The worst has passed. The horrors of the assay of our abilty has left us, leaving us with the luxury of time, a privilege that had avoided us since the education term began. Now its back in our arms, back in our embrace...

However, with each chapter closed, a new one emerges. It is up to the individual to assess these challenges, and make the necessary adjustments, changes, and sacrifices to satisfy the lowest common denominator. No room for mistakes, no room for procrastination. All that matters is the indivdualistic quality of accustomisation and acclimatation, and living through them is all that counts.

A personal doctrine oversees all that you will go through in life, from handling touchy girlfriends to accepting that major corporate rejection. This dogma is crucial and vital for one's survival in this gritty, cut-throat world. One diversion or digression from this corpus of principles might spell certain doom if the individual is not careful. The unitary's own idiosyncrasies may further jeopardise his own fate, if not kept in proper check.

For those utterly without social redeeming value, do not fret. The situation can be salvaged. If you have been blacklisted or condemned from aiding a failed coup-de-grace or foiled diabolical intention, you can recoup your losses, raise refreshed support and try again. However, if your vested or purient interests have time and again compromised your work quality and disrupted the lives and process of a pressing issue, your path to enlightenment would be a tough, if not impossible one. Then again, "there was only one road to freedom, I had no choice".

All of us should practise the prinicple of caveat emptor,and be on your guard at all times. You may never know what is coming, never see what is lying in wait to bring you your untimely demise. A fatal stab in the back is all someone needs to remove your exsistence from the face of the Earth.

***

Thats all I'm going to share with you people for today. Tune in next time for more boring philosophical posts. =)

MARKETING TERM PROJECT

Instructions and Guidelines

Product Categories for November 2005

One-time-use 2 Step Rocket

or

Communications Satellite

Group Project

Objective

To check for understanding of the material being presented in the course.
To develop basic investigative and marketing analysis skills.
To demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge learned to a practical problem.
To provide students with opportunities to practice communication skills through interaction with other group members.
To become competent in the writing and presentation of data.
To understand the workflow and execution of creatives in an advertising campaign through an integrated approach in marketing communication.

Scope of the Project

The scope of the project should enable the student to analyse the selected problem, apply appropriate knowledge and to recommend a course of action. This should be done on the basis of the quantitative and qualitative information obtained. Projects that solely describe a certain situation or record basic facts are not acceptable.

Project Details

1. You will assume the role of a marketing team, assigned to describe the marketing plan of a product and its brand in the proposed product category. Each group’s basic assignment is to explain how their chosen product is being marketed. Each group must try to follow guidelines given in the report structure when writing the final report for submission.
2. At the end of the report you are to recommend how to make this product successful in Singapore marketing place and provide a formal presentation to both tutor and client (NASA).
3. Your choice of the product and brand is subject to final approval by your tutor.
4. Each team should have 5 members ideally but not more than 6 members. Any variations will be resolved in class by your tutor.
5. You are encouraged to work on the project throughout the semester to reinforce the course material. Set aside some time every week and work on the project. Do not leave it to last minute. Consistency is the key to success.
6. The report should not be longer than 40 pages (excluding attachments). It should be double-spaced, 12 point font size.
7. Any plagiarism will be dealt with severely.

Project Description

Client: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Objective:To conduct an exploratory and description research and develop a marketing plan for the above mentioned product categories (choose one per group). The client wishes to know understand the needs and wants of the local market and verify whether a micromarketing approach is needed in the asian market.

One-time-use 2 Step Rocket:

NASA wishes to deveop a space program for land-locked Singapore without disrupting the lives of her nieghbours. Develop a product to suit this.

Communications Satellite:

NASA wishes to help Singapore develop its own satellites. For this, Creative has agreed to join hands with NASA. Develop a product to achieve this goal.

Approach: This project will integrate with the skills learned in your other THREE modules – Graphic Communication, Web Design and Graphics and Location Video Production. The idea generation will be developed in this module, and the execution of ideas or creatives (website, print ads, brochures, bus ads, TV ads, etc) will be developed in the other THREE modules you are enrolled in.

Deliverables:

-A marketing plan that will provide possible product ideas and market opportunities.

-A series of print advertisments(posters,brochures,etc) showcasing your product idea

-A website demonstrating your product

-3 30-sec TV ads showing your product to the target audience

-A final oral presentation will be required to display all works from the 4 affected modules. NASA's team would also be present to judge the sessions.

Note:This is a REAL and VERY POWERFUL CLIENT we are serving!!!Do not screw up!

Assessment Criteria

Marks for the reports will be awarded according to:

-thoroughness of research
-relevant information
-consistency of information
-appropriate use of marketing concepts and terminology
-soundness of recommendations
-application to Singapore as the marketplace
-practicality and creativity (conceptualisation and execution)
-organisation of report

Description & Due Date
Week 4
SWOT & Competitive Analysis
(Country and Industry Profile)

20 Marks

Week 7
Research findings of consumer behaviour (customer profile)
20 Marks

Week 10
Tutorial consultation: submission of Templates 1-4
5 Marks

Week 12
Tutorial consultation: submission of Templates 5
5 Marks

Week 14
Final Submission
-format
-relevancy
-viability
-creativity
-application of concepts to market
30 Marks

Week 15
Oral Presentation
20 Marks

Total…
100 Marks

Resources of Information

-Ngee Ann Polytechnic Library Books (e.g. Rocket Science)

-Ngee Ann Polytechnic Library, Databases (e.g. Global Marketing Database,Reuters Business Briefing)

-Ngee Ann Polytechnic Library, Databases by Title, Kompass.com, The Business to Business Search Engine

-Public Libraries

-Registry of Companies And Businesses, International Plaza, 10 Anson Road, #05-01/15, S079903 (e.g. Business Profile @S$5, Company Annual Report S$1/page)

-Newspapers

-Public Listed Company Annual Reports

-Brochures and Flyers

-Exhibitions

-Magazines

-Advertisements

-Internet Websites

-Department of Statistics, Ministry of Trade & Industry, 100 High Street,
#05-01, The Treasury, S179434

Sample Bibliography in APA Style

Armstrong, G. & Kotler, P. (2000). Marketing: An Introduction. (7th ed.). New Jersey:
Prentice Hall.

Yet another day.

Another typical day.

I emerged from a fitful slumber at around half past 8, and got ready to proceed to the school campus to start editing our video production. The meeting time was at nine-thirty, but I expected them to be late. As usual.

And I was not disappointed.

The latecomers streamed into the facility one after another, muttering profuse apologies and even the occasional threat. Alas, all these are part and parcel of our very existence, and the best we can do is to take them in our stride. Or, in harsher terms...

Adapt or die.

Life at this phase is rife with trickery, subtlety and subterfuge, either coming from the indvidual himself or from his peers. There is no escape, no hole to dive into for cover if the stresses of sarcasm and hypocrisy are too much for your hulls. One wrong move, one misguided step, one uncontrolled syallable and your life would plunge into the deepest bowels of hell, sworn to eternal purgatory, never to see the light of day again. That is, if your life is still on the tectonic plates of the rotating backwater planet we called home for the past 6 billion years or so.

Life, however hard it might be, is still life. The thing about this phenomenon is that it is so bad that it cannot get worser. That is about the only thing worth rejoicing over about life. However, one is the master of his own destiny, and his very fate lies in his very hands. He shall reap what he sows, and for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. That is the Universal Law, an integral part of the Grand Design, where every being, every particle, every atom, right down to the most minute substance, has a specific role and function to perform in the universe, and if it shoukd fail in its primary task, the entire Design would be thrown off-balance. Take the Solar System for example, without the Sun, there would be no life on Earth. Without Mercury, Earth would take the place of Venus, and the harsh heat would literally evaporate all fluids from the helpless planet. The list could go on and on and on and on...

My my, I'm getting a little too philsophical. That is however, the sad truth, the truth that most of us are afraid to face, much less embrace. Whenever they run into a major problem, they will crumble, and sink into a black hole created by their very consciousness. A dead-end. A stone wall. A cul-de-sac. All describe the helplessness and fultility of the situation, to these pessimists at least. To me(self-proclaimed optimist), every problem has its solution, and its up to the individual to find out where that solution lies. Whether, through, argument, hypothesis or calculus, the answer is out there.

With that, I shall end my post. I do not wish to see my style of writing become my Napolean's Waterloo. To all reading this post, good night.

WEEEEEEEE~!
Just finished that confounded Flash Assignment, albeit a basic one, but as long it garners me a pass I dun really mind. =)

Today is a hybrid of both sadness and euphoria. Sadness as the 3rd floor study room of Bishan CC is gonna close. T_T In its place is a similar room on the 2nd floor two-thirds its size. Although the physical conditions of the room can be replaced, the winding and twisting paths of memory lane that had built up till now can never be. Oh well, we have to make way for progress.

However, this last day was also filled with fun and excitement. Old memories returned to the room, among which are the 2 ex-Presbyterian High Table Tennis exponents. Judging from their dressing, notes and testimonial evidence surrendered by my sister, they should in a polytechnic by now, most likely Nanyang Poly. Its been a long time since I have seen them.

Last year, when I first step foot onto the room's tiles(thats one small step for me, one giant leap for mankind), they were the among the first people I began to notice. Firstly, of course, were their very-much-above-average-looks, and secondly were their definitely-above-the-national-average height. How tall can they be, you ask? MY HEIGHT. They are 182 cm tall apiece. AND THEY PLAY PING PONG. They are easily the tallest girls-and maybe the tallest people- there in the room. Last year they towered over me, but now we are on par. HAHAHAHAHAHA.
Guys: 1, Girls: 1.

Next were a bunch of JC peeps. They love to make so much noise, and took up practically the entire room. ZZZZZZZZZ. And today was peak, the room was fully occupied at about 1230. Yesterday, at the same time, there were still 3 big tables left.

Ok thats it for today, My Date with a Vampire start liao. Till next time~! And Miche, this is your part:Train faster.

Four down.

Three to go.

Finally, all these would come to an end, these days of pain, days of stress, days of anxiety. In a couple of weeks, all these would vanish into thin air, with only a filmsy piece of paper as a memory of it all. And what a memory it has been.

I awoke early this morning to embark on my quest for knowledge. After the necessary complimentaries, I made my way to the antechamber of wisdom, only to find scholars already there.

I have to awake even earlier tomorrow.

My quest for knowledge was not an easy one, hindered by fatigue, boredom, and the sheer frigidness of the place. It was not an easy task trying to learn under such conditions, but I tried my best, bearing the hope hour after hour that my beacon of hope will arrive.

Jeremy came today, and he did his best to study as well. Alas, he too succumbed to the hellish conditions that had plagued my being. Despite that, both of us continued to strive on, as best we could. My eyes floated to the door every five minutes, wishfully thinking.

At around noon, both of us went for luncheon. The grilled fish on a platter I had was alright, other than the price of it. However, if a certain factor was present it would taste better than foie gras (fwah-grah) and baked potatoes combined. I'm quite sure the innkeeper implemented cost-based pricing for his product lines, but his higher prices were justified by the quality of his product, which fulfilled its core benefit and the actual product did well in conveying this benefit to the consumers, namely me.

After lunch, we headed back. Theories and facts found niches in my neural network, which, day by day, is being taken over by an identified but sadly unstoppable virus. The theories and facts which managed to wrestle a place in my mind from his deadly virus were the lucky ones, the ones that I would most likely remember for life.

Four in the afternoon:snack time. Jeremy and I proceeded to the shopping arcade to purchase some warm sustenance to satiate our hunger. A certain stall sold curry puffs at a dollar each, ten cents more than what I perceived it would be. Whatever happened to the societal marketing concept? Aren't companies supposed to implement marketing mixes that would serve the individual consumer and improve the society as a whole? And the price of a product is part of that marketing mix. Seriously speaking, I am appalled. The service sector has degenerated as of late, with an attitude-deterioation epidemic spreading like wildfire among the salespeople. If I met another one of these species of salepeople, I'll flip. Unless...

Well, the day did not bring anymore surprises. And I'm brought crashing down to Earth once more. ..