TBWA lands Sentosa job

Tan Hee Teck, CEO of RWS, said that he expected a significant portion of the casino’s traffic to be driven online. “Most of the major theme parks around the world have online ticketing,” he said.

Dan Paris, MD of TBWA, noted that internet penetration was very high in RWS’ target audiences, which includes emerging markets in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Asean, China and India. “Online is going to be critical, because it’s the only medium that can bring the diversity of the RWS experience to life,” Paris said.

TBWA will also have to position the resort as a family holiday destination as local restrictions forbid the casino to advertise its gambling options, said Tan. TBWA has been tasked with conceptualising local and global through-the-line communications for RWS, leading up to the resort’s opening in 2010.

But Futurebrand CEO Gavin Coombes, who led the ‘Uniquely Singapore’ platform, warned against relying too much on advertising and digital communications. “Obviously RWS can’t copy what’s worked well in Vegas or Macau, which is risqué and edgy,” he said.

“TBWA will have to take the unique attributes that it can work with and make the best of them.”

TBWA won the three-year contract after a five-way contest, beating sister shop DDB, M&C Saatchi, Batey and one unnamed agency. A spokes-person at RWS said it was “still too early to appoint a media buying house” and declined to reveal when the first campaign would break.

RWS is one of two integrated resorts being built in Singapore, and expects to generate 15 million visitors in its first year, said a spokesperson.

The other casino, owned by Las Vegas Sands, has yet to appoint an agency.

Additional reporting by Sara Yin