Secret Lives of Singaporeans issue #45: Coldplay's world tour, goodbye Peace Centre, and SimplyGo sa

SECRET LIVES OF SINGAPOREANS:

COLDPLAY’S WORLD TOUR, GOODBYE PEACE CENTRE, AND SIMPLYGO SAGA Issue #45 – Week commencing 29th January 2024 Authored by Reagan Ng and Mellita Angga

OGILVY

Secret Lives of Singaporeans is an ongoing collection of marketer-friendly briefs on the fascinating people of the little red dot, by planners and PR consultants from the big red agency. It’s not “thought leadership”, it’s “inspiration to DO”.

Each issue comprises • One thing people in Singapore are talking about • One thing people in Singapore are searching for • One thing that’s in the news in Singapore

Image Credits: People, The Straits Times, AFP

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OGILVY

One thing people in Singapore are talking about:

A SKY FULL OF STARS: COLDPLAY’S MUSIC OF THE SPHERES WORLD TOUR

Image Credit: Mothership

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WHAT

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The one thing on everyone's social and news feeds in the past week: Coldplay's Music Of The Spheres World Tour.

Selling out all nights of their show, they are the first act in Singapore to ever play six nights at the National Stadium.

It's no doubt the popularity Coldplay has amassed amongst their Singaporean fans. This is evident from their sold-out shows and the heaps of fans who did not manage to get tickets, camping outside the National Stadium to hear them ‘live’.

Anticipating the high influx of Coldplay fans at Stadium MRT, DBS plastered OOH banners within the station featuring popular Coldplay lyrics. These lyrics were re-purposed to call out DBS products. Other companies like Grab provided free shuttle services from National Stadium to other MRT stations, in an effort to associate their brand to the band.

Capitalising on fanfare is nothing new. The magic lies in making use of contextually-relevant advertising and experience enhancement to get one’s brand noticed in a positive light as well.

Source: Straits Times, Ticketmaster, Mothership

SO WHAT

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One thing people in Singapore are searching for:

GOODBYE PEACE CENTRE

Image Credit: CNA Lifestyle

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WHAT Peace Centre, a 47-year-old mall in Singapore, is set to close after its final weekend open to the public on January 27 and 28.

The mall became a vibrant creative hub and created a positive impact on the local creative community by allowing tenants to occupy units for free or at heavily discounted rents.

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Just hours before Peace Centre's permanent closure, a lively party spanning three levels of the mall took place over the weekend.

Over 1,500 attendees joined the PeaceOut festival, which continued until 4am on Sunday. Partygoers enjoyed dancing to rave music played by DJs who occupied multiple units within the mall.

Source: Today Online, Google Trends, Instagram (@zjtch)

PlayPan's initiative to take over Peace Centre before its demolition, allowing for community-building activities, was applauded by Singaporeans.

Brands should recognise the significance of engaging with local communities and cultivating spaces that promote a sense of belonging and creativity.

The appeal to youths in the final days of the mall was the freedom to express themselves through elements like graffiti, performance art, and art exhibitions, which they don’t typically get in ‘pristine’ Singapore.

This highlights the importance of freedom for creative exploration and experimentation in future events and on-ground activations, as it allows for authentic and immersive experiences that capture the attention and interest of Singaporeans.

SO WHAT

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One thing that’s in the news in Singapore:

SIMPLYGO SAGA

Image Credits: Straits Times

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WHAT The government’s recent decision to phase out the existing commuter ticketing system in favour of SimplyGo cards has caused a significant public outcry.

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The controversy highlighted concerns about the usability of the new system, particularly among senior citizens and those less familiar with technology.

As a result, the government reversed its decision and extended the use of the existing card-based ticketing system alongside SimplyGo, acknowledging the need for better preparation and the importance of addressing public concerns.

“The six months (of outreach) was not enough considering you have a third of adult commuters that need to make the switch to SimplyGo.” – Transport analyst Terence Fan from the Singapore Management University (SMU)

“For LTA's communication efforts to work, it has to be considered and planned upstream, alongside product development and implementation design."

– Dr Carol Soon of the Institute of Policy Studies

Source: Straits Times, Today Online

What brands could learn from the missteps of SimplyGo’s roll-out: •

Recognition of the backlash and maintaining accountability to the public can help appease the masses. Precise next steps can assure the public that their views are heard and there are reasonable milestones to look ahead to.

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LTA faced criticism for not adequately communicating the benefits and drawbacks of SimplyGo upfront. Brands should proactively address potential concerns and provide transparent information to build trust and manage customer expectations.

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Education and outreach: Brands should proactively educate their target audience about the features, advantages, and usage of their products or services within an appropriate timeline.

SO WHAT

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