The Anti Neo-Democracy Theorist

Stretching our imagination on the Singapore Girl

Credits: Uniform Freak

The recent debate over whether we should keep the SIA girl goes deeper than the surface analysis of the economic viability of Singapore airlines. It is not just about marketing or finance. It is a representation of something deeper within Singaporeans.

From a women’s rights perspective, it reflects our contradiction towards the issue of human rights in general. While there seems to be a consensus that the Singapore Girl portrays a traditional and subservient woman, there is no consensus on whether we should “update it”. What does it mean to update it anyway? Are we talking about “updating women” here in the same way we talk about “upgrading our digits in the economy?” Are we extracting essence from human beings and protraying them as objects? How do we concieve air steward and air stewardess?

In a sense to many S’poreans, yes, woman rights are important but money is more important. If we dare to take the leap to change, who knows how the change in the protrayal of the Singapore “women” will keep us afloat? The status quo is probably more desirable then. Let’s change then-to decide not to change.

The S’pore girl also reflects some concerns among Singaporeans over the treatment of native Singaporeans. It seems that foreigners like the Singapore Girl because it is a brand of instant recognition while locals have more reservations on such a symbol. It reflects how many Singaporeans feel when they fly SIA; they claim that foreigners especially white passengers recieved better and more prompt service. (I personally never felt this way except once but many Singaporeans have complain about it, even to the ST forums) Isn’t that a reflection of how many Singaporeans feel about the current open immigration policy in Singapore? The Merlion, beautiful condos, Newton hawker center and world class Biopolis- For foreigners or for Singaporeans?

Last, the campaign for “reinvention of the SIA girl” reflects our relentless pursue of excellence; however, the social reality is that many people cannot catch the globalizing train. The masses surge towards an ever changing notion of “excellence”, but can’t seem to grasp it no matter how hard they try. (Remember the Book–Lexus and the Olive Tree?) While SIA continues to aim for record high profits in an industry known more for its failures and success through the reinvention of the Singapore Girl, the reality is that more and more Singaporeans are feeling that they cannot afford to fly their national carrier. They opt for fiercer but cheaper names like Tiger. No Workfare for SIA economy class. [Although SIA fares are getting more and more competitive lah with competition]

Let me share a caveat here. Singapore Airlines is one of my favorite airlines and I love flying SIA; but what is important to me are the competitive fares (Yes, it is actually cheaper to fly by SIA to America through their web deals than the often complained but supposedly ‘cheaper’ Northwest), the Krisworld entertainment system (Great Movies), and the good service provided. The rest is not that important. Honestly I don’t care who serves me as long as they are polite and responsive. And I don’t think ever SIA can beat Thai Airways in terms of makan so is not even a negative factor anymore when choosing to fly SIA.

Will the Singapore Girl change? Should we remember the fiasco over the renaming of “Marina Bay” to “Marina Bay” after an expensive consultative exercise? Or should we remember the change of our country’s name from “Singapura” to “Singapore”?

The Business Times Singapore

February 20, 2007 Tuesday
This is one girl who shouldn’t be dumped; High-flyers want the S’pore Girl icon to be just tweaked

Matthew Phan

(SINGAPORE) Good-looking, impeccably groomed, warm and friendly, even imbued with a mystical Asian essence - and they want to get rid of her? Senior executives said Singapore Airlines should ditch the idea of ditching the Singapore

Superlatives abounded as they rushed to compare her with various national and corporate icons, the Nike swoosh and the Coke bottle among them.

‘Why quit a winning horse? Changing their uniform would be like painting the Eiffel Tower red. While we are at it, some might think it time to update the Merlion - pink, perhaps?’ said John Jessen, MD of Smith & Jessen. Many described the Singapore Girl as an instantly recognisable extension of the airline - in management jargon, she has ‘brand equity’ - and said SIA would do better to focus on improving operating fundamentals, rather than tweak its already successful branding.

‘SIA is under tremendous pressure from its competitors. Emirates has over the years tried to own the title of a great service provider in the airline scene. But what Emirates does not have - and SIA does - is the Singapore Girl,’ said Palani Pillai, MD of CRUSH Advertising. ‘In the ever-changing world of technology, where there are faster, bigger planes being introduced all the time, the only constant has been the Singapore Girl,’ Mr Pillai added.

However, others felt the airline’s branding was irrelevant. ‘To me, as a traveller, the Singapore Girl visage has no meaning,’ said KC Lee, CEO of SIM Global Education & Professional Development. ‘The products, services and staff matter - not the spin. Brand image is built on customer experience, not on a logo. SIA would be better off spending time and money on improving products, services and staff.’ Still, most agreed that the Singapore Girl’s image should be updated as modern and independent - like Singapore herself - rather than traditional and subservient.

Suggestions ranged from the facile to the fundamental, as CEOs derided everything from eyeshadow to character traits. ‘Keep the basic kebaya but perhaps have different variations for the seasons of the year,’ said David Keith, president of Asia Pacific, Garner International. ‘Surprise the passenger! And the real makeover: let’s get rid of the blue eyeshadow from the days when the Beatles were stomping around.’

Wee Piew, CEO of HG Metal Manufacturing, said the girl was ‘a hangover from Singapore’s colonial past and is an anachronistic image of the submissive Asian - or, more specifically, Singapore woman. ‘The modern Singapore woman cannot be more different. She is financially and mentally independent, assertive and can more than hold her own.’

Other mental images of an up-to-date Singapore Girl: sophisticated, cosmopolitan and IT-savvy, capable of juggling both work and home effectively, and - the clincher - ‘providing high value professionally with the experience to handle any crisis, such as a terrorist attack, bomb scare, medical emergency, etc’.

Leslie Wa, CEO of HLN Technologies, swung the feminist axe the other way, demanding ’some gender rights reflected in the makeover’. It would be ‘mouth-watering’ if SIA could include ‘a Singapore Macho Man concept alongside the Singapore Girl image’, he said.

But the shrewdest comment belongs, appropriately, to a woman. Said Theresa Chew, CEO of Expressions: ‘The challenge now is for SIA to come up with a concept that retains the charm of the Singapore Girl, yet encapsulates the dynamism of a first-class service provider.’

It remains to be seen if SIA’s new icon will be the same head-turner it has been - or even a head-turner at all. Girl and get on with basic stuff like improving service and entertainment.