I personally think that the booth looked quite nice and well designed. If you have been to a Malaysian exhibition, then you'll know what I'm talking about. Most of the companies will just use the standard shell scheme booth but Fidani is always different. This time around, I have an ID to design and built up the booth from scratch and it cost the company about RM70k! It takes a beautiful booth to display a beautiful brand like Fidani...ceh...
I'm standing here with my latest product. The top shelf is the Fidani Symphony Range, followed by L'amour, cigars and naked bars on the second shelf. These are all my creations together with the chef and a team of designers. Fidani's booth is also located at the prime location, just right in between the entrance of Hall A and Hall B, thanks to the good rapport with MIHAS.
With the Taiwanese customersThe first day, I was engaged in the main Matrade building with appointments with potential buyers from various countries. Matrade has arranged an incoming buying mission to match the buyers with the right sellers. It was my first time to such an event and it was fun and tiring at the same time. We were only given 30 minutes to discuss with each buyer and we have to move from table to table to meet the different buyers. It felt like speed dating but with a business topic.
A moment with the PM and Muhyddin Yasin
The second day has been a nerve-wrecking one because the Prime Minister would officiate the exhibition and then followed by a tour to the stands. Weeks before this, I have been given a task to lobby his visit to Fidani's stand and as well as to launch Fidani's new range - the Symphony. I have been talking to the CEO of the event, sending emails to confirm and planning the programme. It might be just a 10 minute visit, but lots of hard work and brain-storming has been done to ensure the 10-minute-visit was well worth. The morning itself, numerous officers had came to our booth to inspect the things and to scan the gift that we are supposed to present it to the PM. It was my first time handling such matters and it was really an eye opener. I think they might afraid that we store a bomb inside the box of chocolates.
As the PM was approaching our booth, the securities had been forming a human barricade around him to prevent us from being too close to the PM. My job was pretty easy, to just hand over the pen for him to sign the plague. The chef had hand-crafted a bouquet of white and milk chocolate roses for Jeanne but she was overseas so Datin passed the chocolate roses to the PM, telling him that those are for his wife. He immediately asked his officer to take care of the roses and don't he dare break it! Wow, he really loves Jeanne very much! If "someone" was alive, it would be a heart-breaking scene.
After he left, they were some ministers who hang around and chat with my boss. I just hang around and attend to their needs like passing over the boxes and chocolates. Felt like a overpaid waitress.
Talking to 9tv
Nevermind being the overpaid waitress, my job has got it's glamorous side as well. I get to be interviewed and talk to the media and press. But that's also a very nerve-wrecking experience because I was asked to elaborate on the exhibition and my products in Malay on 9tv. Anyone watched the interview?!! I used to speak Malay to my colleagues but asking me to talk about the brand in Malay was crazy. As usual la, I spoke in "rojak" Malay and English.
This is my assistant, Mei and me. She's so cute, right? She had been a great help in making the exhibition a success. Although she is just 3 months with me, she had shown great improvement and also good initiative in assisting me with work especially handling the promoters and walk-in customers.
This is Chef Amer and me. He's the person responsible for all the superb and wonderful chocolate creations. You name it, he makes it. Chef Amer has been in the chocolate industry for over 10 years and he is a chocolate connoisseur. Don't challenge him on chocolate knowledge if all you know is only how to eat them.
Fidani L'amour for your loved ones
Chocolate Roses fit for the Queen
Then, there is these group of Iranians who took pictures of our stand and also requested us to have a picture with them. After that, we adjourned to their booth to try their non-alcoholic beer. It tasted almost like the real thing but without the kick of alcohol which I felt was lack of ooomph.
No prize for guessing whom the lady is....
A moment with the PM and Muhyddin Yasin
As the PM was approaching our booth, the securities had been forming a human barricade around him to prevent us from being too close to the PM. My job was pretty easy, to just hand over the pen for him to sign the plague. The chef had hand-crafted a bouquet of white and milk chocolate roses for Jeanne but she was overseas so Datin passed the chocolate roses to the PM, telling him that those are for his wife. He immediately asked his officer to take care of the roses and don't he dare break it! Wow, he really loves Jeanne very much! If "someone" was alive, it would be a heart-breaking scene.
After he left, they were some ministers who hang around and chat with my boss. I just hang around and attend to their needs like passing over the boxes and chocolates. Felt like a overpaid waitress.
Talking to 9tvNevermind being the overpaid waitress, my job has got it's glamorous side as well. I get to be interviewed and talk to the media and press. But that's also a very nerve-wrecking experience because I was asked to elaborate on the exhibition and my products in Malay on 9tv. Anyone watched the interview?!! I used to speak Malay to my colleagues but asking me to talk about the brand in Malay was crazy. As usual la, I spoke in "rojak" Malay and English.
This is my assistant, Mei and me. She's so cute, right? She had been a great help in making the exhibition a success. Although she is just 3 months with me, she had shown great improvement and also good initiative in assisting me with work especially handling the promoters and walk-in customers.
This is Chef Amer and me. He's the person responsible for all the superb and wonderful chocolate creations. You name it, he makes it. Chef Amer has been in the chocolate industry for over 10 years and he is a chocolate connoisseur. Don't challenge him on chocolate knowledge if all you know is only how to eat them.
Fidani L'amour for your loved onesMy L'amour, my pride. It was a winning design with the heart shaped chocolate half hidden in the box and it looks like a corset. Very sexy indeed. It's a perfect gift for your girlfriends. The best thing is, you can open up the heart and put in the diamonds! Just make sure your girlfriend don't gobble up the whole thing. Thanks to Carol for the wonderful design.
Chocolate Roses fit for the QueenThe chocolate roses were meant for the Royal visit but it was canceled due to the King was not feeling well that day. However, the yellow bouquet was a hit. Everyone wanted to take a picture with it and I of course gets to be their model! haha....
Then, there is these group of Iranians who took pictures of our stand and also requested us to have a picture with them. After that, we adjourned to their booth to try their non-alcoholic beer. It tasted almost like the real thing but without the kick of alcohol which I felt was lack of ooomph.
No prize for guessing whom the lady is....The exhibition ended on Sunday but I had to fly to Singapore on Sunday morning so I didn't attend the cocktail dinner on Saturday where the awards are given to the stands. Dato sent the Senior Manager to represent Fidani at the dinner and it was a great honour that Fidani has been awarded the 1st Prize for The Most Indigenous Packaging Award and 3rd Best Stand. It was really a consolation to all the hard work and endless drilling of energy that have been put into this exhibition. According to the senior manager, there were at least 50 photographers there and he was also interviewed on the success. Damn, I should be there! Stupid Air Asia flight that departs at 9.50am on Sunday!
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