#MarketingExcellenceAwards 2020 highlight: SCDF creates a rap to educate Singaporeans on its services

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) operates a 24-hour Emergency Medical Services (EMS), which is ready to respond to any medical emergency in Singapore via a fleet of emergency ambulances. Given the rise in calls the EMS is getting recently, SCDF looked to educate Singaporeans on the existence of a non-emergency line in order to be able to use its resources to the fullest potential. 

SCDF's campaign saw it being shortlisted as a finalist for three different categories: Excellence in Content Marketing, Excellence in Integrated Marketing, and Excellence in Public Sector / Non-Profit Marketing. Here's a deeper look at how the organisation used a rap song to raise awareness of its non-emergency line. 

Challenge

The number of SCDF’s EMS calls has been increasing since 1998. In 2018, SCDF responded to 187,607 EMS calls or about 500 calls a day. This was an increase of 2.8% from 2017.

Many of these calls are not associated with a genuine emergency. About 10% or 18,000 calls are non-emergency or false alarm. This means that each day, SCDF resources have been unnecessarily dispatched to approximately 50 nonemergency cases, putting a tremendous strain on SCDF’s resources. Every time SCDF responds to such cases, it takes away its ability to deal with a life-threatening emergency, where every second counts.

Increasing resources alone would not be a sustainable approach to tackle the increasing number of EMS calls. Hence, in April 2017, SCDF introduced a new tiered EMS response framework. It was premised on prioritising its scarce resources and faster response for critical cases. For minor emergencies, the response time will be longer than for life-threatening cases. Since April 2019, SCDF also implemented a policy whereby for non-emergency cases, they will not be conveyed to hospitals. The public is advised to seek treatment at a clinic or if they insist on going to a hospital, to make their own travel arrangement/call 1777 for a non-emergency ambulance at a fee.

With these changes in EMS response, there is a need to conduct a publicity drive to generate public awareness and to get buy-in on non-conveyance of non-emergency cases by SCDF. The public perceives their non-emergency situation as urgent and requiring immediate attention, hence the challenge is to convince them to seek out alternative options in nonemergency situations. For this, the public must know the difference between a non-emergency versus an emergency case. The public must also understand that for every non-emergency case that SCDF responds to, someone with a lifethreatening condition, such as stroke, may be deprived of the much-needed medical intervention by the EMS personnel. No one should be put through the pain of losing their loved ones over delayed response. To give those in dire needs a living chance, we need the public to call the right number.

The key objectives SCDF wanted to achieve were:

1. To generate and increase public awareness on not to misuse the 995, and alternatives for non-emergency cases
2. To get public buy-in on SCDF’s policy of non-conveyance of non-emergency medical cases to hospitals
3. To reduce the number of non-emergency and false alarm calls to 995

Strategy

A three-pronged main strategy was created:

1. Make it Right – The right messaging and platforms to grow awareness
2. Make it Magic – Trigger the talk of town and win the public opinion
3. Make it Work – Remind the public to call the correct number for medical services (emergency versus non-emergency)

SCDF thus embarked on its first integrated marketing communications campaign which involved developing and implementing communication strategies and multi-channel platforms to support the objectives.

The big idea of the campaign was that the number 995 is only to be called during an emergency. The messaging around the content created revolved around educating Singaporeans about the difference between an emergency and non-emergency, providing them with alternatives, and conveying that SCDF no longer turn non-emergency cases to hospitals.

The team explored creative and engaging means of capturing audience attention and increasing message retention. It then used a light-hearted tone as it thinks it would work better to persuade and get buy-in from members of the public.

SCDF also utilised an integrated marketing communications plan which entailed various modalities such as traditional media, out-of-home, and localised outreach through distribution of brochure to all residential households island-wide. Digital and social media platforms were extensively utilised to reach out to the target audience between 15 to 49 years old.

Execution

Make it right

• Music Video – SCDF partnered with SGAG to create an original rap with a catchphrase to remind people to “call 1777, not 995” that can be easily understood by any listener. Some hilarious non-emergency scenarios were also highlighted so the target audience can understand which are some non-life threatening situations are categorised as non-emergencies.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=990176601331412

• Content video - Some people are overprotective and tend to overreact whenever their loved one seems to be in the slightest pain/discomfort, so much so they may be inclined to call 995 when it is not an emergency, and are unaware of another service for non-emergencies under 1777. This video showed a boyfriend who gets overly worried and panicked when his girlfriend has an “excruciating” stomachache. The girlfriend seemed to be handling the situation fine in the end.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2931299873548105

Make it magic

• SCDF extracted the chorus into a 30-sec jingle to drive a stronger message recall and transform it into earworm. The jingle was played over English radio stations. Besides that, the jingle was also translated into Mandarin and amplified on Chinese radio stations to reach out to more audience with unified messages. With the fresh take on public service announcement ads style, Spotify listeners were not spared as well, as the ads were played on the music streaming platform.

Make it work

• The music video was also amplified offline at events. It was shown at the largest Home Team exhibition organised for the public, and also at SCDF’s Singapore - Global Firefighters and Paramedics Challenge (SGFPC) in Nov 2019. Held over three days, the Home Team Festival and SGFPC collectively drew about 140 ,000 people.
• SGAG also partnered with Riglobe Media to screen the music video at 68 coffee shops across the island. Coffee shops have a steady traffic and is frequented by heartlanders. With an offline amplification, it helped to increase touchpoint and drive a stronger brand recall .

Results

SGAG brewed an online social buzz as the rap was featured on 9GAG and the press (Shin Min Daily News). The social media was trending with 14k engagements on Facebook and 22k engagements on Instagram. Netizens commented that it was a catchy rap and they now learnt about the nonemergency hotline number 1777. Annette provided more reach and engagement by sharing with her followers as well. SCDF further amplified the music video by sharing is across its social media platforms as well. As with the music video, the content video was also positively received, and performed well especially on Instagram, where the younger audience took well to the video's relatability.

The display ads delivered about 434k impressions compared to booked 400k impressions, and the radio ads had a cumulative reach of over 1.7 million listeners. Meanwhile, SCDF’s Spotify campaign delivered about 3.4 million impressions with 2.9k clicks. This exceeded the target number of 2.2 million impressions.