Ed's Letter-Jul07

Why aren't Singapore CEOs blogging?

You may be reading a lot about blogging, surfing popular blogs, or even trying your hand at penning a few words in cyberspace but when it comes to business-related blogging which is meant to help you connect with your audience at a more informal level, Singapore companies are really at the beginning of that cycle. Those who are getting their feet warmed in the world of corporate blogging are really defining the boundaries of the medium as they go along. Meanwhile, there is trepidation, some fear, even some ego, but mostly there is a huge lack of confidence in the sustainability of the blog as a corporate medium.

In the US for example, General Motors has been spotlighted a gazillion times as a company which successfully leverages on blogs to reinforce its brand identity amongst automobile enthusiasts and brand advocates. We have also heard lots of examples of brands leveraging blogs for marketing campaigns and achieving phenomenal response.

So why aren't we hearing more of such success stories from Singapore companies, and why can't I name a single company here which has done well in the, dare I say it, blogosphere?

Perhaps the question here is not about whether companies dare to venture into the realm of the uncontrollable, but whether Singapore consumers are open minded or mature enough to engage in honest sharing regarding a particular brand or issue.

CMO of MediaCorp Alice Tan shares that concern with us on page 39, in response to my question on whether the giant media owner would consider starting a corporate blog. The answer is no for now, but I think never say never.

Talking recently with Cheo Ming Shen, co-founder of Nuffnang.com (see page 34), a company which serves ads onto blogs, he comments on a tangent of the issue: while PR companies are trying to find out if bloggers can be ‘pitched' stories to as if they were journos, the question is whether the local bloggers are mature enough or who write well enough for the brand message they send out to actually work for the client.

Again - regardless of who the message benefits, are readers savvy enough to weigh the validity of what is said online and differentiate fact and opinion?

Well, I think we are. What do you think?

As I said, the Singapore blogging landscape is being moulded and created as we go along and these questions will get answered, they will even change with time, and the landscape will evolve - and fast.

I'd like to see a lot more local CEOs allocating a few minutes out of their precious day to share with their shareholders, partners and staff some of his thoughts on the business, or even occasionally of his golf game if he likes! The whole idea is that, I believe, if you can engage (there's everyone's favourite word) people on a more personal level, and be honest in the process, there's no reason why it shouldn't do wonders for your business.

Debbie Cai