Singapore Airline (SIA)’s latest $5 million campaign took more than a year to make and cut across print, television and digital platforms in more than 120 countries. Three of the commercials were shot in China, Italy and Scotland, featuring the Singapore Girl. Unlike in the last branding exercise, the spotlight is not on her. SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami said that the iconic Singapore Girl has served the airline well. However, he added that the image of an attentive Asian woman “may convey a negative stereotype of Asian women not in keeping with the tremendous strides in professional success of women the world over, and in Asia too”. He suggested showcasing stewards as well, adding that SIA must focus on all aspects of its business if it wants to stay ahead of rivals.