Card firm plugs GSS drive

SINGAPORE MasterCard has launched its latest 'Shop the Sale' marketing blitz, building on last year's campaign results to deliver a 'Fly whenever' promotional offering that is more in tune with local aspirations.

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As the official card of the Great Singapore Sale (GSS), MasterCard is targeting 'astute shoppers'. The McCann Worldgroup-created drive is built around giving cardholders the chance to win a Silk Air Travel Pass — a year-long ticket that allows up to three trips to every SilkAir destination. During every single day of the GSS, one MasterCard cardholder will win a SilkAir Travel Pass.

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According to McCann regional business director Phil Carroll, this year's campaign strategy reflects learnings from last year's drive, which offered a trip to Europe. "We wanted to appeal to a more mass base," explained Carroll. "Ultimately, people want choice in where to go and are much more confident travelling within the region."

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MasterCard Singapore vice-president and senior country manager, T V Seshadri, added: "Singaporean consumers want the flexibility and freedom of choosing how they want to use their prize. The idea of providing a prize that combines both relaxation and shopping has a very high appeal amongst consumers, as it provides them the best of both worlds."

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Carroll also explained that the new concept better links spending to winning, by increasing chances to win, and offers consumers greater flexibility in choosing their own destination. Carroll calls these the 'hot button' issues of the 'mass affluent' audience that MasterCard is targeting with the campaign.

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"They are the consumers who brave the GSS, hunting for the ultimate deals, bargains and latest fashions. They battle the crowds and rummage through the bins," said Carroll. "Shopping is a therapy, an escape from their stressed-out lives but the effort during GSS is tiring, as it is the sale that tests their shopping skill and endurance."
The idea developed by McCann, accordingly, is 'Shop more… relax more', which is being communicated through a comprehensive integrated communications campaign that includes print, online, outdoor, POS, PR and DM.

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The print ads utilise the MasterCard 'Priceless' platform, featuring a range of products and prices, followed by 'having a year of escapes whenever: priceless'.

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Outdoor executions, meanwhile, include a road painting and banners on Orchard Road, along with façade banners, escalator wraps and several taxi executions. The underpass execution, mean- while, looks to turn the structure into the inside of an airline cabin.

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The marketing campaign is also running in Indonesia, Australia and China, key inbound markets for Singapore's retail sector.