Posted on

The times have changed

By Hans Ebert
Visit: www.fasttrack.hk

There must be a way outta here and where people take responsibility for their actions. And non-actions. It’s become much too easy to jump in and out of being part of passing fancies that in time will go…

Some, of course, have turned fads into big business. They watch what’s “trending” and jump onto whatever of these bandwagons are rolling.

Anyone else hear the theme from “Rawhide” playing in your head?

When these bandwagons run out of steam, they jump off and wait for the next trending hashtag- hashtags about diversity, #MeToo, #TimeIsUp”, whatever Life matters, wellness, gun laws, Mr Potato Head, the rainbow connection, BidenGait, #HarryAndMeghan, shootings, more shootings etc.

Continue reading “The times have changed”

Posted on

A JOURNEY INTO ADVERTISING IN HONG KONG

By Hans Ebert
Visit: www.fasttrack.hk

Like he had done for many, it was Tony Morias who gave two New Zealanders new to Hong Kong- Andrew Hagen and Morton Wilson, below in their band Schtung, collectively known as Schtung Music- tea, sympathy, confidence, took out his impressive roller deck and introduced them to the Who’s Who in the still somewhat fledgling world of advertising in Hong Kong. This was at the end of 1982.

At the time, Tony was running the main post production house in town- PPS- and will always be known for his generosity and unselfishly helping those who needed that first break.

Tony Morias gave so much to the advertising industry in Hong Kong and received very little in return. It’s impossible to forget all those parties he gave at his Videopost facilities and the Manhattan disco to help bring the industry together.

Tony, above, was a real life social media platform and not about aimlessly pressing “Like” buttons that today lead nowhere. His would be a helluva interesting Hong Kong story. But knowing Tony, he would say there’s no point dwelling on the past. What’s done cannot be undone. Same with everything that’s happened in Hong Kong. We can look back at what some of us enjoyed here, but none of that is coming back.

Continue reading “A JOURNEY INTO ADVERTISING IN HONG KONG”

Posted on

REMEMBERING BHASKAR MENON

By Hans Ebert
Visit: www.fasttrack.hk

It was Norman Cheng with whom I worked with at the Regional Office of EMI who asked me to join him for lunch with an old friend. The old friend was Bhaskar Menon, the legendary music executive who was friends with everyone who mattered in music, and the first Asian to run a major music company.

Being proud Asians in our own ways and having worked damn hard to get to where we were, Bhaskar Menon, who was now doing work for UNESCO, was someone very very special to Norman and myself. He was aspirational and inspirational. He wasn’t a vapid hashtag. He was the real deal.

I remember that first lunch vividly- where it was, what was ordered and being riveted to everything Bhaskar had to say and all the stories behind the stories. These were life lessons and which we were given for free.

When Chairman and co-Chairman Alain Levy and David Munns were famously ambushed, locked out of their offices in Wright’s Lane, and private equity big boy Guy Hands and his Terra Firma group aka The Terrarists suddenly walked in and took over EMI, most of us were wondering “What’s Next?”.

Continue reading “REMEMBERING BHASKAR MENON”

Posted on

HOW CANTON DISCO SWAM AGAINST THE TIDE IN HONG KONG

By Hans Ebert
Visit: www.fasttrack.hk

It was not only part of Hong Kong coming of age, to many, it gave this unique city a very different pulse. As a much-used advertising copy line might say, here was the place to see and be seen- the vibe maker that was Canton, the disco on- where else, but Canton Road on Kowloon side- and at a time in the Eighties when Night Fever was finding its strut.

Sure, Hong Kong might have had other discos- Hollywood East, Hot Gossip, Manhattan, Pastels- but with its quirky, androgynous and now iconic logo, none of these in Hong Kong had the brand personality to attract a different group of regulars as Canton Disco.

Yes, Manhattan in Elizabeth House was popular with the advertising crowd. More often than not, it had its moments of shee shee pretentiousness with the usual suspects associated with advertising showing up for private parties and needing to feel miserable and pass that anger around. One never forgets those things, especially when they were hurled your way. Maybe they needed hugs.

Continue reading “HOW CANTON DISCO SWAM AGAINST THE TIDE IN HONG KONG”

Posted on

JUST DO IT, NIKE…

By Hans Ebert
Visit: www.fasttrack.hk

Being an ex ad guy who still can’t help thinking like an ad guy when seeing how certain products are marketed- the good, the bad and the fugly- what still has the most powerful brand recall is “Just do it”, Nike’s inspirational corporate ethos and advertising theme line.

Every time, I return to forever and my own sanity to watch that episode of the brilliant series “Mad Men” where Don Draper presents his campaign for the Polaroid Carousel by selling emotion and nostalgia with such honesty, a number of thoughts flash across my mind.


Continue reading “JUST DO IT, NIKE…”

Posted on

Singer-songwriter Ash Bates and the need for direction in this free-for-all online world

By Hans Ebert
Visit: www.fasttrack.hk

He’s young, unknown, has demos in the can with more and more new originals being written. He has no manager- which could be a blessing- doesn’t really know how to “use” social media- another blessing as this has become The Big Bunkum Theory full…and has much going for him. He just doesn’t know it.

He is singer-songwriter Ash Bates from the UK.

Listening to his introspective songs and warming to his candour and lack of bs, sent off a silent Wake Up call. Even the most jaded music industry guy who often wonders how he could have put up being with, not one, but two majors, sees and hears that certain something in a new talent, wakes up from The Big Sleep and wants to somehow help them develop.

Continue reading “Singer-songwriter Ash Bates and the need for direction in this free-for-all online world”

Posted on

If one were to rebrand Hong Kong

By Hans Ebert
Visit: www.fasttrack.hk

Until she mentioned it, I had either taken it for granted, or else, had completely forgotten about the diversity of the Chinese food available in Hong Kong- Cantonese, Shanghainese, Fukien, Hakka, Chiu Chow, Peking etc etc- and just how far this goes in describing what makes the city so unique.

Add to this, all the other types of cuisine available here- Italian, French, American, Indian, Nepalese, Danish, Greek, German, Swedish, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Malaysian, Singaporean, Indonesian, Middle Eastern…

Margaret is one of the most popular and creative chefs in town. She and I were in advertising around the same time and started talking informally about how we might rebrand Hong Kong.

Continue reading “If one were to rebrand Hong Kong”

Posted on

THE BULL SAW RED AND DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT

By Hans Ebert
Visit: www.fasttrack.hk

It was not only part of Hong Kong coming of age, to many, it gave this unique city a very different pulse. As a much-used advertising copy line might say, here was the place to see and be seen- the vibe maker that was Canton, the disco on- where else, but Canton Road on Kowloon side- and at a time in the Eighties when Night Fever was finding its strut and swimming with sharks.

Sure, Hong Kong might have had other discos- Hollywood East, Hot Gossip, Manhattan, Pastels- but with its quirky, androgynous and now iconic logo, none of these in Hong Kong had the brand personality to attract a different group of regulars as Canton Disco.

Continue reading “THE BULL SAW RED AND DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT”

Posted on

RIP MELVIS, THE KING OF LAN KWAI FONG

By Hans Ebert
Visit: www.fasttrack.hk

Melvis, real name Tsui Kam-kong, 68, is gone and long live the King of Lan Kwai Fong. Those of us who have made Hong Kong home know Melvis from his performances throughout most of the Central district of this city for the past three decades.

I would always run into him when having dinner at what still remains one of the best restaurants Hong Kong ever had- Bistro Manchu. That wonderful restaurant managed by the always honest Tom- “No order any more, Mister Hans. This enough”- and with a menu that included the best pan fried dumplings anywhere and the brilliant Cumin Lamb, closed its doors over a year ago along with many other restaurants in Elgin Street.

Continue reading “RIP MELVIS, THE KING OF LAN KWAI FONG”

Posted on

Those KGV years in a changing Hong Kong

By Hans Ebert
Visit: www.fasttrack.hk

We didn’t know it at the time, but in our own small way, we were game changers in the makeup of what was growing up to be Hong Kong.

The secondary school that is KGV- King George V School- in Tin Kwong Road, Kowloon was a unique melting pot of nationalities that came together at a very important time in Hong Kong’s then present without even knowing it. In doing so, we were part of creating the heady gumbo mix that was to become so integral to the cosmopolitan personality Hong Kong.

Looking back, perhaps our parents learned much from us- like how kids from very different backgrounds could form a rainbow coalition long before this term became a meaningless hashtag.

Continue reading “Those KGV years in a changing Hong Kong”