Toyota has let its quality slide through relentless pursuit of global auto market dominance, zealous efficiency and cost cutting. Will recalls, halting sales and production of models affected by the accelerator problem in the US salvage Toyota’s long held quality and reliability reputation? Toyota already makes the dullest vehicles of any auto maker. What else [...]

Does the China internet space exist in a different sphere whereby rules, policies, market forces, and user habits are so different from rest of the world that no Silicon Valley giants can master? It appears to be the case in this insightful article. http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=141555

Accenture has decided to stay with the animal theme in their latest ads. Instead of the Tiger, the new ads will now feature safer animals including an elephant, a chameleon, frogs, fish. According to Accenture, the news ads were the most preferred in focus group tests. But to us, these ads seem to invite association [...]

Do you think OCBC stretches the truth with the cake commercial if it had no intention of giving a cake to their customers on their birthdays? Interestingly, the commercial ends with “Ask OCBC”. So a blogger did and she finally got her cake after much wrangling. So what should OCBC do now? How about coming [...]

Word of mouth can make or break a new brand. For Google’s Nexus One, complains are piling up due to the limited channels for customer support. In fact there is only one channel – online. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8451473.stm Let’s hope Google can ratify the situation quickly.

The story of Dilmah tea, a great Asian brand created over 20 years ago when Sri Lankan tea exporters were under threat by major international tea companies who started to substitute high quality Sri Lankan tea leaves with cheaper blends from other markets.  Dilmah’s solution? Create a high quality, niche Ceylon tea brand.  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/business/global/09tea.html

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With US and Europe mired in recession, the emerging markets of China, India, and Middle East are more important than ever for luxury brands. Happily for the luxury brand owners, consumers in these parts of the world are as logo mad as ever and have no guilt whatsoever with luxury goods consumption.  The Asian luxury market [...]

What a boring and ordinary name. Surely Google could have chosen a better name? The logo is not that hot either.  A good name is half the battle. I would choose a Blackberry over a Nexus One any day. Although iPhone is by no means original, at least it has a reason for being as the name is linked [...]

Google has partnered with mobile device maker HTC to launch the Nexus One, a  new smart phone brand built on the android platform. The new brand will soon be available in Singapore.  Will you buy it? The Nexus One has a larger screen than iPhone. It is also thinner, narrower, and lighter. It has a better camera and [...]