ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the early newspaper scene, the appearance of advertising agents, advertising agencies between the 1900s and 1930s, post-war advertising and the emergence of a new advertising era from the 1980s. It reviews key industry players in Singapore and then looks at Singapore's advertising affiliations in the region. The chapter reviews key aspects of Singapore's unique consumer landscape, and outlines effective advertising appeals and popular campaigns. One of Singapore's most effective and longest-running campaigns was the emotive Singapore Girl series of advertisements for Singapore Airlines (SIA). The World Advertising Research Centre's annual ranking of best campaigns in the world reveals that emotional and storytelling creative approaches commonly underpin successful advertising. The WARC finding is also supported by the Effie Effectiveness Index (EEI). Between 2012 and 2015, the EEI revealed that the Health Promotion Board (HPB) in Singapore has consistently been Singapore's most effective marketer, followed by McDonald's and DBS Bank.
