Eight

When I think twice, it becomes clear that my worry about advertising by Imagine is fully justified. Some genius did use the song for marketing - with a seminal success.

For most Hong Kong people and all those with hand-on experience with our stock market, it is obvious that I am referring to the Hong Kong Telecom - alas, PCCW nowadays, or the all too famous "number 8".

There was this hypnotizing song of John Lennon on the TV ... the screen of which showing the astronaut, making his giant leap for mankind on the moon. We saw great potential in communication and Internet. The world was becoming one. What an ideal company to invest !

Oh, we wake up after much pain (and bleeding). The world does not become one - at most it becomes flat as Thomas Friedman says. Worst of all, the market becomes many, and our number 8 lost its monopoly. At last I understand why they used so much money on the marketing - it was not meant for the customers, but potential shareholders !

(Well, with all these, I still put Imagine as the favorite song of mine - it is always good to have a sweet dream.)