Results and Effectiveness

We received 80,000 entries across 125 towns and cities in India, 30% higher than any other previous campaign. ‘MAD in Singapore’ aired to its highest ratings (+20%), reaching an average 1.3 million children with 8.2 million cumulatively. Research showed one in three families were pestered by their child to take the family to Singapore. Of these, nearly 75% said they intend to travel to Singapore in the next two years. Overall, post this effort, Singapore’s share of “intent to travel” increased to 59.1% from 43.3% with this key target group, and actual travel converted to a 9% increase vs. YA.

Creative Execution

Idea:Unearth and showcase the island city of Singapore through the eyes of the children in order to communicate effectively to parents. STB partnered with POGO’s(a top-rated India kids’ network) extremely popular Kids program MAD (Music, Art & Dance). Rebranded as ‘MAD in Singapore’, the first modification in six years, children across India were given a chance to win a trip to Singapore with MAD’s popular host Rob, through answering a simple question about Singapore, and get featured on POGO’s 2008 “Summer Special”. The children’s adventures like interacting with dolphins at Sentosa’s Underwater World, experiencing astronomy at the Science Centre, and playing at robotics were captured on camera and edited into six half-hour episodes. Each showed the kids’ fantastic, adventure-laced journeys while promoting a specific jaw-dropping facet of the island city. These episodes were aired Sunday mornings, when POGO’s shares are typically highest, with repeats slotted across the week.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Singapore was not on the radar as a tourism destination for Indian families. To them, a business centre like Singapore cannot equal the fun and excitement they feel with other SEA destinations like Malaysia and Thailand. STB’s challenge: Reposition how Singapore was perceived for families, driving desire and intent to travel by a double-digit increase of 10% Seeing what they could do together as a family is critical to Indian parents’ decision-making on holiday travel. Seeing experiences through the eyes of their children – their sense of awe and enthusiasm – parents see how a destination can become an exhilarating playground, with children’s excitement being contagious. Ultimately then, parents’ joy and pride is inextricably linked to their child’s. For STB to achieve their goal, making consumers see, feel and experience what Singapore really is - an exciting, fun place for the entire family – was imperative.