STB disappointed with Crazy Rich Asians mishap, acknowledges Warner’s apology

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said that while it is disappointed with the recent episode of the spelling mishaps of "Singapore" and "Passion Made Possible" during the movie premiere of Crazy Rich Asians held in Los Angeles, it acknowledges Warner Bros' (WB) apology.Kershing Goh, regional director, STB Americas said in a statement to Marketing that STB has had good relations with WB and the partnership to promote the movie and Singapore has brought about many positive outcomes. Goh added that despite the issues, Crazy Rich Asians has been positively reviewed by international critics and has garnered good media coverage in the US, “highlighting Singapore’s great tourism offerings”.“We look forward to the movie's premiere in Singapore later this month,” she said.As part of its partnership with WB, STB was given onsite recognition at the Hollywood red carpet and premiere, an event organized and set up by WB. Prior to the official start of the event, STB had inspected and ensured the accuracy of the Passion Made Possible logo on the numerous event backdrop panels. In line with the protocol of movie premieres, all working personnels were then asked to clear the red carpet prior to the arrival of the cast, Goh said."It is most unfortunate that some time during the red carpet, part of the lettering of our logo on one of the panels melted off. As informed by WB, this was due to extreme heat," she added.Spotted by netizens and circulating online, the event backdrop panel had a misspelling of “Singapore” where the “g” was replaced with a  “c”, and the tourism tagline Passion Made Possible missed a “i” in the word “possible”.A WB spokesperson told Marketing that the Los Angeles premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures’ Crazy Rich Asians was a celebration of both the film and the beauty and excitement of Singapore. Unfortunately, due to extreme heat that day, some of the lettering on the red carpet wall melted after the event commenced and, in some photography, "Singapore" appears to be misspelled."We sincerely apologise for any distress or embarrassment this may have caused," the spokesperson added.The logo first came around in August last year when STB and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) stamped on a new seal for the nation to create a new unified brand logo, and tagline to market Singapore internationally for both tourism and business purposes. “Passion Made Possible” was created to communicate Singapore’s value proposition in addressing the needs of travellers and companies.Meanwhile, the movie Crazy Rich Asians is directed by Jon M. Chu, and is based on a book by Kevin Kwan. The story follows New Yorker Rachel Chu (played by Constance Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (played by Henry Golding), to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore, only to have her world blown.