1. Capitalising on latest and future trends in the
Asian consumer arena

2. Capitalising on latest and future trends
in the Asian consumer arena
A case study by StarHub Singapore
• Regardless of market conditions, consumer centricity has been the key to growing
your customer base. Now due to decisions having to be made
faster, organisations must go beyond “what” consumers are doing and what they
would do in the future and what their telling us through their buying patterns.
• Effective trend spotting: What’s hot or not and why has your demand changed?
• Identifying the factors that have resulted in your customer base shifting and
• readjusting accordingly
• Anticipating future buying patterns, forecasting the market condition a year or two
from now and ascertaining the future demand for products
• Integrating trends into the design and marketing of your products
• Gaining foothold as a primary player of the specific trend market and building
prominent brand reputation

3. StarHub Overview

4. Singapore's Top Ten
Favourite Brands 2009
1. Colgate
2. Google
3. StarHub
4. NTUC Fairprice
5. Sony
6. SingTel
7. Yahoo
8. Straits Times
9. 7Eleven
10. Nippon Paint
Source: 2009 survey from Superbrands and The
Nielsen Company

5. The Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore (CSISG)
Top Performing Companies in each Sector
Company
• The Ritz-Carlton
• Singapore Airlines
• Republic Polytechnic
• Raffles Hospital
• Tan Chong Motor
• HSBC
• StarHub Mobile
• Starbucks
Sector
• THAS
• Transportation
• Education
• Healthcare
• Retail
• Finance
• Info-Comms
• F&B

6. Awards 2009
• StarHub - the Best Broadband Carrier
at 2009 Telecom Asia Awards
• StarHub’s CEO Mr Terry Clontz was
voted the “Telecom CEO of the Year”
at 2009 Telecom Asia Awards and
Chief Executive Officer of the Year” at
the Singapore Corporate Awards 2009

7. StarHub Overview
StarHub
Quadruple Play

8. Hubbing Example: Quadruple Play

9. Hubbing Example: Bundling Home Solutions

10. Hubbing Example: Free Fixed Line for Cable Subs

11. Hubbing Example: Bundling
Content with Mobile
Real time News coverage and thrilling
live football action on Blackberry Storm

12. UEFA EURO 2008 Season Pass
• 'LIVE' telecast in High Definition
and on 4 dedicated TV channels
• 'LIVE' on your mobile phone for
free
• 'LIVE' on your computer for free
Hubbing Example:
3 Screens Strategy

13. Trends Watch

14. What’s Hot What’s Not?
What is a Trend?
Form factor desired
12
14
17
10
3
3
3
No
preference
Touchscreen
22
33
Qwerty
15
4
Swivel flip
8
8
4
34
2
5
14
15
7
15
25
18
8
Global
Dev Asia
Singapore
Form factor desired
Source: TNS GTI
Source: TNS GTI 2009 Report
Side slider
Slider
Candy bar or
straight
Flip or clam
• “A statistically
significant
change in
performance
measure data
which is unlikely
to be due to
random variation
in the process.”

15. What is a Trend?
• “A manifestation of something that has ‘unlocked’ or newly
serviced an existing consumer need, desire, want, value

16. Flexi plans
Virtual
access
anytime, an
ywhere, any
how
Trial &
Experience
Bite Size
Purchase
Try-sumerism
Bite-size
Culture
Experiential
Virtual World
= Reality
Renaissance
of Self
Expression
Self
advertising
Presence
in virtual
world
I like
I buy
Simplification
Service at
your disposal
Keep it simple
Consumer
Empowerment
Instant gratification Plug and Use Consumer
Empathy
Anytime,
anywhere,
anyhow
Online
Oxygen
FMCGisation
Virtual
Realism
Virtual
Superstar
ServiceImpatient
Instant Digital
Gratification
Digital
Identity
Digital
Expression
Technology
-in-a-box
Key Trends
Mass
Digitalizatio
n
Technology is Middle
-class Status Symbol
Fun with
Technology
Hear my
voice
Consumer
Supremacy
Two-way
Hubbing
Economic
Cushioning
Digital
Laggards
Empowerment
Keep
Learning
Keep
Current
Share
my life
I am the
media
Digital ties
the bind
No frills,
Got thrills
Reserve
but still
Deserve
Community
Advocacy
Heartware
Hub
User
generated
content
Rekindled
kinship
I pay
for the
basics
Lower
entry
price
I pay what I
need
Small price
Herd
Small
CustomizCool image
syndrome
Technology
Female
Constant indulgences
ation
Elderly in
is my toy Empowerment tandem Upgrading
Technology
as Social
Latest for
Pat-on- the
Popularize fun
Female
Coaching
Currency
Oldest
back treats
technology
Appreciation

17. Consumer Supremacy
• Hear me (please respond) and serve me!
Expect voices to be heard by brands and acknowledged
Consumers looking for empathy from brands with their daily lives
Listen and respond lah!
They need to at least acknowledge
that they have read my feedback, I
can always choose any provider you
know?

18. I am the Media (I am a Hub!)
• I create, I distribute, I opinion-lead, I verify
When I upload something interesting, my
colleagues will start asking me for advice
e.g. where the place is and how to go?
I take candid video clips with my mobile phone and
post it… funny, ugly, cute scenes in Singapore
No need for newspaper, we create our own news!

19. What is a Trend?
• “A manifestation of something that has ‘unlocked’ or newly
serviced an existing consumer need, desire, want, value
Marketing to the Swarm (Social) as Well as The Herd (Mass)
• The Herd: the herd is the more
traditional consumer base. – You
can show them a compelling 30second spot and they may
passively choose to purchase or
engage with your product.
The Swarm: The swarm, on the
other hand is active. You can’t
lead the swarm. The swarm
makes determinations on its
own. The swarm is a batch of
regular folks that are using social
media to advocate for or agitate
against brands, products or
organizations.
Source: The Nature of Marketing by Chuck Brymer DDB

20. What is a Trend?
• “A manifestation of something that has ‘unlocked’ or newly
serviced an existing consumer need, desire, want, value

21. Hear my Voice

22. Hear my Voice

23. Flexi plans
Virtual
access
anytime, an
ywhere, any
how
Trial &
Experience
Bite Size
Purchase
Try-sumerism
Bite-size
Culture
Experiential
Virtual World
= Reality
Renaissance
of Self
Expression
Self
advertising
Presence
in virtual
world
I like
I buy
Simplification
Service at
your disposal
Keep it simple
Consumer
Empowerment
Instant gratification Plug and Use Consumer
Empathy
Anytime,
anywhere,
anyhow
Online
Oxygen
FMCGisation
Virtual
Realism
Virtual
Superstar
ServiceImpatient
Instant Digital
Gratification
Digital
Identity
Digital
Expression
Technology
-in-a-box
Key Trends
Mass
Digitalizatio
n
Technology is Middle
-class Status Symbol
Fun with
Technology
Hear my
voice
Consumer
Supremacy
Two-way
Hubbing
Economic
Cushioning
Digital
Laggards
Empowerment
Keep
Learning
Keep
Current
Share
my life
I am the
media
Digital ties
the bind
No frills,
Got thrills
Reserve
but still
Deserve
Community
Advocacy
Heartware
Hub
User
generated
content
Rekindled
kinship
I pay
for the
basics
Lower
entry
price
I pay what I
need
Small price
Herd
Small
CustomizCool image
syndrome
Technology
Female
Constant indulgences
ation
Elderly in
is my toy Empowerment tandem Upgrading
Technology
as Social
Latest for
Pat-on- the
Popularize fun
Female
Coaching
Currency
Oldest
back treats
technology
Appreciation

24. Customer-Made
Co-Creation
Taping the
Global Brain

25. Customer-Made
Co-Creation
Taping the
Global Brain

26. What is a Trend?
• Virtually every trend has its anti-trend.

27. What is a Trend?
• Beauty
is in the
eye of
the
beholder

28. What is a Trend?
• Not all consumer
trends will affect or be
embraced by ALL
consumers.

29. • Transumerism
Looking at Trends to
• Transumers are consumers
cross the Chasm
that are driven by
experiences instead of the
'fixed', who increasingly live
a transient lifestyle, freeing
themselves from the
bothersome aspects of
permanent ownership.
Source: Trends Report

30. Looking at Trends envisioned by … iN2015, NGN etc
• Ultimately it must relate back to
an existing consumer
need, desire, want, value
STATUS
CARE
FUN
CONTROL

31. How do people act
differently when they
see dark clouds on their
financial horizon?
How will this recession affect consumer behavior?
http://www.forbes.com/2008/02/14/unsolicited-advice-recession-oped_meb_0215unsolicited.html

32. Anxiety
Seeing others
cut back spending
So expect even those who aren't
really feeling a lot of pain to act
as if they are
Energy & Food
prices rising
Stocks - sitting on
book losses
Property prices
falling, reducing individual’s net
http://www.forbes.com/2008/02/14/unsolicited-advice-recession-oped_meb_0215unsolicited.html
worth
Seeing others getting retrenched;
Worry about losing jobs

33. How will this recession affect
consumer behavior?
Anxiety
Frugality & Pragmatism
Seek
Solace
Research more, trade
down, buy
less, postpone, negotia
te harder
Entertainment
Alternatives
Affordable Pleasures
Escapism
http://www.forbes.com/2008/02/14/unsolicited-advice-recession-oped_meb_0215unsolicited.html
Accessible Escapes

34. People who are
unaffected by the
downturn don't want
to rub it in other
people's faces
People who are
struggling don't
want it to show.
They will make
trade-offs, so they
can afford to keep
up appearances
May cut back on
conspicuous luxury
spending?
Civil servant rapped over
cooking holiday
May cut back on
non-conspicuous
spending?
Channel NewsAsia - Tuesday, January 20
SINGAPORE — A senior Singaporean civil
servant has been reprimanded for publicising
his family’s vacation at a top French cooking
school when his country is suffering from a
recession, a minister said Monday.
"It struck a discordant note during the current
difficult economic circumstances when it is
especially important to show solidarity and
empathy for Singaporeans who are facing
uncertainties and hardship," Defence Minister
Teo Chee Hean said in parliament.
http://www.forbes.com/2008/02/14/unsolicited-advice-recession-oped_meb_0215unsolicited.html

35. Economic Cushioning and Cocooning
• When economic hard times
loom we tend to retreat to
our village.
• Basically, here the
consumers retreat and
create a cocoon
• We should focus on those
tech-related products that
allow users to "cocoon" to
save money.
Source: Synovate Censydiam

36. In tough times, focus on family values
• Look for cozy home family
scenes in advertising to
replace images of extreme
sports, adventure, and
rugged individualism.
• Spending on home
furnishings and home
entertainment will hold up
well, as uncertainty prompts
us to stay at home but also
stay connected with family
and friends.
Source: Marketing Your Way Through A Recession, Harvard Business School, Mar 08

37. ―Freedom‖ relevant for Economic Cushioning?

38. Economic Cushioning - Happy Cocooning

39. Economic Crisis Response Clusters
39

40. Pessimists
These people are
slightly older and
there is currently no
changes in their
behavior.
Source: Synovate 2009
Consumer Behaviour in Times of Crisis
“I turn off the tele
whenever there are more
reports about the crisis…
There’s no point worrying
about it because there is
nothing I can do about
it”. For now, I just go on
with my life as usual and
try to stay in control of my
emotion.

41. Protectionists
―It is the little
people like us
who will
suffer the
most…‖
These are
heartlanders and
their changes in
Behaviour: Saving
more money, cutting
down on expenses
in all areas.
Source: Synovate 2009
Consumer Behaviour in Times of Crisis

42. Positive Lifestyle Changers
These are younger
generation.
Source: Synovate 2009
Consumer Behaviour in Times of Crisis
―The crisis will help me
change my life style for
the better.‖• Being a little
less materialistic will not
make me less
happy. We should
consume less/different
to save the planet. I am
going to save and do
good at the same
time e.g. recycle
furniture, DIY, Clean
energy

43. Opportunists
I am keeping
my eyes open
for smart
deals.‖
These are younger
, richer, more educated
generation and their
changes in behaviour•:
Alert for promotions:
especially in luxury items .
Source: Synovate 2009
Consumer Behaviour in Times of Crisis

44. Thank You