Varman Subarmaniam

#byezus trending on X... Zus Coffee PR missteps? I found the way Zus Coffee handles this interesting..2 statements within 2 days? Good or bad PR? Zus Coffee is at the centre of a social media storm following a controversial collaboration that sparked significant backlash on social media. They are facing criticism for their perceived insensitivity to 🍉. And this happens in the midst of other pathetic nonsense by Malaysian celebrities..AzharSulaiman (really nonsense) and Ning Baizura (All eyes on Rafah, whats that?). In response, Zus Coffee issued a statement that avoided mentioning Palestine and used the term "war" instead of "genocide," attempting to take a neutral stance. The initial response backfired, causing the hashtag #ByeZus to trend on X. Competitors like Gigi Coffee, Kenangan Coffee, and other local brands gained traction as X users mentioned brands that they should shift to. After 21 hours of continuous backlash, Zus Coffee issued a second statement, this time clearly supporting Palestine. However, the damage to the brand’s reputation had already been done. This case highlights the importance of carefully choosing words in public statements, especially when apologising or addressing sensitive issues. The initial attempt to remain neutral came across as tone-deaf, exacerbating the situation. Companies should be more aware of trends like #BlockOut2024, which encourage boycotts and can significantly impact brand perception. Staying attuned to social sentiments and cultural dynamics is essential. Hence, the need for skilled PR writers who understand cultural nuances, trends, and sensitivities is crucial. In today’s world, where every words are scrutinised, screen shot and shared...with comments and opinions...a well-crafted, culturally aware response can make all the difference in maintaining public trust and brand integrity. Humanising the approach and showing genuine empathy will definitely helps. Btw...as a Malaysian brand Zus Coffee should be more aware where our heart truly lie... We always stand for #Palestine ...and we are the ones spends hundreds a month on coffee....Coffee??? Even kopi cap gantang suffice.. PR lessons learned: be sensitive, tak payah berlagak neutral..take your stand...

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Anxiety can take many forms, and one of them is 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒙𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒚. Did I believe it existed? Not at first. My journey began 15 years ago when I was 25, with just RM5k in my bank account and a laptop as my only companion. I launched my PR agency with no clients and no background in the field. Was it terrifying? Absolutely. I was overwhelmed with fear—fear of running out of resources, of not finding clients, of rejection. Would it mean I was a failure? The uncertainties were countless. But deep down, I knew I couldn’t give up. So, I took time to reflect and understand the roots of my fears. I focused on what I could control and learned to accept what I couldn’t. I started meditating, prioritising my goals, and adapting to the changes life threw at me, just like the pandemic. I took things one step at a time, at my own pace. And no matter how small the victories, I celebrated each one with gratitude. Remember to stay motivated and celebrate your progress. No matter how small, every step forward is a win. 𝐾𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑! For more stories, follow #thatbespokeguy, XAVIER MAH. . . #PR #PRconsultant #PRstrategist #PublicRelations #BrandStrategist #Branding #Brandconsultant #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur

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This post is for Star Media Group Berhad social media team to see. Of all social media headlines, is your editor reading the headline in a 3rd person or a 2nd person voice? Why did you put a closed ended question on a headline on social media? You left the audience with a Yes or No answer. Sometimes, when these accidents or news have already happened a few days ago, you decide to put up this post. What do you expect your audience to answer? Hmmmmm..... You tell me. English gone bad? Or lack of journalism quality? #journalism #news #factcheck

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Why Do You Need Public Relations 點解要公關？ Wong Tze Wah once said: "One cannot live without public relations" As long as there is an opportunity for the public, whether it is a public figure or a company, doing PR is a must. 子華神講過：「做人無公關，食屎架喇」，只要有機會面���大眾，無論係公眾人物還是企業就一定需要公關 Read our latest articles for PR Tips 閱讀最新文章: https://lnkd.in/gXNHtsVT

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It's been a month since I kicked off the mid-year checkpoint for District 51 this term, starting from November 2024. We began with the District Officers Training (similar to Head of Departments) on 9 & 10 Nov 2024, with tremendous support from Past Leaders Kiang Faang Pyng, KK Chee, CY Chung, TLI Chair (Head of Learning & Development) Grace Chan and the team — Helen Teoh , Tharmizy, and Steven Wee — along with the Club Growth extended team: Khian Kwong Lim, Sawiah Jusoh , and David Li. During this session, we reviewed the performance of the past four months, comparing it to our targeted goals. Gaps were identified, and strategic plans were put in place to achieve them. The following weekends were filled with mid-year check-ins with the club leaders from the eight Divisions under my care. The travel between KL and Penang was undoubtedly demanding, but every trip was worth it as I supported back-to-back training sessions nearly every weekend. I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support of Program Quality Director (Education) Radzi and Club Growth Director (Marketing) Huei Ying Lim , who have always been by my side. I am delighted that the following goals were successfully checked off during this series of mid-year trainings: ➡️Alignment on Goals: Ensuring that we are all on the same page about our strategic objectives. ➡️Celebrating Achievements: Taking the time to recognize the milestones and successes we’ve achieved together. ➡️Identifying Challenges: Addressing roadblocks and obstacles that may have hindered progress. ➡️Resource Assessment: Evaluating whether we have the necessary tools and support to meet our goals. ➡️Enhancing Work Experience: Gathering feedback to improve our work environment and job satisfaction. This leadership journey with Toastmasters has deepened my insights on how to lead and inspire a team toward achieving our goals. I truly enjoy this experience, and it has proven to be incredibly applicable to my personal life as well. #CharmingCarmen #Toastmasters #Leadership #Communication #District51 #LeadershipJourney #PersonalGrowth #GoalSetting #Teamwork #Motivation #MidYearReview #TrainingAndDevelopment #PublicSpeaking #inspiration

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𝐋𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐠: 𝐀 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 . . . Lahore’s air quality has reached alarming levels. What used to be a seasonal issue has now become a constant health hazard, affecting millions daily. The thick blanket of smog over our city is not just a matter of inconvenience; it's a severe threat to public health and our way of life. Research shows that breathing in this toxic air can lead to respiratory illnesses, heart problems, and weakened immune systems. Long-term exposure is even more dangerous, potentially shaving years off our lives. For children, the elderly, and those with existing health conditions, the risks are particularly high. While we can't eliminate smog overnight. 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬: 🔹 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞: Limit outdoor activities, especially during peak smog hours. If you have to go out, try to do so in the late morning or early afternoon when air quality might slightly improve. 🔹 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: A well-fitted mask (preferably N95) can reduce the inhalation of harmful particles, giving you an added layer of defense. 🔹 𝐀𝐢𝐫 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞: Invest in air purifiers to create a safer indoor environment. This can help filter out pollutants and improve the air you breathe at home. 🔹 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝: Drink plenty of water to help your body flush out toxins. Consuming foods rich in antioxidants can also support your respiratory health. 🔹 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: Educate those around you about the severity of smog and the importance of precautionary measures. Community awareness can drive collective action. Lahore’s smog isn’t just an environmental issue. it’s a public health crisis. This isn’t something we can ignore or wait for others to fix. We need government initiatives, corporate responsibility, and individual action to tackle this problem. Clean air is a right, not a privilege. Let’s protect our health, our families, and our city by making informed choices and advocating for sustainable changes. Together, we can breathe a little easier. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗼𝗴? 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄. 👇 #LahoreSmogn #CleanAir #AirPollution #HealthAndSafety #EnvironmentalCrisis #SmogAwareness #ProtectOurHealth #PollutionFreeLahore #EcoFriendly #ClimateAction #AirQualityMatters #StaySafe #BreatheClean #SustainableFuture #FightForCleanAir #CMMubeen #Mubeen

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PRESS RELEASE Just a suggestion. The company's media team could provide some insights on a particular issue. For example, the fines imposed by Bank Negara on Maybank and CIMB might have an impact in terms of brand reputation and product competition at this time. From there, you can give the journalist ideas to produce analyses instead of just regular news reporting. Try discussing it with your media monitoring agency. Hope this helps. #media #prteam #mediamonitoring #pressrelease #editorial

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Let's stay connected! 👋 Follow our new page, SD Guthrie Berhad, for the latest updates and news on #SDGuthrie!

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Contents made by Resafella, our Content Writer,  amplified Negeri Jahe Merah's LinkedIn presence, gaining 1.2K+ followers. Her approach could be complex but may be effective for you. Here are the eight phases she completes for each editorial and story development.

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An increase of 130% in media attendance. My client had been attempting to invite the Malaysian media through DIY PR efforts. Unfortunately, their efforts fell short because no media attended. After partnering with me for professional PR services, the client saw a significant boost in media attendance on their event day. I managed to secure the attendance of 15 journalists from 13 different publications, far surpassing their initial goal. It is a 1-month campaign period, whereby I deliver the media invitations, monitor the attendance closely, and coordinate with the media on the event day. This allows my client to focus on: 🎯 Health: Enhanced brand visibility and reputation in the Malaysian market. 🎯 Wealth: Increased media coverage in Malaysia leading to higher potential business opportunities. 🎯 Relationships: Strengthened relationships with top and medium-tier media, establishing a foundation for future collaboration. 🎯 Time: Saved the client considerable time by handling all PR logistics, allowing them to focus on core business activities. I have prepared a strategic PR plan that includes personalised media outreach, crafting compelling press releases, and coordinating the media event. This ensures that the right journalists attend and feature the event, aligning with the client's objectives. In the end, 15 journalists from 13 publications from top and medium-tier attended my client’s event, providing widespread coverage and enhancing their brand visibility. #MelPR #PublicRelation #Media #Mediaevent #MediaAttendance

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I will always advocate for education Some view qualifications as overrated because nowadays, there are careers where one can flourish without education. I on the other hand will always advocate for people to get a qualification, because for some of us that is how we got our foot in the door! #LessonsFromMyCareerJourney

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Astrotalk Astrotalk Gems ~ A Major Disappointment!! As a communications professional, I understand the power of marketing. But what happens when aggressive marketing efforts fail to deliver on the promised value? That’s exactly what I experienced with Astrotalk I was curious to try #Astrotalk after seeing all the buzz. The platform’s marketing campaigns are everywhere, and I decided to see if it was worth the hype. Unfortunately, my experience was far from satisfactory. I had a session with one of their astrologers, #Sabhajit, and the consultation left much to be desired. The responses I received lacked depth and professionalism, leading me to rate the astrologer with 2 stars. What happened next was shocking. I received a follow-up message that was nothing short of #blackmailing. It’s unacceptable for a service provider to react this way to feedback. #Customerexperiences and honest reviews are critical for any business, and #blackmailing or #threatening clients when ratings aren't favorable is not only #unethical but #harmful to the brand’s reputation. Puneet Gupta and the Astrotalk team, it’s time to look beyond your marketing strategies and address these issues on your platform. It’s essential to ensure that your users are not subjected to #unprofessional behavior from your service providers. Prioritize the #quality and #integrity of your offerings before pushing more #promotions. To anyone considering Astrotalk, Be cautious. A #polishedmarketing campaign doesn’t always reflect a quality service. Puneet Gupta Astrotalk Astrotalk Gems AstroTalk I hope you take this feedback seriously and take the necessary steps to improve. #Astrotalk #CustomerExperience #FeedbackMatters #PR #Ethics #Marketing #Astrology Asian News International (ANI) Press Trust of India (PTI) IANS India Private Limited (Indo Asian News Service) The Economic Times Hindustan Times Financial Express (India) BW Businessworld News18 India ZEE News

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What is the future of the Advertising Industry in Malaysia ? Prof Harmandar Singh shed some light and tackles the pros and cons of several measurement units so well put. The media owners and agencies MUST come to…. We’ll have a listen . Check the whole podcast out for some gems . di comment section Ada link

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Let’s put aside privatisation… Malaysia Airports have been working so hard in recent months to make thing better for the travellers. I personally experienced their enhancement in term of smoothness to get into the gate and also baggage handling, especially being travelling solo most of the time. Thanks for carrying my rock heavy luggage without me asking for a favour 🥹 Time to appreciate their effort tho I put my heart and soul into writing this piece #MalaysiaAirports #Aviationnews #Bernamanews #KishoKumari #MalaysiaAviation #Aviationlove

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What has led me to branding is due to what I have studied in my Diploma course at Singapore Polytechnic which is Diploma and Visual Communications and Media Design and my current Bachelor Degree courses as of the time of writing at Murdoch University which is a Double Major in Marketing and Web Communications. Branding is a topic that overlaps between the studies of my diploma and bachelor degree. To add on,being part of a Student Chapter in the Institute of Public Relations of Singapore has exposed me to Public Relations. That is also another crucial aspect that would be related to branding. In what sense do all of them relate to branding? Visual Communication and Media Design : Visual Brand identity, Brand Guidelines, designing advertisements,packaging and relevant graphics which can benefit brands. Marketing: Marketing for Brands, Segmentation, Differentiation and Positioning for brands Web Communication: Digital Strategies that Brands can use for their web and social media content. Public Relations: How brands can maintain good relationships with their brand community and beyond Therefore, I shall describe further how all of these relate to branding in detail. Firstly when relating to what I have studied in my diploma, branding identity and brand guidelines would come to mind. Designing advertisements, packaging and other relevant graphics can also support branding. When relating to marketing, segmentation, differentiating and positioning brands can be considered. In the fields of Web communications, creating digital strategy and a social media presence would be important. Lastly with Public relations, brands can maintain a good relationship with their brand community and other stakeholders. These are some of the examples and many more aspects with branding do exist. Therefore branding serves as a bridge between what I have studied for my Diploma and Bachelor’s Degree. Branding is also a concept that interests me because it can be interdisciplinary in nature being related to business, culture, the society and beyond while also being related to creativity. More posts about branding would be soon to come!

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On Wednesday, August seventh, two thousand and twenty-four, I attended the MySkill short class through Zoom and YouTube with the theme Brand Identity Design with the speaker Mr. Hendy Firdaus as Brand Creative Asst. Manager of Lion Parcel at half past eight until nine in the evening and I have completed the portfolio of assignments from the short class given by MySkill. Points that can be learned from the Brand Identity Design Short Course organized by MySkill X Lion Parcel include: • A deep understanding of the target market and consumers is essential in creating a brand identity. Companies must understand the characteristics, needs and preferences of their audience and identify the values and personality of the brand they want to convey. • Companies must conduct differentiation and positioning to identify the unique elements that distinguish their brand from competitors and place it clearly in the minds of consumers as a relevant and attractive choice. • Visual identity plays an important role in forming a strong brand identity. This includes logos, designs, colors, and typography. Companies need to develop visual elements that reflect their personality and brand values, and are consistent in their use across various communication channels. • Consistency is the key to a successful brand identity. The identity must be consistent across all platforms. Flexibility is also important, but changes must remain in one corridor so that the audience who sees it can still recognize the brand. •  The process of building a brand identity is not a one-off process. Companies must continuously evaluate and adjust the branding identity based on feedback from consumers and changes in the market. That way, the brand identity remains relevant and effective. #learnatmyskill #portofolio #lionparcel #blibli #myskill #shortclass #brandidentitydesign #brandidentity

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Last Tuesday was my last day as the Digital Marketing Head at ANGLE BELEARN. I joined Angle Belearn in April 2023. At that time, even as I was selected for the role of Digital Marketing Strategist, I also received a very good offer for an SEO Executive position at an MNC company in Cyberpark, Kozhikode. I was quite confused at that time. 🤔 During the HR round of the interview at Angle Belearn, I wasn't very satisfied with the package. But HR Navajyoth T told me, "You'll definitely get good exposure here at Erfan." Also, the company was in a growing stage at that time. Anyway, without considering the package, I joined Angle Belearn, focusing only on my skill growth opportunities. Within six months of joining, I was promoted to the position of Digital Marketing Head. I have never regretted my decision. 😊 When I joined, there were only 6 staff members and co-founders. I was the only one in the Digital Marketing team. Later, the company grew, and I also grew along with my Digital Marketing team, which expanded to a team of 7 people. The total employee count of the company grew to more than 50 people, and it's still growing. I got a great team that values a lot. I couldn't build very good connections during my college life, but here, I got to meet many good people who listen to me and understand me😊 I find it a bit difficult to leave, but I have a lot of things to prove myself. For that, I need to move to a more challenging atmosphere where I can get more exposure. Today, as I complete my last day at ANGLE BELEARN, I can confidently say that I have changed a lot in these 2 years. I've undergone a remarkable transformation as a person, with significant improvements in my character, skills, and attitude😊 Thank you, team. This journey with you has been very beautiful. I will definitely miss those memorable days😊

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