Commentary

I was often asked if there are special rules of branding for small businesses to follow. The reason I get this question a lot is that the moment small business owners see the big brands that I use as case studies of companies that have grown from a struggling two-man start-up to successful global brands using these 10 rules, their eyes glaze over and their minds go, “Ah! These rules apply only to big brands. I am a small business. These rules don’t apply to me.”

Alex Tan’s trying on a new suit. He adjusts the jacket, frowns at himself in the mirror and then grabs his iPad. He’s Skyping his personal style concierge. She agrees - this time they didn’t get it right. He’s returning it via express delivery.

In the recent elections, we saw the rise of social media as powerful communications platforms, as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others were used to discuss election issues in public and galvanise the public to vote.

Why Asia? With Asia expected to record strong economic growth in 2011 and the influx of foreign direct investment as well as the establishment of multinationals in Asia set to increase, the war for talent is certainly heating up in Asia. The collective regional economy of four billion people in 46 countries, Asia has accumulated USD46 trillion in foreign exchange reserves – more than half of the world’s total.

Singapore’s ageing workforce means employers need to consider age-friendly recruitment practices, phased retirements, work/life balance and training in order to accommodate the changes to our working age population.

The idea of “going green” has been on minds of consumers and enterprises for nearly a decade now. From The New Energy World survey conducted by Accenture1 in 2010, it was revealed that three out of four consumers are concerned by energy and climate change issues. Thus, it is not unusual to find consumers being more conscious about recycling, saving energy and reducing their carbon footprint; whereas semiconductor companies are focusing on the real, tangible effects of energy saving.

Getting a job isn't easy, but getting multiple job offers isn't either. Here's how you can manage.

It’s thirty years since a former air force base on the eastern tip of Singapore was transformed into an airport that is one of the world’s favourites. Surveys of passengers and air travel professionals tell a story that Singaporeans can be proud of: Changi consistently comes top, or near the top, of the league tables.

Why is Singapore Airlines the most admired brand in Singapore and yet Tiger Beer is only 83rd? Tiger Beer seems to have a marketing problem. Anyone who has seen one of their adverts or been to one of their numerous events will have seen several different creative executions appealing to very different target audiences. Half the adverts feature international expats and half the adverts feature Singaporeans. Never do the two meet. The football adverts are very focused on expats whereas the getting together to share the Tiger experience always appear to be focused at Singaporeans. However both groups see both sets of creative and therefore must wonder why they are sending out different messages to different people. The football adverts will also have turned off half the targeted audience as they featured Wayne Rooney who people either love or hate and is not especially admired by anyone, prostitutes and Alex Ferguson aside. I always think that events are a poor man’s way of marketing, they don’t actually reach many people (only the people attending or those who see it in the press – if its featured which they mostly are not as media see right through them as being cheap marketing stunts) and are a very high cost per customer’s opportunity to see/experience. They are mostly to satisfy marketing director’s egos or board of director’s whims to make them feel good about their brand. They are surrounded by people who love the brand….but there aren’t many of them and they don’t reflect the broader spectrum of customers so they get a skewed view of how well the marketing and brand are going down. Tiger do a lot of events which might explain why they are not especially admired in Singapore. They think they’re doing a great job because that’s what they get told at events whereas the wider public disagrees but the directors never get to hear their views. The Tiger Translates series of events and art inspirations really contradicts the football and male focus of the main marketing. It’s almost as though Tiger are marketing a different brand through Translates that they are trying to appeal to a different audience through. To most people it’s confusing. It can’t be both arty and football focused and when one target audience sees the other side surely that sends different messages and then turns a customer off rather than enhancing their brand affinity? I wonder if the introduction of Tiger Crystal through high end bars and not available at retail is an attempt by Tiger to become more aspirational and admired. If so they will have to compete with the historical fact that Tiger was given away (and I think still is), to the Singapore Army free so was always viewed as being a working man’s beer and a staple to get through the day rather than an aspirational brand. Considering the massive amounts of money that Tiger spends in Singapore and globally marketing itself, the fact that this is its home and you see the brand everywhere and it is locally recognized as being a global standard bearer for Singapore I would have thought it would be more admired. But trying to be all things to all men in its marketing has clearly confused its brand values. It’s meowing rather than roaring! Singapore Airlines on the other hand is very Singaporean. They do what they say they will but nothing more and nothing less. They are not risk takers in their marketing or in their product and service delivery. They are a polished brand that make you feel good when you travel with them. But they are not exciting or thrilling or even especially adored or that people can get passionate about. They are admired for all the reasons of quality of service and customer experience that you would imagine from a 5 star airline. But I wonder whether they are admired as you admire your Uncle or Aunt for setting up their own consultancy or chartered accountancy firm nor admired as you might passionately admire a famous footballer who scores an amazing goal or a rock star that delivers a heartbreaking song so passionately you feel his pain and relate to the experience. Nike, Apple, Google deliver excitement, wonder and passionate admiration and yet they were all beaten by Singapore Airlines in the most admired list. Is that because Singapore citizens prefer safe to exciting, trusted to thrilling, emotionless to passionate?

The world’s working-age population will increase by over a billion people over the next 20 years, but all growth will come in developing economies while at the same time the developed world will see its workforce shrink and age. In Singapore, the working age population will fall by 338,000 people by 2030.

As Singapore’s economy grows, the demand for an available and experienced talent pool continues to increase. According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), 115,900 new jobs were added to the local labour market in 2010. Industries like financial services, manufacturing and healthcare have openly acknowledged they are facing a critical skills shortage.

Singapore's companies, like the city-state itself, have a great reputation for reliability and efficiency. They get things done.

The Government’s proposed increase in foreign worker levies may signal an intention to push away from the reliance on overseas skilled professionals, but with a shortage of domestic skills and growing workforce mobility it’s up to Singaporean HR and recruitment professionals to think strategically about global workforce mobility in order to recruit successfully over the next two decades.

Singapore-based senior executives stand to gain from robust growth in demand for Managing Directors, Country Mangers, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Chief Human Resources Officers and Chief Marketing Officers in neighbouring Asean countries. as experience in these areas is often in short supply elsewhere. Experienced and proven leadership is needed to lead multinational companies with Asean operations to their next stage of expansion and development.

Globally, 2011 is said to be the year of the smartphone. Although adoption rates have seen continuous growth across the world, cheaper devices and subscription plans will ensure a very significant increase in smartphone penetration. As consumers switch to more sophisticated devices the world over, marketers continue to see an opportunity for innovative mobile campaigns to engage consumers.

Singapore's National Library is one of those stunning modern buildings, filled with light that lifts the spirit.