The Trump-Kim S$20m question: What's it worth to the Singapore brand campaign?

OVER the week, various questions have been asked on the raison d'etre of Singapore's involvement in hosting and underwriting the recently completed Trump-Kim Summit in Singapore. Here are some thoughts on the issues, and the question on everyone's minds: Was it worth it?

Q. Is S$20 million a no-brainer of a spend? If so, why is there so much justification in the public media? If this is seen as an ad campaign, how much money would have had to be spent for equivalent reach and impact?

From the mid 1980s to the late 2000s, Singapore Tourism Board spent an estimated US$50 million to US$80 million annually on monitored paid advertising to promote Singapore as a Mice (Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) destination. This is a fraction of the overall budget that goes into building the Mice ecosystem.

Regardless, the Trump-Kim summit's official cost of S$20 million is a steal by any measure.

In 2018, a 30-second ad in the Superbowl commercial break cost approximately US$5 million.

A back-of-envelope calculation of placing three Superbowl 30-second ads will not get a P&G Shampoo or a new Coca Cola Tea the lasting awareness and recall that the Trump-Kim summit got Singapore.

Q. Singapore received a lot of commercial and political awareness as images of the city and the summit were beamed around the world. How would all these translate if seen as advertising on commercials? How much would it typically cost to get a celebrity for a campaign?

When Samsung engaged (paid) Ellen de Generes to do the selfie at the Oscars in 2014, it was rumoured they paid her an 8-figure sum, with the first number not being "1".

That wefie was retweeted a couple of million times in an hour and took down Twitter's server. It remains the most accelerated awareness commercial campaign.

Cristiano Ronaldo's commercial rights reside with Mint Media, owned by Peter Lim of Singapore. Adidas pays Cristiano an annual amount in excess of the cost Singapore incurred to host the Trump-Kim summit.

The commercial impact of Ellen de Generes or Ronaldo as a celebrity of Singapore will not in any way come near the commercial value of the stroll at Capella Hotel, the reciprocal hand-on-back gestures, and the mnemonic retention of their signed communique masquerading as an agreement.

Q. What role has the summit played in promoting Singapore as a state, an agent, or as a destination? How can we see this Summit in light of Singapore's established Mice business proposition?

From the first indication of detente to the historical handshake, this whirlwind bromance took less than 40 days to consummate.

Singapore's practised learnings as a global Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions destination for 35 years edged it as the experienced, right fit, international and responsible choice of location. Singapore was chosen not because it is a symbolic choice (reference China-Taiwan summit, DMZ or Switzerland would have been a better fit), nor was it because Singapore is a police state (no demonstrations or unruly crowds).

Singapore was the place because of its learned ability to execute a complex Mice event in a short time, and a population that is used to the personal, professional and security disruptions from Mice events, road closures and congestion from F1s and international marathons to Cristiano Ronaldo and Korean boyband visits.

The summit will reinforce Singapore as the Alpha choice for Mice events, further cementing and embellishing Singapore's lofty Mice destination position.

The 9-5 capabilities have been augmented by the 5-9 activities of the two integrated resorts in the past 10 years, and now complemented by burnished credentials of executing big, security-conscious, multi-party Mice events in a short turnaround time.

In time, Apple and Samsung will conduct the global launch of their secretive phones in Singapore. Just like the English Football Clubs launching their new jerseys to a global audience in Singapore.