SMU’s Marketing team continued its award-winning streak on 18 November, picking up two glittering trophies at the Marketing Excellence Awards 2015 Singapore for its 2015 admissions campaign: the Gold award for Excellence in Marketing Communications and the Bronze award for Excellence in TV/Video Advertising.

The Awards, produced by Marketing magazine, are widely regarded as Singapore’s main event recognising excellence across the marketing communications services industry. The team’s double win brings their haul of treasure to a shelf-bending 15 awards over the past two years.

Celebrating with the team at the award ceremony, Alan Goh, SMU Vice President, Corporate Communications and Marketing, said, “Our integrated 2015 undergraduate admissions campaign, ‘Transform the World’, was meticulously planned and strategised, and superbly executed. As a result, it brought about an improvement in yield in a highly competitive environment for the best students. I am delighted the work and its effectiveness have been duly recognised by 20 of the region’s top marketing professionals in the panel of judges.”

SMU was the only university to receive an award at this year’s event and the University’s work was judged to be better than that entered by some of the best-known local and international brands.

SMU beat strong entries in this category submitted by Coca-Cola, Epson, Ministry of Communication and Information, and Scoot. The award recognises “Transform the World” as the “best marketing campaign, initiative or programme that conveys compelling messages to its target audience while driving core business objectives”. To win, SMU was judged to have clearly demonstrated the campaign’s communication content and strategies as a catalyst to the campaign’s success. The multi-channel campaign included placing videos and interacting on various social media; online use of the SMU website, SMU blog, web banners and mobile internet advertising; placing adverts and advertorials in newspapers, outdoor advertising around campus and on buses; sending direct mails and emails; and circulating brochures, ebrochures and other collateral.

Eight print ads from the award-winning campaign.

In the newly established TV/Video Advertising category of the Awards, SMU was judged to have entered one of the most creative, entertaining and effective video advertisements. SMU edged out work by KFC Singapore and NTUC Income to take the Bronze Award – narrowly behind DBS Bank and the winner, Ministry of Communication and Information. Phase 1 was planned to influence, with six videos; How to Get a Career Headstart, How Global Exposure will Change You and How to Succeed in Today’s World; and including three videos featuring SMU Chairman Mr Ho Kwon Ping: The Best of All Worlds, What Really Counts and What do You Want to do in University? Phase 2 featured a further three videos intended to inform: 3 Ways SMU will Change You, 3 Steps to Enrich Your Uni Experience, and 3 Things You Should Know About SMU Students.

Commenting on SMU’s 2015 admissions campaign as a whole, Alan Goh added, “Its success was the result of a university-wide effort, involving faculty members, alumni, current students, in addition to staff in the Office of Admissions, the various Schools, the Marketing and Corporate Communications teams, and other offices. The Marketing team is delighted to accept these awards on behalf of everyone involved, as recognition for highly effective collaboration and an immense amount of hard work.”

Main photo: Alan Goh, Vice President, Corporate Communications and Marketing (3rd from left) and Ted Choo, Head, Corporate Marketing (2nd from left) with members of the award winning team (from left to right): Chew Kuan Hock, Digital Content Producer; Jeanne Ng Mei Sien, Senior Assistant Director, Integrated Marketing; Bryan Ang Zhu Ling, Manager, Corporate and Brand Marketing; Michael Ng, Senior Manager; Ivan Yap Shing Loong, Digital Strategist/Producer; and Laren Hil Dela Fuente; Web Developer.

Outdoor advertising included the use of public buses.

Samples of the web banners from the campaign.