I cannot stop thinking about the campaing. Look at previous post(number 5). I feel kinda sorry for the executives.
A singaporean friend wrote to me: "Singapore is trying to hard to be something it is not". True! A first principle of marketing is that perceptions once formulated it takes a lot of hard tries in order to change them. Nobody will be persuaded by this video. yes the campaing may generate buzz(it has in ths blog) but most people will not take it seriously. The executives feel a bit "goofy" in this video.
Remember another marketing axiom, appearances must be supported by the brand's main message. if a claim is coming at cross with the products underlying values then this discrepancy will dilute the claim's strength.
Imagine Michael Jordan advertising on TV Cigaretters or beer! It reeks of being fake right? It doesn't matter if it is or not, but what will the public will think. Ceasar's must not only be honest but also appear to be. Singapore is associated with tidyness, strong goverment but not creativity.
As experience has shown goverments may be good at organising events, or preventing protests(some have made it a habit), but when it comes to perceptions the situation may be more complex. A goverment cannot achieve that target simply by laying out an order. A video with some people in suits singing a tune and appearing so bad at it won't either.
Singapore must understand and practice that some things have to happen on their own. Singaporeans need to become creative and then singapore can claim to be the creative hub it aspires to be. It must be a bottom-up effort not vice versa. Let's see if any1 from their dpeartment will get ahold of this message.
Zani out!
Comments