Ad Insider - Mar08

Stuck in a moment

Ever since I arrived in Asia 10 years ago, Singapore Airlines has been my favourite airline: the friendliness, the service, the product. While I was based in Hong Kong I flew more Cathay Pacific for a few years which was excellent - but SIA was special, there was some magic about it. Was it the Singapore girl in her sarong kabaya? I am not sure but for many years I have been a brand evangelist.

Recently, however, I have developed some doubts. Sure, the A380 'first to fly' idea was genius, and concentrating on the sky suite as a symbol - albeit an unaffordable one for mere mortals - was the right move to position the new plane and thus the brand.

But apart from the still superior product, in its communication efforts SIA seems to be going back in time, not forward.

It started with the ill-conceived ‘the romance of travel is back' campaign for the new economy/business/first class. While the product doesn't need much selling (the widest business class seat in the air), the campaign placed the product shots somewhere on cloud nine in neverneverland, with swirls and mini clouds all around. That's not how a modern airline communicates its new cabin - it's old fashioned, and not in a romantic way. Just a bit, well, dusty.

Back then I had some idea that the campaign was probably not the first idea that came out of Batey's Ann Siang Hill office, and was more likely answering client requests.

This turned out to be true when a few weeks ago, at long last, the first work from pitch winner TBWA aired. Tada: more of the same! The new work was not just lacking an idea (oh yes, sorry, the A380 has two rows of windows, let's use those as a key visual) but the way the Singapore girl was shown was, if anything, even more subservient than before.

Poor TBWA. The holy grail of Singapore advertising accounts turned out to be a paper cup.

The travel back in time continues below the line: the PPS Club management diary 2008 (doesn't everybody have a digital diary these days?) is gold on gold; gold cover, gold corners, gold cut pages.

Even worse is the cover of the (golden) desk calendar 2008: the picture with the three stewardesses dates, I bet, from 1974.

In branding, we constantly look at touchpoints, where the consumer meets the brand. And we preach consistency in order to avoid brand confusion. Unfortunately, the Singapore airlines brand, impressive in modern product and service, seems confused and old-fashioned in its communications.

Jorg Dietzel

Principal

Jorg Dietzel Brand Consultants