Greenfield Milk in Singapore

Although the tainted food industry had almost recovered from all the bad press and publicity in recent years, from the China infant milk crisis to Horsemeat however, we are still particularly afraid and tend to be cautious about the origin of the final product which ended up in the shopping basket.

Is this the new marketing tactics by inserting the word 'free-range' and 'organic' to prove that your product is much better than competitors? Taking the case of Greenfield Milk (which I think supplies to several Starbucks chains in Singapore), which advertised themselves in chic ad design as seen on board MRT trains.
 

So where-else does milk comes from?

 

 

In the past, I thought Greenfield milk is actually milk squeezed from the cows in Australia, shipped over to Indonesia where they process and package their milk for sale to Singapore. Now I think there's a changed in their supply chain, with the (happy) cows being milked in some high altitude area in Indonesia. But it seemed they aren't quite satisfied into answering queries about the cow's lifestyle and dietary conditions.

One FB user asked Greenfield questions regarding the cow's lifestyle, dietary and reproductive habits.

 Looking at the comment thread and how they claimed their milk is more nutritious than other milk from Australia, I still think Greenfield's milk is not as delicious and milky and creamy as that of Farmhouse. So, Greenfield, you're not able to convince me to buy your brand. Also, I felt Greenfield is diluted (slightly better than Meji) and the High Calcium Low fat version tasted so horrible, so for me, Farmhouse is still better than the Happy Cow BS Greenfield claimed. And would anyone drink milk that is milked in Indonesia? Some would, including me, initially. But later, I switched brands because of the price and how the taste changes from time to time, without consistency.

 

The World As I know It

The world… just is very troublesome…
One side of the world gathers major global leaders to talk about nothing…
Another side of the world is starving to death…
Another side of the world is celebrating music awards…
Another side of the world is fighting terrorism…
Another side of the world is protesting…
Another side of the world has many being fired…
Another side of the world is waiting for a football match…
Another side of the world is still sick…
Another side of the world is not even known clearly to the rest of the world…
Another side of the world has the critics…
Another side of the world has the critics to those critics…
Another side of the world has a child crying…
Another side of the world has a man living with countless number of servants and wives…
Another side of the world has nothing…
Another side of the world has everything…
Yet we are all waiting for something…
Some say 2012,
Some say a random rock,
Some say tomorrow,
Some say tonight,
Some say now.
But do we know?
No, we don’t. Not until
We get there.
The world
Concerns me,
Yet there is nothing to be done.
Don’t call me a fatalist,
Don’t call me a realist,
I’m just stating the facts.

What Marketing Taught Me

Having studied marketing for 2 years, each and every 'live' project (think there's 12 in total) are totally the same, having to consider the following. And the method involved are what the contestants in The Apprentice underwent, and so, each project felt like being assigned a task by Lord Sugar, just without the firing, but with the persona of his 2 sidekicks Nick and Karen from the tutors. Here goes:

1. The Brief

The brief is a short and sweet piece of paper indicating what are the specifications of the purpose of marketing. More of a guideline into what the client is looking for/ and want. This brief is the ultimate and most vital piece of information from the client.

Usually, people ignore this brief and starts to deviate, especially on project work (YES, I KNOW!!) and surprisingly, the tutors still can pass them (SERIOUSLY?!). Brief sometimes are what we already know, however, it contains the vital information, and is considered a gem if there's a well written one.

2. Product Life Cycle

This is the important and yet kind off boring part of marketing- identifying which stage of the cycle the product is at, and if the market is still idea. Boring because it is all theoretical and administrative, reading reports after reports of consumerism insights, GMID reports and sometimes Nielson market indices. However, still a very important tool.

3. Focus group 

Often mentioned in the reports churned out (and always faked in my groups, expect for IMC) but always so seldom conducted. Focus group seemed like the only way of qualitative research, just like questionnaire being the most efficient way of collecting quantitative research unless otherwise stated. I think this is what differentiated the calibre of the groups. For qualitative research, other methods includes placing a mock product in the supermarket and survey how many people pick that product up (used to place other brand of the same product type side-by-side as a kid and see how people reacted), participant observation, supermarket/store trek and more. Definitely it's much easier to pat your head and rub the stomach at the same time!

4. The pitch

The most important pitch is not during the actual and final presentation (15% of your overall grades!!). Instead, is when you're presenting your ideas for the very first time during the small consult between your group and the tutor. This is the best time to mind read your tutors and have some understanding on the reception of your ideas. Thus, it is always wise to asked for the best salesman in the group to pitch the idea, because you want the tutor to not just like the idea, but to be IN LOVE with it.

Just like selling a product, be persuasive and convincing. Selling is an art, and happy people sells, miserable bastards don't. Be happy, and you'll sell. If the tutor love the idea, they'll more than happy to endorse and give recommendations to improve and get a better grade. If they don't like the idea, tough love, but life still continues.

Thankfully there's no really birch tutors, who will go like "I'm here to listen and not help to brainstorm on your ideas" or will walk out of a unprepared discussion. Of course, there are many tutors who love showing group the brief and keep saying "Stick to that".

The few bad Singaporean habits

Singaporeans by and large had been criticised and sometimes condemned by foreigners. However, not all of them lies with the fault of the government(which we love to blame). But these habits are also the social ills of being Asian, but prominently found in Singapore. Here goes:

1. The Singaporean way of walking

Singaporeans are sneaky, literally. They walk disorderly, and love to ‘pavement hog’. Be it individuals, or with a group, they tend to block the whole passageway, not allowing others to overtake and blocking the way of other pedestrians in the opposite direction. But having said that, Singaporeans are perfectly capable of negotiating their way, especially against their way. 

I observed on numerous occasions how a huge pack of people walking from point A to point B, and after awhile, the whole path is swarm with people walking from point B to A. this intrigues me, like how so many people can just sneak between the crowd and onto their business. It’s like the typical Singaporean behaviour of ‘my grandfather road’. 

 

Most are also guilty of standing around in a circle with your group of friends and block the middle of the walkway. It is inconsiderate, and often creates a roundabout commonly seen in motorways. Being non-confrontational, the other poor pedestrians will just walk around the circle. Talk about walking in circles. Ok, bad joke. 

That is how we should walk, in an orderly fashion

2. jaywalking

Singaporeans are time conscious, and will stoop into risking their life if it means saving time and increased convenience. (think how many time did you jaywalk because you’re lazy to climb the overhead bridge?) even when a person is just 10 m away from the crossing, he/she will still jaywalk. And to think Singapore is a safe and orderly country. What an irony. But the pedestrians know that cars will stop for them because the road is 'my grandfather's road'. My grandfather is bigger than your father's road. (Father's road is commonly used by drivers).

At least Jaywalking in here is not as bad as the photo.

Last but not least…

3. Doors

Most shopping malls in Singapore have a 2 panel automated sliding doors. For some older malls, they have a 2 panel manual operated push/pull doors. Keeping in mind of the very unique way Singaporeans walk, they tend to just push 1 panel of the door and walk out, while the rest wanting to walk in will just wait (until they judge it to be safe to just sneak in) all this while with a second panel waiting. Why can’t people just push the other panel? It’s not like they’re faulty. This often blocks the flow of traffic, and slows down everybody’s pace.  

Singaporeans also love to not hold the door for others. One common behaviour is the person in front of me will push open the door to the maximum, so he can walk pass, I will also walk pass quickly and not touch the door. The person behind me will quickly push the door to the maximum, allowing the next person to cross and the cycle continues. This saves time and is relatively efficient. But some bad behaviour is a person in front of me closing the freaking door. Thanks a lot(!)

And a very special mention to LIFTS!

Singaporeans tend to stand in the middle of the lift. Not sure why, but like in MRTs, Singaporeans will often crowd around the middle.

Hopefully, these bad behaviour will improve in years to come, but for now, keep our fingers cross that they will improve and not meet someone like them. Even I’m guilty for some of the behaviour. And please, don't get me started on queuing. Leave that for another day. 

That Duck taste rubbery

So sorry I've to do this

Closure

We are all constantly in search of the truth, which includes closure. Closure in life, friends and situations/scenarios. But without really finding closure, are we able to be at peace with ourselves, and how will we be able to 'live with it'?

Quotes

I know I had posted this before, but this is a very meaningful quote:

We must be satisfied with the soup that is set before us, and not desire to see the bones of the ox out of which it has been boiled.

Contentment breeds satisfaction, which leads to happiness. Often people aren't able to be happy and be at ease with themselves because of their curiosity.

Humans are so often curious, because that is our nature. To question the why and what not. But it is in this aspect which prevent us from finding closure, closure with the situation, and with yourself.

Working in a department which deals with complain letters (why does the word complain even occurs?!) I find that most of the people uses it as an avenue to vent their frustration. The frustration of feeling helpless that their parcel are lost (I’m working in a postal office). Being human, we tend to like to be in control, and be informed in the whole process. Once we lose that ability, all hell break lose. These are the people who are unable to find closure. For complain cases, it usually works like this:

1. You learnt of the problem occurred (like your parcel was delivered late)

2,. You felt helpless, and felt bad (about yourself, or your recipient or even just at the situation)

3. usually by now we have 2 different types,

a. Those who accept it, and close the case. Or

b. who demand to know what happened, how it happen and generally, angry.

3. you write a complain letter, threatening to report to the CEO, or the MPs or whatsoever people.

Frankly, I think my company should not even be replying to such people. Because in life, shit happens. It is alright to feel angry, but do not let your feelings manipulate to emotions, which will influence the actions. Sure, some of this shit are the company fault, but do not vent your frustration by calling the staff and give them a verbal scolding. Imagine how will they feel, especially when it’s not even their fault.

Usually, for people to find closure, they will experience anger, followed by acceptance and finally closure. In my complain example, however, since there’re no acceptance (few will accept the ‘official excuses’ made because simply put, the company really is at fault), thus these complainers will not find closure. However, it is another completely different story if you call the company and want to know the process and why it had been late in delivery. This is finding closure in a way because you want to be educated and informed, and not just to vent your frustration.

Usually, when people call the hotline to complain, they in fact do not know what they want, and the answers they want to hear. They just want someone to hear and shout mean words to the poor people on the phone because they felt it’s their prerogative. And after that phone call, the poor people will usually say sorry. I think they should just use this phrase, “I empathise with you on your frustration, and my company would like to apologise for the regrettable experience caused by the lateness of delivery”.

Hopefully, there’ll be fewer people who complain, because ultimately, they are the ones who shows how shallow they are, forever judging others by their moral paucity. Sometimes, it’s great to receive feedback and complains if they have a nice tone. Just not shouting. Shucks, it’s my last day tomorrow at work. Now I’m a happy kid who will devote more time here.  

Different perspectives and finding closure.

A very unexpected friend of mine (that wo geng ni jiang hor) asked if I would like to go to london with him. That was totally unexpected, since I’m not chummy with him. After much whatsapping, we virtually planned what we’re gonna do and all. The question is why me? Because I’m not a phony. Well, I try to stay true to myself and often find myself in weird and hostile situation for firing that stupid mouth of mine without thinking. Thankfully, I’ve not offended that much people in the past 3 years of poly education. (an accomplishment, if you asked me).

The end of a crucial 3 years of education had just faded away from me. The memories created, friendship and courtship. But what actually holds in that short, yet eventful 3 years? The competitiveness which is so overrated or the people you knew. Of course, the subject taken will be with me forever I think, but being someone who have absolute dislike to marketing, should I further my studies? Or should I just stick my head in and work till the day I retire, think back and moan about the mistake I possible had made.

Differing perspectives from various people I knew had by and large, been cautioning me about my next decision. Half of me wanted to shut them up, and another half wanting to listen and pay heed to their advice. Like how (I know!) anthropology does not have any career prospect and I should just stick to my marketing with a minor in product management (or something like that). It’s thought that finding closure with my studies solely based on this marketing.

If only there is an answer.

I find myself in this situation whereby whenever I find the light at the end of the tunnel, next thing I know is the train just has to ram over me at full speed. That is just so depressing.