More than just a symbol: Decoding the images for the presidential elections 2023

Last week, it was confirmed that three eligible candidates, Ng Kok Song (pictured right), Tan Kin Lian (pictured left) and Tharman Shanmugaratnam (pictured middle) would be able to stand for election on 1 September 2023. Shortly after the confirmation, the three hopefuls revealed their unique symbols that have featured on their campaign materials over the last few days and that we will see on ballot papers come Friday.

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Shanmugaratnam's symbol is probably the most recognisable as a black and white drawing of a pineapple. When asked by media what it symbolises, Shanmugaratnam noted that the pineapple has a lot of meaning to all our local communities. 

"It is a propitious and welcome symbol for many people. When we move into a new home, when we start a new business and when we want good luck and good things to happen," said Shanmugaratnam, adding:

It is our future.

Ng Kok Song's symbol on the other hand is a hand with five fingers and a heart at the centre of the palm. When asked what it symbolised for him, Ng told media that the five fingers represent the "various races in Singapore". He added that the palm signifies that even though we might be people who come from different races and different religions,

We are "one palm" and one country.

"As president, I want to be able to unite all the people of Singapore, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation. So that we can stand united to face an uncertain future," said Ng. 

Finally, we have Tan Kin Lian who opted for a symbol featuring four figures stretching up and reaching towards what appears to be a flower. Tan described it as "living in harmony". The four figures, according to Tan who was speaking to media on Nomination Day on August 22, represent the major ethnic groups in Singapore.

They are, according to Tan,

Reaching out for a better future with the flower representing hope for a better future.

The importance of picking the right symbol

While a symbol on campaign posters and ballot cards may seem fairly insignificant when compared to how a candidate presents themselves and what they say and believe in, they are actually pretty important. Particularly when it comes to recall. Ian Tan, a lecturer in strategic communication at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, NTU explained that a well-designed symbol or logo will help reinforce the idea that this candidate can communicate well, both verbally and visually.

"Combining both types of communication is important when aiming to create an impact on people," said Tan, adding that a badly designed or picked symbol can imply the candidate is not aware of the power of imagery and relies only on his speaking abilities to get the votes. Tan continued by saying:

A poorly chosen logo may allow detractors to have a field day creating online memes or jokes at the candidate’s expense.                                                             

For example, when Ng revealed his symbol, many netizens on platforms such as TikTok pointed out that Singapore does not actually have five races and berated him for considering 'Others' as a race. 

Agreeing with him, Jeffrey Lim, the founder and managing director at 8traordinary explained that the president of Singapore represents the country and the citizens of Singapore in not just diplomatic functions, but that they also possess the executive power to appoint and revoke public service appointments. The right symbol could help individual candidate communicate how neutral, independent and inclusive they are along with the essential characteristics of a good leader. 

"The symbols are also used on the ballot paper so it’s crucial the symbol triggers the right impression or message during the period just before votes are dropped in the box as well," he said. He added that essentially, every presidential candidate's campaigning, along with their symbols, should create the best and lasting impression amongst voters and thereby form and shape positive perceptions.

True enough, according to experience management software Qualtrics, one of the key factors that affect brand recall is the development of an eye-catching logo or branding style. "Often, we’re sold not on the technical specs or the utility of an item, but how it looks. Your brand’s style should be instantly recognisable, even if all your customers are seeing is a color palette," it said in a report on brand recall. The same can be applied to presidential candidates looking to make a mark.

How's it looking right now?

According to Meltwater, as of 28 August, Ng holds just 19.3% of the share of voice online. Comparatively, Shanmugaratnam holds 39.5% and Tan holds 41.2% - albeit not always the most positive. 

"I observed that many social media users were highly amused by Shanmugaratnam’s choice of the pineapple, which spawned many memes and collaterals. The pineapple and Shanmugaratnam are now undeniably synonymous in the lexicon of voters during this campaign period," said Joel Lim, the managing director of ZYRUP and host of Political Prude: The Podcast.

Adding on, Noah Lee, the lead branding director at Louken Consulting said that one also has to consider that there is a short time frame and limited marketing that one can do leading up to the voting. He said:

The symbol needs to be easily understood and resonate well with the people, with little explanation.

As per golden rules of branding, the symbol must be highly differentiated so that voters can remember which symbol belongs to which candidate or it may risk losing potential votes going to the unintended party, he added. 

"When poorer symbols are used, especially those that require a lot more explanation or have any form of religious connotations, this can create a disconnect between voters and the candidate," he said. "In cases where the symbols carry similar meaning to another candidate, voters can also easily be confused as to which is which."

Adding on, Lim explained that if a symbol is perceived negatively or becomes the subject of humor, it has the potential to overshadow the intended message of the campaign. "However, should a symbol be unmemorable or average, its impact on the candidate’s campaign will likely be negligible," he said. 

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