Singapore Tourism Board calls PR pitch in Indonesia

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has called for a PR pitch in Indonesia. The appointed agency shall provide PR consultancy services for STB Indonesia for a period of two years from 14 January 2022 to 13 January 2024. The overall budget of the RFP is estimated at a range of IDR 5,171,595,993 to IDR 6,464,494,991, inclusive of taxes and out-of-pocket expenses. 

According to the Gebiz tender seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, the tender briefing will be held on 26 October 2021 SGT 2 pm via video conference call. Shortlisted agencies will pitch in the final round virtually, on 1 and 2 December 2021. The appointed agency will also be required to collaborate with STB’s incumbent agency Klareo Communications to ensure a smooth handover and transition for a two-week period. 

According to the tender, the scope of the appointment will be focused on tourism recovery. The appointed agency will assist STB Indonesia in PR efforts to prepare for tourism recovery, with the objective of maintaining Singapore as the top of mind destination of Indonesian travellers.

Hence, interested agencies will be required to develop and submit a 12-month marketing communications strategy for the period of 14 January 2022 to 13 January 2023, and plan for STB Indonesia's tourism recovery campaign. Agencies will also have to develop an integrated creative campaign idea, including a 12-month marketing communications strategy and plan, to position Singapore as a "leading urban wellness haven" for the Indonesian market, the tender said. Tenderers are also required to provide at least one case study of how their agency handled a client’s PR crisis that occurred in Indonesia.

The appointed agency will focus on three main scopes of duties: Planning, strategy and counsel; always-on PR and marketing; and integrated marketing campaigns. Some of the appointed agency's duties include providing strategic counsel, issues and crisis management, managing STB's social media accounts, KOL management, media relations, media monitoring and analysis, and leading activation events and activities for marketing campaigns.

The appointed agency will also be expected to collaborate with other STB-appointed individuals and agencies for some projects to jointly develop and execute marketing and communications initiatives. Additionally, the agency must have a strong relationship with traditional and new media in Indonesia, to ensure that it has the ability to provide holistic and focused media support for STB’s initiatives.

The team of the appointed PR agency is expected to possess relevant industry experience and should be familiar with non-traditional and innovative ways of approaching PR, and bringing PR "live" through a multitude of approaches. The team is also expected to make consumers aware of and increase usage and engagements of the various digital marketing platforms of STB, and support STB’s business development activities by tapping on the agency’s networks where necessary.

Tenderers with existing clients who may have conflict of interest with STB will be asked to provide the names of the proposed account team that will be working on the STB account in writing. Additionally, the team working on STB's account must be different from the one working with the client that STB may have a conflict of interest with, and both teams are expected to ensure data segregation and avoid cross-sharing of information.

STB will evaluate submissions and presentations based on the agency's creativity of ideas and concepts, strategic competency and integration with STB's marketing approach, team dynamics, and the account team's experience and agency resourcing. Agencies should ensure that the proposed day-to-day lead person for the account is present at the presentation and presents at least 50% of the proposals.

STB's call for a PR agency in Indonesia comes less than a week after it called for a global creative and media agency. The appointed agencies will help STB to shape and execute its marketing strategy for a period of two years and three months, with the option to be renewed thereafter on an annual basis for three years. The briefing was held on 22 October and Ebiquity is handling the pitch. TBWA\ Singapore and Zenith are the incumbents and started work in April 2016 and 2017 respectively. 

Separately, STB appointed FINN Partners to provide PR services for the brand in the United Kingdom. The appointment is for two years until August 2023. The agency had beat out eight others vying for the account, including White Tiger PR, Black Diamond Agency, Praytell UK and Aviareps UK.

Power up your PR and communications efforts today with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's PR Asia Week on 1 and 2 December. Learn ways to build an evidence-based practice, up the ante on your strategies, and be head and shoulders above your competition. Click here to register today! 

Photo courtesy: 123RF

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