China shows the world how to use casinos to develop tourism and Singapore isn’t far behind

Visit Britain can come up with all the initiatives it likes to promote Britain to Asians around the Royal Wedding, the Olympics, even Aliens landing in London but they will all be insignificant compared to having a super casino to market to the Chinese. You think Las Vegas is where the world gambles? Think again. Macau in China is the real global gambling superpower. 7 years ago there was only one casino in Macau, now the massive strips of ever growing gambling palaces generates five times the revenue that Vegas does. Although gambling is illegal in China the Chinese adore gambling like the rest of the world likes breathing and the Macau casinos are a huge cash cow for the Chinese state which levies tax at 39% on them. Las Vegas is miniature by comparison. Chinese punters bet around £70bn in Macau’s last month alone. This year it could reach £1tn. Think of all the cash issued from all the UK’s ATMs last year. Then multiply it by five. Singapore is catching up fast. After unveiling its second super casino in 2010 it has pulled level with Las Vegas and will overtake it in 2011 to become the second largest region for gambling in the world. Macau attracts tourists from mainland China to gamble away their hard earned money within the Chinese state – the UK can kiss goodbye to those billions. What Singapore has realized is that they can also attract the Chinese to Singapore to spend money but not only in the super dazzling casino’s but also on the rest of the glittering array of sights that Singapore has to offer which Macau doesn’t even try to provide. The UK also hasn’t got a hope of attracting those billions unless they wake up to what the modern affluent Asian really wants.

This article first appeared on

http://community.brandrepublic.com/blogs/chrisreed/archive/2011/03/08/china-shows-the-world-how-to-use-casino-s-to-develop-tourism-and-singapore-isn-t-far-behind.aspx

Singapore shows how “quality tourism” drives visitors and revenues dramatically

Here are some stunning numbers from Singapore that are the envy of every tourism marketing department in the world: year on year arrivals up 20%, tourism receipts up 49% to US$15 billion. 12 million people came to Singapore in 2010 a stunning figure which is continuing, 1.1 million came in January 20122, a record for a January. Sightseeing and entertainment revenue increased by a stunning 1,834%! Although the new super casino at Marina Bay Sands contributed to this figure it’s not the whole story with shopping up 17%, accommodation up 25%, F&B up 23% and medical up 19%. As with any purchase visitors will only part with more money if the product has become more aspirational which Singapore has become. The key to this continued success is introducing new innovative and eye catching products and services ranging from the first night time F1 race which advertises Singapore’s glittering landscape worldwide on prime time television to the new ArtScience Museum which dramatically lights up the Singapore horizon every night. Imagine the UK having 145million visitors and that’s the equivalent of what Singapore Tourism has done.

This article first appeared on

http://community.brandrepublic.com/blogs/chrisreed/archive/2011/03/08/singapore-shows-how-quality-tourism-drives-visitors-and-revenues-dramatically.aspx

COCA PEPSI!

What is the difference in marketing between Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola? Not much when it comes to America it seems. For the past few years Simon Cowell has been happy to endorse and take the money of Coca Cola for his American Idol TV show. Now he is just as happy to endorse and take even more money from Pepsi Cola for his other show X-Factor. X-Factor is just launching in the US and Cowell will now be a judge on it after he jumped ship from being a judge on American Idol! It’s basically all the same talentless talent show (they stopped doing Pop Idol in the UK and replaced it with the near identical X-Factor you may remember) with a confused message from a cola drink sponsor. You would think that Pepsi would have a bit more imagination and nous than to just get on the talent show bandwagon as a me-too sponsor. Coke will get the recognition as it has been doing Idol for years but over time neither are going to get cut through and there will be a good deal of confused Americans (yes, even more than usual) who will say Pepsi is sponsoring Idol and Coke is sponsoring X…you wait! Not a great advert for imaginative marketing. What’s the difference between the two….. clearly nothing.

 This article first appeared on

http://community.brandrepublic.com/blogs/chrisreed/archive/2011/03/24/coca-pepsi.aspx

InterContinental Hotels Group (done by Collinson Latitude MEA)

CLIENT:

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is the world’s largest hotels group with more than 650,000 rooms in 100 countries and territories around the world, offering business and leisure travelers the highest levels of service and facilities. Its seven internationally recognised brands are InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Hotel Indigo, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.

BRIEF:

• To create an engaging online promotions tool to increase customer interaction
• To recruit and manage partner merchants and rewards across 9 countries
• Enable customers to choose their reward to enable the client to learn about customer reward motivators
• Provide a mix of retail vouchers and e-voucher and monitor engagement

OBJECTIVES:

1. Increase frequency of corporate bookings across 9 Middle Eastern and North African markets at over 70 participating hotel properties

2.  Introduce an online retail reward solution to support the ‘Meet and Treat’ redemption mechanic and provide an end-end fulfilment solution enabling customers to redeem for Travel, Retail Clothing and Jewellery.

SOLUTION:

• ‘Reveal and Treat’ online scratchcard technology embedded into IHG’s promotional website
• 4 strategic partners selected from our network providing redemption opportunities with over 35 global brands in 9 markets
• Full technology and partnership solution deployed within eight weeks

COMMUNICATION:

RESULTS:

• Client confidential

PARTNERSHIP MARKETING wins Young NTUC account

Partnership Marketing, Asia’s leading partnership marketing agency, has been engaged to create partnerships for Young NTUC. Young NTUC’s objective is to Increase 30-35 year female membership. This will be achieved through creating specific brand partnerships to help them attract new female members.

Young NTUC is the official youth wing of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). Launched in April 2005, Young NTUC represents working adults aged below 35 years old and currently has a membership base of more than 150,000, making it the largest youth movement in Singapore.

PARTNERSHIP MARKETING appointed by Ciba Vision

Partnership Marketing, Asia’s leading partnership marketing agency, has been appointed by Ciba Vision to create partnerships for Freshlook in Asia Pacific.

Freshlook is looking convert other brand users to try out Freshlook. The target audience is 18-29 year female contact lens users, who are beauty conscious and wants to look good.