FEATURES: Air force flies high on Singapore's MRT

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