SG50: time for businesses to celebrate

I was recently presenting at a conference when I was asked what the most important thing that was going to happen in 2015 was. Without hesitating I said SG50.

For such a young country like Singapore to be where it is in the world in only 50 years is truly remarkable and certainly worth celebrating. Everyone should celebrate. Everyone has benefited from living here and everyone should mark this notable achievement that not many countries in the modern era have the chance to do, celebrate real achievement.

If you're a permanent resident like me or a Singaporean born and bred, if you're here on a S pass or Employment pass, if you work on the construction sites or as a domestic helper, if you're a CEO or an entrepreneur, if you're a wannabe of both, if you're studying or at preschool, whoever you are and whatever reason you are here, it's time to come together and celebrate SG50.

It will all begin on 1^st January and reach a climax on National Day itself, 9^th August 2015, 50 years after Singapore became independent. It all started with such a shakey foundation and now it has a foundation that is envied across the world. No debts, highest GDP in the world, lowest crime rates, lowest drug-related crime rates, best healthcare, lowest corruption, best living standards, great place to raise a family, best education standards, great place to work, and the best weather in the world, well for me anyway!

I personally have great a deal to thank Singapore for. It's an amazing place to be an entrepreneur. Very easy to do business and very easy to position yourself regionally and in fact globally as a business from here.

We have always looked globally and always had global clients and are about to launch in both North America and the UK. However the global HQ will always be in Singapore where we started and where the majority of our work will still be done for our global clients. Without the success in Singapore and in Asia Pacific, we couldn't have even contemplated launching in other countries in the West.

Every brand under the sun is launching SG50-branded goods and services and if you're not you could be, be inspired by what these organisations are doing to celebrate:

·         The Ayam brand have produced 1 million specially branded sardines tins with the SG50 branding on which were designed by crowdsourcing. There are two themes: my Singapore memories and celebrating national service and there are six designs, 2 rotate every 4 months with full POS in all retail shops to promote the limited edition tins

·         DBS Bank is gearing up for Singapore's 50th birthday with a S$3.5 million sponsorship of the 28th Southeast Asian games and its dragon boat and sailing races

·         MediaCorp have created an X-factor style contest for residents to find a song that can be sung by everyone in 2015

·         Mediacorp and Denizen have also created a partnership to launch a SG50 design a tee shirt competition using the SG50 logo combined with what Singapore means to you

·         Visconsep chocolate are sponsoring SG50 goodie bags for the opening of the new National Gallery in 2015

·         Jack Neo, the famous local film maker, will be making a special SG50 film

·         There are specially branded SG50 cupcakes at various cupcakes stores, apparently there are doughnuts too

·         There are SG50 baby gifts for all babies born in 2015: It will comprise eight items: A special medallion, a multi-functional shawl, a baby sling, a set of baby clothes, a diaper bag, a scrapbook, a family photo frame, and a set of baby books all branded SG50, yes, even the diapers

·         Jewelery maker RISIS came up with the idea of creating five unique pendants that capture Singapore's history from 1965, and use the proceeds to raise funds for the needy. The limited-edition pendants will each represent a key milestone of Singapore's growth and development based on the themes of nature, the arts, travel, business, and food

·         Pure gold and diamond retailer SK Jeweler will sell 999 pieces (what not 888?) SG50 Gold Bars with the tagline "Celebrate SG50 Together" carved intricately at the bottom of the bars, with Chinese characters which mean "a prosperous nation with blissful citizens"

·         Graf von Faber-Castell will launch SG50 Special Edition writing products which will have barrels made of snake wood (as Singapore was born in the year of the wood snake). The SG50 Special Edition products will bear the SG50 logo engraving on a platinum-plated cap, and will be available in sets of four: fountain, ballpoint, rollerball pens, and a pencil

·         Great Eastern announced that it would provide a year's free insurance for all babies born here next year

·         The Esplanade are holding a series of special concerts and events to celebrate SG50

·         The Singapore Tourism Board is celebrating the coming of age of the ­island's creative scene by taking local contemporary creative talent overseas to share their craft, before returning home for a 10-day showcase. Titled Singapore: Inside Out, the showcase, which will involve a special modular scaffolding structure, will make its way to Beijing (April), London (June), and New York (September) for five-day presentations in each city, before returning to the Republic in November next year

·         From the third quarter of next year, the iconic rain trees along a 3.4km stretch of East Coast Parkway (ECP) will greet travelers from Changi Airport by being specially lit up to showcase their beauty at night

·         NTUC will launch a yearlong series of events and surprises to celebrate SG50

·         50 Schools, 50 SMEs initiative will see teams from 50 secondary schools being paired with 50 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to learn about the firms' history

·         The Sports Hub will commemorates the country's 50^th year of independence anniversary by holding a massive concert featuring local artists performing 50 songs in various genres and the four official languages that have made an impact on Singapore's 50 years

·         Couples who get married in the Singapore Jubilee year will also get a special memento, a SG50 marriage certificate holder

·         There will also be specially created walks, park concerts, walkways, and a multitude of other SG50 events outside

·         Any brand can download and use the SG50 brand to get in on the act and create awareness for SG50 while also associating with it themselves to drive up their own specially branded product and services sales and just to celebrate the 50^th year of independence as the Republic of Singapore

·         Plus everyone can contribute an idea and SG will fund up to $50k of its costs if it's accepted

If you want to get involved or find out more visit the celebration website https://www.singapore50.sg/

Happy 50^th Birthday, Singapore!