A blacklist, apparently compiled by communications agency professionals of social media influencers, caused a stir last week when it began to be circulated over Whatsapp groups and then on social media. The list divided these influencers, aka KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) aka Buzzers into those with Bad and Good Behavior and invited comments. Since it […]
Author Archives: unspun
On why Maverick will not go to Singapore to accept an award it has won
Why, if we have won a regional PR award for Crisis Management, will we not attend the awards ceremony in Singapore next month? I explain why in the post below in the Maverick blog. —– Flushed with our Gold Standard Award for Issues Management and Crisis Communications in Hong Kong in December last year, we […]
Are environmental NGOs cowed into silence about the industry most responsible for environmental destruction?
This is what I wrote for The Palm Scribe, a platform focussed on the development of the palm oil industry in Indonesia. “Suggest you watch the documentary “Cowspiracy” if you have Netflix,” said the cryptic message from a friend of mine in the palm oil industry. I took his suggestion, watched the documentary that allegedly […]
An actual story of Indonesia’s loss because of the LGBT madness
It says a lot about Indonesia today that when an employee of mine recently quit his job to apply for asylum in Canada on grounds that he’s gay and feels discriminated against in Indonesia, they not only put him on the Protected Person’s list as they usually do to asylum seekers – they classified him […]
Two sides of IDX head Tito Sulistio in balcony collapse incident
Is Indonesian Exchange President Director Tito Sulistio a callused, professional devoid of any empathy or a caring man of action who responded selflessly and bravely to the disaster when the balcony of the stock exchange building collapsed yesterday? Well, it depends on which aspect you see and base your impression of the man on. If […]
Dumb and Dumber: Water, Water everywhere and Jakartans should be thankful for it
In my old age I had thought I had left hatred behind. You know, that visceral bile-like feeling that makes you want to rage, to laah out at the stupidity before you. I was wrong. Now when I see the faces of Governor Anies Baswedan or his Deputy Sandi Uno, or hear thw utter rubbish, […]
Dumb and Dumber: From Alexis to 4Play
Not since Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels created the characters of lloyd and Harry in Dumb and Dumber has there been anyone as stupid as the celluloid characters as the present Gakbener Anis an and his deputy Sandi. Jakartans who had been used to the former Governor Ahok talk sense and being straight forward have […]
JWT’s decision to tap a PR professional to head advertising and digital agencies – good or bad idea
Unspun thinks its the best idea since tempe but then again, he’s biased to the PR profession. But JWT has taken a huge step in appointing former Ogilvy PR and Pulse boss Marianne Adamardatine to head its operations in Indonesia, that includes digital agency Mirium. If it works it will open the doors to lots […]
The call to boycott Traveloka
I posted this in the Maverick blog today: Deliberate misunderstandings and righteous piety seems to be the order of the day in Indonesia’s poisoned and acrimonious political settingThe latest flap involves a call to boycott travel site Traveloka and uninstall their mobile app following a walkout by detractors when newly installed Governor Anies […]
Where would we be placed?
I suppose one should congratulate The Hoffman Agency for opening shop in Indonesia. They have a curious way of evaluating how they differentiate themselves in this market though, best exemplified by this chart of theirs: In their reckoning, until they came around clients in Indonesia had to choose between bureaucratic, international-standard agencies or high touch […]
