The Campaign

INSIGHT • Research highlighted families are looking for ‘bonding experiences’, ‘quality time together’, followed by ‘ease, accessibility, safety’ OPPORTUNITY • Singapore meets the needs of this sentimental demographic, providing an opportunity to showcase the range of entertaining experiences and emotions that can be encountered • However, we didn’t know what families really felt about Singapore, so we decided to read their minds! IDEA • A world-first study led by PR - ‘Singapore Emotion Travel Guide’ • Singapore Tourism revealed travellers’ real-time feelings as they holidayed there • Five families took part in research, wearing EEG (electroencephalogram) headsets capturing brain electrical activity, measuring popular emotions – ‘fun’, ‘happiness’, ‘stress’, ‘interest’, ‘excitement’, ‘relaxation’ • Result - a world-first travel guide and map curated by objective emotions, helping future visitors to plan their dream Singapore holiday • Sydney University and University of NSW spearheaded the methodology, creating a new industry category - ‘Neuro-Tourism’

Execution

MEDIA STRATEGY: • Using journalists as test subjects guaranteed national stories • Compelling assets (explainer video, emotion map) secured prime-time TV • Radio interviewed neuroscientists • Influencers acted as case studies inspiring their audience to consider Singapore 9ELSEWHERE.COM.AU MEDIA BUY: • Launched a microsite with interactive emotion map for holiday-planning THE STUDY: • Compelling findings excited media and educated travellers: - Traveller: “This study teaches people that there's no ‘one-size-fits-all’ for travel itineraries … emotions play a key role.” - News Corp: “Free activities were a hit with parents whilst educational experiences like ArtScience Museum recorded strong ‘interest’ levels in children.” MEDIA CHALLENGED MISCONCEPTIONS (TRAVEL BARRIERS): • AAP proved it’s not boring – “Results showed there is a huge variety of experiences…, ranging from thrilling adventure to serene gardens.” • Expedia proved it’s not soulless - “Singapore’s a cultural melting pot … We visited Chinatown for … the best Asian.”

BUSINESS OUTCOME • Contributed to increased visitation: At December 2016, the AU Visitor Arrivals were -2% year-on-year. Post campaign (Feb – April 2017) after sustained communications efforts, AU VA increased by +5.6% (YoY, May 2017) • Increased traveller expenditure: AU Tourism Receipts increased +4% compared to Quarter 1 2016 • ‘Global best practice’: client exploring international roll-out MEDIA OUTPUT EARNED TRADITIONAL • Audience Reach: 51 million+ • PR Value: AUD $4,127,486 o 15+ minutes of broadcast without spend - news, lifestyle and talkback o 96.5% messaging penetration: - ‘Harmonious Contrasts’: “The thing I love about Singapore is that it’s a mix of old and new” (AAP) - ‘Reinvention of City’: “Singapore is a frenetic, fantastical place that evolves and reinvents itself on a dizzying constant basis.” (International Traveller) - ‘Ease and Safety’, ‘Versatility of Experiences’: “Holidaying here makes you wonder why anyone goes to Bali… Singapore is exceptionally safe and clean with first-class infrastructure with zillion things to do.” (Sunday Mail) o 1 x front cover magazine o Global media picked up story organically: Telegraph UK, Lonely Planet TOTAL EARNED SOCIAL (influencers and media. Results are organic without spend) • Social reach: 5,698,279 • Resulting UGC social clips: 112 • Likes: 33,802 • Comments: 1,535 • Shares: 811 SINGAPORE FACEBOOK PERFORMANCE • Page likes: 5,919: +114% increase on past campaign • Organic post performance: o Facebook campaign reach: 2,053,422 o Average engagement rate per post: 8.51% (average rate top 20 Australian tourism brands is 3.6%. Source: Online Circle Digital)

The Situation

Singapore Tourism briefed its agencies, asking for an integrated idea that would achieve cut through with families during the busy February / March booking period. As the retained PR agency for five years, we needed an innovative concept to resonate with consumers and media. The client chose our idea as the campaign concept, to be integrated and supported by the creative, digital and media agencies. The world-first concept utilised innovative technology to investigate consumers’ emotions whilst travelling. The result was a new industry category – ‘Neuro-Tourism’ supported by extensive media exposure (including global media pick-up) and above-the-line spend.

The Strategy

AUDIENCE • Australian families wanting a standalone holiday or European stopover MEDIA • Earned: mainstream, plus family • Social: Instagram, Facebook • Owned: website, Facebook PLANNING/APPROACH • Client’s agencies proposed ideas. PR’s idea selected for 360 integration - ad-spend, media partnership, digital • Sustained campaign roll-out over 3 months: o Teaser - Study takes place in Singapore: social media coverage o Launch - Study announced: mainstream news o Momentum - families share anecdotes, content seeding • Families selected for reach: o Duffy family (The Block): case study aligned with Network 9 buy o Fat Mum Slim, mummy blogger: media case study and owned amplification o Journalists guaranteeing launch coverage: AAP, Expedia, News.com, International Traveller • Credible Neuroscientists on-boarded for methodology and media interviews • Assets for earned and owned channels: explainer videos, photography, top tips • Consumer call-to-action: interactive emotion map for holiday planning - identifying experiences and corresponding emotions