SINGAPORE’S

“CRAZY RICH ASIANS”,

EXPERIENCE OF
CITY BRANDING
SYNDICATE 1 - SMEMBA 5
BRANDING & MARKETING COMMUNICATION

29320303 - Agung Adhityo Said

29320442 - Andin Rahmana P.
29320353 - Denys Prayoga N.
29320333 - Eko Frastiawan
29320460 - Indra Wijaya
29320315 - Muthia Nindita Iskandar
29320520 - Shirleen
29320386 - Tri Astuti
29320398 - Yessica Tiurma L. S.
Lionel Yeo, the Singapore Tourism Board CEO, created the
Singapore City Branding Campaign "Passion Made Possible" in
August 2017 to build a more profound and personal connection
between Singapore and potential visitors.

It's represented Singapore's passion-driven, never settling spirit

of determination and enterprise that constantly pursues
possibilities and reinvention.

Yeo's ambition is to attract visitors from outside Asia. Europeans

are coming because of Singapore Grand Prix with Formula One
F1. But attracting North American Markets is challenging. Can
collaborating with "Crazy Rizh Asians" do the job?
1. What the key issues faced by the Singapore Tourism Board in the
case ?
Why STB targeting American’s travellers ?

● The world’s 2nd largest economy, in 2015 ranking 4th in average personal disposable monthly income.
● US resident travelling for leisure increased over 9% y.o.y in 2017.
● US travellers perceived Singapore as ‘a modern,clean and well-organised country that was comfortable,
easy to navigate, more westernised, high english-speaking population and good hygiene factors.
● Singapore is a good starting point for preparing for an Asian vacation.

1. The US travellers (market) 2. Awareness & attractiveness of Singapore

1. Americans generally did not have an overseas
culture, Only 10% had passport in 1994
2. Passport holder increase to 42% in 2017, since the
implementation of new law, requiring to carry
passport even visiting Canada or Mexico
3. Americans not wanting to travel overseas because
their busy work culture, many places to visit
within the US and a fear of other parts of the
world
4. In 2014, 42% of working Americans did not take a
single vacation day, only 13% surveyed travelled
abroad for leisure
1. Outbound travel to Asia increased from 2011 to 2014,
but Singapore is only in 10th position.
2. Limited awareness of Singapore among US residents,
A day before Trump-Kim summit, the keyword
‘Singapore’ was the most searched on Google in the US
3. US traveller were looking for authentic experiences
that were culturally distinctive from their home
country, yet Singapore was perceived to lack the
authentic Asian experience compare with other Asian
destinations and also perceived to be strict and rigid
due to the law/regulations and perceived more
expensive city compare to other Asian
2. Did the movie successful to promote 3. How does the movie reflect
Singapore’s brand ? Singapore’s cultural diversity ?

1. The timing of movie release, just a few moments after

1. The film was near-absence of non-Chinese
Trump-Kim summit in SIngapore, was unexpected
characters, diversity & complexity of Singaporean
applifier of positive coverage about Singapore.
population was not represented. The film is seen as
work as fiction not reality.
2. US visitors increase 14% in 2018, the largest increase
amongst the top fifteen visitor arrival markets.
2. The excess of the ‘crazy rich’ lifestyles featured, the
lifestyle is representing select minority, not the entire
3. Organic searches on Google about Singapore by
society living like in the films.
American surged by more than three times during the
movie’s release in August 2018.
3. However, it is a film, Hollywood making the film actually
for Hollywood not for Singapore, even the film is about
4. 110% increase in searches for Singapore on Orbitz,
the country, so there are many fictional touch for
travel fare aggregator & meta-search engine website.
making the film can be accepted by the viewers all
over the world.
5. Over 527 million earned media impressions with
positive destination coverage of Singapore.
Singapore Tourism Board’s Collaboration with Crazy Rich Asians

The movie would provide an excellent opportunity for STB

to raise the awareness and appreciation of Singapore as a
destination for the North American market.
1. STB gives the access for filming locations in Singapore.
2. The SFC provided financial support to Crazy Rich Asians through it’s
productions assistant grant.
3. Early 2018, STB invest in the movie’s marketing and promotion campaigns.
4. With SFC’s assistance, the film able to access the authentic spots of
Singapore (MBS, GBB, etc).
5. STB offered a ‘Crazy Rich Asians’-themed tour package whereby visitors
could tour locations featured in the film.
6. STB co-produced short videos with Warner Brothers, which were hosted
by the cast and showcased Singapore nightlife, design, culture.
Singapore Tourism Board’s Collaboration with Crazy Rich Asians

In August 2018, the same month the movie was released, STB organised a
‘Crazy Rich Singapore Week’ event in Los Angeles featuring Singaporean
chefs, mixologists, pop and street artists, and DJs.

Due to the large Singaporean cast and crew involved in the production, STB
is also focusing the marketing message around Singapore’s home-grown
talents and personalities, as they are a key anchor of ‘Passion Made
Possible’ brand. The film shines a spotlight on them, and how they are
making their passions possible on a global stage.

As part of STB’s ‘Passion Made Possible’ campaign, a series of videos were

produced featuring three members of the cast of Crazy Rich Asians: Fiona
Xie, Janice Koh and Tan Kheng Hua. These videos were in line with the
tribes of socialisers, collectors and culture shapers.
THANK
YOU
SYNDICATE 1 - SMEMBA 5
BRANDING & MARKETING COMMUNICATION

29320303 - Agung Adhityo Said

29320442 - Andin Rahmana P.
29320353 - Denys Prayoga N.
29320333 - Eko Frastiawan
29320460 - Indra Wijaya
29320315 - Muthia Nindita Iskandar
29320520 - Shirleen
29320386 - Tri Astuti
29320398 - Yessica Tiurma L. S.