RM1.8Mil spent on Malaysian Tourism Facebook pages. Cuti-cuti 1 Malaysia VS. Curi-curi Wang Malaysia
Posted By Saimatkong on Jun 17, 2011 | 0 comments
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1Malaysia Email
RM50Mil project investment on 1Malaysia email which will be providing 1Malaysia e-mail account to every Malaysian aged 18 and above.
1Pengguna.com Portal
RMRM1.4 project investment on 1Pengguna.com which allows the consumers to compare the prices of goods sold at over 1,255 retail outlets nationwide.
Cuti-cuti 1 Malaysia Facebook Pages
Now RM1.8Mil spent on Cuti-cuti 1 Malaysia Facebook Pages which every Tom, Dick or Harry can create it for FREE? I also have my own Saimatkong 驶么讲 Facebook Page, now you can go and like mine! =p
One of my main concern is spending such amount of money on Facebook which is very much depending on the 3rd party and what if the Facebook creator, Mark Zuckerberg, close down Facebook or change Facebook to some subscription with a minimum amount of charge, then I would say all the money is like throwing into the sea? Am I right? =)
“Expenses for advertisements there are not included in the RM1.8mil budget, which is solely for the social media campaign.” – This is too good to be truth. Then I really hope I can be one of the people that handling the social media campaign!
One of the application / games in the budget of RM1.8Mil?
Actually the idea of this is good but don’t you think RM1.8mil is just too much and having competition with prizes of Free iPad 2 is good and maybe should run more competition or contest related to tourism and giving out some tour package to our own Local Attractions would be good as some of us will not been to those places! Keep it up!
If you need any talent to handle the Social Media can hire me and I would make sure the budget is wisely spend and the citizen would really benefited from these campaign that I could kick-start! I really have a lot ideas in my mind but just no money to execute it! =)
Real : CutiCuti1Malaysia Facebook Page
Fake : CutiCutiOneMalaysia Facebook Page
This Curi-curi Wang Malaysia Facebook Page after setup within few days they have already recorded 80,000+ likes. It’s really amazing and the cost of setup is Zero.
Follow me on Facebook : Saimatkong 驶么讲
Follow me on Twitter : Saimatkong
Tourism Ministry Utilises Social Website To Promote Domestic Tourism
KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 (Bernama) — The Tourism Ministry has utilised the social website Facebook to promote domestic tourism among IT-literate Malaysians, especially the youngsters, said its Deputy Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit.
He said the ministry had developed six Facebook applications for Tourism Malaysia which cost a total of RM1,758,432 with each page costing RM293,072.
“The pages include product promotions, tourism destinations and activities such as ‘Cuti Cuti 1Malaysia’, Citrawarna 1Malaysia, 1Malaysia Mega Sales Carnival, Year End Sales Carnival and Fabulous Food 1Malaysia,” he said in reply to a question from Loke Siew Fook (DAP-Rasah) who had asked on the justification for the expenditure at the Dewan Rakyat today.
Dawos added that an advertising company, Impact Creations Sdn Bhd, was responsible for all advertisements and events of the ministry and Tourism Malaysia or the domestic market for 2011 until 2013.
However, the RM1.8 million expenditure was questioned by several members of Parliament who claimed that it was a waste.
Loke said it was irrelevant as the social website could be accessed free of charge while Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) asked whether the ministry had set any key performance indicators to monitor the advertising agency’s performance.
Source : Bernama
RM1.8m was for ad blitz, says Dr Ng
KUALA LUMPUR: The RM1.8mil budget is for an overall social media advertising campaign and not just for Facebook, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.
She said the entire campaign was aimed at creating and developing six tourism events, including Citrawarna 1Malaysia, 1Malaysia Malaysia Mega Sale/Malaysia Year-End Sale, Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia and Fabulous Food 1Malaysia.
Dr Ng said the budget for Impact Creations (M) Sdn Bhd, which had secured a RM30mil ceiling contract for the domestic tourism advertising campaign via open tender, included expenses for digital advertising on Google, Facebook and other websites and to run, manage and monitor responses.
“We also need to spend on the collection of data and evaluation of the campaign. All these need to be done by professionals and technical experts,” she said here yesterday.
She said Impact Creations would also coordinate the campaign with other promotional activities in newspapers, magazines, radio, television and billboards.
“Expenses for advertisements there are not included in the RM1.8mil budget, which is solely for the social media campaign.
“This part of the expenses will be funded by the remaining allocation under the RM30mil contract,” she said, adding that the Facebook page for the six events had attracted 24,000 fans within a month of its launch and expected to reach 120,000 by December.
She also denied the accusation that the RM1.8mil had been spent to set up Facebook pages for the six events.
“Everybody knows it can be done (setting up a Facebook page) for free. It costs us nothing because we do not spend a single sen on it,” she said.
On Tuesday, Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit told Parliament that it spent close to RM1.8mil to develop its Facebook page to promote its domestic tourism market and activities from this year until 2013.
Dr Ng had since said this was a small sum, as compared to the Philippines which spent RM7mil while Australia had set aside RM485mil over the next three years.
Dr Ng accused DAP’s Rasah MP Anthony Loke, who questioned the expenditure, of making an issue out of the reply by “twisting the facts”.
Source : TheStar
RM1.8m Facebook fiasco
Public outrage over Tourism Ministry’s RM1.8m splurge
PETALING JAYA: THE Tourism Ministry has spent a whopping RM1,758,432 on developing six Facebook pages to promote Malaysian tourism. In an online news portal yesterday, Tourism Deputy Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit was quoted as saying the Facebook pages — Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia, Citrawarna 1Malaysia, Karnival Jualan Mega 1Malaysia, Festival Pelancongan Seni Kontemporari 1Malaysia, Kempen 1Malaysia Bersih and Fabulous Food 1Malaysia — costing RM293,072 each.
Mamit reportedly gave these figures in Parliament yesterday.
But website developers and members of the public say the move was a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Creative director Joey Khor, 33, who has seven years experience in developing websites, told The Malay Mail spending such an amount for setting up Facebook pages was simply not justifiable.
“Every website acts like a house and one have to ‘drive traffic’ to their ‘houses’ to promote it. Generally, the bulk of the money spent for websites is usually to attract traffic to it and Facebook pages are a form of an online marketing option.
“However, spending RM1.8 million on such a purpose is not justifiable.”
Khor opined he could easily set up a digital agency and run the websites of five different companies for a year with RM1.8 million. “With almost RM300,000 spent for each page, I can create two iPhone applications.”
Instead of setting up Facebook pages to promote Malaysian tourism, Khor said the ministry could have engaged in other online marketing strategies such as partnering with Google for promotional activities.
A website developer, who wished to remain anonymous, said a general website requires RM50,000 to RM200,000 to be set up, depending on its complexity.
“RM50,000 to RM80,000 is considered sufficient enough to develop each of the ministry’s Facebook pages.
The 32-year-old said even international brands usually spend about RM1 million for their websites.“My most expensive project was to develop a website for a company that needed me to create a template which could be adapted across all countries. The website development cost the company RM1.2 million.
“Compared to the Tourism Ministry’s Facebook pages, the project I worked on was on a much higher scale. So, how could the ministry had spent more than us?”
Copy writer John Royce, from Petaling Jaya said the ministry either had extremely poor judgement when it comes to selecting its contractors for website development or they were not being completely honest with the public.
“Having worked in a digital marketing agency before, I think it’s ridiculous to spend about RM300,000 for a Facebook page. In fact, you can get a full corporate website with all the bells and whistles, plus social media accounts created and managed for you for RM300,000.
“What’s even more outrageous is that the government claim it can no longer afford to subsidise fuel. And yet here they are squandering taxpayers’ money,” said the 30-year-old.
Samantha Doray, 33, an architect said: “I opened the Facebook pages to find out if there was really anything worth RM1.8 million on them. The comments by the other users aptly describe my sentiments too. The ministry’s idiocy is out there in the open for everyone to see.”
Public relations officer Sasha Sundaran said there should be an inquiry done on how the ministry managed and spent the money.
“Malaysians need to know where their money is going.”
Source : The Malay Mail
Tourism Minister defends RM1.8 million Facebook promo
Facebook is free, but it’s Tourism Malaysia’s social media advertising campaign that costs RM1.8mil, says minister
JUMPING ON THE BANDWAGON: The world is going digital and if you’re not in social media, you’re outdated, says NgTOURISM Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen was supposed to be seething in anger with reports insinuating the ministry spent RM1.8 million on six Facebook pages.
The Malay Mail senior writer Marhalim Abas braved the traffic and a possible tongue lashing to find out what was really going on.
Q: What is the real story behind the RM1.8 million?
A: The ministry’s efforts to embark on a digital promotional campaign and branding via the social media was heavily twisted by Loke (DAP MP Anthony Loke) and caused confusion among Facebook fans and the media. He said the ministry spent RM1.8 million to create six Facebook pages. It was reported in the Chinese Press with, which I see, an intent to mislead the public.
Q: What was the money used for then?
A: Firstly, it was not used to develop the Facebook pages; you and I know those are free. Even I started my DrYenYen page on Facebook for free. Of course it’s stupid (to spend that amount) since it costs nothing to set up a page. Some media correctly reported the sum was for a social media advertising campaign.
Secondly, the sum was used to create and develop the campaign and branding of six major tourism events — Citrawarna; 1Malaysia Mega Sale and Year End Sale; Night Festival; Fabulous Food 1Malaysia; 1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism and 1Malaysia Green; and Clean Campaign. The campaign involves content. Promoting and branding a campaign need back servers. You also need to manage the campaign and monitor the response.
Thirdly, data collection and data monitoring. Fourth, campaign evaluation. We don’t have experts in Tourism Malaysia. It’s okay if it’s just your personal Facebook page but this is a global brand, a national advertising campaign.
Q: Who is running the campaign?
A: Our advertising agency. They have been entrusted with domestic tourism promotion. They used to do TV, radio, billboards and print campaigns, and now social media. See what it says? (while holding up a Press clipping) Tourism Malaysia spends RM1.8 million on Facebook. Of course everyone wants an explanation! The Deputy Minister (Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit) was clear but he (Loke) skipped so many (details) and said even children know Facebook is free.
He purposely distracted people from the real issue. I’m happy to report the Citrawarna page has garnered 24,000 fans in less than a month. We are aiming for at least 120,000 fans within six months for the entire campaign.
One newspapers interviewed many people who talked about how much it costs to develop a website. I’m not talking because this is not a website.
Q: You said the papers got the wrong Facebook page. Can you show us the right one?A: People think a social media campaign is simple. I deny the attempt by DAP, especially Loke. Of course, when people see his statement, they say it’s stupid as Facebook is free. You see the confusion created by DAP? This is a national tourism campaign which forms the RM56 billion national economy.
This is not our website, this is an open country (while holding up another Press clipping). Ours is here, Tourism Malaysia Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia (shows the web page on her iPad). Whoever did the interviews was barking up the wrong tree. You should interview the social media advertising agency.
Q: Why advertise in social media?
A: The world is going digital. The cost of digital advertising is going up because everybody is using social media. Total advertising in social media last year was RM12.7 billion. If you’re not in the social media, you are outdated. We need to attract new types of tourists, the so-called Foreign Individual Tourist or FIT. They go on packages. They check AirAsia (website) and pack their bags. Or they go on Facebook. Facebook has 700 million fans, 10 million of whom are Malaysian, so we have to go to social media and its advertising is not free.
Do you know why Google and and Facebook are so rich? Because you and I are all their fans. Tourism Malaysia’s social media campaign must be top class. We cannot be mediocre. How can Loke talk about Penang Tourism ‘not having to pay anything’? Theirs is only a Facebook page! No campaign, no applications, contest or advertising. It’s like a personal page. In two years, Penang Tourism gained 120,000 fans. Loke is either clueless or wants to distract (the attention) from my social media campaign, which is something the country needs.
Q: Are other countries promoting their tourism via social media?
A: Australia’s tourism authority announced they are going to spent RM150 million annually for three years on social media advertising, promotion and marketing. Queensland is spending RM5 million this year for social media while the Philippines is spending RM7 million. Thailand’s tourism authority is increasing its budget for social media by 40 per cent. There is a clear shift towards social media. That’s why we went that way.
Q: Why is Impact Creations Sdn Bhd handling the social media advertising campaign?
A: Because it is my advertising agency in change of domestic tourism promotion. They manage everything so they can co-ordinate and collaborate their campaigns on TV, radio, billboards and electronics. We asked them to start on the social media campaign. We launched the Facebook page on May 18.
I read someone claimed she went to the page and found nothing much there. Of course, this is a six-month campaign. Another said he did not see RM1.8 million on the page. What about my advertising on Google and Facebook? Social media is not cheap. The Opposition is clever. Take one part and blow it open. I must state I consider the statements (by Loke) an attempt to mislead and discredit Tourism Malaysia.
Q: Where can we see the advertisements?
A: Its on CNN. Have you seen the Malaysia Truly Asia campaign? Our first advertisement on the social media campaign is on Citrawarna, on our Facebook Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia. The advertisements are related to my events.
Q: Why is Impact Creations involved in the social media campaign?
A: As I said before, Impact Creations is the domestic tourism promotion. The tourism promotion is divided into different countries. China and East Asia are under Mascom and Oceania (under) Saatchi. These companies won the tender that created a lot of brouhaha before. They all got an annual RM30 million contract for three years and RM30 million is the ceiling, they cannot go higher.
Q: It was alleged they were given the tender because they are your friends.
A: People can say what they want. I have been a politician for 45 years, everyone is my friend. The owner of Mascom is my friend. M&C Saatchi’s Datin Sharifah (Datin Sharifah Menjelara Hussein) is my friend. You are also my friend. The agencies won in an open tender.
I did not seat in the tender decision committee. I have been accused without justification. The tender board chose these companies for financial and technical reasons. I have answered the allegations clearly in The Star (newspaper) and I answered to Parliament clearly as well.
Impact Creations have the right to outsource or in-source.
After seeing the comments in Facebook, it was important for me to clear everyone’s minds. When we have social media campaigns, even my son who is overseas can see what’s going on.
Q: Besides Facebook, what other social media are you working with?
A: Mostly Facebook because it’s interactive and visual. Twitter is mostly text. It is now important to go to social media for tourism campaign. Print is losing out.
Q: Because print is seen as boring?
A: Yes, sorry. But the most positive and negative reactions are from you.
Source : http://www.mmail.com.my/content/75053-rm18m-facebook-fiasco” target=”_blank”>The Malay Mail
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