A6331 Message Design Case
Introduction:
The International Communication Association (ICA) has more than 4,300 members and usually half attend the annual conferences. However, when it is held outside of North America the attendance is low, and furthermore, Asian scholars are not aware of ICA. ICA’s communication initiatives are largely and may lack a more personal angle that might appeal to its members.
Goal: To improve awareness of ICA and Singapore
Objectives:
- To reach out to the target audience in a more personalized manner
- To inform the target audience of the attractions in Singapore and create an image of Singapore as a preferred place to visit.
Target Audience:
As membership is concentrated outside of Asia and attendance is low outside of North America, it is necessary to attract this segment, focusing on Americans.
As mentioned in the ICA website and the case brief, members are also scholars and include postgraduates/students, who may be on a limited budget.
Strategies
a. Increasing awareness and emphasizing uniqueness
Many people may still not be aware of where and what Singapore is. Some may have heard of Singapore’s image as a clean and green industrialized small authoritarian concrete city-state, which may sound boring and unattractive. It is therefore necessary to emphasize that Singapore is just not a city of buildings and people.
b. Shopping and Dining
According to the latest outbound report of American residents, Americans visiting overseas location mainly spend their leisure time on shopping and dining followed by “visiting historical places, visiting small towns and villages, sightseeing in cities, touring the countryside and visiting cultural heritage sites”(International Trade Administration Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, 2008). Thus, I have concentrated at least two sections of the newsletter on these two areas, especially highlighting the ethnic and special unique dishes that such members would not be able to try in their own countries.
c. Ethnic and cultural aspects
As Singapore is multi-cultural and uniquely Asian, this is a positive point that can be introduced. For example, Little India, Chinatown and Arab Street have retained some traditional spots that may be very interesting to foreigners that are unfamiliar with Asian culture. For e.g., Little India is a successful tourist attraction and has been described as “a place where insiders are seen to go about their everyday business and which has novelty and appeal for many outsiders who enjoy the sights and atmosphere” (Henderson, 2008).
d. Affordability and others
Singapore is small, but we can emphasize the advantages of its size, through the fact that it allows for ease and affordability of travel, which compares very positively with other countries. It is also relevant as we are aiming for the members to stay for the weekend and they can be assured of covering lots of ground in such a short time. Also, as mentioned also at STB’s Uniquely Singapore website, Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world and is relatively safe. These two aspects would be attractive to tourists who would rather not worry about the costs and time spent on travel or getting mugged. North Americans have been found to be satisfied with Singapore’s convenience, affordability and attractions (Keng, 1999).
Tactics
Tagline: Take the weekend off!
Sub tagline: Singapore – a city, an island and so much more!
a. Poster – teaser
In the poster, I have used two of the most famous Singapore icons – Sir Stamford Raffles and the Merlion, steeped in the history of Singapore as the founder and traditional legend respectively. These two are also used by ICA on their website (www.ica2010.sg). As both are found in the city center, next to the Singapore River, I play on the word, “city”, to indicate that despite Singapore as an economic powerhouse, it is more than just a concrete jungle of buildings and offices. Thus, Sir Stamford Raffles and the Merlion are having a “weekend off” outing at the Chinese Gardens, which is pictured as serene and relaxing – what a nice way to enjoy the weekend off after a week hard at work at the conference! Most of the members would be attending the conference during the day so it’s time to get some fresh daytime air.
b. Newsletter
The cover is the iconic esplanade and home of the Merlion, which appears on the cover to invite the reader to turn the page for more, including the tagline used throughout the campaign. In the newsletter I have included Shopping and Dining Sections, which are the popular leisure activities of North Americans (as mentioned above). However, to also bring out the fact that there’s more to Singapore than a concrete jungle (plus as mentioned above, the “countryside” is also a draw), a relaxing image of the Chinese Gardens is used to bring out the fact that there are also interesting fauna and flora in the many well managed parks and gardens. This image of Singapore may be less well-known as many (including locals – some asked me where I took the photo and expressed surprise that it was locally taken) assume that Singapore is devoid of wildlife and/or natural areas. In addition, non Asian foreigners would be looking for something more than the next Starbucks, so the appeal of the different cultures is included.
c. Blog
In the blog, I have followed the same color scheme and icons, font and taglines, to present a seamless integration of the concept. It contains two headers, the ICA logo and links.
References:
- Henderson, J. C. (2008). Managing Urban Ethnic Heritage: Little India in Singapore. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 14(4), 332–346.
- International Trade Administration Office of Travel and Tourism Industries. (2008). 2008 Outbound Analysis [Electronic Version]. Retrieved November 5, 2009, from http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/outreachpages/download_data_table/2008_Outbound_Analysis.doc
- Keng, K. A., & Cheng, J. L. L. (1999). Determining Tourist Role Typologies: An Exploratory Study of Singapore Vacationers. Journal of Travel Research, 37(4), 382-390.
Photos: Myself
Layout: Adobe Creative Suite 3
Blog: Wordpress
 
download .pdf
download .pdf small sized (color may not be the same)
Download .pdf file
download .pdf file small sized (color may not be the same)
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