University of Leeds Promo Video

In early December. I helped out a bunch of talented course mates by appearing in their submission for a University student video competition. The brief was to create a promotional short featuring different aspects of student life at Leeds and showcasing what the University has to offer prospective students. They used original music, which goes uncannily well with the stunning visuals and clever editing. I was impressed when I finally saw the finished product and immediately knew that they stood a great chance of winning.

As the winning entry, the video has been featured on the main University of Leeds youtube page and will be broadcasted on the LCD screens around the campus. It's a surreal feeling knowing that I am associated with this brillant production even though I merely played a small part. Congratulations Bar7 team who, now with their 250 pounds cash prize, are laying the foundations to establish their own production company. 

PR and Marketing | What we can learn from the Instagram PR Debacle

credit to marketingland.com

Instagram encountered a massive toll on it's social capital after a PR firestorm regarding the introduction of controversial policies that permit third-party commercial use of photos without user consent or compensation. This was a poorly timed decision, given the recent Facebook acquisition and new competition such as Twitter’s added filters and Google Snapseed. The public outcry generated also indicates that society still holds strong attitudes on online privacy and emphasizes the need for transparency in terms of service changes. In short, this case signifies the PR challenge faced by technology companies in introducing social advertising to a free service without jeopardizing their consumer relationships.

On a more optimistic note, the consequent retraction of these policies demonstrates that Instagram respond to user concerns. Still, given the inevitability of the Perceptive Web as the next logical step for advertising, along with the fact that Facebook will expect returns on their $715 million investment, there is no question that Instagram will be monetized, though the method by which this will take place remains largely undefined. No matter the final proposal, PR firms will certainly be interested to see whether Instagram have learnt from their mistakes when releasing this news a second time around.

Hong Kong Hustle | Andy Warhol Art Exhibit

I admit to being a slight culture vulture. I enjoy frequenting museums and art galleries, reading those little descriptions of the exhibits and dreaming of a time before this crazy technological mega-mall we live in today. So when the 2nd largest Andy Warhol exhibit rolled into town, I embarked on a cultural outing with my accomplished and gorgeous New Yorker, Jaclyn Siu - an entrepreneur with a penchant for all things fashion - to spend a day appreciating the life and work of this great influential figure. The gallery is located at the Hong Kong Museum of Art, where the dominant color scheme was pink - more reminiscent of a Barbie store than a homage to a historical icon. Understandably, we weren't permitted to take any photos inside (but how we wished we could have!). Most of us tend to only associate Andy Warhol with his more publicized works: the infamous Campbell Soup series and iconic Marilyn Monroe screen prints. But people are rarely aware of the fact that Mr.Warhol was actually an artist of various styles. He was an acclaimed shoe illustrator in New York, a skilled photographer specializing in  expressive polaroids, and dabbled in other modes of innovative art techniques. Though I would have to agree that some of his work does verge on the over-eccentric (was an eight hour long take of the Empire State Building really necessary?).