Category: Social Media

A Blog Post to Gold’s Gym Philippines: “Thanks” for Kicking Us Members Out!

In June 2015, Gold’s Gym Philippines surprised its Sheridan branch club members by kicking them out without considerable notice. The reason — the Sheridan Gold’s Gym branch had become Nike’s House of Rise.

 

Golds Gym Sheridan becomes Nike's House of Rise
Gold’s Gym Sheridan becomes Nike’s House of Rise. Meanwhile, Gold’s Sheridan members were displaced. Image from Adobo Magazine Facebook page.

 

I’m happy for Gold’s Gym Sheridan for getting this gig, but did the gym have to kick out its members? Unfortunately for the members, Gold’s Sheridan is still pocketing the member’s money while raking in the Nike millions. That’s stinkier than a used pair of gym shorts.

Why was the Sheridan Gold’s gym branch chosen as the site for Nike’s Rise program?   Continue reading A Blog Post to Gold’s Gym Philippines: “Thanks” for Kicking Us Members Out!

Advertisement

Picture Perfect: Ten Ridiculous Things People Do When Asked to Submit A Professional Looking Recent Photo

I also have an upcoming stint as a speaker for a conference. I’m going to talk about investments to a group of doctors. They asked me to submit a picture for the marketing materials and the conference program handbook.

There’s a problem. I don’t have respectable and professional looking photos of myself. Well I do, but they are framed graduation pictures from decades past, so they are no longer appropriate.

Can I use this picture? Errrr, a  lot of people seem to use them in their profile pics.

facebook default no profile pic
If I use this pic, people may recognize me from Facebook – “Hey, aren’t you the default avatar guy?” Facebook default no profile pic. Image from Facebook.com

 

When asked to submit a professional looking photo, these are the ridiculous things people do:  – I’m guilty of many of these by the way.

 

Continue reading Picture Perfect: Ten Ridiculous Things People Do When Asked to Submit A Professional Looking Recent Photo

Newsflash (Serious!) : Fely Viloria Sicam Was Awarded Best Columnist by the “Moonies” Church

 

This is NOT a joke. Ms. Felicitas ‘Fely’ Viloria Sicam of “Are Resident Doctors Really Doctors?” fame really won as Best Columnist in 2015 (in the whole Philippines, no less!) from the Universal Peace Federation, an organization under the Unification Church which some deride as the “Moonies cult”.

Many of my doctor colleagues (the md in thefinancemd stands for an MD degree after all) have already given their opinions about Ms. Felicitas “Fely” Viloria Sicam’s now infamous article (read it here). However, I decided to put myself in her shoes and act as an “investigative journalist”. Here is what I found in my research:

 

Fely Sicam best columnist award 2015 from the Universal Peace Federation
Felicitas ‘Fely’  Viloria Sicam, (center) was awarded Best Columnist in January 2015 by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF). (From left to right): Reverend Julius Malicdem, President – UPF Philippines; Thomas Walsh, President – UPF International;  Chang Sik Yang, Chairman – UPF International and Chong Sik Yong, Regional Chair – UPF Asia. Image from Mindanao Times

 

Why did she win the Best Columnist award from the Universal Peace Federation, an organization under the Unification Church, also widely known as the “Moonies“?  This is where it gets juicy…

Continue reading Newsflash (Serious!) : Fely Viloria Sicam Was Awarded Best Columnist by the “Moonies” Church

(Re)Born This Way: The Importance of Brand Reinvention

The image of a product, company, organization or individual might get tarnished, outdated, or irrelevant. This is when brand reinvention becomes necessary. When Lady Gaga received a standing ovation from Hollywood A Listers after she sang “The Sound of Music” medley at the Academy Awards, many observers saw that as the culmination of her reinvention.

Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga “Sound of Music” tribute at the 87th Academy Awards. Gif by micdotcom of Tumblr from the Oscar telecast

 

When a brand loses a significant part of its relevance, fan base, or income – just like what Lady Gaga experienced in recent years – reinvention becomes necessary.  Continue reading (Re)Born This Way: The Importance of Brand Reinvention

To Celebrate EDSA 2015, Philippine Government “Recreates” Traffic Jam Scene from World War Z

Today is the 29th Anniversary of the People’s Power Revolution (also known as EDSA I locally, there are EDSA II and III revolutions as well) in the Philippines. The government decided to close a significant and centrally located part of EDSA (it is the main and busiest thoroughfare in Metro Manila) to celebrate the anniversary. Being a regular weekday, many people going to work were stuck in traffic for hours. The pile up of cars became similar to the traffic jam scene in World War Z  or that in The Dark Knight, whichever was worse.

EDSA Traffic during the 2015 People Power Celebrations
Are these people fleeing from a Zombie apocalypse, or residents escaping from Gotham after the Joker threatened to blow up the city? Sadly. It’s the effect of someone closing EDSA. Image from @hvacajilog at Instagram

 

To celebrate the anniversary of the EDSA I revolution, somebody had the bright idea of closing up a significant stretch of EDSA – on a busy workday! Continue reading To Celebrate EDSA 2015, Philippine Government “Recreates” Traffic Jam Scene from World War Z

Australian PM (sort of) Tells Indonesia: How Can You Kill Our Drug Traffickers? We Gave You a Lot of Money During the Tsunami

Two Australians Andrew Chan and Myaran Sukumaran, convicted of drug trafficking, are awaiting execution in Indonesia. In an effort to convince the Indonesian government to stay the execution, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said “Let’s not forget that a few years ago when Indonesia was struck by the Indian ocean tsunami, Australia sent a billion dollars worth of assistance”. Strong words or just plain horrible? What’s your say?

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran
Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. Image by Anita Kesuma

 

The two, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were the ringleaders of a group that has earned the monicker “Bali Nine”. Continue reading Australian PM (sort of) Tells Indonesia: How Can You Kill Our Drug Traffickers? We Gave You a Lot of Money During the Tsunami

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?