But i figured, for now, I should highlight some initiatives/ organisations out there, supporting and fighting to end poverty and the opportunities for each of us to reach out and support/ do our part.

For a start, let’s look at what my own country, Singapore is doing? To support the Stand up 2008, a global initiative by the UN Millenium campaign in collaboration with the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, Singaporeans are organising a series of activities to “Stand Up, Take Action” together from 17 – 19 October. Check them out!

Thanks to my colleagues (Ray and Gavin) who brought Worldvision to our attention, Jon and I had recently decided to sponsor a child with the help of the organisation. It is a Christian humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tacking the cause of poverty and injustice. We are extremely excited and very blessed to be in a position where we can afford to give and bless. I will probably share more once we finalise details.

Again, thanks to Jeremy, my colleague who knew of my obsession with books – brought to my attention the Room to Read organisation. They are doing things that are very close to my heart. The organisation partners with local communities throughout developing world to provide quality educational opportunities for children in the countries, striving to break the cycle of poverty, one child at a time.

And there are many other initiatives, organisations and resources out there. Mashable.com has put together a good list.

I came across this interesting article in MarketingWeb, mentioning the following stats:-

With an estimated 240 million wireless subscribers in the US, mobile is already a US$350-billion sector. According to Nielsen Mobile:

• 32 million use their phones to go online
• 70% send or receive text messages
• 41% percent use their wireless devices to send photos

The article also wrote:-

…… The old media broadcast model is dying
The idea of a media-consuming public that sits passively in front of a TV set is fast being replaced by a vibrant, active community of shared upstream content providers.

With the mobile phones being very much integrated into our daily lifestyle, it is no wonder that Nokia, the mobile phone maker recently launched its first ever video podcast (titled 14Days to signify the frequency of each episode) for its Nseries phone devices to ensure they stay top of mind amongst the consumers.

Thanks to Brian (from Ogilvy, Singapore) who alerted me to the vodcast

Hosted by “Girl with the number 11 briefcase” in the TV game show, Deal or No Deal (Singapore), Claire Jedrek attempts to show viewers how to take your mobile device (to be more specific – your Nokia Nseries handset) to the next level in each episode of 14Days.

The 14Days vodcast was conceptualised by Ogilvy, created by The Creative Room and produced by Nokia. All viewers have to do is to watch it online, download it to your mobile device or subscribe to it with an RSS feed.

I’ve just downloaded the latest episode into my new video iPod and of course, you can put them into any Nseries devices which I am planning to get one – the N95!! (featured in the pilot episode of the vodcast series).

Bloggers such as DK and Su Yuen who had seen the first episode think that the tips and tricks for the N95 were too “far fetched” and not “particularly interesting” The latest episode titled “VPL” was a let-down for me. After watching the episode, I was wondering “uh, where are the promised nifty ideas to push technology to the next level?” Well, the key message for the N76 is clear though – it’s a chick phone!

I thought the second episode, titled “Heroes” was quite cool, with Claire and a local blogger, teaching viewers how to freeze time and teleport at will with the Nokia N93i.

Brian was sharing with me that one of the main draws about the Nseries phones is that they are multimedia convergent devices, hence having vodcasts such as 14Days pushed the envelope in terms of showcasing the mobile convergence, the connectivity of the phone as well as accessing high quality multimedia while on the go.

This move (the creation of the vodcast) attempts to show the power and potential of the Nseries range, and also hopes to increase adoption and promotion of podcast and vodcast technology.

I am keen to find out what is the pick-up/ download statistics of the vodcast at the end of its series. It will also be interesting (as Su Yuen mentioned in her post) to see some user generated content, spinning off from the vodcast series. As the article in MarketingWeb mentioned, the next big trend is to see how social networking works on mobile.

I am one of those who had always think of museums and anything that has the word “heritage” as “boring and old”.

So, imagine my surprise when I first met Walter at a new media conference and he was one of the panel speakers. He was sharing a case study about how the NHB makes use of the social/ new media (by setting up a blogsite – Yesterday.sg) to reach out to more Singaporeans (especially the younger and tech savvy people) as well as anyone who’s interested in the heritage of Singapore (like Jon who’s British – he knows more about Singapore’s history than me).

The new campaign is called Explore Singapore! and is ongoing from now until the end of December. There are more than 86 activities to choose from. Some of you (who are Singaporeans) probably would have read or heard about Mark Lee, our local celebrity who is engaged to host the tours at Singapore’s oldest museum.

The interesting part of this is, there will be a Heritage Photoblogging contest where you can win brand new Nikon Cameras including a D40 kit! The idea is not new but when I think about it, it’s a great move for NHB to get the old and the young, the tech savvy or not-so savvy folks to (1) join in the fun by attending those activities, (2) show-off your photography skills and (3) some great content to put up on the blog and of course, most importantly (4) win a new Nikon camera.

If you are interested, here’s what you can do!

To take part in NHB’s first photoblogging contest and participate in Explore Singapore! Simply follow these easy steps:

1) Attend an Explore Singapore! event. Take lots of pictures. 2) Blog about it on your blog (remember to post the pictures!)

3) Visit the Explore Singapore! Heritage In Pictures webpage. Register your blog post URL there.

4) If approved, your blog post will be posted on the contest listings page.

5) Check back regularly to see if your entry is up. If at first you don’t succeed, try try again

6) Get your friends to check out your entry by putting this Brag Badge on your blog.

Celebrity photographer Dominic Khoo of www.whatisthesight.com will select the winners, who will receive an exclusive National Heritage Board winners’ certificate to be placed on their blogs.

Registration is open from 10 November 2007 to 31 December 2007.

Since I have some time in December, I might just bring mummy along to a few of those activities.

We think, perhaps not.

Don’t misunderstand my point, I totally love the new media / the Internet and this blog is set up with the aim to explore and learn more about how the new and social media work and how they affect communications and how to integrate as part of marketing strategy

And this is what I believe …There is absolutely no need to insist on including a “new media” component (very typical nowadays) in PR briefs or to insist that some bloggers be invited to your PR events or to create some form of facebook group to get “social” with the people etc. I believe that when your campaign is carefully thought out, focusing on finding the best communications channel to meet your objectives, the rest will fall in place. If you have created something newsworthy, news coverage will happen. Communications and conversations with your target media – new or old as well as target audience (or people that matters to your brand) – online or offline will happen.

If anyone is reading my twitter/ del.icio.us stuff, I’ve been reading and saving links that are related to new/ social media. I am looking for case studies, some HOW TO. Enough of the WHAT AREs.

I think I get the parts where alot of “experts” are saying, “PR people should send new media pitches in this and that way, PR people should understand the importance of social media – it’s all about the PEOPLE, not the audience (uh?? if the people are not my target audience, I wouldn’t bother talking to them actually) and of course about the “stupid PR people should be banned and have their names and email addresses listed in public blogs to be ridicule etc etc…”

I get those. I understand what they are saying…

What I am hoping to find out are some really good “how tos?” Some great social/ new media case studies and I am really looking for NON- IT/ tech/ gadgets / Web related campaigns, I am looking for those where the target audiences of the brand/ products are not spending that much time reading the Techcrunch/ CNET or maybe not even New York Times and don’t know what Facebook is?

What if my “target people” of the brand are the socialities and the rich tai tais who spend most of their time shopping, flipping lifestyle magazine titles while doing their $600 hairdo, and I am trying to sell them a new croc skin handbag brand? How about if my brand targets older aunties and uncles who are not savvy enough to even read the local online newspapers?

How do I then incorporate the “social/ new media” elements into a consumer PR campaign to get these PEOPLE? OR, is it even necessary to use any of those new tools just to show that you are savvy in the new media?

I often hear about, “how companies need to use social and new media to share information OR risk falling into obscurity.”

Clients, brands, PR people are panicking and eager to jump onto the bandwagon but am I wrong to think that at the end of the day, it’s about finding the right communication/ conversation/ interaction channel to (1) get a message across (2) get a feedback to and from the people – the fundamental of PR, the basic of communications.

Understanding and using the tools in our new media toolkit is one important thing (I agree) but blindly trying to applying them to every other campaign we work on… that, to me is just letting tools control you and not you, utilizing them.

The conversations that drive and define Social Media require a genuine and participatory approach. Just because you have the latest tools to reach people, or have played around with them, doesn’t mean you can throw the same old marketing at them. And, it doesn’t qualify you to attempt to do so without first thinking about why and how, as it relates to the people you’re trying to reach..

I totally agree with what Brian Solis wrote. Even in Facebook, I find that creators of events and groups simply mass spam their “friends’ list” with invites to events that are totally irrelevant to the friend. I am really NOT interested in a programming/ coding event where programmers and tech engineers meet to discuss codes, neither do I want to join the group that talks about and attend football games, so stop spamming me on my social networks.

In less than two weeks, the library@orchard will ceased operations, the books will be re-distributed to other libraries and the space that the library currently occupies will be rented out to other tenants. Taking a quick look at the other tenants beside and around the library, the space will probably be used for more beauty spas, salons or some fashion boutiques.

My trip to the library yesterday to fulfill my “job” as the citizen reporter turned out to be educational and at the same time, leaving me with some frustration and sadness.

Jillian Lim, the librarian is extremely helpful and I love talking to people who love books. I was told that despite the library’s aim to target the youth and promote a great reading culture amongst this target group (thus the reason why this library was set up in the midst of Orchard Road), the youths did not seem to pop by as expected. Instead, I see more adults (quite a lot of aunties), some foreigners and even tourists walking around.

My question to Jillian was, why on earth is the library tucked remotely on the top floor of Ngee Ann City – a mall that is currently known to house luxury brands such as the Gucci, Chanel and Tiffany? I was then told that several years ago, around the time that the library was set up, that particular location was a big hit with young people and had tenants that sell products targeting the youths. I didn’t get a chance to talk to the mall’s landlord but based on Brennan’s post about the closing of the library, I gathered that the landlord thinks the big space that the library is occupying now is more profitable and makes more sense to SELL to the youths rather than encouraging a reading lifestyle. Kind of sad, isn’t it?

Anyhow, Jon and I walked around the library with our notebooks, camera and recorders to try to capture any interesting things we can pick up. Jon, being a foreigner thinks Singapore really has world-class standard libraries and the library@orchard is definitely very cool and we should all count our blessings. But do Singaporeans really remember to count them? I am afraid, (based on the chats I had with some people), the answer is No.

I grabbed hold of some young people (age between 17 to 23) and asked the same questions at the library yesterday, “Do you know that the library is closing down end of this month? What are your thoughts abt that?”

80% of them went, “REALLY? Don’t know about the closing and ok lor… can go to other places or other libraries wat…”

Further probing from me, “Do you come to this library often? and do you think this space is better off used for other purposes like shopping or food places?”

70% of them said along the line of, “No. I usually come here to wait for my friends/watch some performances if there are, rest my feet after shopping since it’s free here. And oh! quite a good idea to turn it to more happening shops also lah. There is always Kinokuniya upstairs to get books.”

Gggrrrr… the quotes I got didn’t fit what I had planned to write in my original plan to post something, headlined “How sad we are to let you go..”

And now I am sad…

(However, all hope’s not lost. I managed to speak with others who have constructive and some great things to say about our lovely boutique, lifestyle-concept library@orchard. While I download the images and prepare for the next post, people who are reading this, do pay your final visits to the library@orchard, drop the library or this post some of your thoughts. Those who have images/ videos to share, visit http://blogs.nlb.gov.sg/orchard/ for more information.

The library is also holding a closing party on 30 November. Those who are free that evening, do come for the event. Registration details can be found at the library’s blog).

My next blog post of the library will also highlight one of the performances by The Novelties held at the library on 17 November 2007, and a short chat with the performers. I also found a group of young girls gathering near the entrance of the library – not studying, not reading books but folding 1000 paper cranes.

So, watch this space for part 3 of the closing of library@orchard!!

I have not been writing much lately (the last post was written 31st October) although I’ve been replying people who dropped their comments. I’ve been trying to finish up various events in my current company, take a break and start my new job! Thank you all my dear friends and blog readers who sent me emails, IMs, messages on Facebook to check on me. Well, the blog is still here and I am still writing!

In the midst of all the madness at work, I signed up as Citizen Reporter with the National Library Board to write ANYTHING about the library@Orchard that is scheduled to close down end of this month. Ivan Chew , the rambling librarian alerted me to the library’s initiative to encourage bloggers as well as library- goers to contribute our thoughts and document any pictures/ videos as we move into the final weeks of the library.

I love books, I am addicted to buying books (my mum called me the book shopaholic). I love reading and I am about to request for a new room to store just my books in the new house. However, while many of the citizen reporters wrote about how they love the library@orchard and how they would miss it, I have to admit that, given my mad working schedule, I seldom have the luxury of time to browse and spend time at the library.

I used to spend most of my weekends (and even birthdays) at the libraries. Favourite libraries were the ones at Bedok, Marine Parade, Geylang East and the old National Library. The stylishly designed library@orchard is positioned as the first niche public library in Singapore with a lifestyle concept and focused on providing collections and services targeted at young adults between age 18-35.

I am dutifully visiting the library@Orchard this weekend to capture any interesting things I can find there! Jonathan is going with me and I know he’s going to be stuck at the graphic novel/ comics section while I attempt to bug the librarians and whoever I can speak with to find out more.

Watch this space in the next 2 weeks for more updates about the library@Orchard!

Meantime, while waiting for my next post, check out what other bloggers wrote about the library:-

• Kenneth’s really funny post about Five types of People who will miss the library
• Jean is doing a great job as the citizen reporter, check out her interviews with the library-goers
• Joel wrote a long, honest post about the library@orchard

On a side note, I think it’s a nice (Library 2.0) initiative to invite various local bloggers and book lovers to document the last moments of the library@orchard.

Some top blogs such as the dailyblogtips and lifehacker faithfully posted tips, opinions, stories, videos about the environment. One of my favourite posts comes from Rohit Bhargava on 7 tips on eating differently to impact climate

A few months back, major departmental stores and retail places in Singapore also started to encourage consumers to go with reusable bags instead of the usual plastic bags. I collected a couple of them and tried my best to remind myself to bring them out on grocery trips.

Fashion designers and brands are also doing their part, designing bags that are reusable and environmental friendly as well. Here are some real cool (but expensive) ones – for those fashion savvy folks who want to look great while saving the environment.

Check out the Stella McCartney’s Environmental bag

Hermes Silky Pop bag, made of hand-wrought silk

And the famous Anya Hindmarch’s “I’m Not a Plastic Bag” environmental shopping bag

For those who are artistically inclined and want something that is uniquely yours, here’s a How-To: Make Your Own Reusable Bag!

On a side note, since we are on the topic of environmental issues, I am a supporter of the paperless office concept. Offices should all work towards that, it is possible – it takes discipline, digital tools and understanding.

Anyway, to the people behind BlogActionDay – WELL DONE! Really a great initiative and a great topic this year!