Category: Financial News

Love All Kinds of Love: Did Bench Create a Fake Controversy With its Gay Couple Billboard Ad?

The “Love All Kinds of Love” ad campaign by Bench (a Philippines’ based clothing brand) is heating up social media with its “defaced” billboard featuring a gay couple. Was the billboard vandalized? Was the billboard censored? or Did Bench marketing staff do the defacing themselves to generate controversy? Is other words, is #PaintTheirHandsBack just an elaborate gimmick?

The Philippines is home to more than 100 million people, so there must be a lot of gay people in the country. Fashion is also one of the industries that seem to be gay tolerant. Bench, a Philippines based clothing brand that now has an international presence, unveiled its ad campaign just in time for Valentine’s. The campaign, titled “Love All Kinds of Love”, featured platonic love between a grandmother (veteran Filipina actress Gloria Romero) and her grandson, and romantic love between straight, gay and lesbian couples.

This was the gay couple ad photo. It features Vince Uy and Nino Gaddi Continue reading Love All Kinds of Love: Did Bench Create a Fake Controversy With its Gay Couple Billboard Ad?

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Philippines’ Best Valentines Deals for 2015

Valentine’s Day is coming. For many businesses, this is the time to make a lot of money from lovestruck consumers. Fortunately, there are still good deals out there. Finance MD has chosen the best ones for Valentine’s.

I looked for the best Valentine’s deals out there. From champagne, to concerts, to peanut butter, and even the ‘red room of pain’ – I have it all. Here are the best sales, promos, freebies, contests, etc. in my opinion:

Continue reading Philippines’ Best Valentines Deals for 2015

The ‘I Love You’ That Cost Billions

In 2000, when people were still naive enough to open email attachments from unknown sources, the ILOVEYOU virus (also known as “I Love You” or “Love Letter” virus) quickly spread and cost billions of dollars in damages and repairs.

It’s only Wednesday but it’s throwback time! Let’s go back to the year 2000, when people communicated online primarily via email. The virus originated in the Philippines, then spread to Hong Kong, to Europe and finally to the United States. The White House, Congress, the FBI and the Pentagon were all affected. The State Department was forced to disconnect its computer systems from the internet, according to a spokesman. The damages was estimated at US$ 5.5 Billion during its first week of spread alone. The final cost (including system repairs) was estimated at US$ 15 Billion.

 

I Love You Virus
“I Love You – and I won’t think you’re stupid for actually opening this attachment.” – is probably the long form of the message.  Image from people.carleton.edu

 

The author of the virus is alleged to be a Filipino Continue reading The ‘I Love You’ That Cost Billions

Men in Capes: Will the Trend Make a Comeback?

Capes as worn by men, had been around for a long time and had been in and out of fashion every now and then. Are they due for a comeback any time soon? Will you invest in one?

Women have always been able to wear capes in a normal setting. But if you’re a man; unless you’re Batman, Superman or going to any type of cosplay gathering, a cape will probably make you look silly.

In Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” video, we actually see a man in a cape. The video is set in present time. However, I doubt if anybody actually walks their dogs dressed like that.

Taylor Swift and Sean O'pry in Blank Space video
You have Taylor Swift, Sean O’Pry in a tux, three Dobermans, a palatial mansion, and yet the wind-blown cape steals the show. Image by mtv.com from the Blank Space music video

 

Nobody has identified what brand the cape is (but many have posted that Taylor is wearing an Elie Saab gown, see related post about Elie Saab here). I checked some shopping websites (ok just one – lyst.com) to see if a cape similar to the one above is available.

 

Here’s what I found: Continue reading Men in Capes: Will the Trend Make a Comeback?

Sex Sells: SM Cinemas Will Miss Out Big on Fifty Shades of Grey Ticket Sales

Fifty Shades of Grey is one of the most highly anticipated movies this year. The movie will hit theatres on February 11, 2015 in the Philippines. However, the biggest cinema chain in the Philippines, SM Cinema, will not be showing Fifty Shades of Grey in its theatres as it follows its traditional rule of not exhibiting R18 movies.

Fifty Shades of Grey, a movie based on the book of the same name by E L James, will hit theatres in most parts of the world this month.

Gif of Bathroom scene in Fifity Shades of Grey movie
Fifty Shades of Grey will be “unveiled” to worldwide audiences this Valentine’s week. Image by popsugar.com from the official movie trailer

 

Fans of the movie in the Philippines will be lucky to see it earlier than most since the movie will open here on February 11, ahead of its February 13 release in the United States.

Decades ago, Hollywood movies are usually shown in the Philippines a few months after their American releases. Due to movie piracy, that practice has changed. Continue reading Sex Sells: SM Cinemas Will Miss Out Big on Fifty Shades of Grey Ticket Sales

The Big Mac Index and Purchasing Power Parity: Which Big Mac is Actually the Yummiest?

The Economist invented the Big Mac Index in 1986 to better demonstrate Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). But does The Economist actually eat the Big Macs in their study? The Big Mac Index assumes parity in value; but I disagree, because Big Macs around the world are not equal in yumminess.

What is PPP? Investopedia defines it as:

An economic theory that estimates the amount of adjustment needed on the exchange rate between countries in order for the exchange to be equivalent to each currency’s purchasing power.

In layman’s terms; if a basket of goods and services is worth US$100 in the United States and an identical basket of goods and services is worth only US$ 77 in the Philippines at current exchange rates, then the Philippine Peso (PHP) is undervalued by 23 %.

Unfortunately, many people in the world no longer use baskets, and deciding which good makes it to the basket may be contentious. Since McDonald’s (see MCD:US latest stock quote), the company that serves Big Macs, can be found in most countries, using the burger as a proxy for the “basket of good and services” makes sense. Of course, the Big Mac method is not accurate; but according to The Economist, this makes the PPP theory more “digestible”.

Digestible? Did The Economist staff actually eat the Big Macs? Do The Economist writers actually eat at McDonald’s? In my opinion, some Big Macs are yummier than others.

 

Here is a rundown from Big Macs from around the world, and a depiction of the countries’ under/ over-valuation against the US Dollar:

 

Big Mac from New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America. Average Price: US$ 4.79

Big Mac in New Haven Connecticut USA
Do students in Yale eat this New Haven Big Mac while debating the merits of the Big Mac Index? Image from spaceofjase.com

My friend spaceofjase liked this burger from New Haven. My opinion: I ate an American Big Mac in Chicago. As the city is the location of franchise no.1, Chicago didn’t mess this up for me. The US Dollar is our base currency here by the way. Continue reading The Big Mac Index and Purchasing Power Parity: Which Big Mac is Actually the Yummiest?

Risk Management: Does Marsh Ltd Insure Against a “Sex Scandal” Risk?

Marsh Ltd, an global insurance company, has been in the news recently for a sex scandal involving its New Zealand employees. Do Marsh’s risk management solutions cover sex scandals?

Two employees having sex in the the Marsh ltd office in Christchurch were seen and filmed by patrons of the nearby Carlton Bar and Eatery.

An office romp in Marsh ltd. Christchurch branch that was witnessed and filmed by patrons of nearby Carlton Bar and Eatery
It started with a kiss. An office romp in Marsh ltd. Christchurch branch that the whole world saw. Image from dailymail.co.uk

 

Companies face different kinds of risks. This is why risk management is so important.

Marsh new zealand logo
Image via newzealand.marsh.com

 

This is how Marsh ltd describes itself in its website:

“Marsh is a global leader in insurance broking and risk management. Marsh helps clients succeed by defining, designing, and delivering innovative industry-specific solutions that help them effectively manage risk.”

Continue reading Risk Management: Does Marsh Ltd Insure Against a “Sex Scandal” Risk?