An Unforgettable Moment, Strikes a Chord 念念不忘 必有迴響

KOL (Key Opinion Leader), a pile of innovative practitioners of new industry, who always strike poses, take photos and even hire assistants to take photos for them at numerous media events or press conferences. They just look like celebrities with attitudes, charisma and strong sense of presence. They can attend to the events during office hours, which means they normally do not have full-time jobs—maybe KOL is their fulltime job. I ask my friend “Can they make their livings?” My friend replies “ The fee his/her of his single post might be more expensive than your single advertisement!” No matter the number of fanbase or the charge fee of each post, both counts multi-thousands figures for KOL (even exceeds some celebrities’ fanbases and charge fee). The huge numbers does really attract lots of brands to invest on them, but are these fanbases really help the promotion and the branding for the companies? Despite the source of the vast number of fans, the background and the purchasing power of each one of them is it as same as the expectation from the brand, in order to foster their sales performance? Recently I met with some fellows to discuss with this topics, everyone believes KOL can allow the clients to notice their number of fans but not necessary to see the sales figures, especially luxury goods like watches, wine, fashion items. Normally most of the fans cannot afford with these luxury or high-end products. After watching the styles of these KOL, the fans will buy the products with same style at Taobao. The brands pay a large amount of money to KOL but increase the business opportunities for Taobao, which is an enormous loss for them. In contrary, with the solid foundations and credibility built for years and the effective use of social media, our traditional media can definitely gather the real targeted client. We can still provide outstanding work and sales result even without eighty thousand to ten thousand fans figures. Numbers seem to be unreal in my opinons, so we still cannot figure out these people are KOL or lol…… 最近在很多傳媒活動或記者會中，都會遇到一些新興行業的從業員 --- 就是所謂KOL (Key Opinion Leader) 的人士！他們在活動中花枝招展，不斷在現場擺甫士、玩自拍，有些甚至請埋助手幫他們拍照，就像名人明星一樣有架子、有台型、有霸氣；他們在Office Hour能夠出席這些傳媒活動，證明他們多數應該沒有正職 --- 或者這份KOL的工作就是正職，我問朋友：「他們真的能搵夠食嗎？」朋友說：「佢出一個post，分分鐘仲貴過你一版廣告呀！」 這些KOL的粉絲超過十萬八萬，他們出Post收費動輒數萬元，這樣的粉絲數量及收費甚至連一些明星也有不及；當然，牌面有這樣的數字，很多品牌都願意投放資源/資金在他們身上，但問題是這些粉絲背後反映的真實意義，又是否真的對品牌推廣及建立有幫助呢？先不說這些海量粉絲的來源，問題是這些粉絲的背景及消費能力，又是不是如一些品牌的期望一樣，最後能幫助產品銷售呢？ 最近我跟一些傳媒行家聚會，也有討論過這題目，大家都認為雖然這些KOL能帶給客戶看得到的粉絲數字，但卻不一定能帶來看得到的銷量，尤其是一些高檔的消費品、奢侈品，例如名錶、名酒、名牌服飾等範疇，便不是一般粉絲能承受及消費的產品；粉絲看完這些KOL的造型後，隨即去淘寶購買相類似的產品⋯⋯那些品牌客戶絕對是賠了夫人又折兵，付了錢給KOL卻幫了人家淘寶做生意；相反，我們這些傳統媒體如果能有效利用Social Media，憑藉多年基礎及公信力，集合真正有實力的目標客戶，就算沒有十萬八萬粉絲，也可以做到出色的效果、交出真正的銷售成績！ 我總覺得，這些KOL即使有大量粉絲，一切數字最後也只屬虛幻，是KOL還是 lol 絕對也未可知⋯⋯

I have just finished my 10 days- wine trip in Italy. 10 regions for 10 days, which allowed me to have a profound understanding for different regions, and changed my perception to public safety in Italy completely…… Although I have been to this beautiful country for numerous time, every visit caused me a trembling feeling — A gypsy kid was nearly snatched my wallet in Rome during my first time visit in 20years ago. Therefore, I have become very careful about the Italian crime rate. If it is not necessary I would never plan an Italian trip. However, this wine trip brought me with new view for Italy, especially Verona, Florence, and even Rome. I followed with my friends to visit different attractive spots by walking through high streets and back lanes, and the feeling was extremely safety!!! I was glad to enjoy the lovely vibe of Italy, and removed my nightmare of the robbery. I even have an interest to buy real estate in Italy! The enjoyment of Italian trip has already finished, and I have to face the reality with busy work schedule now…… Our Wine Luxe International Awards is going to host at late August and early September, and invite notable wine critics from all over the world to taste and judge over thousands of wine. This year we form our first collaboration with SFBest, we will go to Shenzhen for evaluating the domestic wine in Chinese market, and select some gold medal winning wine to compete our award in Hong Kong. This year we also obtain the support from several consulates and officially recognized bodies, which strongly encourages the wine types from different country to participate the competition, for example, we add sake category in order to diversify and to be all- rounded for the competition. The annual Wine by the Glass Restaurant Awards and HK Top 10 Wine Pairing Restaurant Awards follows with Wine Luxe International Awards, and we have WINE & DINE Festival and Wine and Spirits Fair⋯⋯ Reality is cruel, I believe I won’t have any free day from now until the end of 2017. Deepest Condolences The death news of our friend Patricio De La Fuente, the founder of Link Concept, was an extremely sad thing happened during my Italian trip…… Everytime I was glad to meet Patricio (even though we were not close acquaintance), and discussed with different topics like wine and watches and the others. He was a passionate man, everyone admired his unrestrained attitude. Patricio had a great accomplishment, and I found out he was 3 months older than me, this is why people thinks he is great…… Patricio helped our magazine a lot when we started at the beginning stage, and kept on supporting us later. I am definitely appreciate — Patricio, I wish you can always be joyful with wine. I definitely cannot miss a winefriend like him when I meet him in heaven. 剛剛完成了意大利之旅，10日內去了10個地區，今次不但讓我對意大利不同的地區有更深刻的認識，更令我對意大利的治安完全改觀…… 雖然我去過意大利很多次，但每一次總是懷着戰戰兢兢的心情，因為我在20年前第一次去意大利的時候，便在羅馬遇到吉卜賽小朋友扒手，差一點便被搶去了錢包；自此之後，我便非常在意到意大利的治安，如非必要，也沒有想過安排往意大利旅遊。 但今次的行程讓我對意大利有了新的看法，尤其是在維羅納、佛羅倫斯、甚至在羅馬，我跟一班朋友在晚上穿梭於大街小巷，去到不同的景點參觀，也居然是十分之安全，讓我卒之能放心享受意大利的風情，把多年來的夢魘粉碎，甚至令我有興趣在意大利置業呢！ 享受完意大利的旅程，當然又要回到現實，再一次投入繁忙的工作中⋯⋯今年的Wine Luxe International Awards將在八月底九月初舉行，我們同樣邀請了各地知名的專業評審來到香港，為我們逾千款葡萄酒品鑒、評分。今年我們更首次與順豐優選合作，先在深圳為國內銷售的酒款進行評級，然後挑選其中的金奬酒參與我們香港的大奬賽。今年我們更獲得各國的領事及駐港機構支持，積極鼓勵不同國家的酒類參加，例如今年便增設了清酒類別的評分，務求讓我們的比賽更全面、更多元化！ 過了這次Wine Luxe International Awards之後，又是我們一年一度的Wine by the Glass Restaurant Awards 以及 HK Top 10 Wine Pairing Restaurant Awards，之後又是WINE & DINE Festival 和 Wine and Spirits Fair⋯⋯ 現實是殘酷的，相信由現在至今年年底，我也不會有一天是空閑的了⋯⋯ 深切的悼念 當我在意大利的時候，有一件讓我十分傷感的事情發生，就是我們的朋友、酒壇巨擘、Links Concept 創辦人Patricio De La Fuente的離去⋯⋯ 我跟Patricio 雖然並非深交，但每次見面總是非常高興，講酒講錶天南地北，他也總是熱情如火、滿場穿梭，其瀟灑的氣度也令人羨慕不已；後來才知道，原來他只是大我三個月，能夠有如此成就，又是教人讚嘆⋯⋯ Patricio 在我們雜誌剛起步時已經扶持不少，其後對我們也一直非常支持，我也實在心存感激⋯⋯Patricio, 希望您在天上繼續快樂瀟灑、把酒當歌，日後在天上再遇的時候，絕對不能少了這樣的酒友啊！

Let me tell you a story: Once upon a time there were a bunch of primary students host a party together. Everyone decided to pay for their own party budget but there is one person jumped off the party when she said she has no money. Until next day, a classmate from the other class asked the little girl did she attend to the party with rumours of great snacks and lottery! That little girl suddenly whined with bitterness “No way! They did not invite me! And I’m the one who suggest the lottery, they are the sleazy one who steal my idea! ” The feeling of this primary student can be described in one word: Jealous! ​ The story above is similar to the recent case of one of our client—She was furious when she could not attend to our event. I was extremely happy when the others wanted to participate our events, but that furious client claimed our company plagiarized her idea. Unbelievable! What a huge humiliation! Actually I have worked for advertising and media for almost 20 years, the people who knows me must understand that I am the one who thinks idea for someone rather than someone thinks for me! An uncreative people dares to blame me for plagiarizing her ….Oh Sorry! Please check my record before bragging, I have helped my company and friends many times in terms of business, publicizing, advertising. I can transform my thoughts into action everytime, does not like someone who just brag without action! In fact, some clients are illogical, so there are lots of mediocre people in the world who believe they are intelligent and creative! ​ It is an obvious truth that charge is crucial for business, otherwise, it is called charity when money is not charged! Few months ago, there are a number of innovative people including photographers, designers shares their work on internet, and attracts opportunities for collaboration proposed by other party—ensure a Win-Win situation. If you order someone to do you a favour without any charge, please don’t bother me! I apologize for saying these words, but income is needed for various conditions: a photographer needs it for his living, a company needs it for its employees, and miscellaneous expenses for transportation and entertainment. Even you finish the favours for some annoying clients, they will still blame you and ask for more requests! Sorry! Please stay away from me! Of course, the punishment is skilfully given by one client and gladly accepted by another, and this situation is always happening, “The others don’t charge me”, “They also help me”, “I am helping you”. I have not spoken any words like this, even I have listened for million times. However, someone believes these are reasonable stuffs! When someone closes down their business because of kindly working with you without any charge. Will you regret yourself at that moment? ​ Some clients believe it is a “truth” when the rivals smear you. In order to have business by doing dirty deeds, the normal people do know it is a trap! I do not play little tricks on business, but rather looking for collaborators who share the same interests, benefits and great opportunities together. You can’t force friendship, however, why don’t you let go? I am glad that I have learnt the golden rule from my university lecturer “The person who stands steadily and expands his/her business continuously at the end, which is a proof of proper success!”  講個故事你聽：從前一班小學生開大食會，大家決定夾份買嘢食，點知其中一個小朋友話無錢夾，所以唔參加了。點知第二日隔離班同學仔問佢有無去大食會，啲嘢聽講幾好食喎，仲有抽獎添！呢位同學即刻話「我唔制，佢地都唔叫我！係佢地衰，係我提議抽獎嘅，抄我！」這個小學雞實情係只有兩個字形容⋯⋯葡萄! 🍇 🍇 🍇 ​ 話說最近我地有個客戶，正如上述故事，因為參加唔到我地嘅活動而發爛渣，人家咁俾面、咁想參與，我本應高興都嚟唔切啦！但佢竟然話我地抄佢橋⋯⋯嘩！作為創作人咁樣簡直係侮辱呀！其實我做廣告傳媒都十幾廿年，合作過嘅人都知，從來係我賣橋俾人，無可能要人地俾番橋我嘅！仲要係俾啲無橋無Idea嘅人話我抄佢⋯⋯Oh Sorry! 吹水前都唔該睇吓記錄Fact Check，無論生意、宣傳、廣告，我幫過嘅公司同朋友不計其數，我做過所有項目都係實實在在咁完成，諗過嘅橋都全部係實現咗嘅，唔會學人講過就算做咗！更加無需要把屎橋舊橋當係自己諗嘅，一啲係人都諗到嘅嘢就唔係橋，係常識！當然，有啲客係無常識嘅！所以無橋當有橋、屎橋扮代表嘅絕對大有人在！ ​ 做生意要收錢當然係天經地義，唔收錢嘅事就唔係生意，係善事！好多人在網上分享，有攝影師、有設計師都被人「俾機會」、叫佢地「合作吓」、大家「WIN WIN 」，想唔俾錢就叫人做嘢⋯⋯⋯Sorry! 現在大家都太多「機會」、太多「合作」了，但「你WIN我唔WIN」嘅事真係唔好預我，大家都係搵食啫，唔好話一個攝影師要食飯啦，一間公司要養咁多人，出糧搭車食飯請客，當然要有收入支持，有時請完人飲嘢仲要俾人問點解無嘢食，幫完呢啲客做嘢仲要俾佢話唔掂、俾佢要求多多，對唔住！呢啲客真係唔該「過主」！ ​ 當然，一個願打的客也要有一個願捱的人，就是因為世上還有這樣願捱的奴才，才繼續有這樣無理的客⋯⋯「人地唔收我錢喎」、「佢地都幫我喎」、「我幫緊你咋」，呢啲說話我真係成日聽，聽咗十年、人又大咗十年之後，我自己都講唔出口，竟然仲有人認為係「真理」！人地次次唔收錢，到執笠嘅時候你又情何以堪呢？ ​ 有啲客，對手落毒唱衰又以為係「事實」，要咁樣至攞到生意嘅公司，正常人都知一定會中伏啦！做生意我絕對唔做乜嘢小動作，大家有興趣有好處有錢賺就合作囉，唔同你合作就惡人先告狀都無用㗎，合則來不合則去才是王道嘛，為何永遠放不低呢？到最後，成功未死、仍然企硬、生意越做越大嗰個，就證明係正確啦，大學老師都係咁教㗎！