Two years old

COCKTALES has just turned two. Happy birthday, u alcoblog.

Over the course of the last one year, there’ve been a few developments related to the blog. My first talk over podcast was last year with the Om Nom Cast entitled “The Yelstin Boogie“, which is also d name my house cocktail. (This show is now a food cast that’s now the Om Nom Show on Bfm.)

This was followed coupla months ago with the KLue Foodcast, titled “Spirit-ual Guidance.” Haha.

There was also a piece i did for New Man mag on the best 24 beers in Malaysia. And i did an opinion piece for The Last Word column in JUICE, entitled Not So Smart, Are You?, which basically is about how some Malaysian drinkers are real suckers as consumers.

If things work out, I’ll have a regular alcohol column in a magazine soon.

Am i doing another crazy party to mark the anniversary?? Haha! Dont know, haven’t decided. Am tempted. Very tempted. If i get booze sponsors again, then probably.

Last year's special

You guys, as readers, are entitled to gimme your opinions about the blog (whether i givashit remains to be seen!). Just go to the sidebar on the right – I’ve started a poll to allow yall to have a say on what u’d like to see here, besides naked women that is.

Also, have just created a new fan page on Facebook today, to better interact n all. That page will feature latest posts, as well as booze promos and other more minor stuff that sometimes dont appear on d blog. No need to suggest d page to your friends and bother them. Unless they’re alcos like you. U can go ahead and like it here.

Anyway, hope i’ve helped in some way to provide news and information, and even a lil education about alcohol. We’re always learning, right?

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100k

The blog has hit 100,000 visits since April last year. Time for a third freeflow? Haha

Anyway, will revert if am throwing any session.

Happy Independence day yall! Lets make our country much better.

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Goodbye Nuffnang

Those with keen eyes would have noticed that since Friday there are no more nuffnang ads on my site, for now at least. In fact, there are no syndicated ads at all. COCKTALES is currently ad-free.

Given a choice, i’d rather not have a third party get ads for me coz:

  1. U dont make much from the ads, so why clutter your site with them
  2. Ads are usually unrelated to the content
  3. I’d rather talk to the client direct to know exactly what they’re lookin to achieve

So if u’d like to advertise your outlet, brand or event on this site, u can talk to me direct: deep@spin.my / 019 382-4760. Am sure we can come to a very mutually-benefiting agreement, without the middleman. But not if ur in some irrelevant business like cement mixers.

One particular big client came to my agency (i run SPiN, a marketing & PR agency) after approaching one of the blog network companies to do an online campaign. Get some bloggers to write about them, tweet for them, and build and maintain their FB page. I quoted them about 50k for the 6-month timeline.

The blog company’s quote? $300,000.

Out of which, the bloggers get a small sum, while they keep the rest. The bloggers lose out, and more significantly the clients lose quite a bit.

Every blogger has e-mail. It doesnt take a brain surgeon to figure out how to contact them and discuss an arrangement. And by talking to friends and associates, its pretty easy these days to decide which blog you should use. And they are methods available to determine the impact of your ads or advertorials.

I think there are too many layers between clients and writers/bloggers. Client goes to their media agency. Media agency goes to nuffnang/advertlets/whoever. These people finally approach d writers.

By then, the cost has gone up like 5 times coz everyone wants their cut. Clients dont always get their money’s worth.

Well, maybe they got too much money to throw around. But I think small to medium companies should deal direct with the particular blogger. It’s easier than it seems.

Anyway for now, am on my own!

If things don work out, dont really matter. I wont starve. And companies like nuffnang and advertlets will always be around if I decide to rejoin.

Anyway what do u think bout these issues?

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COCKTALES on Facebook

After doin jack about it for quite a while (mainly to see if this gig survives one year), I’ve just created a Facebook group for this blog, to make it easier to connect to each other and to share alco info. Will add more stuff, photos and info in d next few days.

If ur interested, u can join here.

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