Another Kancil (No, nothing to do with automobile)
It's so funny to see things on the other side as I was just reading my last year's blog entry on Kancil awards (it's basically the only local advertising excellence award night)and my oh my, the table has turned.
Last year I was determined to make award winning as part of my KPI (Key performance index) and I indeed tried very hard but nothing really came out from it. This year, I watched the accounts that I used to handle win this and that and I was thinking, if only I have stayed for awhile more. Another bitch (ex colleague) who is also known as My Girlfriend was sitting not too far from our table has the cheek to come over and told me that I could join their winning table if I wanted to.
Thinking about it all over again, I am so much better off than them. Sure they are winning some Kancils but that's about what they have to cheer about these days. People are leaving, the accounts are shrinking, times are getting harder and there's little to be happy about. I am now at a better performing agency, handling the star account, all kinds of help and resources are at my disposal and I can look forward to a healthy increment and perhaps maybe a small bonus as well.
But most importantly it's my boss B. He's really the sweetest, nicest, bestest (if there's such a word) boss in the whole wide world and when everything else fails, I told myself that I have to press on with whatever I do because I cannot bear to dissapoint such a great boss. Sure, I wasn't saying that he's good just because he kept on buying us rounds of drinks and also because he actually tried and get everyone in the team a seat at Kancil instead of crashing in later on. Unlike my previous agency...rolleyes. Well there was plenty of bumping into people that you know, hi bye, muah muah air kiss and all that...plenty of posers as well but it comes with the territory I guess and did I mention, tons and tons of cute cute boys. None for me though.
Looking at things again, are awards that important? For the creative team yes but there's no such thing as "may the best work wins". Six of the judges from six local agencies - all their agencies came out as top winners wherelse the rest are just sitting there looking pretty. All except for the well deserving Yasmin Ahmad's Petronas Merdeka ad - the campaign TVC whereby she went around interviewing school kids and all. Comes in a series of three and this is the crowd's favourite called Tan Hong Ming in Love.
I am not implying it's not fair or anything sour grapey but hey that's the fact of life. I was very impressed with my team, they worked so hard and yet so underrated but they didn't show any sign of dissapointment and in fact I know they will try again next year despite the odds. I am begining to think perhaps that where I am working could very well be one of the most misunderstood but best agency in town. Maybe I am starting to fall in love with it.
It's certainly eye opening to walk on the other side and see things differently. Sure, I might never win a Cannes like my ex boss did but I am happy where I am now, trophy or otherwise.
Last year I was determined to make award winning as part of my KPI (Key performance index) and I indeed tried very hard but nothing really came out from it. This year, I watched the accounts that I used to handle win this and that and I was thinking, if only I have stayed for awhile more. Another bitch (ex colleague) who is also known as My Girlfriend was sitting not too far from our table has the cheek to come over and told me that I could join their winning table if I wanted to.
Thinking about it all over again, I am so much better off than them. Sure they are winning some Kancils but that's about what they have to cheer about these days. People are leaving, the accounts are shrinking, times are getting harder and there's little to be happy about. I am now at a better performing agency, handling the star account, all kinds of help and resources are at my disposal and I can look forward to a healthy increment and perhaps maybe a small bonus as well.
But most importantly it's my boss B. He's really the sweetest, nicest, bestest (if there's such a word) boss in the whole wide world and when everything else fails, I told myself that I have to press on with whatever I do because I cannot bear to dissapoint such a great boss. Sure, I wasn't saying that he's good just because he kept on buying us rounds of drinks and also because he actually tried and get everyone in the team a seat at Kancil instead of crashing in later on. Unlike my previous agency...rolleyes. Well there was plenty of bumping into people that you know, hi bye, muah muah air kiss and all that...plenty of posers as well but it comes with the territory I guess and did I mention, tons and tons of cute cute boys. None for me though.
Looking at things again, are awards that important? For the creative team yes but there's no such thing as "may the best work wins". Six of the judges from six local agencies - all their agencies came out as top winners wherelse the rest are just sitting there looking pretty. All except for the well deserving Yasmin Ahmad's Petronas Merdeka ad - the campaign TVC whereby she went around interviewing school kids and all. Comes in a series of three and this is the crowd's favourite called Tan Hong Ming in Love.
I am not implying it's not fair or anything sour grapey but hey that's the fact of life. I was very impressed with my team, they worked so hard and yet so underrated but they didn't show any sign of dissapointment and in fact I know they will try again next year despite the odds. I am begining to think perhaps that where I am working could very well be one of the most misunderstood but best agency in town. Maybe I am starting to fall in love with it.
It's certainly eye opening to walk on the other side and see things differently. Sure, I might never win a Cannes like my ex boss did but I am happy where I am now, trophy or otherwise.
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but really. :)