Spiegel -
The Straits Times yesterday (26 July) ran a curious little piece on its review pages. Tucked into a bottom left, quarter-page slot, an NUS academic asked in an op-ed, with discomfiting earnestness: “The YOG is coming. Are you excited yet?”
Yes, we’ve gotten to that point. Hard to miss the grinding screeches of barrel bottom scraping when even custodians of our lauded ivory towers have been roped in to grease palms and man pumps.
(By the way, I know it’s copy editors who pen the headlines.)
For Associate Professor Ang Swee Hoon, this is a familiar gig. In May she exhorted via the Today newspaper: “YOG needs more marketing ‘oomph’“. With just under three months to go to the Games, the marketing expert called out the organisers on their promotional strategy, criticised the lack of visible YOG landmarks and thought the mascots were underutilised, before driving a stake through their PR team:
“An inspirational event like the YOG needs an inspiring campaign. While this would require resources, it is not too late to furnish a compact, but impactful, campaign between now and August, one that will make Singaporeans truly feel they have a stake in the success of the YOG.”
But even the best-laid plans often turn rat shit. Turns out this little summer picnic will cost us three times more money than previously thought, ticket sales are piss poor, few can be arsed to even watch it on TV, and the official cheer was a dud.
So yesterday Prof Ang drew on her proverbial pen and threw the last roll of the dice.
“Next month, Singapore will host the first Youth Olympic Games (YOG)…This is no mean feat. Kudos goes to the committee that fought hard to convince the IOC that Singapore has the resources…Being the first of its kind, the YOG is like a new animal species…”
So far so good. The elephant in the room – namely why she had to write this article in the first place – glibly ignored.
“…the Games will be competing with the National Day celebrations. However, such seemingly poor timing need not necessarily be so. There are opportunities for synergy here…we should look forward to not only celebrating our national birthday, but also to a post-National Day party of sorts in the YOG.”
Cheap marketing tips, check. Remind us, why it had to fall to you to tell us this stuff? Doesn’t the YOG organising committee have their own PR?
“Yet another another reason why we should be proud of hosting the YOG: It outperforms the SEA, Asian and Commonwealth Games in terms of the countries participating…Truly this is an international sporting extravaganza.”
Oh yes, like how hundreds of millions adore the World Cup finals for its offering of a grandiose 32 teams, not so much the top talent and quality of football.
“The time is now for the general public to respond and show support for the Games…we need organic buzz.”
Oh, so it’s our fault, really, for not having our interest piqued. For my abject apathy, I’m truly apologetic.
“Singaporeans should spontaneously be generating more excitement for the Games.”
Woah, slow down Harvard…I mean British Columbia. How is it spontaneous if we simply do as you tell us?
“We should be telling friends about the sporting events we are buying tickets for, educating our children about the significance of hosting the Games, and buying souvenirs to commemorate it.”
Psst. You giving your game away, Prof. Isn’t good marketing and advertising supposed to be a little more…subtle? You know, like those geeky sciency myths about subliminal messages, or stuff like harnessing star power, herd behaviour, peer pressure or some such. Try using the subjunctive next time?
“More importantly, we should feel in our hearts a sense of awe that our country has been chosen to initiate this new series of games.”
More importantly, we should be paying a visit to the psychiatrist sharpish if we still feel anything for an underwhelming decision the International Olympic Committee made over two years ago.
“Are we one people? Are we proud of Singapore and what we have achieved? If so, we should rally behind the YOG.”
I always thought the nationalism/patriotism card was well underrated. Maybe because it turns out so flaccidly banal in the hands of anyone other than the most mesmerising of demagogues (There, I stopped just a step short of invoking Godwin’s Law).
“Be part of this history making. Be part of this legacy.”
Pretty dire stuff. Then again, she could consider moonlighting writing narration for ESPN adverts.
Almost in spite of that performance, Prof Ang’s bio blurb read: “The writer…specialises in advertising, consumer behaviour (my emphasis) and branding.” She can’t possibly think insipid tabloid-style guff buried in one of the least read sections of a newspaper could actually mould consumer behaviour, can she? If she doesn’t, as she ought to, why bother wasting those column inches with a fistful of stock PR gags?
Curious indeed.
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Related posts:
- Press Muse – Cynical studies
- Press Muse: Speaking “truth” for power
- Press Muse: Age of extremes
- Press Muse – Calling STOMP’s bluff
- Press Muse – Singaporeans dreaming
-tryathlete
Yea, “Woah slow down there, ________.” is quite a common sarcastic put down.
Anyway, this NUS prof actually did get her PhD from British Columbia – see her CV, it’s linked in the article.
https://apps-bschool.nus.edu.sg/asp/staffprofile/cv.asp?id=6
maybe it’s true: those who cant teach do, teach
maybe it’s true: those who cant do, teach
I took the lead from Sar Kar’s blog and extract this from Wikipedia:
“the World Youth Games was under the patronage of the IOC, it was also known as the first Youth Olympic Games. It took place in Moscow, Russia from July 11 to 19, 1998. One of the most emotional moments of the ceremony was the arrival of the Olympic flame”
“Estimated costs are currently $30 million for the summer games (Singapore YOG)…..The budgets for the final two bids for the inaugural Summer Games came in at US$75 million (Singapore) and US$175 million (Moscow), much higher than the estimated costs. Bids with lower budgets were eliminated early in the process”
From the above we can ifer:
1. We have been deceived to say that this is the first YOG and with Olympic flame. It is just a rename.
2. For undisclosed reasons no further Games was held for the next 12 years, possibly due to lack of funds, interest, and/or quality of competition. Even for this YOG, online tickets sales overseas are reported to be very low and many great sporting nations like USA and UK are reluctantly sending small contingents to this YOG.
3. It was a set-up for Singapore to win the bid. The highest bidder was Moscow (at US$175Mio)but they were already the host of the last Games. The others were lesser countries like Thailand which came in with lower bids.
4. Our successful bid was at US$75Mio. This was understated probably so that it didn’t seem high and therefore justifiable to the people of Singapore at that time. But the truth we now know is an bulging cost of about US$170mio (S$400Mio)which not co-incidentally is closer to Moscow’s original bid. Again the people have been deceived.
In short SINGAPORE HAS BEEN SUCKERED into spending big money, large enough to build hospital/schools/roads/fund aid to needy and unemployed, which no other countries were willing to spend as host for what amounts to a school sports event the public here and world-wide and sports people don’t care for. The first reward from IOC was a Vice President seat in the IOC executive committee given to the Chairman of Singapore OC and he is now jetting around the world in a private chartered plane. And it is only our politicians who are jumping up and down trying to make political gains and now feeling the heat due to disterest and poor response.
These facts should be communicated to and through the press.
Singaporeans are generally apathetic when it comes to politics and sports. Even if they offer the tickets FOC, few are interested.
It’s just a sheer waste of public funds. They should use it to improve the drainage system instead of blaming it’s an Act of God.
In the first place, what is there to be excited about YOG?
Nowadays, nothing short of the Olympics or World Cup or the very best in the world of sports can excite buzz and pull in the crowds and big bucks.
Sucks, why our Govt nowadays very wasteful and anyhow spend money like water?
Waste of $. And now condoms for the athletes. Aren’t they underage? Utter waste of taxpayer’s money.
Bad case of deja vu. My former prof. at NUS Bizad being her usual breathless, sycophantic self. Far too nauseatingly familiar.
Singaporeans should reply with warm regards using quotes from our own leaders:
Most examples taken from: http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/07/look-whos-bashing-singaporeans/
“This disinterest only happens once in 50 years.”
“What to do? Let’s move on.”
“Organising Committees must not conveniently use the excuse of perceived disinterest to cover up their own work inadequacies”
“A boy who is mollycoddled is a very different person from the one who is physically tough and takes disinterest without fear and whining.”
“The article didn’t “brag” about how interested Singaporeans were in the article. Maybe it made lesser mortals envious and they thought maybe Singaporeans was a bit boastful.”
“Unrealistic expectations are a reason for some unhappiness about YOG.”
“How can this be? People are coming to learn from us, see how we showboat, why we are over-budget. Yet our organising committee don’t have self-confidence.”
“Singaporeans acknowledged the Organsing Committee’ concern over lack of interest issues, but urged them to avoid ‘developing irrational fears’ towards disinterested Singaporeans.’
“This has bred a dependency mentality in our society who will blame the Singaporeans if any of their agendas are not met.”
“[A] well-organised event by a World-Class Government should not be bemoaning about the disinterest and get on with the challenges in life.”
“If you can select a population and they’re educated and they’re properly brought up, then you don’t have to use too much of the stick because they would already have been trained. It’s like with dogs. You train it in a proper way from small. It will know that it’s got to leave, go outside to pee and to defecate. No, we are not that kind of society. We had to train adult dogs who even today deliberately show interest in the Youth Olympic games.”
“Analyst who complain about the disinterest may be protesting too much… [Some Singaporeans] are voluntarily interested.”
“People can show interest for YOG – it is whether they choose to.”
“The Taiwanese are ruthless, Hong Kongers are shameless and Singaporeans are disinterested.”
It is a big waste of public funds.
we ask ourselves, why are we wasting time and money to cheer for some stranger’s glory? They are not our friends or son or daughter, and even more justified not to cheer in the case of some PR youth.What benefits do we get?
We have no choice but to be very pragmatic: we learn it from out government.
Remember Ben Mok and another triathlete who were caught in a hotel room during the SEA games or training. They were just chatting. Now YOG why so special? Got Condom for free?
I imagine the writer like a fool dancing on stage with no audience.
The hard selling trying to justify the YOG will only get adverse effect. Its sickening.
BALAKRISHNAN and TEO SER LUCK should be held accountable for the dismal response to the YOG and spending way beyond the initial budget.
They waste the nations money.
“We should be telling friends about the sporting events we are buying tickets for, educating our children about the significance of hosting the Games, and buying souvenirs to commemorate it.”
Shit to you when the PAP is so bloody stingy about showing sporting events on free-to-air TV. What sports are you on about????
ALL SINGAPOREANS AND STUDENTS SHOULD BOYCOTT THE YOG.
To those gullible fools who think YOG is taken seriously by the rest of the world – just go to the home page of ANY of the respected international news/newpaper websites and do a search for “youth olympic games” and you’ll most likely find: “No Results”!!!
Yes, the rest of the world does not give a damn about YOG… it was even reported by SPH (Singapore Propaganda House) newspapers that e.g. USA sees YOG as only a “friendly competition” (aka not a serious competitive event at all), so they will be sending their swimming team to some regional event instead! I remember reading similar stories about other nations not bothering to send a strong contingent too… slap PAP’s face!
In this bubble called Singapore, PAP and their propaganda machine can make it seem that YOG is a big event, but anyone with internet access knows that the rest of the world has never even heard of it!
Wake up, PAP bootlickers!
World Doesn’t Care About Kiddy Games 29 July 2010 To those gullible fools who think YOG is taken seriously by the rest of the world – just go to the home page of ANY of the respected international news/newpaper websites and do a search for “youth olympic games” and you’ll most likely find: “No Results”!!!
Yes, the rest of the world does not give a damn about YOG… it was even reported by SPH (Singapore Propaganda House) newspapers that e.g. USA sees YOG as only a “friendly competition” (aka not a serious competitive event at all), so they will be sending their swimming team to some regional event instead! I remember reading similar stories about other nations not bothering to send a strong contingent too… slap PAP’s face!
In this bubble called Singapore, PAP and their propaganda machine can make it seem that YOG is a big event, but anyone with internet access knows that the rest of the world has never even heard of it!
Wake up, PAP bootlickers!
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Your comments are solid! :)
Yes, the rest of the world does not give a damn about YOG… it was even reported by SPH (Singapore Propaganda House) newspapers that e.g. USA sees YOG as only a “friendly competition” (aka not a serious competitive event at all),
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So what YOG not real, only a friendly competition and nobody is interested? No problem lah. Our IR sex, sin and city can always give free condoms, can also give free viagra and makeover YOG from a 1 week long friendly sport event to an all nite 1 week long friendliest YOrgy event. Then everybody can happy happy go home after that and declare 2010 YOG a big success and truly Uniquely Singapore.
Condoms for athelets b’cos we oso promoting “Sin City” mah ? You forgot our growth came fmn Gambling and Geylang mah!–Oh..courtesy of all the contributing F/ts.
@wtf 28 July 2010
Yeah lor, they want to spin one side of a coin, ppl also can spin the other side. But at least we don’t burn $387m doing it. Some ppl are so thick-skinned that bootlicking is their only purpose in life.
YOG? what YOG?
PAP taught me well – no free lunch, no crutch mentality.
So I expect to be paid to do something for the YOG.
To Terence
“So, how much do you want? Do you want three meals a day at a hawker center, food court or restaurant?”
Impeccable timing…YOG coincide with NDP and F1. Many ‘wow’ factor here for those who have come in early and filled up the 45,000 hotel rooms.
Next, these guys are going to whisper the goodies of this efficient wonderland to their loved ones. Guess what?
All the smarties are going to decend onto this island, thirty years later…intelligent people gone up by one-third! I want to be still alive then!
All thru one sports event…and see how the little money has bought fresh, smart FT!
Not convinced yet on this beautiful island? Wait till you see the aerial pictures of the mighty city and MBS beamed all over the world during the coming F1 race!
Quite honestly, I am saddened by SG’s constant attempts to solicit some sort of international attention. Remember Mt Everest? South Pole? IMF? Etc etc?
What did any of this amount to? As recent as a month ago, an American asked me how come Singaporeans can speak English.
I think SG is strong in certain areas, like our economy (relatively speaking), our business practices, our social harmony (at least to a degree), and these are the things we should niche market. All these attempts to foray into other aspects, honestly they end up as a big bill, forgotten, and most if not all of the time, someone’s personal glory rather than the nation’s pride.
Magi, interesting notes. What you have pointed out as our niche markets were forged in the beginning, our (proclaimed) USPs since we started as a nation, or some time then.
These new initiatives, on the other hand, are copies of other nations’ successes. We are trying to play catch-up with them, but are already too far behind the curve to level with the leaders.
Now, why? Because when we had the opportunities to bite back then, we (or our leaders?) did not have the courage to do so, or simply did not see them as opportunities.
The only way forward? Find more USPs, instead of playing copycat.
Re Prof Ang’s comments ““Are we one people? Are we proud of Singapore and what we have achieved? If so, we should rally behind the YOG.”
I would be more proud of Singapore if we had put the $389 million to help the needy.
HL:
I agree with what you said, though I must add that catch-up would only be a partial description. What our new leaders seem to be obsessed with are big emotional firework lets-get-a-big-hug extravaganzas i.e. flashiness.
They want only flashy, gaudy, loud events.
Which actually, for me, has reached the point of fascination. Have they ever considered how such events realistically contribute to the nation, economically, socially, or politically?
We financed a Malaysian to go plant our flag at the South Pole. We mobilized the military and the media to support the event. Ten years down the road, how many people outside Singapore remembers this? Except of course, the Malaysians who continue to mock us.
IMF 2006. They obviously wanted a venue protected from disruption and protests. So we provided them that. In the end, they turned around and bit us about our anti-demonstration position. We actually ended up with and enforced police state reputation after that.
What was it all for?
A well-written and impeccable article. Truly a gem in the ‘blogosphere’. Sadly, in some sense I don’t share the writer’s skepticism.
I think we’d probably be wrong to assume that something the Singapore government organises is mostly for local consumption. That few Singaporeans care about the games doesn’t really derail the true mission, methinks – it’s simply one big marketing campaign for Singapore in the likes of Formula 1 (which is not too different, IMHO, only more glamorous). In fact, the exhortations in the article make it clear: Local enthusiasm would serve as another means of advertisement. As long as it impresses other people, that would be enough. I’m sure the lessons of the Beijing Olympics were not lost on the ruling elite – the people may have to pay a price, but the publicity is ‘priceless’.
Besides, I wouldn’t underestimate the patriotism of your average Singaporean. That NDP continues to be received with a not insignificant degree of reverence every year already says something about the identity issues this young country has.
To Cognisans,
If you want to justify on basis of national advertisement, with the NDP before and the F1 after the YOG, isn’t it kind of an overkill all within the space of 30-40 days and hence dilute the buzz effect to justify an expenditure of $400 million. However, I will like to contend that the YOG will actually turn out to produce negative effect for Singapore. Why? Singaporeans are not interested, foreigers are not interested. Foreign competitors that are coming are substantially not of world standards. There will be low global viewership. The spectator stands will be occupied mainly by students who are “forced” to attend and many events will have sparse spectator attendance which will be glaringly embarassing on TV. So on and so on……. If you do not know, the real first YOG was held in Moscow in 1998 and since then all subsequent YOGs for 12 years were aborted (WHY?) until Singapore gets suckered in as host.
Great piece.
It’s obvious the govt is chasing after events like YOG and F1 for international publicity. But heaven forbid if we dare to ask “Is it worth it?” or “How is this benefiting us?” or “Is there a way to measure just much we’ve impressed the world? When will we know when that’s been achieved?” It’s taxpayer money being spent; when we ask questions, rah-rah propaganda is fed to us, when we’re unenthusiastic, we’re berated for it. Spontaneity has to be dictated to us! (Even secondary school kids can see through this hypocrisy.)
As for the patriotism of the average Singaporean, one can’t (and really shouldn’t) judge from the NDP or its coverage. Of course everything on TV and in the mainstream media will be edited to show everything Singaporean in the best light.
i’m totally and so NOT excited about YOG!
@SIMPLE
To be honest, I can’t comment on whether the publicity will work. I think successful or not is something that is only safe to say after the event. Unfortunately, knowing how things are often done here, I suspect we will never get much information if it does turn out to be a failure.
In any case, I’m not trying to justify the spending. The tone of what I wrote should suggest that I have a general distaste for technocratic planning that is so willing to force sacrifices on the people (in the form of opportunity cost, if nothing else) in trying to win something as whimsical as foreign investors’ impression of the country. I’m not sure what our marketing department is (Tourism Board?), but I happen to agree that it needs greater scrutiny.
CNA’s current poll results:
Will you be watching any Youth Olympic Games competition?
1. Yes, I’ll be at most competition venues to catch the action live
(1% 40 votes)
2. Yes, I’ll watch selective games in person
(1% 45 votes)
3. Yes, if any Singapore athlete enters the finals
(1% 24 votes)
4. Yes, I’ll catch the action only on TV
(4% 163 votes)
5. I’m not interested at all
(90% 3492 votes)
6. What’s YOG about?
(3% 127 votes)
CNA Live Link: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/polls/index.php?action=vote&id=494&ranid=9885&voteNr=5
Cantonese said – don’t wear a big hat if you don’t have a big head. SEA game is just about the standard Singapore can host.
BTW can someone direct me to where I can take a look at the soccer fixtures? I am only interested in football. With the YOG drawing near, I am desperately trying to find the schedules for all the matches. Oh… one more thing, many friends were asking me for the names of the 32 participating teams . I am really having problem trying to answer such a simple question. Someone please help. Thanks!
A prof specializing in Advertising blaming the consumers for the failure of a campaign? OMG, please go back to school.
As an academic, I both appalled and not surprised. The entire school system from primary to international schools to unis are testimonials to groupthink and self-congratulatory propaganda. The PAP has been so effective that any vocal criticism is met with an autoresponse of vacuous denials and defenses.
I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to experience first hand the mockery of the Academy. The problems go far deeper than this one pathetically misguided professor. The Singaporean citizenry has no hope going forward unless it is able to carve out a refuge of independent critical thinking.
fish-n-chips:
Boys Football features Haiti, Vanuatu, Montenegro, Bolivia, Zimbabwe, and Singapore.
Are you sure you still have “desperate” interest in such a desperate field?
@Nik Peters
Thank you!
Tell that to Vivian.
I’m really confused whether that’s a guy or a gal.
What a name!
I think even the Inter-School Soccer Tournament has done better than that.
But I’ve to take my hat off to this chap.
Still living in self-denial, still got the cheek to chide CSJ…on MSM.
Well what can I say…
A Dr telling another Dr.
What a blind Ophthalmologist!
Even school-going kids can see that the whole damn thing is a failure well before the start of YOG.
Must be dreaming…this Vivian character.
“Live Your Dreams, Fly Our Flag”
If that is our dreams, then my advice to Dr is…
“Leave Your Dreams, Just Fly Our Flag”
Ang Swee Hoon is a prof in what uni specialising in what? Obviously this Ang woman is a very deluded woman.