Singapore – In celebration of Singapore’s 60th year of independence, Havas Play Singapore has launched the ‘SG60 Social Boost,’ a new initiative aimed at helping local brands transform their social media presence into measurable business impact. The programme offers 60 Singapore-based companies a complimentary, expert-led social media audit–an effort to support businesses navigating the growing complexity of digital engagement.
The initiative comes at a critical juncture. While SG60 marks a milestone of national pride, it also coincides with mounting economic pressures and a crowded digital landscape. Organic reach on social platforms is declining, algorithms are shifting rapidly, and consumers are increasingly tuning out repetitive content — making it harder than ever for brands to stand out.
Recognising these challenges, Havas Play, a social-first creative agency, has partnered with customer engagement platform Emplifi to develop a strategic audit framework. The audits aim to uncover blind spots in brand strategies, identify new growth opportunities, and provide actionable recommendations to improve performance across platforms.
“In today’s turbulent economic climate, brands are under pressure to do more with less,” said Kenny Yap, CEO at Havas Play Singapore. “Social is no longer just a space for communication — it’s a driver of business performance. Many brands are active, but not effective. SG60 Social Boost is about helping them find clarity, alignment, and ultimately, results.”
The audit includes an evaluation of platform performance, content effectiveness, and alignment with business objectives. Participating brands will receive a performance snapshot with culturally relevant insights and strategic recommendations. The offer is open to any company with at least one active social media account, with no cost or commitment required.
The SG60 initiative is supported by key findings from Emplifi’s Social Media Benchmarks 2025 Report, which underscores the urgency for brands to adapt:
- TikTok posted the highest follower growth in 2024 (21% median monthly), while Instagram maintained steady growth at 6%. In contrast, Facebook remained flat and X (formerly Twitter) saw a 0.8% decline — raising questions about where brands should be investing time and resources.
- Ad spend on Facebook Reels doubled in 2024, but Instagram Reels delivered stronger engagement at a lower cost, suggesting brands may not be optimising their content mix effectively.
- Instagram Reels outperformed TikTok in reach engagement (2.2% vs. 1.7%), and represented 38% of brand posts in 2024 — highlighting the importance of prioritising short-form video.
- Collaborative posts boosted engagement by up to 3.4x for smaller brands, yet remain underused. The percentage of collaborative content rose from 1.7% in Q1 2023 to 4.1% by Q4 2024.
- User-generated content continues to be a high-trust driver. In 2024, 93% of profiles were tagged in at least one story each quarter, with brands often featured more than they post themselves — a rich, often untapped source of earned media.
“Brands can no longer afford to treat social as a siloed channel,” said Pankaj Nayak, CEO of Havas Media Network Singapore and president for SEA at Havas Media. “Social must be integrated into the heart of strategy, creativity, and performance. The SG60 Social Boost reflects our wider commitment to building brands that are not only relevant today, but resilient tomorrow.”
With attention spans fragmented and competition growing fiercer, Havas Play’s SG60 Social Boost offers Singapore brands a much-needed opportunity to pause, reflect, and recalibrate their digital approach — with data, cultural relevance, and business goals in focus.
