This Chinese New Year, pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t be surprised if you feel the atmosphere is a little bit different.
One only needs to walk through Kuching’s Chinatown at Padungan Road to find our cat statues is not only decked in their Chinese New Year costumes, they are now also holding latterns bearing the likeness of packets of Maggi Mee instant noodles.
Well, at least it’s Maggi. Can you imagine what those cats would dress like if Triumph underwear were to sponsor the whole thing?
If Triumph sponsored Padungan’s Chinese New Year Bazaar.
That’ll give a whole new meaning to Kuching’s nickname of Pussy Town.
This wasn’t the only instance of advertising infiltrating our festive celebrations. A while back I witnessed an interesting lion dance performance that is unlike any other I have ever seen before.
At first sight, the trio of lions look just like any other ugly lions we see on Chinese New Year.
But these ones are slightly special. If you look close enough, you would notice that the green, red and yellow coloured lions have the logos of a certain brand painted on them.
Guess what? Three lions are named Milo, Nescafe and Maggi! Oh my.
What was previously a good ol’ traditional Chinese custom of lion dances, now doubles up as a platform for advertising.
Times must be difficult for this troupe of lion dancers. You must not blame them for resorting to this though, especially considering the only time these lion dancers can earn any profit from their hard work is during Chinese New Year. Of course they’ll do what they can to maximise their profits lah.
Heck, even the Chinese drum they use sports a huge logo of Maggi on it!
I don’t know about you, but I bet that thing sends out secret subliminal messages. With every beat of the drum, the audience become subconsciously urged to buy Maggi products on their next trip to the supermarkets.
No wonder I got craving for instant noodles after watching the performance.
I was staying at a friend’s place during my brief stopover in KL. It was located on a hilltop residential area near IOI Resort. When we passed by a palace-looking building building with a huge compound and I turned around asked her,
Kenny: Hey, is that IOI Resort Hotel?
Friend: What? No! That is my house.
Kenny: !!!
A very smart way from sebor to market& promote their products and using the troupe lion to endorse their products. I supposed they get something in return hehe
awesome ?
how is the view from ‘IOI Resort Hotel’? 🙂
happy lunar year kenny
I am no. 4 yeah
What to do Kenny… now these animals have their adopted family. I wonder what will happen if Mercedes adopt you. Will they have you carrying their big-size logo as your pendant?
Walao,liddat oso can, so Kenny U spomsor me for new year la, I’ll be wearing T-Shirts which has ur photo and walk around wif It..OK?? and ur 年年有愚 i dun wan cos i wanna be Smarter :-P..Happy CNY Kenny!!
I hate maggi. I hate milo. I hate nescafe.
lol, commercialized chinese new year. sounds odd O_o
haha. hilarious.
every place is the same la. all commercialized di. 🙂
Yeayeaaa later more will do so
wow, nice advertising skill
kenny ur recent blogs are not that funny la… or interesting.
OMG! That is so over the top, especially the Maggi one.
the power of advertising…
erm…i noticed something on the pic of the cat monument! OMG!! check out picture no.3….
Nestle missed out advertising their milo, nescafe and maggi on Valentine’s Day. What a shame! 🙂
maggi lion, nescafe lion, and milo the lion…
agreed and maybe it’s time them liondancers make a little bit more other than the angpow they will get for their service..
gong xi gong xi
THESE COMPANIES RUINED MY CNY, I WILL NEVER FORGIVE THEM *heart broken*
http://epicwar.com/maps/rate/12943/5
arg.. ur friend really got “rice” wor.. I mean the one owns the palace looking house!
Hey Kenny… Ure lucky its not Red, Purple and Yellow Lion each with Maxis, Celcom and Digi advertisements on… wakakakakaka
Wierd thing tht they hav never thought of this idea… I tot they alwys compete 2 post their adverts everywhere they can think of. Lolx
IF CAN EARN EXTRA $$$$$ WHY NOT.
“Triumph sponsored Padungan’s Chinese New Year Bazaar”…. I would like to see that happen in kuching. The cat holding lattern like maggi look very funny. Advertisement conquering in every where… Advertisement = Annyoing… Nowadays, it is very hard to see any website, movies without much advertisement. how come advertisement become part of culture now..sad
Hi Kenny, i love to read youe blog. I’m from Kuching but now working in Singapore. I’m back for the hols though, and sometimes I wonder how you can stand living here. If I had a choice like you, I would definitely take the opportunity and work in Australia 🙂 But whatever makes you happy of course. I’m sure people would love to read about your adventures in Australia as well.
I feel that people in Kuching (not all of course), has nothing to do but gossip about others especially when they are more successful. I feel suffocated every time I ‘m back home as I feel that people are very judgemental. That’s why i salute you that you have a popular blog and that you’re not afraid of what people say. I wish i can be as strong as you.
Like the look of the cats in your photos 😉
Looks like i going to serve my guest with maggie mee and milo pen on their visit to my house.
is it year of pig or year of cat?
i know its kuching, but c’mon, atleast show some pigs!
corporate domination (- _ -)
Ask our mayor to promote cat city using cats dance le…..after all is VMY07
hey kenny…u mean u were staying in puchong??
Pfwahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mm…I have a sudden craving for maggi too…………..
Never thought it would happen that even the lions have become part of the money-making scheme for already-big companies to advertise!
=( awh the poor lions..
Kenny, zhu ni gong xi fa chai, wan shi luu xi, hong bao na lai !
i am number 37!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that’s so lame………..
LOL. Wonder what’s next.
Dancing Dragons?
Poor Dancing Lions.
Lebih-lebih lah, the companies.
Funny post once again, Kenny! 🙂
And Happy Lunar New Year to you and your family and friends!
haha that was funny – thanks for the laughs!!
Wow, Maggi is everywhere this CNY hahaha, well its normal already lar that celebrations are now commercialised, thats why we dont find it as fun as when we were younger, where all that matters are the feeling and teh thought, oh and how could i forget ang pau? hehehe and Kenny once again thanks for the laugh haha have a happy chinese new year.
Funny!!!
Happy Chinese New Year!!!
Festive events are mostly driven by commercial values. Even Christmas is also commercially-driven.
As long as the government or independent organizations aren’t the ones promoting the events, it’s going to be very commercial.
I love your background picture.
gong xi fa cai, hong bao na lai.
Quote of the year so far…”Chastity belts can thwart rape and incest” Datuk Abu Hassan Din Al-Hafiz.
Please blog about it, draw some pics. Thanks mate!
I had cravings for maggi mee just reading your post.
ads ads everywhere!!
and i love lion dance heaps…they’re not ugly can!!
Great ads,how about we mix it up & have a new brand fd N drink. 3 in one.
This is over the board. Will boycott Maggi for this – dis-respectful. Commercialise and branding is one thing. Putting the logo on to the lion is plain ignorant!
Wau， that marketing strategy seen really affect our culture. I never know that the lion also can be advertising on… Anyway, happy Chinese New Year. Cheer…
Gong Xi Fa Cai Kenny, and great blog, keep up the good work!
The Sarawakian lion dance troupes can’t make enough with thier performances hence they need to stoop to becoming mobile posters hahahaha . . . Khun Seng Keng rules !!!
well…this is totally out of the cny thingy.
just to let u noe(in case u really didnt noe)..
i saw you appearing in the papers, again. yo.. kenny, that’s so cool. you really rock
no comment. 😉