Singapore Tourism Board makes music video to attract travellers who like to ‘socialise’
A music video around the concept of tourist ‘tribes’ has been revealed as the latest work for Singapore Tourism Board’s ‘Passion Made Possible’ global marketing campaign.
Directed by Jacky Lee, the three-minute music video titled ‘In Transit’ is said to be targeted at the ‘socialiser tribe’, which the company that created the work – Viddsee – has described as “travellers who enjoy making meaningful connections through music and entertainment”.
Viddsee has also launched a longer version of the film. In the nine-minute director’s cut, the narrative expands to show a couple on a night out with friends in some of Singapore’s best-known locations. Among the sites are Clarke Quay, Boat Quay, Ann Siang and Keong Saik.
It also features the song Vacation by Singaporean indie band Sobs. The work will run on the STB’s digital assets in 17 markets including Indonesia, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Germany.
Appearing in the film are local personalities such as rapper The Lion City Boy, comedian Rishi Budhrani, DJ Myrne and mixologists Cedric Mendoza and Lee Panying.
Launched last year, Passion Made Possible was built around the concept of Passion Tribes, which grouped potential visitors based on their lifestyles, interests and what they travel for.
“We wanted to tell a story through the perspective of passionate people who know the city intimately, going to where fun-seekers can let loose and be themselves on a night out,” said the director Lee.
“Backing the video throughout was the track ‘Vacation’, which had the perfect jaunty, carefree vibe we were looking for.”
The STB brand director Lim Shoo Ling claimed the content “offers potential visitors an authentic insider’s peek at the possibilities Singapore has to offer the socialisers”.
She added: “Our partnership emphasises how STB is focused on supporting Singapore talents who embody ‘Passion Made Possible’, and using their voices to bring the stories of Singapore and its people to life.”
Meanwhile, Viddsee’s executive producer Kenny Tan said: “Storytelling in the digital age shouldn’t be confined to one type or form, but can take the shape of various formats to suit the platform and audience.
“We developed ‘In Transit’ with a fully fledged story in mind of a whirlwind romance in the city, highlighting the possibilities that a night out in Singapore can offer,”
Viddsee is now in the process of conceptualising the next films in the campaign, which will focus on the ‘culture shaper’ tribe of tourists and run at the end of January. The series will feature founding artistic director of theatre company Wild Rice in Ivan Heng and dance pioneer Santha Bhaskar, who is artistic director of Bhaskar’s Arts Academy.
Viddsee is one of the 39 creative agencies appointed by The Ministry of Communications and Information to be part of the ‘whole of government’ creative roster, following an agency review in March of this year.
The STB has been through a number of marketing makeovers over the years. Its first ever campaign in 1984 had the tagline ‘Surprising Singapore’.
Some 14 years later, that slogan was replaced with ‘New Asia Singapore’ and it later became ‘Uniquely Singapore’ in 2004. Since 2010, the official tagline had been ‘Your Singapore’ before ‘Passion made possible’ was launched last year.
Dean is the general manager at Mumbrella Asia. He is an experienced British journalist, who has worked in a number of international markets including Singapore, Australia, Dubai, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. As well as his media work, he is also a published academic.
Creatively speaking this is utter rubbish. TBWA had nothing to do with this right? They wouldn’t dare make anything so naff. I would say this is a perfect example of STB going cheap again and making “content” under the banner of new advertising. Does everybody have to keep marketing to fucking millennials like they were the only market in the world with their parents credit card? By buying into this breed of youngsters does it really make your message fresher or your strategy any more sound? Everybody is making the same garbage. Get some quality back in your work STB. Do go hiring production houses like this to make more [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] music videos. And don’t hire [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] to make even worse cliche work. You and Singapore deserve better.
ReplySomeone’s clearly salty. Why, didn’t win the STB contract?
ReplyHilarious piss take.
Every holding-hands-running-though-the-streets-while-laughing-at-everything millennial video cliche. I was waiting cynically for the dancing by the fountain moment – and they only went and did it!
Full marks to the team that put this together. Perfect execution. (It was an intentional parody wasn’t it?)
ReplyWell, let’s have a look at your work then.
ReplyWhen a brand try’s hard to be “cool” they often end up as “cool” as a dad joke. It should be obvious to you SaltyMalty aka part of the team who made the ad, because it is obvious to everyone with good tastes. Stop denying and defending.
ReplyHave your say