Key Pages
- |Changes [Feb 26, 2009]
The cameraRight hand image from Singapore Country Site (at time of retrieval, May 22, 2005)
Singapore Airlines: Achievements
In just over the last two decades, the US$ 5.7 billlion carrier Singapore Airlines has grown from a regional carrier to an international one with a route network spanning over 90 cities in nearly 40 countries. It has one of the youngest and most modern fleet and continues to set the standards for inflight services.
Singapore Airlines has consistently ranked tops in the United States' Fortune Magazine's list of Global Most Admired Companies (GMAC), and it did not fail in the latest 2004 survey either. It ranked 32nd in Top 50 of the 2004 All Stars Listing, and ranked 2nd in the airline category (Our Achievements, n.d.), making it both a world and industry leader--for a country that hardly makes a dent in the world.
In 2002, it was at 50th position, the highest ranked Singapore representative, and is one of only two Singapore companies to have made the list. Outside of Japan, SIA is the top ranked Asian company in that list, according to the sources. Criteria for evaluation include quality of management, quality of products and services, innovation, long-term investment value, financial soundness, responsibility to the community and the environment, wise use of corporate assets, global business men, and the ability to attract, develop and retain talent (Nepal news, n.d.).
In the Conde Nast Traveler Magazine Reader's Travel Awards 2004, Singapore Airlines was ranked second in popularity (89.91%) after Air New Zealand (90.08%) for the Leisure Travel--Long Haul category. British Airways (87.90%), Virgin Atlantic (87.46%), Emirates (87.40%) came after amongst the top five. As for the Business Travel category, Singapore Airlines is the business traveller's favourite, with scores above 80 for all criteria, and above 90 for lounge/pre- & post-flight facilities and in-flight entertainment. It scores 88.50%, ahead of British Airways (88.40%), Emirates (87.75%), Cathay Pacific (86.65%) and Air New Zealand (86.47%).
A full list of awards and accolades that Singapore Airlines has won can be found here: Singapore Airlines (2001-2004). Our achievements: Singapore Airlines presents our awards and accolades. Retrieved on May 2, 2005 from: http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/app/saa?dynamic=OurAchievements/ourachievements.html
Why study Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Girl?
A look at the extensive list of achievements will make one wonder, what makes this airline not the ordinary airline other airline companies are, despite the fact that there have been mixed opinions on their service, food and other offerings? What carries them further than simply being a means of air transport, i.e. what is their product differentiation or branding strategy? In this project, I investigate one of their branding strategies, the iconic Singapore Girl. Based on observations, the Singapore Girl is never left out whenever Singapore Airlines appears in media and advertising. She has been identified with the airline and is its personification. Despite her ubiquity, the Singapore Girl, like a fictional fantasy character, remains somewhat of an enigma. Keeping details of her background confidential is expected since Singapore Airlines needs to keep its competitive edge as one of the leaders of the international airline industry, but at the same time, the confidentiality creates a mythical aura around the icon. Not much is known about a particular Singapore Girl because there are many of these flight attendants who encapsulate or are trained to take on her qualities, manifested in her professional smile and demeanor. No one can gossip about what the Singapore Girl has been up to because there are so many of them, all conforming to the perfect image of the Asian woman delineated by the rigorous, high standards of the airline company. Any deviation from that image leads not just to trouble for the airline, but also discontent amongst Singaporeans who take much pride in the airline company and its icon that has served the country's economy and reputation so well. Sightings of a uniformed Singapore Girl smoking a cigarette sparked letters to the editor of Singapore's largest newspaper The Straits Times (Clark, November 7 2002), showing how seriously Singaporeans take icons they identify as constituting their collective identity. The question I ask is, how has the Singapore Girl come to acquire her mystical status and how does that aspect of brand personality contribute to Singapore Airlines' branding?
The basics of "Who and What is the Singapore Girl?"
Advertising Success and Sensory Branding
HISTORY
Chan, D. (2000). The story of Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Girl. The Journal of Management Development; 19, 6; pg. 456 
SIA n SIA girl story.pdf
Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Readers' Travel Awards 2004. Retrieved April 25, 2005 from http://www.cntraveller.com/ReadersAwards/2004/Airlines/
Harvard Business School (1989). "Singapore Airlines (A)", 9-687-022, Rev. 3/89, 13 September.
Jordan, M. (June 1, 1995). Sexy airline icon goes to pieces after leaving London musuem. Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition). New York, N.Y.:p. B1
Moore, J. (2004). Singapore Girl and fortune vs formula, December 4, 2004. Johnnie Moore's Weblog. Retrieved on May 22, 2005 from http://www.johnniemoore.com/blog/archives/000577.php
Nepal news (April 2002). Singapore airlines ranked top in Fortune’s List. Business age: information and analysis. Vol. 4 :: No. 4. Retrieved April 25, 2005 from Nepalnews.com website: http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/englishmonthly/obusinessage/2002/apr/world.htm
No author (n.d.). Milesago: producers and engineers: Pat Aulton. Retrieved on June 3, 2005 from http://www.milesago.com/industry/aulton-pat.htm
Singapore Airlines 747-400 1000th Jumbo Jet (1999). Image posted on website October 18, 1999. Retrieved April 25, 2005 from http://flugzeugposter.de/cgi-bin/shop.cgi?einzelbild=1&poster=singapore_b747-400_9v-smu&sprache=eng&sid=3203272
Stewardess Uniform Collection (n.d.). Flight stewardess, leading stewardess, chief stewardess uniform and fabric images from Stewardess Uniform Collection, "Singapore Airlines/Singapore". Retrieved on May 23, 2005 from http://www.uniformfreak.com/1singaporeairlines.html
Teleos--the KNOW Network (2004). 2004 Most Admired Knowledge Entreprises Study: Executive Summary. Retrieved on May 22, 2005 from www.knowledgebusiness.com/ knowledgebusiness/upload/2004AsiaMAKE-ES.pdf
Wreden, N. (November 29, 2004). Book Review: "Asian Branding" (authored by creator of Singapore Girl advertising Ian Batey). Retrieved on May 22, 2005 from http://fusionbrand.blogs.com/fusionbrand/2004/11/book_review_asi.html
Arnold, W. (December 31, 1999). “For the Singapore Girl, It's Her Time to Shine.” New York Times (1857-Current file); ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2001), pg. C4
Clark, J. (November 7, 2002). They enjoy being a 'Girl'. USA Today. Retrieved April 26, 2005 from: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/vacations/destinations/2002/2002-11-08-singapore.htm
Mariani, E. (May 4, 2005). “It's not easy to be an SIA Singapore Girl.” Features. The Jakarta Post, Jakarta. Retrieved May 23, 2005 from http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20050504.R01
No author (September 6, 2004). ExSIAgirl shares about the old days. Retrieved on June 2, 2005 from http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2004/06/the_making_of_a.html
Shenon, P. (October 25, 1992). “The Last Stewardess.” New York Times (1857-Current file); ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2001), pg. V3
Marketing Identity Crisis for Cathay Pacific (but not SIA) [non-pdf full text 1]
Cathay vs. Singapore Airlines. Identity Crisis for Cathay. non-pdf full text 2
Hirsch, J. S. & Jordan, M. (May 19, 1995). Ever a 'Singapore Girl,' even if she's not. Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition). New York, N.Y.: p. B9
Aaker, J. L. (1997). Dimensions of brand personality. Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 34, pp. 347-356. Aaker (1997).pdf
Arnold, W. (December 31, 1999). For the Singapore Girl, It's Her Time to Shine. New York Times (1857-Current file); ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2001), pg. C4 NYT.pdf
Braun, K. A.; Ellis, R.; Loftus, E. F. (2002). Make my memory: how advertising can change our memories of the past. Psychology and Marketing, Vol. 19 (1): 1-23. January 2002.
Chan, D. (2000). Beyond Singapore girl: Grand and product/service differentiation strategies. The Journal of Management Development; 19, 6; pg. 515 SIA comparison.pdf
Chartered Institute of Marketing, The (2005). Knowledge Hub: Marketing Glossary. Retrieved June 3, 2005 from http://www.cim.co.uk/cim/ser/html/infQuiGlo.cfm?letter=B
Lindstrom, M. (2005). Brand Sense: build powerful brands through touch, taste, smell, sight and sound. New York, NY: Free Press.
No author (2005). About.com Marketing terms and definitions: brand. Retrieved on June 3, 2005 from http://marketing.about.com/od/eventandseminarmarketing/l/bldefbrand.htm
Phanhttp, S. (n.d.). Rejuvenating Aging Brands. All About Branding.com. Retrieved on May 22, 2005 from http://allaboutbranding.com/index.lasso?article=282
Roll, M. (n.d.) Singapore Airlines--excellent Asian brand. Venture Republic, Resources: Features and Articles. Retrieved on May 22, 2005 from http://www.venturerepublic.com/resources/Singapore_Airlines_-_An_Excellent_Asian_Brand.asp
Shenon, P. (October 25, 1992). The Last Stewardess. New York Times (1857-Current file); ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2001), pg. V3 NYT2.pdf
Singapore Airlines (11 May 2005). Singapore Airlines sets record operating profit through cost management and yield improvement. No. 02/05. Retrieved on May 23, 2005 from http://img.singaporeair.com/pdf/english/FinancialResults/FY0405_NewsRelease.pdf
Sudhaman, A. (November 5, 2004). Singapore girl gets a facelift in global TVC . Media Hong Kong, p. 5 (1 pp.)
Account of subliminal Singapore Girl services on trip from New York to Hong Kong
Singapore Airlines Kris Shop SIA Exclusives (n.d.). Retrieved on May 22, 2005 from website: http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/app/saa?dynamic=KrisShopList/KrisShop_List_SIA_Exclusives_5.html
Astbury, S. (1986). Managing SIA: Management, Motivation and Marketing/ Cultivating the Creme de la Creme/Singapore Girl--A Great Way to Sell/Sharing the Profit of Success. Asian Business, Hong Kong: Apr 1986. Vol. 22, Iss. 4, p. 22 (7 pp.)
Batey, Ian (2002). Asian Branding: a Great Way to Fly. Prentice Hall / Pearson Education.
Hiebert, M. (December 7, 1995). A nice girl like you. Far Eastern Economic Review, Hong Kong. Vol. 158, Iss. 49, p. 79 (1 pp.)
