Singapore Customs builds on its efforts to eradicate illegal cigarettes with its latest public outreach campaign, “Don’t Get Burnt”. The campaign, which features the use of traditional and new media strategies, on top of a wide range of viral communications tactics and mobile community engagement roadshows, aims to highlight to the public on the social consequences, as well as the severe penalties associated with buying, selling and/or possessing illegal cigarettes that do not bear the SDPC marking.The campaign draws much attention to its icon, a burn mark that emphasises the campaign’s creative direction and consequences of dealing with illegal cigarettes. The icon and the campaign tagline “Don’t Get Burnt” seek to remind members of the public that they can play a role to report illegal cigarettes activities in order not to get “burnt” by the duty-unpaid cigarettes.

The iconic burn mark of the campaign to warn public “Don’t get Burnt” by illegal cigarettes

“We recognise the importance of public outreach efforts to raise awareness on the illegal cigarette issue to enhance the effectiveness of our enforcement efforts”, said Mr. Fong Yong Kian, Director-General of Singapore Customs. “While we have achieved some success in eradicating illegal cigarettes, having the collective will from the public to say no illegal cigarettes is the long-term sustainable solution to win this fight against illegal cigarettes.”

The campaign, which was launched first in print on Tuesday 28 September, started its run in August 2010. Pre-campaign blitz comprising of several ground activations and viral marketing tactics aim to raise public awareness and create discussion in different media platforms on the iconic burn mark. For example, a truck printed with the burnt mark roving around the island sparked netizens’ discussion on STOMP and in the newspapers.

Truck with the burn mark roving island-wide since end-August 2010 as

one of the pre-campaign launch initiatives

 

Furthermore, to reinforce the logo identification of the burn mark carried by the roving truck, anti-illegal cigarettes “ambassadors” hit the streets wearing the iconic burn mark T-shirts on 20 September 2010. In addition, during the weekend from 24 to 26 September 2010 leading to the launch of the campaign, slips containing the public advisory call-line number 9770 3190 were distributed to smokers and members of the public at several locations such as Eunos, Woodlands, Chinatown, Little India, Raffles Place and Orchard Road, urging them to call and learn about the consequences of dealing with illegal cigarettes.

Burn mark T-shirts worn by the anti-illegal cigarettes “ambassadors” attracting public attention during the

pre-launch phase at Raffles Place (left) and Woodlands (right)

 

“We are open to trying various types of media platforms to reach out not only to our target audience such as the heartlanders, smokers, blue collar-workers and foreign workers, but to other potential risk groups such as youths and professionals. We are encouraged by the responses so far as it tells us that the public is paying attention to this campaign. We will continue to bring our public outreach efforts to the next higher level so that we can effectively reach out and engage our target audience,” added Mr Fong.

Slips containing the call-line number being distributed at various locations (left)

Curious member of the public dialing the call-line listening to the public education message (right)

 

An informative website, www.dontgetburnt.sg has also been developed in conjunction with the campaign. The public will be able to learn more about the illegal cigarette issue; follow the campaign trail and in future, download public education games from the website. Similarly, the public advisory message will also be aired on local free-to-air and cable television networks in November 2010 to raise public awareness.

Come 16 October 2010, members of the public will see the transformation of the initial roving truck into a mobile roadshow stage. The truck will be used in a series of mobile community engagement roadshows held island-wide to reiterate the campaign’s key messages. The roadshows will take place at foreign worker dormitories, education institutions, factories, community centres, and the various heartland areas. These are on top of Singapore Customs’ ongoing community engagement programmes managed by a team of enforcement officers.

The latest public outreach initiative calls for the public to get actively involved in eradicating illegal cigarette activities by reporting any such activities to Singapore Customs. Members of the public can call the hotline at 1800-233 0000 or email to customs_intelligence@customs.gov.sg to provide more information.

Fact Sheet

Campaign: Don’t Get Burnt

Duration: August 2010 – July 2011

Organised by: Singapore Customs

Roadshow Launch Date: 16 October 2010

Roadshow Launch Venue: Woodlands Causeway Point

Roadshow Events: 1. Unveil roving truck as mobile stage   2. Interactive educational games

Websites: www.dontgetburnt.sg & www.customs.gov.sg

Email: customs_feedback@customs.gov.sg

Hotline to Report Illegal Cigarette Activities: 1800 233 0000