UNIQLO Singapore scrubs Instagram page clean in surprise move

Over the weekend, fashion retailer UNIQLO decided to completely wipe its Instagram page clean in a surprise move that left consumers shocked. 

In a statement, UNIQLO's social team posted:

Sometimes, in order to be better, we need to leave the past behind.

The social team talked about how its consumers have shared some "unforgettable moments" together and said that Singaporeans have been with it through countless collaborations and launches.

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"As we ponder the future, we've been asking ourselves an important question: What truly makes life better? That's why we're saying goodbye to all our Instagram posts. It's not you, it's us" it said, adding:

But don't worry, better is on the way. 

The post triggered an influx of comments from netizens with some asking what their husbands were going to wear now and with others asking what was happening and debating if it was a good move or not. 

Shortly after the post went up, UNIQLO shared an Instagram reel that shared CCTV-style footage of people walking around a UNIQLO store and putting post-its and notes around the store. In the first frame, viewers see two post-it notes being put up on a mannequin saying, "Do you fit in? Or do you stand out?"

In another frame, a staff member in UNIQLO's changing room holds up a sign asking, "are you happy?"

In the last frame, viewers see a sign in a UNIQLO shopping basket saying, "are you ready for better?" 

The reel ends with a "watch this space" ticker that floods the screen. 

When MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out, Paulene Ong, marketing director of UNIQLO Singapore said the decision to wipe its socials signals the start of an exciting new chapter for the brand, adding that starting with a clean slate allows the brand to create the biggest impact and refocus its online presence around a new era of lifewear.

She added that the brand wanted to make a disruptive move to capture attention and curiosity ahead of 'Lifewear Day'. This transformative movement for UNIQLO encourages audience the brand's audience to take a pause from the onslaught of digital content and reflect on what's next. 

It also serves to declutter the digital noise from the UNIQLO Singapore page and highlight the upcoming collections and brand direction with a fresh perspective.

“UNIQLO is deeply grateful for the unforgettable moments we have shared with Singaporeans in the past 15 years. The refresh of our social media marks the start of an exciting new journey for UNIQLO where we want to invite Singaporeans to connect with us in a deeper way by pondering on an important question: What makes life better?," said Ong. 

"The 'LifeWear' philosophy has always been anchored on the idea of simple, high-quality clothing that has the power to improve our lives. Kicking off with the UNIQLO LifeWear Day in Paris on 30 September, UNIQLO Singapore will gradually unveil a fresh approach to our social media and digital strategy that continues to build on the LifeWear philosophy and the memories we have created with Singaporeans while paving the way for better things to come," she added. 

"Uniqlo Singapore’s decision to wipe their Instagram feed and leave a single cryptic post offers an interesting case study in social media engagement," said Divika Jethmal, head of marketing, Asia, at media intelligence firm CARMA. "While the approach sparked curiosity and comments, it also led to some misinterpretation, with many believing the brand was closing its doors in Singapore."

"This misreading may have been an intentional strategy to build excitement and online chatter, in order to boost share of voice and visibility," she added. 

Saying that, Jethmal cautioned that this approach, if not executed well, carries risks that could impact brand trust.

"The key lesson here is that while mystery can fuel anticipation, brands must ensure they don’t lose control of the narrative," she said. 

This comes shortly after UNIQLO appointed Paulene Ong as its new marketing director for Singapore. 

Within the new role, Ong plays a pivotal role in shaping the brand’s strategic direction across multiple channels, overseeing the full spectrum of product marketing, public relations, digital innovation, in-store communications and creative development, said UNIQLO Singapore when MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out at the time. 

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