The Singapore brand: how global audiences perceive the city-state

The Singapore brand: how global audiences perceive the city-state

Nikita Gundala 

9th July 2024

Singapore, often referred to as the "little red dot" in Southeast Asia due to its small size on world maps, has achieved a global reputation out of all proportion to its geographical footprint. The state's GDP has almost doubled in the last 20 years, making it one of the richest nations in the world. And in recent years, its global relevancy has seen a similar upswing, as audiences shape and share their own perceptions of the Singapore 'brand'.

There's many reasons why countries tend to their brand. It's done to drive tourism, attract foreign direct investment (FDI), gain a competitive edge, or secure a firm geopolitical footing. Singapore has seen progress in each of these areas. Globally, it is increasingly seen as an ideal capitalist utopia, a burgeoning technological hub, with law and order playing a paramount role.

But this reputation differs amongst different global audiences. And the longstanding positive narratives not immune from sharp, sudden backlashes. Using audience intelligence, and a research mindset developed form working with brands and government bodies in the region, we analyze how the global conversation is evolving.

Using Pulsar TRAC, we examined over 720k conversational data points across the US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the Philippines, and Malaysia, including Facebook, Threads, Instagram, X, Reddit, blogs, podcasts, TV, online news and radio, in an effort to understand Singapore’s ‘brand’. 

We explored country-wise topics of discussion.

In the US, the conversations pivot around the city-state’s perceived efficacy, its status as an entrepot to Asia and how it has been able to build an efficient and convenient public transportation system. In this case of efficacy, for instance, Singapore’s status as a “transit mecca” stands out and serves as inspiration for other nations to follow. With more lines coming up and existing lines extended, audiences online praised Singapore's transportation leadership for prioritizing travel time savings for regular commuters. 

Singapore is widely regarded as a model for solid infrastructure, and this reputation extends beyond transportation. It encompasses financial regulation, eco policies and efficient land use.

In the UK, frequent comparisons to Singaporean efficiency are made, which extend to land reclamation projects.

Additionally, both the US and UK place a strong emphasis on Singapore's adherence to rules and regulations. This was highlighted by a case where a British man faced imprisonment for not wearing a mask on public transport. Audiences still remember SG’s strong Covid-19 response that was led by the current Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, then Finance Minister, and is frequently cited in comparisons. This ties back to Singapore's readiness to combat crises, reiterating the very reason it's known for its preparedness and structural integrity. This approach was viewed favorably by communities within British society that highly value law and order (those same communities often possess favorable views towards economic deregulation).

In Australia, the perception of Singapore is similar, although communities appear more likely to challenge the state's image as a progressive democracy, citing media and government influence on the popularity of certain complimentary narratives.

Some posters describe Singapore as 'sterile'—a great holiday destination but not ideal for raising children. Conversely, other communities view it as the one Asian country to align with 'westernized' values and lifestyle. Additionally, majority of the Reddit conversations this past year were around Australians moving to Singapore for work and comparing the two work cultures.

 

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In Malaysia, meanwhile, sentiments about Singapore are somewhat mixed, reflecting the shared history between the two nations. While many conversations trend towards positivity, some communities feel that Singaporeans can exhibit a sense of superiority.

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Using TRAC, we analyzed audiences in four key regions, identifying communities engaged in conversations about Singapore based on shared interests and content consumption.

 

Across the UK, US, Australia and Malaysia we identified four macro groups: Conservatives, Progressive Politicos, Technophiles and Sports Enthusiasts.

Conservatives tend to view Singapore as an ideal model of perfection, convenience, and authority - for the most part. Their discussions often express a desire for their own regions to emulate Singapore.

Such audiences view the city-state as a law & order paradise. Additionally, those same audiences admire Singapore's geopolitical strength, and how it supersedes its small geographic size.

Progressive politicos engage in conversations around the capitalistic and commercial aspects of Singapore, such as its hotels, bird parks, public policies and its handling of the most recent rise in Covid-19 cases. They admire Singapore’s diversity and its massive infrastructural projects.

However, some of this audience's admiration for Singapore can be filtered through the below lens:

 

Technophiles on the other hand, are inclined to discuss Singapore’s tax infrastructure, public transit and the tech ecosystem it provides for them to co-exist. Many in this audience generally mention attending various crypto and tech conferences held in Singapore throughout the year.

However, they also engage in geopolitical discussions around Singapore’s stance on US-China relations and the extent to which China could potentially influence the city-state. 

Sports Enthusiasts, meanwhile, eagerly share updates about football, rugby, and Formula 1 racing teams - conversations largely driven by Singapore's status as a go-to sporting hub.

 

So Singapore is both a cultural melting pot, and a city-state which places a premium on law & order. There is therefore something for most global audiences to admire - and this is keenly felt when individuals and communities present Singapore as testing ground for policies or attitudes that might yet take place in their own countries.

Of course, taking a bottom-up approach presents the perceptions of audiences today. Analyzing what the media within each country writes about the city-state gives us an indication as to what perspectives are common currency amongst opinion-makers.

Clearly, there is more balance and conformity amongst global media than amongst audiences. This can cluster around eco-initiatives like the “Singapore Green Plan 2030” or “Smart Nation Singapore”, which help to amplify the idea that Singapore is innovative, eco-minded and effective at execution.

So how does this global perspective chime with the priorities and efforts taking place within Singapore itself?

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong launched the Forward SG initiative in June 2022, engaging Singaporeans of all ages and genders in redefining social impact.

The PM identified key focus areas to be leveraged for this exercise. We can map these against trends in global conversation, to understand how internal policy marries up against wider global perceptions.

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We see that audiences consider Singapore an important tech hub. However, comparisons with countries like South Korea and Japan suggest that Singapore must remain vigilant to avoid falling behind, hinting at a certain level of rigidity and a cautious approach to risk-taking.

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Brands play an important role here, both as engines of innovation, and as outside projections of the city's economic virility. Home-grown success stories are discussed far beyond the city boundaries.

Temasek is a Singaporean state-owned conglomerate owned by the Government of Singapore. It has evolved from a holding company into a global investor with a diverse portfolio. Temasek's foundation is built around modern Singapore, with a long-term vision focused on digitization, sustainable consumption, and longer lifespans. The company supports innovation-led early-stage companies, particularly those focused on decarbonization.

Temasek embodies qualities such as forward-thinking, and support for emerging talent. These have helped to drive global conversation - on Reddit, for instance, we see conversations about working for the company or studying at the Temasek Polyclinic.

Temasek to give S$150 million for scholarships, upskilling & more, to mark 50th anniversary
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It’s important to mention that Singapore Airlines, the flagship carrier of Singapore has, over the period studied, been the most mentioned brand by some distance, accumulating over 33,000 mentions. The turbulence incident onboard a London-Singapore and the subsequent fatality, has led to an outpouring of news and social conversation, which we have omitted here due to it's colossal scale and the force majeure nature of the incident itself.

We can note, however, that audiences were appreciative of the airline’s crisis handling abilities - but were more concerned about the make of the flight itself, which (true to prevalent narratives) was a Boeing.

As Singapore continues to assert itself as the little red dot with not so little ambitions, and exert greater global influence, we see the outlook and attitudes of audiences evolve.

Based on our insights, the priorities and policies of the government reflect the expectations global audiences have of the Singapore 'brand'. The challenge for decision-makers within the city-state is how to retain this incredibly cohesive, consistent image with city's growing international exposure. 

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