FEATURES: Air force flies high on Singapore's MRT

Background The Singapore Armed Forces recruits youngsters each year to become career soldiers, but while many young Singaporeans find the security of the Forces appealing, they fear that their prospects could be limited when compared to the better-paying private sector. The task is further complicated by intense intra-service rivalry, with competition particularly heated between the navy and the army. The need was to embark on a new corporate campaign direction (while fulfilling recruitment needs) to establish the air force as a premier institution and a first-class employer. The Media Challenge To effectively communicate the new slogan, "Above and Beyond" against a largely resistant, nonchalant target group, which was tired of being bombarded by recruitment advertising everywhere. There are a limited number of media vehicles, leading to a cluttered enviroment. The Insight The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is one of the most important forms of public transport in Singapore. About 66 per cent of the target, i.e. students aged 15-24, travel to school by MRT everyday. Thus it was decided that the MRT was the best medium to catch the target audience "off-guard". However, the MRT was also used by the other armed forces services and numerous private sector recruiters. A study revealed that bored passengers tended to dismiss advertising in the MRT, reducing it to little more than wallpaper. Starcom Singapore wanted to capture commuters' attention, but standard panel ads were not ideal. Objectives and Strategies - To change the way ads were perceived/received; - To cut through the clutter; - To create a 100 per cent gel between the medium and the message. Starcom thus created new media spaces which did not exist on the MRT ratecards, including ceiling and window advertising. The Execution By creating new media spaces on the ceiling of the MRT train cabin, commuters could experience the full meaning of looking "Above and Beyond", effectively driving home the message that the air force was way above the rest. New window stickers were also created, directing commuters to the ads above the windows. The Results It took six months for Starcom to convince 15 government agencies to grant permission for the creative media buy. The results, however, prove the effort was worthwhile. Other advertisers have since approached the MRT requesting similar buys, so much so that the ceiling and window panels are now included on the MRT ratecard. The air force's main competitors, the army and navy, saw a substantial drop in recruitment hotline calls; the MRT buy by the air force broke the navy's previous dominance of the medium. Finally, the buy served as inspiration for more "out of the box" thinking for Starcom. * This ongoing National Geographic Showcase series features selected entries in the Best Use of Media category in MEDIA's Agency of the Year Awards 1999.

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