Singapore F1's social media success

The lion city is perhaps still reeling from aftermath of the F1 and circuit parties, and rightfully so.The Singapore GP has beaten all others with the highest proportion of positive mentions on social media, according to SAP Social Media Analytics. Overall, the Monaco F1 GP still remains on top when it comes to highest number of race of mentions on social media.(Scroll below for charts)So what does that mean for the little red dot?According to Andy Oliver, Lewis PR's Asia Pacific senior vice president F1 is another feather in the cap of the Singapore government's strategy to promote brand Singapore."It certainly is one of the best marketing tools Singapore has employed to promote its awareness across the globe, at least among F1 followers," he said."Global media coverage is huge. The key is that international media put a focus on the city state as a whole, what Singapore offers to visitors, not just reporting about the race."For example, BBC News carries reports such as "Singapore Grand Prix: What makes it so spectacular?" The focus is then on the experience, not the drivers or the race. Press coverage worldwide is also flooded with pictures of Marina Bay and major tourism sites even mentioning the "Singapore Sling"."Altogether the F1 helps not only to reinforce the positioning that Singapore is a destination point in itself, rather than a transit point for the rest of South East Asia and Australasia," Oliver added.The F1 is now an established and must-have marketing tool for the country and to think of the Singapore brand without it, is now "simply unthinkable"."This is the marketing of entertainment, not a sporting event. The race itself just happens to be the icing on top of the entertainment cake."Andrew Thomas, regional managing director for Southeast Asia, Ogilvy Public Relations of Ogilvy PR recaps the days when many were saying that the night race would not be a success because of the shadows and blinding lights impacting safety."The event came out as a fabulous reminder and reinforcement of the can-do attitude and smartness associated with brand Singapore," Thomas said.Thomas added that by applying lateral thinking, Singapore was able to move from little dot on the F1 fixture calendar to the 'must attend' event of the whole racing season.The global visibility and positive brand association also works for the country and region in the long term planning with globals CEOs from many of the world's dynamic companies congregating in the same room."Before, during and after the event, the business and international elite are complimenting their weekend of golf, dining, partying and race watching activity with strategy meetings that will help embrace investment and expansion across Asia," Thomas said.