Fleishman Hillard, which was appointed to the project last year, will compete with four other agencies for the project, estimated at US$500,000 for the first half of 2008. Since being appointed, Fleishman Hillard has helped drive awareness of new Governmental policies to support pre-natal women, which have seen the birthrate increase slightly.
The Government hopes to raise the figure to 2.1 by overcoming what researchers have identified as the primary barriers preventing Korean women from having children: the perception that children place a great burden on family life, and the reluctance of women to sacrifice their freedom by becoming parents.
Tanya van Soest, account supervisor at Fleishman Hillard Korea, observed that “family duties for Korean women are much more significant” than for their Western counterparts. She also cited the cost of childcare as a major deterrent from starting a family, in a country where private education is considered mandatory for success.
Unlike Singapore’s Baby Bonus scheme of 2001, the Korea Government’s policy does not rely on tax breaks to encourage people to have children, but aims to create a more supportive society through incentives such as childcare coupons for new mothers, discount cards for restaurants and childcare support according to the age of the child.
Recognition is also being given to parent-friendly corporations, and the Government has outlined guidelines in the form of ‘Ten commandments for a pregnancy-friendly environment’.
Burson Marsteller Singapore market leader Allison Lim notes that since the reworking of the Baby Bonus scheme in 2004, Singapore’s government, like Korea’s, has sought to present the personal benefits of family life as well as financial incentives. “It’s now not just about more babies, but about the whole family unit, about helping people understand the value of kids and family, and of work-life balance.”
The second phase of Korea’s push will focus on communicating the various schemes in place to support child-rearing.
