Friday, November 18, 2011

Labels and Brands (Auschwitz)


AUSHWITZ at Circular Road no longer trading, certainly under that name. Aushwitz no more a bar and disco. It had been a short run of a couple weeks before the alarm was raised. For Beck'sthe beer Aushwitz servedyou need to go elsewhere now in Singapore. Late last month Aushwitz had opened in Chinatown in the city centre, spitting distance from the river, a stone's throw from Raffles Place and the famous old hotel. The Prince of Wales Backpacker Pub is on Circular Road; Boat Quay one back. Raffles Landing right there beside the Asian Civilization Museum.
         An error at the time of registration with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) led to a recording of the trading name. On the signage on Circular Road, beside the Beck's logo it stood as intended: Aushwitz — no "c".
         A certain ring on an online list had attracted the bar manager, whose shaky European history could be forgiven? Chap had heard it somewhere?
         The business had aimed for a better class of commercial disco, not the usual down-market girly pub. They would never have run Viet and Thai girls from a location like that.
         No harm done and none intended.
         The Brit. Food & Bar manager saw the problem and started an on-line campaign that finally ended in de-registration.
         Difficult to strike the right kind of note; and of course nothing so important as the tag to get the punters keen.
         (No significant State library known to this writer can compete with the stock on the shelves of Singapore National in Bugis devoted to marketing, branding, the psychology of the consumer, thrill purchasing, extreme high adventure shopping and merchandising. Consequently, on the streets here a paradise, shopping destination second to none.)


November 11 2011, The Straits Times, p. B6 Home.

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