Well the first photo is not even a person and all my other friends are ... old enough to drink.
Certainly not kids...
#Facebook facial recognition engine, you are creepy and plenty of fail.
-- Robin Low
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Facebook Facial Recognition Fail
Well the first photo is not even a person and all my other friends are ... old enough to drink.
Certainly not kids...
#Facebook facial recognition engine, you are creepy and plenty of fail.
-- Robin Low
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Public Relations / Social Media Crisis Management
In view of the multiple online negative sentiments generated when 3 students got into trouble after shaving their heads for charity, I have decided to share some tips on crisis management again.
Bald Solidarity Proves Hair-Raising to Singapore School
-- Wall Street Journal
Singapore Students Get In Trouble For Not Wearing Wigs After Shaving Heads For Charity
-- Huffington Post
When it reaches international media, the national problem suddenly becomes the talking point and there are a lot of buzz all over social media, all reacting to the news.
Education Minister Heng Swee Keat even talked about it in a post on Facebook on Wednesday morning as he praised the resolution. And ultimately, with the words form the top, the situation seems to be resolved. The students need not wear wigs and all the blame was on the principal and not the education system in Singapore. The resolution did not take too long before it became a more serious discussion, and everything seemed to be rather resolved. Some people agreed with the principal about the agreement made should be followed, while other feel that the principal should support the students and not force her backwards beliefs on them.
With other company and crisis like Scoot's virtual flight contest, McDonald's Hello Kitty Promotion and National Geographic's publicity stunt at Raffles Place, it is important to know the basics to resolve any PR or social media crisis.
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Here are some few steps when a crisis hits:
1) Gather the facts through investigating and get what ever is available.
2) Search the internet and social media for all the rumors and other information which the crisis generated.
3) Construct Blogs, Tweets, YouTube Videos, to do the following:
a) Show how some of these rumors are hilarious and so far from the truth. (Funny sells, and can go viral)
b) Shed more light on the facts, and share any available information. (Truths)
c) Create spin off content that is ridiculous about the incident, get laughs to ease the rumors.
4) Monitor the public opinion and social media for the new development in the crisis.
5) Participate and encourage the hilarious and ridiculous videos, hopefully creating a lighthearted side to the crisis, and laugh it off.
6) Channel the affected consumers / conversations to pro-brand environment (like corporate blog / Facebook Page)
7) Actively listen online and identify potential escalating issues and resolve them quickly.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many companies do not care about social media crisis until it happens. Most of the incidents come from situations out of the control of the companies, and will happen whether the companies have or have not engaged on social media.
It is important to have a clear understanding and all the facts right, and most importantly -- act fast. Crisis can happen to anyone at any time. It is important to know how to react to these situations when it arise and fix it before it becomes a meltdown.
-- Robin Low
Bald Solidarity Proves Hair-Raising to Singapore School
-- Wall Street Journal
Singapore Students Get In Trouble For Not Wearing Wigs After Shaving Heads For Charity
-- Huffington Post
When it reaches international media, the national problem suddenly becomes the talking point and there are a lot of buzz all over social media, all reacting to the news.
Education Minister Heng Swee Keat even talked about it in a post on Facebook on Wednesday morning as he praised the resolution. And ultimately, with the words form the top, the situation seems to be resolved. The students need not wear wigs and all the blame was on the principal and not the education system in Singapore. The resolution did not take too long before it became a more serious discussion, and everything seemed to be rather resolved. Some people agreed with the principal about the agreement made should be followed, while other feel that the principal should support the students and not force her backwards beliefs on them.
With other company and crisis like Scoot's virtual flight contest, McDonald's Hello Kitty Promotion and National Geographic's publicity stunt at Raffles Place, it is important to know the basics to resolve any PR or social media crisis.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are some few steps when a crisis hits:
1) Gather the facts through investigating and get what ever is available.
2) Search the internet and social media for all the rumors and other information which the crisis generated.
3) Construct Blogs, Tweets, YouTube Videos, to do the following:
a) Show how some of these rumors are hilarious and so far from the truth. (Funny sells, and can go viral)
b) Shed more light on the facts, and share any available information. (Truths)
c) Create spin off content that is ridiculous about the incident, get laughs to ease the rumors.
4) Monitor the public opinion and social media for the new development in the crisis.
5) Participate and encourage the hilarious and ridiculous videos, hopefully creating a lighthearted side to the crisis, and laugh it off.
6) Channel the affected consumers / conversations to pro-brand environment (like corporate blog / Facebook Page)
7) Actively listen online and identify potential escalating issues and resolve them quickly.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many companies do not care about social media crisis until it happens. Most of the incidents come from situations out of the control of the companies, and will happen whether the companies have or have not engaged on social media.
It is important to have a clear understanding and all the facts right, and most importantly -- act fast. Crisis can happen to anyone at any time. It is important to know how to react to these situations when it arise and fix it before it becomes a meltdown.
-- Robin Low
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Disruptive innovation
Disruptive Innovation is an innovation that helps create a new market and value network, and eventually goes on and disrupt an existing market and value network.
Sustaining Innovation is innovation that evolves around existing ones with better values, allowing companies to compete against each other's sustaining improvements.
Disruptive technology is a subset of Disruptive Innovation as the innovation may be a simple process or mindset. Civil Innovation, Relief 2.0, and many other organizations are focused on changing mindsets of "helping" to Engage, Enable, Empower and Connect. And transform inefficiencies, bridge gaps, address value creation and connect stakeholders instead of just providing aid indefinitely.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think there will always be disruption innovation happening for profit. Social Media, has changed a lot of the media landscape. Spotify, Pandora and other online media streaming are changing the way people consume music. It does benefit the consumers to have alternatives, and sometimes, it is not the fault of the big brands and companies that they fail.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would like to think and see more disruptive innovations in the real of social good. "Good Disruptions" are needed urgently for the environment, reducing the income gap, and simply promoting peace.
I feel that the financial markets and other disruptions that create wealth for the few already wealthy individuals are already creating such a big divide between the rich and the middle class, that the conventional methods of taxing the rich and redistributing wealth does not work well today.
There are many inefficiencies on how many people perceive themselves as change agents or helping, but in reality, what they do is focused on the short term, and there is actually a lot of resources used (that can be more efficiently used) and does not even solve the root problem.
Sometimes even before looking at education reforms, one may even need to look into solving housing problems, lack of infrastructure and opportunities, etc. If a person does not have a roof over their heads, it is hard to think about having a good education to better themselves. If NOW does not get met, and survival is hard, the FUTURE does not seem that promising either.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am writing and exploring more on GOOD DISRUPTION over the next few months, if you have any requests on specific industries, please let me know. And if you want to contribute, feel free to contact me.
-- Robin Low
Monday, May 20, 2013
How to Reply in Facebook like a Pro
Emoticon Name, Followed by Shortcut Code
- smile :-) :) :] =)
- wink ;-) ;)
- grin :-D :D =D
- kiss :-* :*
- grumpy >:( >:-(
- glasses 8-) 8) B-) B)
- sunglasses 8-| 8| B-| B|
- upset >:O >:-O >:o >:-o
- confused o.O O.o
- pacman :v
- unsure :/ :-/ :\ :-\
- frown :-( :( :[ =(
- cry :'(
- heart <3 li="">
- angel O:) O:-)
Enjoy!
-- Robin Low
Thursday, April 25, 2013
So fast, so creative.
For many of you who do not follow Internet trends, here is an upcumming... meme.
Kind of popular now, about a "sneaky blowjob"
If you find more, feel free to share.
People are so fast and so creative!
-- Robin Low
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Will Freddie Mercury be Trending soon?
I have seen more and more Freddie Mercury Memes and Art, and is this going to be the next trend that is coming to you on social media?
If you noticed other Freddie Mercury Art, please let me know!
-- Robin Low
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
10 reasons why throwing money does not solve anything.
Singapore wants to be a financial hub, a knowledge hub, high tech hub, bio-medical hub, and now an aeronautical design hub and a social business hub. Singapore plans to spend $$$ to make it happen, to attract a lot of foreign companies to come in.
I've seen a lot of money spent on projects, and not much success, yet more money is thrown in. The following are some of the reasons why I think there will not be much success even if the government throws in more money in this path.
1) Good talents are not appreciated.
Software developers, Engineers, Bio-medical researchers, Industrial designers, Social Entrepreneurs are not really respected much. In Asia and Singapore, most of the time, you are respected by the car you drive, the house you own, and the salary you draw. Even if you may create a lot of social impact, the Singaporean society does not care much for it.
Talented Software developers, industrial designers, engineers do not get their fair salary, as a result, these trained people would rather go towards a managerial role, to be an IT manager, or project manager, which pays more and gets more respect, but nothing much to do with technical skills.
2) High Supply of IT graduates from Asian Countries.
India and China are producing an enormous amount of IT graduates every year. A good engineer or software developer is nothing more than just a number. So these jobs becomes some what a commodity.
3) Low demand for real talent in these developing industries.
With the IT, engineers in large supply, and the start of these new industries in Singapore, there is still not really a lot of pick up for these workers, hence the low salary. There may be an initial surge when the company is desperate to look for these staff, but once they have enough, the salary become stagnant.
4) Local companies in Singapore do not really invest in technology.
Even with the great push from the government, SMEs do not really use technology much, most SMEs are not even online, let alone use technology to solve their problems. Hence there is also relatively low demand for good talents.
Many company complain about software developers being hard to find, but that is because the skills that they need are obsolete, too old to maintain a legacy IT system, or the skill set is too specific, because everyone is following a trend, and hiring the same people. However most of the time, these companies do not want to pay for talent. $2000 per month in Singapore will not get you much of a programmer, though you may get one who claims to have a lot of experience, but may rarely deliver. Even when the business is paying a lot for rent, they rarely pay enough for labor in Singapore.
5) "Kiasu Culture"
Although Singapore government wants Singapore business to be market leaders, like the next Silicon Valley, designing new cars and forms of transportation for the world and discovering new cures to save humanity, the fact is, the price of failure is still too "high"
The risk adverse nature of Singapore does not approve of "radical projects" and most things need to be "proven" before funding can proceed. If things are proven, then how are they new and cutting edge?
6) Lots of laws, rules and regulations
When Singapore invites a foreign company to come, it is rarely straightforward. Such invitations often come with lengthy paperwork, some promise of funding which may or may not materialize and an application process which takes months or years, and may somehow fall apart when the next "scholar" boss does not agree with his predecessor.
There may be much willingness to innovate, but the laws and regulations are very tight. In the finance industry, there is so much room to offer more value with IT innovation, but the whole product when it finally completes have too much "safety" built in, that it can actually make online banking, a VERY negative experience which you have to call the customer support constantly to get new passwords and reset the account after 1 month of inactivity.
7) Low technical skills in higher management.
Most companies are run by people with MBAs rather than MEng or MSc. There may be good management skills however, a lack of technical abilities may make it hard to understand the challenges and may not allocate enough resources.
It takes good technical expertise to recognize and promote technical talents, and since managers are the ones who recruit and promote, this may lead to a vicious cycle.
8) Startups run really lean
In Singapore, there is a large push for various startups, but they rarely have enough funding to pay sufficiently. Without enough capital, without enough seed funding, it is hard to get the right talents to succeed.
If you are a really good software developer or a designer, with today's global economy, it may not be that hard getting paid a good amount overseas, rather than starting your own company in a country that does not fund you enough, and have a lot of red tape in your way of success.
Even if you have a successful innovative product, the market in Singapore may also be too small to sustain your high tech innovative company. Otherwise, the SMEs are not ready to use your technology as well. Market is not here.
9) Higher burn rate
Cost of living is really high here. Salaries not so. The jobs that get high salaries in Singapore is often in Banking or Real estate development. Technical skills not so in high demand. If you have a talented team with a low budget, if you can relocate to the neighboring countries, like Malaysia, you can stretch out your budget for much longer.
There is not much advantage to develop the latest technologies in Singapore, especially when there is not a big enough market here for it. Cost of food, rents, transportation is simply too high, even higher than New York City or Silicon Valley.
10) The people funding don't know what's going on
In the government, the people in charge rarely know what they are funding, and as they are scholars or directors in charge, they must "Pretend" to know. Not saying that all Army Generals with a Masters of Arts in Literature does not understand Bio-tech, the people in charge of funding are neither researchers, entrepreneurs or software developers.
They care about their KPIs which may be linked to "innovation and high tech" which they know nothing about, as a result, they fund projects who are mentored by their friends or people they know, rather than on real merits on things they don't understand.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am just generalizing based on my experience, and I am sure there are cases of success out there. I do feel that the government budget for education is too low, and there should be more focus on having low cost offices and incubators that can have rent controls, rather than funding unworthy projects.
There should also be more people in different industries coming together and discussing collaborations and cross overs as I think that is where innovation occur now -- cross discipline, rather than just deep specialization in one area.
Singapore has it strengths, and what makes us different, makes us better, when you copy others, you rarely can be a leader. When you spot a trend, it is already too late. Create the trend.
-- Robin Low
I've seen a lot of money spent on projects, and not much success, yet more money is thrown in. The following are some of the reasons why I think there will not be much success even if the government throws in more money in this path.
1) Good talents are not appreciated.
Software developers, Engineers, Bio-medical researchers, Industrial designers, Social Entrepreneurs are not really respected much. In Asia and Singapore, most of the time, you are respected by the car you drive, the house you own, and the salary you draw. Even if you may create a lot of social impact, the Singaporean society does not care much for it.
Talented Software developers, industrial designers, engineers do not get their fair salary, as a result, these trained people would rather go towards a managerial role, to be an IT manager, or project manager, which pays more and gets more respect, but nothing much to do with technical skills.
2) High Supply of IT graduates from Asian Countries.
India and China are producing an enormous amount of IT graduates every year. A good engineer or software developer is nothing more than just a number. So these jobs becomes some what a commodity.
3) Low demand for real talent in these developing industries.
With the IT, engineers in large supply, and the start of these new industries in Singapore, there is still not really a lot of pick up for these workers, hence the low salary. There may be an initial surge when the company is desperate to look for these staff, but once they have enough, the salary become stagnant.
4) Local companies in Singapore do not really invest in technology.
Even with the great push from the government, SMEs do not really use technology much, most SMEs are not even online, let alone use technology to solve their problems. Hence there is also relatively low demand for good talents.
Many company complain about software developers being hard to find, but that is because the skills that they need are obsolete, too old to maintain a legacy IT system, or the skill set is too specific, because everyone is following a trend, and hiring the same people. However most of the time, these companies do not want to pay for talent. $2000 per month in Singapore will not get you much of a programmer, though you may get one who claims to have a lot of experience, but may rarely deliver. Even when the business is paying a lot for rent, they rarely pay enough for labor in Singapore.
5) "Kiasu Culture"
Although Singapore government wants Singapore business to be market leaders, like the next Silicon Valley, designing new cars and forms of transportation for the world and discovering new cures to save humanity, the fact is, the price of failure is still too "high"
The risk adverse nature of Singapore does not approve of "radical projects" and most things need to be "proven" before funding can proceed. If things are proven, then how are they new and cutting edge?
6) Lots of laws, rules and regulations
When Singapore invites a foreign company to come, it is rarely straightforward. Such invitations often come with lengthy paperwork, some promise of funding which may or may not materialize and an application process which takes months or years, and may somehow fall apart when the next "scholar" boss does not agree with his predecessor.
There may be much willingness to innovate, but the laws and regulations are very tight. In the finance industry, there is so much room to offer more value with IT innovation, but the whole product when it finally completes have too much "safety" built in, that it can actually make online banking, a VERY negative experience which you have to call the customer support constantly to get new passwords and reset the account after 1 month of inactivity.
7) Low technical skills in higher management.
Most companies are run by people with MBAs rather than MEng or MSc. There may be good management skills however, a lack of technical abilities may make it hard to understand the challenges and may not allocate enough resources.
It takes good technical expertise to recognize and promote technical talents, and since managers are the ones who recruit and promote, this may lead to a vicious cycle.
8) Startups run really lean
In Singapore, there is a large push for various startups, but they rarely have enough funding to pay sufficiently. Without enough capital, without enough seed funding, it is hard to get the right talents to succeed.
If you are a really good software developer or a designer, with today's global economy, it may not be that hard getting paid a good amount overseas, rather than starting your own company in a country that does not fund you enough, and have a lot of red tape in your way of success.
Even if you have a successful innovative product, the market in Singapore may also be too small to sustain your high tech innovative company. Otherwise, the SMEs are not ready to use your technology as well. Market is not here.
9) Higher burn rate
Cost of living is really high here. Salaries not so. The jobs that get high salaries in Singapore is often in Banking or Real estate development. Technical skills not so in high demand. If you have a talented team with a low budget, if you can relocate to the neighboring countries, like Malaysia, you can stretch out your budget for much longer.
There is not much advantage to develop the latest technologies in Singapore, especially when there is not a big enough market here for it. Cost of food, rents, transportation is simply too high, even higher than New York City or Silicon Valley.
10) The people funding don't know what's going on
In the government, the people in charge rarely know what they are funding, and as they are scholars or directors in charge, they must "Pretend" to know. Not saying that all Army Generals with a Masters of Arts in Literature does not understand Bio-tech, the people in charge of funding are neither researchers, entrepreneurs or software developers.
They care about their KPIs which may be linked to "innovation and high tech" which they know nothing about, as a result, they fund projects who are mentored by their friends or people they know, rather than on real merits on things they don't understand.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am just generalizing based on my experience, and I am sure there are cases of success out there. I do feel that the government budget for education is too low, and there should be more focus on having low cost offices and incubators that can have rent controls, rather than funding unworthy projects.
There should also be more people in different industries coming together and discussing collaborations and cross overs as I think that is where innovation occur now -- cross discipline, rather than just deep specialization in one area.
Singapore has it strengths, and what makes us different, makes us better, when you copy others, you rarely can be a leader. When you spot a trend, it is already too late. Create the trend.
-- Robin Low
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