan of a well-known luxury designer is not a problem! You may look for cheaper alternatives such as bridge lines or lower-cost brands within the designer’s realms. Let me start with bridge lines. The term describes the collaboration between a high-end designer and a lower-priced retailer. Initially, the designer creates a collection. Then, the retailer will use its resources to manufacture the designs massively and affordably. For example, H&M’s collaboration with Alexander Wang produced cheaper alternatives compared to buying directly from the designer.

Next is the lower-cost brands. When scanning the racks of your favorite department store or thrift store, you will probably notice that some brand names seem familiar. This is because high-end designers thought of a way to tap the mass market. They offered lower-cost brands. Marc by Marc Jacobs and REDValentino are both lower-cost versions of the main brand, which gains you the same amount of prestige. Please note that these brands are often selling trendier items, made without the strict quality standards of the main brand.

#3: BY NOT CONSIDERING YOUR STYLE PERSONALITY

Throughout the years, we each develop a personal style or a clothing preference at the very least. Whether your style is attractive or not, everything is debatable. A worthy investment for me may be rubbing for you. Nonetheless, you are wasting money if you are taking away the personal elements of having your own style.

Do not lose individuality and uniqueness by investing on items solely for their brand names. People become obsessed with the designer brands that they forget what they are actually looking for.

#4: BY TAKING ON A DIY PROJECT

When purchasing a pre-loved designer bag or wallet, you must find the best one possible. Yes! You may love crafting or DIY projects, but a dirty or a broken item is not going to do you much good. A broken strap or a missing stud may be fixed by your local repair shop – at an additional cost. Are you really getting a good deal?

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Maximize your dollars’ worth by checking the quality of the handbag or wallet. Pull out the lining and look for holes. Are there missing straps or details (e.g., gemstones or studs). Smell the item too! If an item has a lingering smell of cigarette smoke, you may skip on it. It is nearly impossible to remove a potent smell!

Sources: 1 &  2

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7 Exciting Activities You can Enjoy with Your Family at the Beach

BAC MY AN BEACH

Many people love going to the beach to relax, swim, and sunbathe. However, some people get bored easily with these ordinary activities. There are numerous exciting activities you can enjoy at the beach.

What’s more, you can even take your entire family for a fun day out at the beach, and enjoy more than just resting and relaxing. Here are 7 activities you can engage in with your family at the beach.

1.     Collecting Seashells

Seashells are available in almost all beaches. While this activity sounds easy, you should prepare for your adventure adequately for maximum experience. Get a container to put your shells. You can choose a bag, a pail, or even a bowl depending on how much shells you plan to collect. Ensure your shells do not have live animals inside.

Remember, collecting live shells is against the law in various beaches across the world. Adhere to the laws of the country you are visiting when on holiday. Clean your shells once you get back home or to your hotel. You can make the activity more fun by identifying the shells and naming each type of shell you collect. Make it an exciting and learning activity for the children.

2.     Splash the Water

Young children get excited at the sound of splashing water, an activity which has been practiced for ages. Adults can also participate in water splashing, an activity which is not as simple as it may sound. What you need is have everyone hold as much flat and smooth stones as their arms can hold. Head over to the shoreline and throw the stones one by one. The aim of this activity is getting the least bounces before the stones drift down the bottom of the ocean.

3.     Enjoy a Beach Barbecue Party

The beach is an ideal place to enjoy your barbecue sausages and chicken wings while marveling at the rolling waves. Besides, it is a perfect time to bond with your family and enjoying the cool sea breeze.

However, not all places allow barbecue parties. If you are staying at a beach club Bali, talk to the management and have them organize a party for you and your family. You will find it more fun. After all, all you will need to do is pay for the service and get served at your convenience.

4.     Go Crab Catching

With a bucket of water and a net in hand, proceed to the rock pool and allow your children to enjoy catching crabs. Join them and catch as many as possible. You can use this as a learning activity as well. Once you are done, return the crabs back to the sea.

5.     Make a Raft

Outdoor activities give children an opportunity to think and be creative. Excite their adventure feelings by constructing a raft. You will require an object that can float such as driftwood, which you can easily find at almost any beach. Get a string. You can search for a strong seaweed and execute the plan. Your children will not only love it, but they may just give you the captain of the sea title.

6.     Enjoy a Picnic

While you can easily find different types of food beside the beaches, they can be quite expensive. Rather than buying expensive food, you can organize a picnic and pack home prepared food and drinks. What’s more, your own food is much healthier and filling.

Your children will also enjoy eating while having fun. Remember, some beaches discourage alcoholic drinks. Carry water or juice instead just to be on the safe side. Ensure to store your food in a properly insulated cooler and eat fast to avoid contamination and food poisoning.

7.     Listen to Music or Read Your Favorite Book

Reading a book or listening to music while at the beach can be exciting. What with the lovely sunset, amazing waves, lovely environment, and the soft sand beneath your feet? The beach is the perfect place to listen to some lovely songs while you chill and relax away from the hustles and bustles of the city. Carry your earphones and get lost in a momentary world of your own.

Finally

Enjoying fun times with your family at the beach can be both exciting and adventurers. Head to the beach and watch your kids engage in exciting activities. You can choose to relax, go swimming, or join them in performing their fun activities.

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