Supported under the Marketing Innovation Programme (MIP), this year’s winning campaigns come from a diverse range of industries including media, F&B and e-commerce
Singapore, 29 March 2019 – The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has awarded seven businesses up to S$1.3 million for marketing proposals under the second edition of the Marketing Innovation Programme (MIP)[1]. The seven proposals, which came from both tourism and non-tourism businesses, stood out not only for their excellent business ideas, but also for introducing a new dimension to storytelling about Singapore, which is a strategic thrust under STB’s Marketing Strategy: Of Stories, Fans and Channels.
For the 2018 run of MIP, STB received a total of 66 proposals from applicants across a diverse range of industries, including food & beverage, e-commerce and tourism. This was an increase of 50 per cent up from 2017, which saw 44 proposals.
“It is gratifying to receive even more MIP applications than last year, especially when a good number of them were innovative and potentially impactful. I am heartened that these businesses are passionate about telling a good story in innovative ways and creating opportunities for locals and tourists to interact with our unique culture and heritage. Through the MIP, we hope to support more of such inspired marketing ideas in the future as we aim to tell the Singapore story in bold, agile and creative ways that STB cannot do alone,” said Ms Jacqueline Ng, Director, Marketing Partnerships & Planning, Singapore Tourism Board.
The awarded campaigns tell stories of Singapore’s culture, heritage and food, which are closely aligned to STB’s Passion Made Possible brand, and target audiences from various Passion Tribes[2]. They were selected based on criteria such as innovativeness, the potential to drive tourism outcomes and feasibility, by a judging panel comprising STB representatives and industry experts.
Showcasing Singapore’s Authenticity and Character in a Creative Way
The campaigns were also selected for their ability to creatively convey Singapore’s authenticity and character, sometimes in innovative ways that go beyond the conventional definitions of tourism.
Homegrown e-commerce company Carousell, for instance, has plans to showcase Singapore as a destination through the eyes of a visitor who meets new Singaporeans friends that share his interests. Their campaign titled “Embark on Your Great Singapore Treasure Trail” seeks to invite Indonesian users to experience Singapore by planning their own ‘treasure trail’ itinerary, using the Carousell app, and for them to further discover Singapore by meeting and interacting with fellow Carousell users from Singapore, who share their passions and interests.
“Carousell is very much a part of Singaporean life as the place for buying and selling. We wanted to showcase our country's attributes as a destination through the lens of the Carousell community. We're not just a marketplace, we are a platform for Singaporeans to share their interests, passion and stories with visitors. We are excited to be part of STB's Marketing Innovation Programme, and to create an impactful campaign that shows the innovative side of Singaporeans as well as their warmth and authenticity,” said Mr JJ Chai, Senior Vice-President, Business in Regional Marketing, Carousell.
Another innovative idea came from homegrown company Botani Spirits, whose campaign hopes to tell the Singapore story by putting the spotlight on the lesser-known craft drinks industry and the stories behind the cocktails, artisans and ingredients. This is opportune as Singapore is fast gaining a reputation for our vibrant and diverse bar scene. Their campaign aims to drive awareness of Singapore’s burgeoning craft drinks industry through platforms such as pop-up shows, festivals, trade fairs, as well as on social media.
“Botani is excited to be awarded a grant with the MIP to develop and promote a Craft Drinks collective for the growing industry in Singapore. We only launched Tanglin Gin - the first Gin Distillery in Singapore - in July 2018, and it is encouraging that STB sees the same potential in the Craft Drinks industry as we do. The craft industry has the amazing power to give both Singapore residents and tourists from all over the world a story to proudly bring home and share. Like the story behind our award-winning gin, if you scratch the surface of Singapore you uncover all sorts of surprises. With the help of the award, we want to celebrate Singapore on the world stage. Long live craft!” said Mr Charlie van Eeden, co-founder of Botani Spirits.
“Marketers today all face the same struggle of setting themselves apart from other brands. In the proposals we received, it was clear that businesses are striving to be more creative and innovative, looking to take advantage of the latest content and marketing trends. I look forward to seeing more of such campaigns come to life in Singapore,” said Ms Ranji David, Director of Marketing Services, Asia-Pacific, World Federation of Advertisers, who was among the MIP’s judging panel.
Each marketing campaign will receive an award of up to 50 percent of qualifying marketing costs, up to S$300,000 (excluding GST). These qualifying costs include creative production of assets and collaterals, marketing-related costs for publicity events and activation, talent engagement, media buys and distribution.
For more information on how companies can apply for the MIP, please contact: STB_MarketingInnovation@stb.gov.sg. For the full list of recipients and more information on the campaigns, refer to Annex A.
[1] Launched in April 2017, MIP seeks to support innovative marketing campaigns that experiment with new ideas and push the boundaries of traditional marketing methods. For more information on how companies can apply for the MIP, please contact: STB_MarketingInnovation@stb.gov.sg
[2] Singapore Tourism Board’s Passion Made Possible brand has identified seven Passion Tribes: Foodies, Collectors, Explorers, Action Seekers, Culture Shapers, Socialisers and Progressors. The tribes are based on locals’ and potential visitors’ lifestyles, interests and what they travel for.
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About the Singapore Tourism Board
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore's key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions.
For more information, visit www.stb.gov.sg or www.visitsingapore.com