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Showing posts with the label Orchanites

Orchan 4.1.2

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Hey there … yes, you! Glad you stumbled in. This is Orchan’s corner of the internet - part soapbox, part diary, part sounding board. Here you’ll find our thoughts on the industry, lessons we’ve learned the hard way, a few rants (constructive ones, of course), and maybe even the odd video when we’re feeling fancy. So, who are we? Orchan’s a comms agency born and bred in Kuala Lumpur, with arms stretching into Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and wherever else clients drag us. We’ve been called many things -  strategic, fast, occasionally loud - but what we're not is cookie-cutter. If you’re after a “copy-paste” campaign, you’ve probably knocked on the wrong door. We believe PR is for everyone. Big multinationals? We’ve worked with PUMA, Dyson, Pernod Ricard, Garmin, and the like. Scrappy start-ups and even hawker stalls? Been there, done that, and loved it just as much. For us, the job is always the same: find your story, polish it up, and get people talking. We also train. Crisi...

From Frogs and Snails to Doctor

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Congratulations to Dr Judith Flora   After lots of blood, sweat and tears; then her PhD!  #PhDLife and #OrchestratingChange. One of the very first Orchanites! And still friends with us both too. From Farrell (the man who made you cry over MASiF) "The student has now become the teacher. Well, literally that is. Congratulations on achieving what I know to have been a dream of yours from the day we first met, more than 10 years ago. We always knew you had what it takes; to see you finally obtain your doctorate makes me extremely proud to have been a colleague, and a now, a close friend. Now that you've obtained your PhD, I look forward to the 'exchange of cattle' in Kenya or Tanzania soon ;) 'Special porridge' when you pop round for a visit next ok?"  And from Craig (the man who fed your snails at Spasso) "I finally get to call you Dr! Over a decade ago, you stood in my office as we discussed your upcoming Masters research. You said you event...

Blast From The Past: AIDS Aware

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Let’s be honest: in Malaysia, HIV / AIDS still sits in the shadows of public conversation. Too many dismiss it as “not my problem” or box it off as something that only affects marginalised communities. Wrong. HIV doesn’t discriminate - and the silence around it only fuels stigma and misinformation. At Orchan, we’ve always believed communication can (and should) drive change. Every year, our Directors pick a cause close to the heart to champion pro-bono. Back in 2010, that cause was AIDS Aware . Partnering with three organisations in support of PT Foundation, we set out to spark honest conversation, fight stigma, and educate people on how to protect themselves. What began as a simple fundraising calendar with a handful of local celebrities turned into a movement. Be The Message snowballed into 42 well-known personalities lending their voices through images, videos, interviews, and education opportunities - amplified further by a full-scale media and advertising campaign. The best ...

Building Brands from Scratch: A Conversation with Farrell Tan

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Building Brands | A Conversation with Farrell Tan With over two decades in advertising and PR, our Director Farrell Tan has worked on everything from Coca-Cola to Nokia. We sat down to talk about what he's learned about building brands that actually stick. 1. So, Farrell, you've been in this game for a while now. Take me through how you ended up doing what you're doing. Well, it wasn't exactly planned, I'll tell you that. I started as an intern - and honestly, I was just happy to get my foot in the door anywhere. The accounts I worked on... Reject Shop, Bank Utama, Sheraton Langkawi... not exactly glamorous stuff, right? But you know what? Best thing that could have happened to me. When you're working with smaller budgets, smaller brands, you can't just throw money at problems. You have to actually think. You have to be creative with RM5,000 instead of RM50,000. That discipline... I mean, it stayed with me even when I moved to McCa...

Is Covid Changing Employability? Perspectives From APAC

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Join Farrell for SEA:change | 19 April 2022  Is Covid Changing Employability? Perspectives From APAC   Which trends accelerated and sparked by COVID-19 will change the future of work in Asia? How are businesses, especially in marketing communications, responding?  The future of work is constantly evolving, and COVID-19 has accelerated this phenomenon. The pandemic has not only led to the rise of remote work and growth in the e-commerce market but also facilitated the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. How do these trends affect occupational transitions?  In this episode of SEA:change, join Farrell and Jacqui Barratt, Founder of Salt as they discuss what all this means for Asia’s workforce and what companies, especially in marketing communications, are looking for  -- in terms of talent  -- whilst navigating through these seismic changes.  To join the discussion, register here:  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/seachange-forum-4...

Humans of Orchan | Darius, But Not the Persian King

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Humans of Orchan | Darius Khaw Look, I'm not good at introductions but I'll do my best. Let's get started. I'm Darius, a 23-year-old Malaysian, undertaking my Bachelor's degree in Public Relations at KDU University College. I am an AVID gamer; I love planting my butt in front of the computer and speeding my day in virtual worlds. But BOY OH BOY, do I love fish and nature as well. I could stare at them for hours on end. Gaming, looking at fish and nature is my ideal version of a relaxing time. Actually, I’m planning on starting an aquarium and terrarium someday.   Despite being an avid gamer, I'm not a typical one. I LOVE sports; no, I don't mean football, basketball or badminton. I mean proper adrenaline rushing sports. Paintball, rock-climbing, bungee jumping, jet skiing, paragliding; you name it, I'm there. If it's dangerous and gets my blood pumping, I'm up for it. What's life without a little excitement and thrill?   Before we g...

Giving Life to Events Through the Pandemic and Beyond

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SEA:change [January 2022] Giving Life to Events Through the Pandemic and Beyond | Are Events Still Relevant? Whether in-person gatherings are coming back sometime soon or not, one thing is certain - virtual events have forever changed the way organisations will host and engage with their audience. Regardless of how long virtual remains the primary medium for events, it’s safe to say the quality of virtual experiences has drastically improved since the pandemic. However, in-person events are certain to come back eventually — as we as humans crave the in-person interactions. At the next interactive forum hosted by Farrell Tan, co-founder of Orchan Consulting Asia, he will be speaking to Joe Sidek about all-things events in Southeast Asia. Joe created the Georgetown Festival and the Rainforest Fringe Festival, which have become global attractions. They'll discuss how to reinvigorate the events industry as we move post-pandemic. This is a Mediaspace member-exclusive event. How to atten...

SEA:change Starts Here!

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SEA:change Starts Here!   Last week, we unofficially launched the SEA:change initiative; Orchan’s little corner on the mediaspace.global platform.   SEA:change is a discussion forum and events platform to share broader communications and media industry happenings from the region, both with locals and those further afield. It was great to see so many participants from a variety of locations and positions of expertise join us for both our fireside chat and the networking.   Emmanuel Samaratisa, Executive Editor of The Vibes joined Orchan co-founder Farrell Tan for a no-holds-barred talk on Journalism, Business, Politics and Media Ownership. Whilst in 90 minutes we can only scratch the surface, there were some fantastic questions and discussion points from the attendees too, exploring a wide range of issues of media in Malaysia and the region. Discussion topics covered ranged from understanding the impact of Covid in SouthEast Asia, to specific pandemic-induced...

Students | Why Choose PR?

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Students | Why Choose PR? Students and potential interns often ask us about our broader industry. One of the most frequently asked questions over the years has been "why should I choose PR"?  Well, the answer is, PR chooses you!  OK, kidding (a bit), because there are many related industry segments that someone can find themselves in. Farrells Frank discussion isn't going to give you an answer, but it will contextualise your choice and decision framework for you.

Bringing About SEA:change

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SEA:change | Orchan Announces Collaboration with Mediaspace.global   Earlier today, the Orchan team proudly announced our collaboration with Mediaspace.global, a professional social network targeting the media, marketing, tech and regulation industries. This partnership facilitates Mediaspace.global entering the South East Asian landscape through a strategic arrangement driven by us at Orchan, enabling quality industry-specific networking within the region through the platform and its unique initiatives.   The Mediaspace.global platform encourages industry people at all levels to interact, share, and leverage opportunities and thought leadership. It offers members the freedom to connect with like-minded individuals to explore industry trends, and covers members from fresh graduates in the industry (Next Gen) through to seasoned industry members in the platform’s coveted Leadership Club.   Our plans for mediaspace.global in Asia are hosted under the banner SEA:...

Blast From the Past | How Do We Know If We Don't Even Try?

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(BFTP) How Do We Know If We Don’t Even Try? FutureLab Career Transition Forum Craig J Selby I’m more used to talking about Crisis Communications or Change Management, but I was recently thrown a really interesting curveball invite by Ellen at FutureLab – to be part of a panel on Career Transition. Interesting. I’m by no means an HR person (those who know me well will know my feelings on this area). But …. I have had career transitions (note: transitions, not mid-life crises) as I have journeyed through the workforce and entrepreneurial path. And I have learnt a lot from this journey. I was a University student. No idea what I wanted to do. Then along came Barbara. A tutor. She had the idea job for me. To tutor on a special programme for international students. Barbara (now a Professor of Education) thought it would be a good way for me to get better involved in University, and to develop skills I had shown ...