Tag: Singapore

Singapore – The board of directors of Genting Singapore has approved a S$6.8b investment to propel its integrated resorts brand Resorts World Sentosa as a premiere tourist destination in Asia.

“We are confident that this investment will firmly anchor RWS as the most sought-after tourism destination in Asia, and propel the Group’s strong future growth. This investment will be funded through internal resources,” the company recently stated.

According to the company, its development on The Waterfront has received government’s provisional permission with construction set to commence in 2024. Moreover, it will comprise approximately 700 hotel keys and experiential  lifestyle content in a captivating blend of biophilic architecture that is designed by award winning firm Benoy.

In addition, the transformation of the Forum, the Minion Land in Universal Studios Singapore and the Singapore Oceanarium spaces are progressing well and expected to soft open in early 2025.

The new announcements comes after Genting Singapore recently announced the results of its third business quarter earnings, which saw benefit from the sustained recovery of travel and tourism as it grew 31% quarter-on-quarter to $350.4 million.

Singapore – Dentsu Creative Singapore has partnered the Ministry of Communications and Information(MCI), to develop an integrated marketing communications campaign with a festival as the main highlight, from creative ideation, event activation, to delivering omni-channel experiences for Forward Singapore(FSG), a government-led collaborative effort that has engaged over 200,000 Singaporeans from all walks of life over the past 16 months to refresh Singapore’s social compact.

To promote the festival, MCI and Dentsu Creative Singapore launched a thought-provoking flagship television commercial titled “Our Next Generation”, to foster deeper understanding among Singaporeans about how present choices can significantly shape the future for the next generation. 

Additionally, in a first-of-its-kind collaboration with four homegrown directors, Dentsu Creative Singapore delivered short films that reimagined success, ageing and community as part of the nation’s renewed social compact. The four films are, Beautiful Dreamer by Boo Junfeng, In the Pipeline by K. Rajagopal, The Machine by Siyou Tan, and Masih (Always) by Roslee Yusof.

These film campaigns serve to promote the Forward SG Festival, a roving interactive roadshow that was launched by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong on October 27 at Gardens by the Bay, and will move to various locations across the island in November 2023 and January 2024.

The festival features a roving interactive roadshow with informative panels that outline the key recommendations from the FSG report, as well as interactive experiences such as a Holographic Pledge Booth, a Shared Future Booth, and River, a multilingual virtual identity developed by Dentsu Creative.

Talking about the films, Prema Techinamurthi, managing director at Dentsu Creative Singapore, said, “We are honoured to be part of this meaningful initiative in helping to materialise and share the collective voice of Singaporeans via a visually engaging report and an illuminating campaign. We look forward to future collaborations with FSG in fostering unity and growth through progressive creative concepts and communication.”

Meanwhile, Stan Lim, chief creative officer at Dentsu Creative Singapore, commented, “Our collaboration with a strong cast of diverse filmmakers will help Singaporeans understand the tangible outcomes of our refreshed social compact, in a way that is relevant to our intersecting lives. We hope the films will inspire individuals to work together and build our shared future where everyone can find success on their own terms.”

Singapore – As information becomes more accessible and easily digestible online, a new study by Meltwater found out that Singaporeans are becoming more transparent in using social media as a platform for financial discourse. 

One of the key findings revealed that this significant shift prompted users to seek financial advice online while also establishing collective information through community, support and validation. In particular, the term ‘saving money’ yielded around 78% increase in Singapore’s social media mentions from September 2022 to August 2023, compared to a year ago. 

According to the report, buy now pay later methods (BNPL) also became a trending topic online as mentions of BNPL skyrocketed to 169 % during the same period. More specifically, it was noted that BNPL firm Atome received the highest positive sentiments whereas Grab PayLater resulted otherwise. 

Additionally, recent data observed that phrases like “scam victims” have surged to 79% reaching 21,900 mentions online. This resulted in the terms gaining more prominence in discussions about finance and cybersecurity. 

David Hickey, executive director at Meltwater (Asia-Pacific) commented, “Meltwater’s study underscores the shifting landscape of social media conversations surrounding personal finances. Our findings reveal that people are not only seeking financial advice and security but also forming a collective voice to drive change in how they manage their finance.”

“Brands in the financial space have an incredible opportunity to engage with consumers by understanding and participating in these conversations. By actively listening to the concerns and preferences of their audience, companies can offer tailored solutions and build trust in a challenging business environment,” Hickey ended. 

Meanwhile, a growing reliance on financial influencers was perceived  as the impact of social media’s  significance as an essential avenue for financial conversations.

The report has also identified the top finance influencers in Singapore. Amongst them, The Woke Salaryman scored the highest, followed by Genecia Alluora in second place. Michelle Hon, The Simple Sum, and SG Budget Babe were also ranked respectively. 

Singapore – As workforces change along with the dynamic state of industries, global communications platform Slack has unveiled its new global research via YouGov designed to explore the different approaches and personalities in the workplace, and the impact of those differences on desk worker preferences and the adoption of technology and AI.

Data from Slack and YouGov mainly suggests that Singapore has the second highest number of individuals who thrive on virtual connectivity, mobility and adaptability, whilst Singapore workers are also ranked second in terms of leveraging AI at work. 

Going into specifics, the study revealed five dominant types of workplace personas in a Singapore workplace namely, ‘The Road Warrior’, ‘The Detective’, ‘The Networker’, ‘The Problem Solver’, and ‘The Expressionist’.

According to the survey of over 15,000 desk workers across nine markets, Singapore ranks high globally for its workforce’s comfort in building virtual connections and thriving in varied work locations. This type of worker, dubbed The ‘Road Warrior’, makes up 26% of the Singapore workforce and prioritises flexibility over all else.

The most common traits of Singapore ‘Road Warriors’ include working away from their desk (91%) and working wherever they want in a way that fits their schedule is the most important to them (46%). They describe themselves as adaptable (85%) and colleagues describe them as being most likely to work from a new location (26%).

In contrast, Singapore reports fewer ‘Detectives’ (21% compared to 30% globally)—those with a knack for seeking and sharing information—compared to other regions. Singapore’s comparatively younger workforce is a factor here, with Detectives found to be most common amongst older workforces. 

Singaporeans classified as ‘Detectives’ are best described as organised (94%), with a preference for figuring things out on their own (85%), sharing information with others on the team, and finding the right information as quickly as possible. Colleagues describe this persona as the best at digging up information (42%), and most likely to know everything going on at the company (52%).

With this in mind, the research also revealed that one in four desk workers globally are currently working with AI (26%), with the highest usage being in Singapore (34%) and India (54%). 

Notably, the personas identified in the research showed differences in how they approach the adoption of new technology, such as AI, in the workplace. Detectives and Road Warriors feel the least supported with the introduction of new technology, with 15% of each group globally feeling their company provides little or no training or information. 

This highlights the importance for  Singapore businesses to better understand the training and skills gaps that workers need the most support with, especially in getting a better handle on how to best introduce AI.   

Talking about the findings, Derek Laney, Slack technology evangelist, APAC, Salesforce, commented, “Whether you have five or 5,000 people, every workplace has a unique ecosystem of personalities, skill sets and working styles.

“With Singapore’s culturally diverse workforce, recognising these differences is vital for businesses that want to provide a truly empowering environment for their staff. No two employees work exactly alike, leaders must embrace a flexible management approach and versatile technologies so people can play to their unique strengths at work,” he added.

Singapore – With over one in three consumers subscribed to it, Netflix has emerged as the most popular streaming service in Singapore. In this latest data, market research company YouGov also indicated that the same platform encompasses the largest proportion of contented customers garnering an 83% average satisfaction rating.

Among the platforms, Disney+ is the next most popular, with one in six (17%) subscribers. Singtel TV and StarHub TV are also tied at the same level, with around one in ten consumers indicating they are subscribers. Amazon Prime Video, Viu and Apple TV+, on the other hand, were noted to have less than one in ten consumers subscribed.

Furthermore, consumer satisfaction is relatively higher, as Disney+ and Amazon Prime ranked the second highest satisfaction rates at 74% and 73%, respectively.  Viu’s rating also remains favourable with over two in three subscribers expressing their satisfaction. This percentage is higher than satisfaction with Apple TV+ (61%) and SingTel TV (60%) services, with around three-fifths of the way there. Over half of StarHub TV (56%) subscribers also said they are satisfied customers.

The data also revealed the factors affecting consumers’ willingness to pay for streaming or TV subscriptions. More than one-quarter cited these factors as not being TV watchers (28%) and finding the costs of streaming subscriptions too high (27%). Other common reasons include having difficulty finding what they want to watch (13%), poor viewing quality or experience (7%), and poor or no internet connection (6%).

Singapore – The National University Cancer Institute of Singapore (NCIS) has announced the launch of NCIS Fights Cancer, a web-based mobile game developed by home-grown gamification marketing company Sqkii for cancer education and prevention.

This initiative coincides with the institute’s 15th anniversary as a national centre for cancer as well as the inauguration of “NCIS Celebrates Life,” a weekend family carnival honouring their journey in cancer care and cutting-edge translational research. 

In this free web-based game, the main rule centres around avoiding obstacles and collecting objects to obtain high scores.  One of its notable features lets players gain more attempts by taking actions like donating to the NCIS Cancer Fund or sharing a cancer-related health tip.  

As such, a player could use in-game objects with related facts like “Limit your alcohol intake to no more than two standard drinks a day – approximately two cans of beer, two glasses of wine or two measures of spirits” or “Be active and exercise for at least 30 minutes, five times a week, to maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of cancer.” 

Seo Si Yun, operations lead at Sqkii, took pride in this remarkable breakthrough and said, “The game is designed to help Singaporeans easily pick up and share cancer-related facts—developed together with medical professionals from NCIS—while enjoying the process itself. This collaboration marks a milestone for Sqkii in that our games can now not only entertain and drive commercial objectives; they can also drive positive and impactful societal change.” 

The particular mobile game feature stems from the institute’s mission to make cancer care more accessible to those in need by raising funds for them. 

Meanwhile, Chee Cheng Ean, adjunct associate professor and executive director at NCIS expressed their steadfast commitment to the cause, stating, “At NCIS, we are committed to delivering incredible treatment and the compassionate care every individual affected by cancer deserves. We want to empower our patients and the community to take charge of their health and we do this through robust education campaigns. Fighting cancer is a long journey, and it requires a collective effort from the community and broader society.”

Throughout the years, the NCIS Cancer Fund already helped 440 patients with close to $1.8 million since it was set up in 2016. Such initiative has long been reducing the barriers that patients face when dealing with cancer in Singapore.

Singapore – The dynamic landscape of marketing in Southeast Asia is continually evolving, driven by rapidly changing consumer behaviours, technological advancements, and a diverse, vibrant market. As we venture into the future, the region is poised for a marketing revolution that will reshape the way businesses connect with their audiences. 

This transformation is fueled by several key factors, including the proliferation of digital channels, the rise of e-commerce, and the increasing demand for personalised, culturally relevant content. Nonetheless, given the ongoing complexities associated with these developments, how can brands and marketers adopt strategies to successfully navigate current and forthcoming technologies and integrate them into their marketing initiatives?

In order to provide brands and marketers with the most up-to-date knowledge, best practices, and resources to ready themselves for the forthcoming industry trends and forecasts, MARKETECH APAC officially completes the trilogy of its What’s NEXT 2023-24 Conference Series by bringing it to Singapore for the first time, as well as returning to the Philippines as well.

Both of these conferences add up to the upcoming What’s NEXT 2023: Marketing in Malaysia conference this December 5 at Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur.

The upcoming Malaysian conference features a diverse lineup of marketing leaders across Malaysia, representing local and international brands including AEON, Atome, Astro, Axiata, CelcomDigi, IHH Healthcare, InterContinental, Gentari, MR. D.I.Y., PropertyGuru, Secret Recipe Cakes & Cafe, Sunway Malls, Touch ‘n Go Group, and Valiram. The conference has been sponsored by Adobe, CleverTap, Adzymic, MassiveMusic, SleekFlow, and Teads.

Interested parties are encouraged to request the agenda here. This conference is HRDF claimable.

Moreover, MARKETECH APAC’s debut of its What’s NEXT 2023: Marketing in Singapore conference will be held on March 7, 2024, and marks the first time it will be hosting a conference in the country. Meanwhile, the return of the What’s NEXT series conference in the Philippines through What’s NEXT 2024: Marketing in the Philippines will happen from March 19 to 20.

This follows the successful hosting of the What’s Next 2023: Marketing in Asia Pacific 2-day hybrid conference in the Philippines from February 28 to March 1 at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria. The conference was attended by more than 200 in-person attendees and more than 100 virtual attendees including a diverse pool of Philippine and international brands and agencies.

To learn how to be a part of this conference, click HERE for details on the Singapore conference, and HERE for details on the Philippine conference.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Joven Barceñas at [email protected].

Meanwhile, please contact Katherine Sy at [email protected] for speaking opportunities; and Jizelle Barceñas at [email protected] for registrations.

Singapore – More than four in five, or 84%, of Singaporeans said banks and financial institutions are liable to scam losses to a great extent, data from YouGov showed.

The data from YouGov’s survey revealed that nearly half of Singaporeans claim they receive scam texts, calls, or messages on a weekly basis (48%). Meanwhile, one in seven receives such communication daily (14%), and the rest receive it monthly (19%), every few months (10%), or longer than that (3%).

Interestingly enough, men (52%) are more likely to receive scam texts, calls, or messages than women (44%) on a weekly basis. And among generations, GenX feels the most targeted, with more than half of them (52%) saying they receive such communication on a weekly basis.

The data also revealed that among the different types of scams, online shopping or classified scams have been the most common at 15%. This type of scam is where people receive fake items or do not receive items at all. This is closely followed by job scams at 14%.

Not far from the previous numbers, 13%, or at least one in ten Singaporeans, have also been victims of investment scams, which is the same percentage as the victims of bank or card phishing scams. Aside from these, 9% have been victims of loan scams and social media phishing scams, and 53%, or more than half, have never been victims of any scams.

Among these various types of scams, a worrying number half of Gen Z have already been victims of a scam, with bank or card phishing scams being the most common type (15%). This is followed by investment scams and social media phishing scams (14% and 13%, respectively).

Meanwhile, job and employment scams top the list for millennials (16%), followed by online shopping scams (15%) and investment scams (14%). And for GenX, online shopping scams have been the most common (19%), followed by job scams (15%) and investment scams (14%).

Looking at the victims, one in seven (14%) admitted to losing money, and three in ten (30%) haven’t experienced it but personally know someone who lost money due to a scam. On the other hand, half (50%) have neither been victims themselves nor know anyone who has been scammed for money.

With the concerning issue of scamming and loss of money due to a certain scam, the data from YouGov revealed that Singaporeans hold banks and financial institutions most accountable for bearing scam losses, with 84%, or more than four in five respondents, saying they are liable to some or to a great extent.

After banks, 77%, or three-quarters, believe that bearing losses lies with the consumer, while 76% each for telcos and the government.

To protect themselves from scams, three-quarters of Singapore residents ignore or block unknown emails and phone numbers (75%). Other than this, 69% do not share personal details or financial information with anyone, 64% avoid downloading software and mobile apps from unknown sources, 61% won’t transfer money to anyone they haven’t met, and 61% verify numbers and emails before taking any action to prevent any financial fraud.

It is also worth noting that older generations, such as Gen X and Baby Boomers, are more likely to take countermeasures against scams than Gen Z and millennials.

YouGov’s survey comes after the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) proposed a Shared Responsibility Framework (SRF) for phishing scams in Singapore. This newly proposed framework requires financial institutions and telecommunication companies to share the responsibility for scam losses should they fail to discharge prescribed duties.

The survey data showed that most Singaporeans view the framework positively and believe it will be effective in strengthening the accountability of all the parties involved in mitigating scams, especially banks and financial institutions (78%). Meanwhile, seven in ten expect telcos to become more responsible due to this development (70%), and nearly two-thirds think it will make consumers more accountable (64%).

Singapore – Recommerce platform Carousell and corporate card and finance management platform YouBiz have announced a strategic partnership to help local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups accelerate their business growth with digitalisation tools and resources.

The partnership between the two platforms serves as a unique collaboration that aims to help SMEs maximise their resources and save on business expenses as they digitalise their operations.

To start, YouBiz has been helping over 3,000 businesses save annually by eliminating unnecessary administrative fees, coupled with its promise of 0% FX fee, unlimited cashback and seamlessly integrated digital solutions. These substantial savings allow SMEs to reinvest in their growth, and enhance their offerings and reach which ultimately creates a more vibrant and resilient business landscape.

As part of the partnership, Carousell merchants get to enjoy a 10% upsized cashback for their CarouBiz package and Carousell coins, while YouBiz users are offered an exclusive 20% rebate for their purchase of Carousell coins.

Beyond helping SMEs save costs, Carousell and YouBiz are also committed to empowering business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs with the knowledge they need to stay ahead in the digital economy.

Talking about the partnership, Johnny Lim, regional head of sales and business director of Carousell, said, “We are thrilled to partner with YouBiz, combining our reach of 1 in Singaporeans as active monthly users and YouBiz’s expertise in financial solutions, to help small local businesses and success in today’s fast-paced business landscape. Digitalisation is pivotal, and this collaboration exemplifies our commitment to provide simple-to-use and convenient ways for anyone to digitise their business.” 

Meanwhile, Kelvin Lam, chief operating officer of YouBiz by YouTrip, said, “Our partnership with Carousell is a strategic one that aims to equip SMEs with cost-saving tools and resources that help them accelerate their cross-border growth in this digital economy age. We are excited to be working with Carousell to support the growth of SMEs in the region. With our combined expertise and offerings, we can help more businesses tap into new markets and opportunities.”

Singapore – Unilever’s skin care brand POND’S Skin Institute has partnered with advertising and PR agency Ogilvy Singapore for its new product launch campaign to unveil its elevated brand world.

Pond’s new campaign with Ogilvy aims to revive the brand and breathe new life into it while finding ways to connect science with women around the world.

The skincare brand will undergo a complete redesign of its visual identity and brand essence. It will also onboard K-pop star Tzuyu from Twice as its new global ambassador. She will be instrumental in the brand’s reinvention as it invites women to discover how the science of Pond’s Skin Institute can make miracles happen for their skin.

With the tagline ‘Miracles Happen’, the campaign is set to unveil the transformative power of groundbreaking science and what it would mean for millions of Southeast Asian women.

The new campaign comes as POND’S announces the launch of its newest bright miracle product range, which features new formulations and the Nobel Prize-winning science of autophagy to boost skin’s ability to self-repair and achieve ultimate clarity and radiance.

This brand revamp and new campaign will commence in Indonesia and will cascade throughout Southeast Asia and the rest of the world into 2024 through a series of captivating videos, inspiring social media content, and arresting in-store designs.

Aanchal Sethi, global managing partner at Ogilvy Singapore and Unilever, said, “We tapped into the insight that despite their relentless pursuit, 9 out of 10 women struggle to bridge the gap to their desired skin. They believe it would take a miracle to achieve this skin. Today, we have the science to bridge this gap; the science to make miracles happen.”

Speaking on the campaign, Vandana Suri, global brand lead at POND’S Skin Institute, also shared, “At this pivotal moment for Pond’s Skin Institute, we are excited to showcase our longstanding heritage of skincare innovation while introducing the world to our unparalleled new Bright Miracle product range.”

“As we integrate the best of science and beauty, we couldn’t be more thrilled for our partnership with Tzuyu to invite people everywhere to experience the brand. From her unrelenting ambition, diverse talent, and unique craft to her warm personality and inspiring outlook on beauty, she is truly an icon who makes miracles happen,” she added.