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Brunei’s premier creative design agency, MMW, and the Butra Heidelberg Cement Company kicked off the weekend last Friday with a celebration marking BHC Magazine’s latest milestone.
Held from 7-9pm on May 5 at RBC Lifestyle, at the Waterfront in Bandar, the local publication’s 5th anniversary bash was a down-to-earth social affair in which some 80 specially invited guests partook in. Comprising corporate partners, advertisers, potential clientelle, as well as both home and business owners who have been featured in the magazine so far this year, guests from DST, Telbru, Progressif, Freme Travel and more, were treated to an evening of fun against the cool and breezy backdrop of Kampung Ayer.
Two dozen MMW staff garbed in black custom designed BHC t-shirts were spread throughout the venue. From welcoming guests upon arrival as they signed a registration book, to mingling with guests, taking photographs, maintaining live updates on social media platforms, and even recording a video of the celebration from a perahu on the river, MMW proved its versatility yet again.
This was followed with a speech by BHC Magazine’s Project Director, Stuart Lee, who enthusiastically shared a story from back in the day. “When we first began we thought let’s just do 1 and see if we can pull it off. Then we thought lets try and do 3. And now, we are celebrating our 5th year”. Thanking everyone for attending Stuart Lee then raised his orange cordial in a toast, in which he concluded “here is to 5 more years.”
BHC Magazine Editor, Rozman Mashor then presented his speech, taking the opportunity to extend his gratitude to the magazine’s corporate partners and advertisers in their support of the publication including D’Sunlit, Royal Brunei Catering, MINI Brunei, Fitness Zone, the Bodyshop and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, just to name a few. A self-confessed bookworm, Rozman then shared his passion for literature, as well as his observation that Brunei’s reading culture was slowly but steadily improving in strength. “It always makes me smile when I spend a couple hours reading a book at a coffee shop on a Sunday and I can see other people hiding in a corner with their face stuck in a book too. This is why BHC Magazine turning 5-years-old is a big deal to us. It is proof that reading culture in Brunei is strong enough for creative pursuits such as publishing a magazine to be considered viable”.
The speech then concluded with Stuart Lee and BHC Magazine’s Marketing Director Azlan Ahmad revealing a blow-up of the magazine’s brand new look and sizing. Rozman quickly briefed the audience on the new look and change, emphasising that it now stands out in a crowd and projects a greater physical presence when seen on a table.
Everyone then proceeded to enjoy their dinner while the Emcee hosted 2 separate quizzes that saw guests who answered questions correctly winning vouches to the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf as well as trial passes to Fitness Zone. A photobooth set-up by Me-In-A-Box also served as a platform for laughter and smiles as guests queued up to have their photos taken and printed polaroid style, with all photos resembling the front cover of the magazine.
A cake-cutting ceremony then took place with Stuart Lee and Azlan Ahmad cutting one of the cakes, while Rozman Mashor and Creative Director, Hamdi Matussin cut the other. This was followed by a lucky draw in which guests won vouchers from The Bodyshop, a vacuum cleaner, an air purifier, a 50-inch Matrix flat screen TV, and the grand prize of a lime-green coloured foldable MINI bicycle. The bicycle, which was on display, caught the eye of everyone present. One of the guests, Nurul Fakhriah binti Abu Hasrah had just told a friend that “I never win anything”, when all of a sudden her number was called, prompting her to collect the grand prize in shock at the unexpected turn of events.
The event ended on a high note with guests receiving a farewell gift consisting of BHC tote bags, copies of the magazine, glass bottles filled with coffee beans from The Roasted Sip and floral tea from Hercha, as well as calls from MMW staff to drive home safely. |
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