New advertising campaign by SMRT features rail maintenance and operational staff

A new advertising campaign by SMRT is being fronted by its rail maintenance and operational staff, in what brand experts say is aimed at humanising a company whose reputation has been affected by breakdowns and delays, reported The Straits Times.

In a series of posters themed "We're working on it", various employees including technical officers, an engineer and a station manager are profiled with a quote about what drives them. The posters have been put up at MRT stations and bus interchanges since last month, and also feature on SMRT's webpage, blog, Facebook and Twitter channels.

Mr. Patrick Nathan, Vice President of corporate information and communications at SMRT Corp, said the campaign was created in-house, and offers passengers a glimpse into the important roles its staff play. "This effort showcases the multi-year, multi-project effort that takes place seven days a week, all-year round, which is aimed at renewing our transport services to serve passengers better," he told The Straits Times.

Branding and marketing experts, such as Dr. Seshan Ramaswami, an Associate Professor of marketing from the Singapore Management University, said the campaign is well thought out and tries to humanise SMRT.

He said, "It is easy to get angry at a faceless corporation which runs trains on tracks - a mechanical, impersonal object. So, showing behind-the-scenes photos of hardworking men and women working under difficult conditions... can help to soothe negative emotions." However, he noted that the advertisements must work in concert with actual improvements in rail reliability, which must be felt by the public.

Mr. Samir Dixit, Managing Director of Brand Finance Asia Pacific, said the campaign has good intent, but is a "risky proposition" that may serve to drive up more negativity in its execution. "Can we imagine the outcome... where there is a breakdown and people standing at the platforms are constantly staring at the campaign posters and wondering what to make of the situation?" he asked.

However, the campaign is not just for commuters, said Dr. Ramaswami. He said, "These ads may help boost the morale of SMRT operations personnel... as they get criticised when trains break down, but never applauded when everything works for most parts of the year."