Brief Explanation

The Pioneer Generation Office wanted to produce commemorative book featuring 50 stories from the Pioneers. The book's objective was to firstly celebrate the Pioneers for what they've done for Singapore, and also let readers of all ages understand and appreciate the Pioneers more.

The Brief

This year, Singapore celebrates its 50th year of independence with yearlong nationwide events known as "SG50". One of the key policies under the SG50 banner was a programme to render financial aid to a generation of citizens known as "Pioneers" – those born before 1950 who lived through Singapore's tough formative years (the 1950s to 1970s). The outreach to these Pioneers was spearheaded by the Pioneer Generation Office, whose task was not just to educate the Pioneers on the details of the financial aid, but also to appreciate and celebrate them for all they have contributed to the country.

How the final design was conceived

Being a government publication should not mean being boring. Despite being about people aged 66 and up, we wanted the book to be read even by teenagers. It would not be just the content that engaged readers, but also the stunning delivery. Two-in-one - The book's two volumes were attached back-to-back, to give the impression of a never-ending, converging story, despite being made up of 50 painstakingly researched and interviewed articles and several other features. Covers - Triple-layered covers, each layer continuing and enhancing the message of the previous layer, were designed not just to capture attention on first glance, but make the book feel as sturdy and strong as the Pioneers featured inside. Section dividers - The 4 chapters each had unique section dividers to encapsulate the content of each, and provide an interactive break between sections. Typography - Each of the 50 stories' typographic and design treatment was uniquely designed and personalised to the Pioneer featured, and his/her story. This helped each story to stand out on its own. Colour - The first volume contained more historical narratives and was thus in black-and-white, but was still rendered in 4C for more vibrance.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

The book gave much-needed modernism and vigour to the image of the Pioneer Generation Office. It moved the emphasis away from simply taking care of Singapore's oldest generation to celebrating and appreciating them.