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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Never liked her when she was my professor…
Still don’t…hahah
Frankly, I don’t give a damn to the YOG. It is but a showcase, a sheer waste of money to pursue ‘glory’ so that the govt can tell the whole world how great Singapore is.
There is no compassion from the govt to the needy people, even a $50 increase in social welfare must be debated in parliament. When it comes to topping up the budget for this event, the govt work like it has a magic wand and poof! the money is made available. Our ministers are really heartless people.
YOG? Waste of time! How to get excited. When the trust for the govt is no longer there, what else can we feel excited about in this country?
I really hope some writers can collate the events that follow after the iconic Merlion was struck by lightning. Say it is superstitious but lightning struck again at the other iconic Singapore Flyer. “Ever Since the Merlion was struck by ligtning…” sounds like a good topic to write on.
Warning from divine forces are ignored? Floods in the heart of the country, lightning strikes, fallen trees; and the govt continue their repression of citizens and preferential treatment to foreigners….
YOG still? Anyone?
Hi Steffi,
I think u have watched too much the black n white cantonese movie telecast over the TV…
The Divine Authority will always punish the bad ones… they will strike them with lightning bla bla bla…..
Sad to say, the Divine Authority is just one of them lah….
Think only the schools who are involved in the YOG are ‘excited’. Perhaps the parents are ‘interested’ because they kids have to give support to the event.
There is a advertising clip about a blind child asking her mother to bring her to the YOG event. Sigh…this is how desperate they have become to get support for YOG.
Hosting YOG is like spending money to buy Chinese female table tennis players to win a gold medal for Singapore.
Heard from a cabbie each of the 300+ limo drivers is being paid $500/day to ferry the YOG delegates over the 17 days.
I’m excited all right – excited to see how overbudget and unwhelming this event might be.
Many London citizens feel a spontaneous sense of pride at the upcoming Olympics. I think spontaneous is a word that has been eradicated from the Singapore citizen’s vocabulary, no thanks to articles like this.
It is very clear that Ms Ang wants MIW t to notice her…..to obtain some personal benefits from MIW for urging people to support YOG!!!
The only thing I can remember about YOG is that I will be fined if for whatever reasons I do not give way to YOG vehicles on the designated lanes.
This aspect of “fine” marketing worked on me. Now I know my YOG.
I can bet this is the first YOG and will be the LAST.
Which country would want to spend US$250 million or more to host a boys-nd-girls game which noone wants to watch.
The amount of “motivational” acts done by the lower ranks and ministers to spur the local to buy tickets is another warning to future countries. later PM Lee and MM Lee will made emotional speeches during the National Day rally to appeal to the public to buy tickets.
They will end up forcing students and NS men to buy tickets and then “take attendance” at teh venues bec. they know many of them will not border to go if there is no some sort of enforement.
This stupied YOG was former World Youth Game but it was scripted just after one game and renamed it as “Youth Olypic Games”…a kind of glorified youth sports meet.
Below is an excerpt from the Wikipedia and you will notice the “official first YOG was in Moscow in 1998!
“The 1998 World Youth Games was the first international multi-sport event of its kind. More than 7,500 young athletes representing 140 countries [1] of the world participated in this event. Because the World Youth Games was under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee [2] [3] (IOC), it is also known as the first Youth Olympic Games. It took place in Moscow, Russia from July 11 to 19, 1998.”
more like the wasteful, over-hyped Kiddie Games!
We can’t host the Olympics so we host a second-rate event.
I’ll take the World Cup any day over Kiddie Games.
Paid a few hundred grand to teach marketing and this is all a prof can come up with….man…standards are superlow in sg unis.
Anyway, just trying to get tickets for certain events.
Atheletics
Football: (shd get some for free)
Basketball (for a kid who is keen)
Tennis
Equestrian (always loved horses)
Aiyo & Judo.
My my looks like I really need to pull all my connexions to get free tickets.
Just love the sports and got to bring my nephew & nieces or they’ll kill me.
Can’t talk politics to them, too young.
Well I just hope ivory tower miniskirts don’t spoil the show by tricking the public for certain favourite events.
I hope they don’t come and make 60mins speech as well.
I don’t think sports & politics should mix. Well, we just to wait & see.
indeed i am so excited to the extends of buyin 10 tickets usin my cpf medicshields fund..
1 for me..1 for me maid…1 for me dog..1 for me cat…1 for me upstair wheelchairbased granny..heck even donate a pair for the mother and her sweet youn blind daughter waitin @ the bus stop..
~zhee~
Nobody is interested in YOG, in Singapore or the rest of the world. Period.
The money could have been better spent helping the poor and homeless in Singapore.
Heard that for schools, the children will be accompanied by the teachers.
Well, rest assured that elites schools with be packing the arenas and those kids from the normal schools will be told… sorry, no teacher to follow you.
i dun 1 2 be blamed for:-
- overcrowding the venues, public transport network, eateries,
- “hogging” the toilet cubicles, “see that queue to the ladies’…”,
- not putting on a smile as a host citizen,
- looking a “tad” tired watching a game i have little interest in,
- sms-ing non-stop at the seats,
- not buying enough souvenirs to show my support in public,
- or buying only the cheapest souvenir…,
- being clueless when asked about YOG,…
enough reason anot har?
-.-”
Not able to host the true olympic event and in order to have something to blah blah and brag about :it seems hosting this kiddie event helps to contain their ego – but then looks like this is going to be an all limppic event given the luke warm interest shown.
How many of you think this is going to be another farce ?
i think its time MNCs reciprocate their apreciation for dear MIW & friends, send their FTs/FWs/PRs employees to cheer team S’pore. give them time off to attend the games. those who fail will have their quota “re-calibrated”…
of course must take attendance start & end of the event la.
good idea anot? :D
Gov spend so many moneys build the olypmic game. If you all dont support then this mean you all not proud of your own country! Meaning all our tax money wasted by you all! Whole world see you all young punks behave like this, they sure laugh until teeth drop! You all not shy har? Seow! Typical ungratefull sgporeans!
If olympic game you all also dont support your own country, next time how expect gov have World Cup here? Simple as that!
YOG= Yes! Overthrow Government!
Now I’m excited. LOL. :)
Let’s think about this…
Would Russia have bid for this game if they know they will get to host it? Unlikely… since China have just hosted the Olympics… would Russia want to be seem as hosting this YOG?
Call it Astro-Bidding or whatever. This is a game that no one cares about. They will SPIN this into a “success”… let’s watch this charade as it unfolds..
Of cos. If you give me $400m, I can make trash look like Caviar and give every Singaporean 5 Kg of Fragrant rice. LOL. :)
Spent over $380 million and don’t even have a stadium to show for. Heard some rumors that a Singaporean based company will refurbished the Jamaican stadium in return for their help in bringing Usain Bolt as Youth Ambassador for the Games. Can’t confirm.
Such a waste to money to bring glory to the PAP government.
I think the Commonwealth games in India is attracting more attention than the YOG. What is YOG? A showcase of how Singapore is so good at using local children in public schools? How it is good at trying to control people?
What a great showcase of ow Singapore uses “cheap” labour. From children from public schools, to tertiary students with the promise of CIP points, NSmen and finally someone who actually gets paid real money the foreign cleaners who clean up our mess.
I am more excited about my primary school sports day MANY years ago than this YOG.
I believe many singaporeans are more sensitive than this government to know that the money should be spent on helping the charities. We know many charities are still lack of funds, and depending on private donations only.
is there any rules during our driving test saying that we must give way to YOG buses? the sign was rather stupid. why can’t they just use the bus lanes or other lanes provided and keep their way going then to let the whole world know YOG buses are on the road. what they expect? we all singaporeans to stand at the side of the road and admire the buses and shout go go YOG!.
I hardlly feel any beat in NDP these couple of years let alone worried about whether YOG draws enough buzz. Whichever events regardless, Singaporeans have been cool towards the ruling party. Anything that associates with partisan agenda, regardless of how big a national event or not, is an utter drawback – knowing all these years of parading and singing, loyalty is just an aspiration to the ‘ROYAL” family. I have never felt so cheap in my own land.
I was part of a creative retreat organised by YOG in 2008. Then, they promised this first YOG will be a spectacular one and every Singaporean will somehow feel involved in one way or the other.
Today, most Singaporeans don’t feel involved except for being slapped with new traffic rules.
nobody
“Hosting YOG is like spending money to buy Chinese female table tennis players to win a gold medal for Singapore.”
Great commment.
Uncle asked garmen one or two dollars more for survivalm got told “Where you want to eat? In hawker centre, food court or restaurant?”
To increase only one dollar in social welfare must think and think for more than a year.
Garmen rather overspend hundreds of millions in treating kid from overseas that will not bring one cent of return to the little red dot.
The Malaysian minister at least got enough pride to say that they will not pay millions just to buy medals for their country.
Meantime, can Uncle at least eat the medals? Sure cannot, lah.
Uncle and those on social welfare will have to stay hungry in a country which boasts of the highest paid mininaters and public servants in the whole wide world!
Now less than 2 weeks away from YOG. Does anyone know which country participate in which sports or at least is there any media buzz outside of singapore on who are promosing athelete etc etc. I heard none of it. What a shame.
The YOG is a joke. I think the American teams said they are not participating because it seemed like nothing more than a “student exhange programme”?
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, it sucks.
Becoming like North Korea – they prefer to pump hard cash into a nuke programme than to feed their starving population. U think their own people very enthusiastic that their country has missiles that can hit Japan? Big parade every year for Dear Comrade and the citizens are supposedly to be very proud that he is still alive, that Birthday Boy is having a big party at the expense of their well-being??
Vivian can tell S’poreans: “you want hawker center, foodcourt or restaurant” but can arrange different menus EVERY day for the YOG participants. Shameful, man, shameful.
Funny how so many gamers were once dead against it. As YOG is really conceived by one armogh who want to get children back to sports and leave their computers. Now they seem to be either neutral. Or have hardly any opinion on the subject. Very fishy.
“…Are we one people? Are we proud of Singapore and what we have achieved? If so, we should rally behind the YOG….”
Want to throw this type of mickey-mouse logic at Singaporeans? Then get all the new citizens to do NS & Reservist IMMEDIATELY. After all, since they are “one people” like true-bred S’poreans, then they should be very proud of ‘Singapore and what we have achieved’; therefore I expect them to be fighting to queue up to sign on for NS, not queueing for iPad’s instead.
Getting morons to write-up the YOG. Smart moves indeed. No wonder the budget can be blown 3x over.
“…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…”
Sorry, I’m still in awe that our country has decided to paid our ministers the highest salary in the world, surpassing (some say) even the G8′s. In fact, my heart is ached in shell-shocked mode, especially when those high pays translated only into flooding at iconic Orchard Road.
“…Singaporeans should spontaneously be generating more excitement for the Games…”
Why, pray, should any of us that are not directly involved, nor interested, be generating excitement for a waste of taxpayers’ monies? Just to inflate someone’s else ego? Nice try, I don’t think S’poreans are stupid.
“Woah, slow down Harvard…I mean British Columbia. ”
- how is this at all relevant?
Yes, I agree, Just don’t give a damn to the YOG. It is a huge waste of money just to paste gold leaves on the face.
I rather the money spent on helping the weak, the poor and the unemployed PMETs,
some of whom had committed suicide because of money problems and illnesses.
I wonder if the government is reading all these… I think they should be very worried when the next election comes!!!!
Oh Yah, DAMN! I forgot that they can walk-over in most estates… Bloody hell… what are we gonna do then?!
“…Are we one people? Are we proud of Singapore and what we have achieved? If so, we should rally behind the YOG….”
Are we one people ? Didn’t they create a big hotel here ? One people ? Who could participate ? Still want to do some magic trick on us ?
Even now they have a sunday-night TV programme to demystify those magic tricks.
Will get fine or not if riding on the for-YOG-only road lanes ? that is, please do not make people laugh !
One people ? Hahahahahahahaha !!!!!!
National Stadium has still not been rebuilt and yet the pigs are so eager to splurge millions on this YOG.
Goes to show what kind of priorities have…. their own ego being boosted at the expense of our country’s need.
-tryathlete,
It’s a sarcastic joke, aimed at the academic status of the professor. She got her PhD from Uni of British Columbia.
It’s like saying, “Woah, slow down smarty pants (and let us less clever people catch up, ok?).”
Leo – is that how you read it? I got a totally different angle – i read that the writer was denigrating ubc in comparison to hbs. Anyway, was just picking nits, carry on.
“Be part of this history making. Be part of this legacy.”
which part ? what legacy ?
after all the mud, they still think that some sugar will sweeten you.
try the students & kids, it may still work while you still have the time.
YOG ? What’s that ?
I’m more interested in a YORGY.
“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.”
Sense of awe ? Oh yeah, only if you are willing to pay the price – to have this quick fix on this sense of awe !!!!
Pay a little more, they may have a gold coin & certificate in your name. Didn’t we have world champion table tennis players.
South Africa managed to get the world cup, didn’t they ?
there are many jobless for 2 years or more, where are they going to get money for tickets, wda or wad must pay money for these jobless to fill the stadiums and fields to look successful lah, just like nutc may day rallies, give money to union members $15-25 to attend and make success.
use the numbers ntuc, i heard you have 800k members, use the numbers and make a killing…..ntuc got many money, buy buildings and set up business to compete with private enterprise.
do it lah, dafy ntuc….donkey lim boon heng, where are you, no work hah, money for nothing….still advisor in pm office hah….good for nothing, money for nothing, cheap and free…
senior experience old guard 28 July 2010 Gov spend so many moneys build the olypmic game. If you all dont support then this mean you all not proud of your own country! Meaning all our tax money wasted by you all! Whole world see you all young punks behave like this, they sure laugh until teeth drop! You all not shy har? Seow! Typical ungratefull sgporeans!
If olympic game you all also dont support your own country, next time how expect gov have World Cup here? Simple as that!
………………….
harlor…you all no big no small..when bigcanonking speak..you all youn punks better LISTENED! he used to be the OFFICIAL speakperson for younpap.sg
welcome back tualengpau