Why is this work relevant for PR?

We’ve adopted a strategic storytelling approach to strengthen our reputation, to be more meaningful and less ‘hard sell’ as a brand. The three films enabled us to creatively express the values that both we and our stakeholders deem important, and in doing so, forge shared affinity. This is important because in an increasingly transactional world, people look beyond price points to connect with brands whose values resonate with their own. As a brand with roots going back 140 years, we are vested in our customers, employees, partners and larger community and this campaign is an expression of that long-term commitment.

Background

The telecommunications market in Singapore is becoming increasingly crowded with 11 players battling it out. This raises the stakes for brands as it becomes tougher to capture attention and grab significant share of voice. Research shows that even though Singtel’s brand awareness remains strong, consumers say the differences between telcos are beginning to narrow. In view of this, our campaign is designed to further differentiate ourselves. Having established a reputation for superior network coverage and connectivity as the incumbent and lead telco, we felt story telling would help us lift our brand further by articulating our values and beliefs so we could better connect with our stakeholders.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

The overarching theme expresses our belief as a communication services provider that connection in the deeper sense of the word matters. Cutting across generations, the films underscore the message that connections are about the everyday moments that we create with those around us. National Day 2018: “The Drive Home” is about a teenager who is made to visit his grandfather in Singapore in the run-up to National Day, having lived overseas. Strained interactions ensue, but they are ultimately drawn closer to each other. Christmas 2018: “Grace’s White Christmas” revolves around a chance encounter between a child and a busker. Both emerge from their encounter happier than before, indicating that the balm for loneliness can sometimes come from unexpected quarters. Chinese New Year 2019: “From Ma, With Love” features Singaporean undergraduates studying abroad who think they’ve successfully dodged spending Chinese New Year at home only to rediscover the importance of family.

Describe the strategy (30% of vote)

As the campaign’s goal was to endear the Singtel brand to as broad a range of customers and stakeholders as possible, we ensured that all three films in the campaign conveyed a strong sense of inclusivity. When people feel that they are part of a brand irrespective of age, race, cultures and even purchasing power, it endears them to the brand. We see the branded content space as an ideal one from which to reach this broad swathe of audiences. To develop a compelling narrative that expresses our brand values in accessible ways, we collaborated with Singaporean film-maker K. Rajagopal to design and conceptualise story arcs, characters and plots that everyone could relate to. We opted to ride on the festive spirit, as we felt that most people would be more receptive to content that celebrates a much-loved holiday, than a typical advertisement with a product and services plug.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

Each film was released around 3 or 4 weeks ahead of the holiday itself, giving the films enough time to be seen and shared by audiences. The films were published on social media to encourage organic sharing and spark conversations. • National Day, “The Drive Home”, 12th July – 13th August 2018 • Christmas, “Grace’s White Christmas”, 22nd Nov – 31st Dec 2018 • Chinese New Year, “From Ma, With Love”, 4th Jan – 17th Feb 2019 We developed press releases announcing the launch of the films targeting mainstream dailies, online news channels and regional trade publications in Singapore. The press release was disseminated to mainstream and trade media on the same day each film was released to generate awareness of the film, and drive viewership. We also worked with editors and journalists to develop stories angled around the themes and the festive seasons.

List the results (30% of vote) – must include at least two of the following tiers:

Tier 1: The three films generated more than 38 million views combined on Singtel’s Facebook and YouTube pages – more than double the number from the previous campaign a year ago. The campaign drove 20 million more views compared to the previous year, a 114% jump. The spike meant that the average eCPV (effective cost per view) rate of our campaign decreased by 50% to an average of $0.01. All three campaign films attracted extensive positive coverage including in-depth stories that focused on the themes in the films, published in the mainstream press and marketing media such as The New Paper, Lianhe Zaobao, Shin Min Daily, and Business Insider, generating a PR value of nearly S$200,000. For a snapshot of the coverage, please refer to appendix A. Tier 2: Beyond the numbers and headlines, we were encouraged at how the campaign has clearly struck a chord, based on the number of conversations sparked about family ties and the strengthening of these bonds. The three films racked up nearly 900 comments on YouTube, with many expressing that the films resonated deeply with them. As this is a brand campaign with no agenda to sell, the usual metrics cannot accurately measure the intangible gains in brand equity and sentiment, which are ultimately built over time. Nevertheless, the conversations and feedback generated indicate that we have made emotional and meaningful connections with our stakeholders and at the same time, built brand love and differentiated ourselves from the competition.