changi airport’s million-dollar dance
By Pat Law • May 31st, 2010 • Category: Lead Story, The RestMy relationship with Changi Airport began from the day I was born. My folks had and still have, a humble stall selling duck rice in the staff canteen of Terminal One – the only terminal at that time, since 29 years ago. With both parents out working, covered in grease, sweat and sometimes blood when careless, and the economic inability to afford a maid (actually, I don’t think the service supply existed during my babyhood), I was often left on my own, exploring the terminal.
Yup, while kids my age had sandboxes, I had Changi Airport as my playground. Life was a lot of fun back then.
I must be one of the country’s biggest skeptic. I love my country dearly, but there are so, so few things I’m proud of that hail from Singapore. Let’s see:
• Keith Png
• Lee Kuan Yew
• Mustafa Centre (ION’s fab but seriously, is it better than any other malls around the world?)
• Seafood by Long Beach
• Singapore’s national football team
• S-League
• Singapore Airlines AND the beautiful Singapore Girls
• Taxis in Singapore (we are probably one of the few first-class countries with third-class taxi drivers)
• Zouk
And oh yes, one more, the most important one in fact: Changi Airport. Handling more than 37 million passengers a year, or 7 times the size of Singapore’s population, Changi Airport is the Best Airport in the world. I’m not the one saying this. A survey by Skytrax with 9.8 million travellers from over 100 nationalities revealed so. This is such a Singaporean thing to say, but hey, 340 airport awards in the last 3 decades say something, no? And you know what, I’m absolutely proud of Changi Airport as a Singaporean.
Some 1,000 plus Singaporeans, from age 10 to 75, must’ve felt the same when they responded to an invitation to participate in a flash-mob-styled mass performance, in a period of merely a week.
Some were seasoned dancers.
Most were newbies.
All had one thing in common; passion.
I mean, it has to be passion. This wasn’t American Idol. And there wasn’t some free concert to watch.
I have to admit, as a marketer, I’m not a big fan of flash mobs. Firstly, its EASY to pay a bunch of professional dancers to strut their stuff to some pop song in the middle of Raffles Place. Secondly, its EASY to get people to “flash walk” (how much commitment is required for this, really?). But to conduct a multi-faceted 3-minute dance performance supported by percussionists, hip-hop artists and breakdancers to best illustrate how would one feel if he or she wins a million dollars*?
Tell me that’s not hard.
The shortlisted 700 performers trained religiously week after week, with aching bones and blisters soaking their socks. mrbrown and I were there witnessing them suffer in motion for the country. Ok, I’m a bit dramatic here, but it’s difficult not to feel for them, even for a skeptic like me. It wasn’t a flash mob as much as it was a dedicate show of getting the world to stop and watch. After all, Changi Airport, is the place where the world shops.
On 22 May 2010, it came down to 400 performers that took Changi Airport Terminal 3’s transit mall by storm. If anything, I thought it showed the world a lighter side of Singaporeans (and foreigners living in Singapore alike), and the commitment they would give, to things that they are proud of.
Well done, Singapore. Now enjoy the wonderful performance below.
*BE A CHANGI MILLIONAIRE is a shopping promotion organised by Changi Airport Group (Singapore) Pte Ltd (CAG) and co-sponsored by Visa Worldwide. Shoppers who spend a minimum of $60 in a single receipt at all outlets in Changi Airport (excluding money-changers, medical clinics, top-up card machines, post-on wheels, airline lounges and Crowne Plaza Hotel) during the promotion period will be entitled to one lucky draw chance. More chances will be allocated with a higher spend in a single receipt.
*
PROMOTION PERIOD: 0600hrs on 1 June 2010 to 2359h on 30 November 2010
*
ELIGIBILITY: All purchases made at retail, F&B and service outlets, in both Transit or Public areas, (including Arrival Baggage Claim outlets) that meet the qualifying tiers are eligible for the lucky draw. Both Transit and Public areas have the same qualifying tiers.
SHOP & DINE WITH PAT: Mark these dates down on your calendar! I’ll be releasing information on how you can stand a chance to shop and dine with yours truly, all expense paid (within civil limits of course).
1. 21 June 2010
2. 19 July 2010
3. 23 August 2010
[UPDATE AS OF 2 JUNE 2010]
Just got wind that the mass dancers were indeed given a token sum of SGD15.00 per half day to cover daily expenses. Still, great commitment for the nominal amount! Thanks for the headsup, Hannah.
[UPDATE AS OF 10 JUNE 2010]
For all skeptics who reckon a flash mob is a flash mob is a flash mob, perhaps you should check out this Behind-the-scenes video. If you don’t feel fuzzy wuzzy inside… well I guess you’re the same person who prefer to slam our national table tennis team for “not being Singaporean” as opposed to the very fundamental fact that they have slogged to death just to bring our nation pride. Just on that note, what the f* have you done for our country besides whining and complaining?
This performance brought tears to my eyes. I am not a Singaporean, and it is difficult NOT to be proud of Changi Airport (and Singapore Airlines). I remember making a snide comments on one YouTube video at the start of this campaign.
I take that back. Changi Airport seems too cool for word. Now I am aching to go back!
Yeah, the performance is something, isn’t it, Razlan? Passion will always outperform budget.
Not another dancing flash mob. Seriously, we need some creativity. Flashmob is not just about dancing. There can be other type of flashmob.
Every time a PR company does a dancing flashmob, a penguin dies
OMG! I’m so proud of this! What an amazing effort. Well done! Well done! *Applaud…*
Eh? Every time a PR company does a dancing flashmob, a penguin dies? In what way, DK? Catch no ball lah, brother.
I hear your point to “not another dancing flash mob” but I reckon it’s as good as saying “not another TV commercial showing the brand’s product”. I don’t think the medium needs to be original (can we, seriously?) as much as the essence to which the idea meets the marketing objective is crucial.
In a place like Singapore where one needs license and approval to just about every form of promotion, creativity can sometimes be limiting. The bit that warmed my heart is not quite the creativity as much as it was the fundamental fact that these UNPAID volunteers of some 480 committed to weeks of training just so for this performance.
So… out of curiosity, what kind of flashmobs would you so fancy seeing? Hehe.
He could be talking about something along the line of Happy Feet.
I must be daft. I don’t get it, Razlan.
Totally pointless waste of time and energy
Hey Pat… I’m so so sorry to bring in a bit of reality/truth here, but… we were paid >< This is just to let you know! You can delete this if you want – I’m not sure the payment is supposed to be a publicly-known fact so this may be why you said we didn’t get paid.
Hey Hannah,
Thanks for sharing! I checked with the organisers too just to verify before I update my post, and I understand that mass dancers reimbursed with a token sum of about $15 for each half-day session to cover general costs? Paid or not, it’s a pretty badass cause.
Hey Pat,
Tho we were paid, it was really a sum just to cover travel expenses & food. I’m very sure everyone who took part were in it to enjoy the experience rather than the money because we dedicated long (i mean it) hours to rehearse and learn the steps. Note that majority of the dancers were dancing for the first time in their life and the oldest I heard was 71?
That said, I agree with you that as long as client’s marketing objectives are met, the campaign is successful, isn’t it? You were also right about getting approval, all 480 participants had to be approved by the police before they can get into the transit area. The ad agency worked hard to coordinate with Changi Airport’s staff. All these are unseen paperwork they had to go through to make this happen.
Maybe only a mob like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zixQYDeRtzI will get DK’s approval? Haha
LOL @anywool’s video. Pretty cool stuff!
That said, I think the small amount is really a token to cover individual cost, rather than payment. The core of this flash mob is the dedication from all parties involved:
- It’s not easy to learn how to dance, especially for newbies
- It’s not easy for the ad agency to coordinate so many things to make this happen
- It’s not easy for Changi Airport to change their mindset and engage the masses in such innovative way
All in all, a commendable effort. I wish there will be some follow up to the video to make it even more viral and more social. Perhaps this post on Pat’s blog is the first step? Hehe.
LOVING IT.
well done!
its not easy to pull things of such scale off + keep spirits high throughout = it has to be passion.
Dope.
Scratch that. Hella dope.
Thanks for blogging about this, and I think that your little personal backstory makes all the difference between just another flash mob and one with a slightly more engaging premise. Flash mobs, like guerrilla marketing (street performers dressed in costumes), viral videos, buzzworthy outdoor installations, word of mouth campaigns, transmedia storytelling and the entire range of social marketing tools are often much easier to talk about than to do. Execution is always a challenge, and I think Changi Airport has performed fairly well with this.
Just another idea for consideration. Instead of just plugging a “spend $60 and win one million dollars through a lucky draw” promotion mechanic (which is probably older and duller than the airport itself), why don’t Changi Airport weave some wicked storytelling with those who invested their lives in the Airport? Almost all of us have a Changi Airport experience when we travel, and nothing beats that as a basis for a great heartfelt tale.
Forging an emotional connection could make all the difference between fancy – but fleeting – footwork, and the urge to spend a weekend at the airport.
Hey Pat
Sounds like a really interesting event! Is there any flash mob upcoming where you all are looking out for performers? would love to join the mob! Please let me know!