Saturday, August 24, 2013

Malaysia vs Israel (updated: vs Mongolia) - Endless Possibilities, one outcome

Updated 3.40pm 24/8/2013: No sooner had I put up the posting below, JMD brought to my attention the fact that Mongolia - yes, Mongolia - had launched Mongolia - Endless Possibilities about a year before our Davos launch or about 18 months before the Israelis thought of their Endless Possibilities campaign.   
"... it was not about who copied whom. But it is more of the people who had thought of the idea for our PM had done a really sloppy job in making background check about the slogan ... since there are over 50,000 words in the English vocabulary, the chances of two words coming together and coincide with national slogan of two countries is one in a billion, therefore it is no longer by chance. It is by design. Popular notion is, the same brand consultant was used.." - JMD's Endless Possibilities on the issue of "Endless Possibilities"
Watch the video on journalist Haresh Deol's blog FOUL! 
No question about who the real losers will be if we continue with the 17 Sept launch ... 

Original posting Original headline - Malaysia vs Israel - Endless Possibilities, One Outcome

The current edition of Esquire has Malaysia Boleh on the cover
Imitation is the best form of flattery. We don't need Israel copying from us but that seems to be the fact of the matter where Endless Opportunities is concerned [Endless Opportunities: Not copied from Israel, The Mole, 24/8/2013]. 
Unfortunately, the choices left us aren't endless, just two:  
1. we abandon our Endless Possibilities campaign and think of a new one or 
2. we push on and make the Israelis wish they'd done their homework a bit more instead of spending all their time and money on making lives miserable for Palestinians and its neighbors. 
Me, I have no doubt we will win this battle with Israel. Not just because we are way better at slogans than they are but, more importantly, because it is true that Malaysia is a land of endless opportunities. Ask the Brits, the Americans, the Arabs who have invested trillions into our economy and the Lims, the Tans, the Tonys and the Arumugams who have made billions, if you don't believe it.  
Israel, on the other hand ... come now, think of Israel and what pictures come to mind? Yes, there's a reason why their Israel. One Place. Endless Possibilities campaign is aimed only at their MICE sector only, isn't there?
But even after we've beaten the Israelis, winning the hearts and minds of Malaysians themselves with 1Malaysia, Endless Possibilities will be harder. Most of us grew up with Malaysia Boleh. I must admit I wasn't that taken in by the Malaysia Boleh thingy when it first came about but nobody can deny that it has been a potent battle cry that has inspired a generation of Malaysians and convinced them that they, indeed, can. 
In fact, this new Endless Possibilities campaign, which some of us are trying to beat to a pulp even before its Malaysian launch on Sept 17 (the international launch was in January this year at Davos, Switzerland), could be yet another proof that we can, and Malaysia, indeed, Boleh!

17 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:52 pm

    What about Malaysia vs Mongolia? Thay also have Endless Possibilities, and I am not talking about the lady whose name I cannot mention....

    ReplyDelete
  2. attila2:02 pm

    After the previous debacle over the One Malaysia One Israel issue, you'd think any consultant or aide in the PM's office with half a brain would first check Endless Possibilities before going ahead with it.

    Unless, of course, there's an insidious move within the PM's circle to deliberately embarrass Najib. I think so because there's been too many such incidents.

    Tak kan all his aides are incompetent, that no one would bother to screen the slogan first. Or have Malaysians become so inured to plagiarism that no one bats an eyelid if Israel -- of all countries -- has the same slogan.

    Surely Najib can see this? He cannot be that removed from reality?

    Anyway, my little son says Endless Possibilities is the theme song from his favourite Sonic the Hedgehog game. So there!

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  3. Mongolia is even earlier with "Endless Possibilities".

    Looks like endless possibilities in endless possibilities.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous3:04 pm

    Endless Possibilities means even confessed killers of Altantuya can be set free even after admitting in court they were paid RM200K to do the job. Anything not possible in other countries can be made possible here. A good slogan that Rocky must support.

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  5. Buang slogan ini. Bila sebut, tiada apa gambaran dalam kepala otak !

    Banyak slogan dalam B.Malaysia. Kita bukan negara omputih pun!!! Kata mengagongkan bahasa kebangsaan.... semua persepsi dan retorik.... Kenapa kita mesti masuk dalam kasut atau acuan mereka ! Bangsa Indonesia, Thailand, Jepun, Korea malah China tetap dengan kebanggaan mereka. Mereka amat berjaya "worlwide". Itu yang mesti kita contohi. Berkembang dengan ekonomi Asia.

    Malaysia Boleh ! Ia masih hidup dan segar sehingga kini. Ini jiwa Malaysia yang sama-sama berkibar dengan bendera nya.

    "Finger likin' good !" Apa yang kita dan anak-anak bayangkan ? Simple slogan that made KFC conquered the world !

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous7:53 pm

    Bru, how many feel-good slogans have had our leaders crafted for the past decade? Tapi rakyat masih tak ada cukup duit juga. Kita tak peduli apa siapa bikin slogan cepat, baik, kreatif ...kita hanya doa roti putih makanan utama kita tidak dinaikkan harga lagi setiap tahun.Taukeh semua dan orang yg berada tak erti apanya kesusahan kebanyakan masyarakat...cukuplah slogan manis manis ni!

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  7. Painkiller judas priest2:18 am

    And remember, malaysia also beats israel where malaysia succeeded in holding a "1st lady summit". Dont think israel ever achieved such a feat.

    Take that israel. You dont have kak ros. Your golda meir is meh. Rosmah takes her to the laundry anyday.

    I think a fitting slogan would be, malaysia: roses playground in memoriam of kak ros gebu

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  8. Anonymous11:27 am

    Ya,every country would like to say their's is Endless Possibilities.
    So it is the uniqueness of each country that differs.
    As Malaysia Boleh,so it is where the endless possibilities came in.
    Malaysia boleh,apa kemungkinan pun boleh jadi!Syabas!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous11:42 am

    Najib highly paid advisers and pr people making him a fool. And the fool doesnt realise that.
    Sack them all, najib. Or die with people laffing in your face.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cormoran Strike11:52 am

    It's amazing how anything with an Israeli connection or connotation never fails to get Malaysians into a tizzy.

    Including the latest "judicial proceedings" about Israel and the Palestinians.

    I guess that the Malaysian government will have a thing or two to tell Chuck Hagel when he comes calling!

    Of course, given the US Democrats and Republicans fervent support for Israel, and the policies of successive US administrations, any Malaysian concerns will be politely dismissed.

    After all, realpolitik says that if both China and India have good diplomatic, commercial and trade relations with China, it's pretty much game over.

    Where the US plays a key role in setting the rules of the game, and where everyone else plays along.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hello Dato Rocky

    Why this weak wimpy kind of response. Like this you expect people to respect the PM?

    These people lied. LIED and attacked US .

    You should have hammered them good and proper.

    I think you should make up your mind on whose side you belong or we will make it up for you.

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  12. Anonymous5:30 pm

    ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES hopefully do not cover Government Offices/Agencies standard of services. VERY DANGEROUS.

    As is now if one needs to deal with for eg Pejabat Pusaka for Distribution of properties of deceased, the possibility is endless, 13yrs, 15yrs, 20yrs just to get matters cleared.

    Pegawai tu baru kawin sampai dah beruban, still need to see his face to solve simple issues..

    Itik

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  13. End possibilities:
    By C4
    By being thrown off buidings
    By dying in jail
    By shooting
    etc.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous9:51 am

    Latuk Locky:

    Lu punya boss tak mau Malaysia Boleh lagi. Itu sudah lama punya cerita. Lu punya boss mau Endless Possibilities sebab itu lah hakikat negara ini - semua pun boleh. Customs senior officer kena tembak because he was not happy with some conspiracy. Mongolian kena tembak, lepas tu di letup dengan c4, rekod immigrasi hilang, yang tambak dia tu dua orang melayu yang kini di bebaskan. Teoh Beng Hock dan Ahmad Sarbini boleh melayang dari pejabat MACC.

    Ada menteri boleh upah anak dia atau saudara dia di kementerian dia. Lu punya boss kata ok.

    Orang yang tak disokong rakyat lagi masih boleh dapat kerja dengan kerajaan. Shareezat, Ng Yen Yen, siapa lagi.

    Endless Mindless Possibilities.

    Zheng Ho Abdullah

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  15. Anonymous10:30 am

    This so-called leader has endless, clueless, hopeless, ball-less possibilities.

    Sad to say, but Syed Akbar is right. The bus is going over the cliff, and the cheerleader at the wheel is still singing motivational songs for the people inside the bus.

    I got off the bus a long time ago. I hope the rest of you have parachutes for when the bus goes off the cliff. I know for sure Rocky has invested in a parachute.

    Godfather

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  16. Anonymous12:32 am

    senang

    do up a competition for NEW SLOGAN

    ALL MALAYSIAN would then have share

    habis ceritA

    ReplyDelete
  17. Jangan lah risau sangat my brother, Allah sangat adil dalam memastikan yang tertindas akan mendapat pembelaan yang sewajarnya walaupun dia bukan Muslim. Tu pun nak kecoh2, rilek le brother and sister. Jangan risau semua manusia mesti mati cuma tunggu masa sahaja. Dah mati besok tunggu je laa soal kubur masing2. Ingat tu semua, termasukla saya sendiri, mustahil manusia akan terlepas begitu sahaja tanpa diadili dengan terperinci dan teliti oleh yang maha Kuasa. :)

    ReplyDelete