SPH turns down tribute ads to Lee Kuan Yew

Singapore Press Holdings has sent out an email to marketers and agencies regarding the queries it has been getting on tribute ads to Mr Lee Kuan Yew.In a letter penned by Leslie Fong, senior executive VP, Marketing and Digital Divisions of SPH, the company said that at the request of the family, SPH will not be accepting all such advertisements.“Apart from this, it will be business as usual for advertising in SPH newspapers and other platforms. We will continue to work closely with all clients, agencies and partners to meet your need. Thank you for your understanding,” said Fong.Meanwhile, rival Mediacorp declined to comment on its advertising stance on the matter.This year Singapore will also be celebrating its 50th anniversary with a big bash. According to the SG50 website, the logo celebrates the Singaporean spirit – “signifying that our dreams are not limited by the physical size of our island nation”.(Read also: Have we gone overboard with the SG50 branding?)When asked by Marketing if the plans of celebrating the nation’s biggest bash would be impacted by Lee’s health, the government body said it did not have any comments on the matter at this point of time.