Over a large cup of iced peach tea at the Mos Burger in West Mall today, Malique asked, “So who are the customers? The advertisers, or the bloggers?”

Endoh believed that both are customers since a service is provided to both. I agree, because on one side providing a service to those looking for an avenue to advertise, and on the other a service to those who are willing to provide the space to advertise. On top of that, it is also my opinion that bloggers are more of a partner than a customer. In my opinion, any public row with your partner is detrimental to your business, whatever business it maybe.

The way the renewed assault is handled by Nuffnang flies in the face of convention. There is still no public statement from Nuffnang (that I know of) in response to all the negative publicity, considering that even Odex made the pathetic attempt of a one page statement on their corporate site in the face of the relentless assault by the general public and anime-lovers. The defeaning silence only infuriate the bloggers further, and make them even more vicious and vociferous in their criticisms.

What is even more puzzling was that subsequently the co-owner of Nuffnang went to several blogs to comment on them. Why address certain bloggers individually? Why not address all the concerns on the corporate website? After all, even Xiaxue Xiasuay respond to criticisms on her own blog, and not settle down into a battle of saliva in the comment section of another person’s blog! It is simply not effective at all, not to mention that even when I may have written about Nuffnang and read some of the blog posts, I do not diligently follow the comment section of those blogs as many a time the attempt to hold a proper discussion is futile. (That’s not mentioning, in the only time I met him, Perry Tong of the Workers’ Party mentioned something to the effect that it is a waste of time reading certain forums because none of these so-called ‘discussions’ carry without it degenerating into a ‘gathering of family members’, where one’s parents, siblings, ancestors of several generations are mentioned along with their privates after a short exchange.)

Even more interesting was when a lady friend of the co-owner vigorously defended Nuffnang on Techcrunch. Not only did it not help, it drew further criticisms and generated the exact opposite effect. In fact, to some it looks like an attempt to win sympathy with the statement that one stands up for their friends no matter what. I wonder, does one also pick up the fight of one’s friends without first considering if that may help them at all? Will charging headlong into the oncoming tide stop or turn it? It would certainly have been more effective that they sit down and plan a strategy to win the hearts and minds of the bloggers than just fighting them with nothing but blind loyalty and naked courage.

On top of that, the supporters of Nuffnang is not helping very much either when they constantly talk about how competitor Advertlets is capitalising on Nuffnang’s woes. Perhaps, some might even choose to believe that Advertlets might be the culprit behind the onslaught of negative publicity. But what is the point in that when even chess players would capitalise on an opponent’s mistakes to advance in the game? What more can we expect from business? Is it being dishonest or unscrupulous at all? Would it not be better to write positive stuff about Nuffnang to increase awareness or perhaps there is really nothing good to write about it?

It is my considered opinion that Nuffnang should not just be wary of Advertlets and this futile attempt to engage only certain bloggers must end. There are other businessmen who would fill the vacuum left by Nuffnang in a jiffy and if Nuffnang is not already now aware that vultures – i.e. new competitors – are already getting ready to be all over the dead body of Nuffnang when it happens, then perhaps someone should start stacking pillows high and consider a career as an employee and not an entrepreneur… or maybe just work for one’s own father and wait for his inheritance…