6. Hoax NTU Links on Google Sponsored Search!

This is sooooooooo hilarious! I couldnt resist the urge to blog this (at 2am) especially after reading uniquefrequency (a classmate of mine in Social Media class). I meant to say it was funny because 2 weeks ago, I did a Brand Audit for NTU. Hence I will (as a proud SMU student) will give you a lowdown on (how I understood) NTU’s advertising strategies this year – and how it led to a mini uproar in our Social Media class today (during our presentation somemore)

BUT before I do so, let me tell you what happened. The dude (gomen~, I dunno his name – imabadclassmate) sitting beside Ben in class today popped in “smu singapore” in his Google Search. And just what came out tops? [click on the 3 images below to view large] I took these screen shots a minute after each at about 1.36am, 20 March 2008.

Hence the mini uproar started during our presentation – which I thought was so coool!!! So on my own accord, I went back home and popped NTU and NUS respectively into the Google search box. Guess what? *hilarious find* [click on the 2 images below to view large]

Get my point now? Why is NTU so hyped on Google’s sponsored links? Cos’ we had to do a brand audit on NTU, I’ve been taking note of NTU’s advertisement coverage in the papers over the last 2 months. Their marketing campaign were expectionally familiar! *well folks….. SMU students get the punch* Mr. Jacky Tai, Managing Director at Strategicom had the same sentiments as well when he spoke in our SBM class 3 weeks ago.

One thing I noticed about the similarity with NTU’s & SMU’s ads were the focus on student’s academic background (scholars-what-have-you), the jazzy-whizzy “I Take The Lead” tagline in 4 different backgrounds – picture a promising NTU graduate overlooking the future economy, and many more (expensive) fullpage spread-ads than NUS and SMU put together. I am not joking (!)

We had the opportunity to speak to one of the managers over at NTU’s Corporate Communications office 2 weeks ago. (btw, she declined to be video-ed or audio-ed) She mentioned that NTU started its branding efforts back in 2005 – we silently assumed it was because of SMU’s roaring enrolment campaigns.

Right, being the “a*al” marketing & corp-comms student – NTU is GOING ALL OUT this year to grab EVERYONE esle’s attention! I was on the last train back home a while ago. I strolled down the escalator and was shocked to find FULL NTU Billboards at City Hall MRT station! Right at the heart at SMU’s location. Gosh. NTU is really coming at us “hot & furious” huh?

Not to mention – NTU paid for MSN advertisements (those that hover at the bottom of our MSN main page) and Yahoo! ads (!!!) I found it extremely annoying because I have a Yahoo! account and whenever I hover my mouse to open up my email – this NTU advert pops out. (wt*) So NTU not only is targeting at SMU through traditional advertisement methods, they’re on web2.0 and google search (ads) as well!

Alright as a SMU student (esp when I am in a business school), I have to say that NTU is totally off! Gosh! why do you (dear NTU) want to use OUR NAME to direct traffic to your website? NTU may argue that their advertising angel is different. But we all know who did the jumping jacks first. There are plently of ways to beat NUS or us SMU per se for enrolment figures – Come On! Deluding our naive (I hope not) netizens with obvious incorrect links is unethical and, to me, disappointing coming from the 2nd most established University in Singapore. I wouldnt give a hoot if NTU had labelled their correct links with name as a sponsored link.

Dear NTU, if you really need traffic – go others ways. Bang on your MBA Programmes! Have’nt you got the Top 20 MBA Programmes in the WORLD? Ello (!?!) that says something, does’nt it (???)

Anyways our SMU Corp Comms Dept. have got to catch up with the ads on Google! NUS and NTU both have seach tag boxes underneath the 1st popped up link! What is SMU Corp Comms Dept doing (!?)

I had a really good laugh – Thanks NTU! and your hoaxy links! Something to remember in my 3rd year! =)