Without nation branding, there would be no Singapore. Reputation is precious. Top talent and hot money gravitate only to the most attractive, respected nations. For a country as small and as young as Singapore, its brand is its most valuable asset. Singapore’s stunning ascent from Third World to First World in a matter of 30 years was spearheaded by a concerted, closely-coordinated programme of nation branding. Brand Singapore helped to attract the investments, business, trade, tourism and talented human resources that are the lifeblood of a successful nation. Today, the city-state is known internationally as a dynamic, safe, corruption-free place to do business, a Garden City, and increasingly, a vibrant city of culture and the arts. In global surveys of quality of life, Singapore regularly tops the charts. How did Singapore create this country brand, cultivate and guard it, sell it to its “shareholders”, and make it known to the world? Drawing on two decades in the nation branding game, Koh Buck Song offers an illuminating inside look at – and candid critique of – a country brand that is as rich in resource as it is potent with promise. Since the first publication of this book in 2011, Singapore has celebrated its golden jubilee of independence, undergone a watershed general election and the death of founding father Lee Kuan Yew, and seen its nation brand rise and fall amid the disruptions of an increasingly divisive world (Brexit, Trump, China, etc). This timely second edition explores the implications of all these factors on Singapore’s future.

�First independent book about Singapore's national brand�Balanced critique of what has had an impact on shaping the Singapore brand through history�What next? Nation branding in the post- LKY era�What will take for Singapore to reach SG100�Easy-to-read yet incisive insights, drawn from author's over 25 years of practical experience in journalism, public service and communications consultancy

How can Brand Singapore renew itself once again, amidst a global pandemic? Reputation is precious, more than ever, in the face of deep global displacements exacerbated by Covid-19. Top talent and hot money typically gravitate only to the most attractive, respected nations. For a nation as small and as young as Singapore, its brand is its most valuable asset, as seen in its stunning ascent from Third World to First World in just 30 years since 1965, spearheaded by targeted country branding that builds on unique, longstanding brand attributes. This fully revised and updated edition of Brand Singapore analyses the challenges and opportunities of its latest repositioning for a post-Covid-19 world. The book also examines major events of the last four years since the Second Edition, including the “Passion Made Possible” country brand concept, the 2020 General Election, the reserved Presidency and the Singapore Bicentennial’s revised perspectives on 700 years of ancient history. “A must-read for all policy-makers and business leaders. The secret of Singapore’s success is precisely uncovered by Koh Buck Song.” – Yasu Ota, Nikkei Asian Review, Japan

Without nation branding, there would be no Singapore. Reputation is precious. Top talent and hot money gravitate only to the most attractive, respected nations. For a country as small and as young as Singapore, its brand is its most valuable asset. Singapore’s stunning ascent from Third World to First World in a matter of 30 years was spearheaded by a concerted, closely-coordinated programme of nation branding. Brand Singapore helped to attract the investments, business, trade, tourism and talented human resources that are the lifeblood of a successful nation. Today, the city-state is known internationally as a dynamic, safe, corruption-free place to do business, a Garden City, and increasingly, a vibrant city of culture and the arts. In global surveys of quality of life, Singapore regularly tops the charts. How did Singapore create this country brand, cultivate and guard it, sell it to its “shareholders”, and make it known to the world? Drawing on two decades in the nation branding game, Koh Buck Song offers an illuminating inside look at – and candid critique of – a country brand that is as rich in resource as it is potent with promise.

What happens when complex cities meet curious minds? Starting with this simple question, Curiocities explores the work of 10 personalities whose careers have taken them places and introduced them to diverse peoples and practices.Whether through their work in fields like diplomacy, research and media or through their creative projects as novelists, travel writers and photographers, they show compellingly how sparks fly when complex cities meet curious minds.For all 10 individuals, it is their sense of curiosity and their willingness to embrace the complexities of peoples, places and practices that have helped them not only survive but thrive. All 10 have the added edge of recording their experiences in writing as, to quote renowned travel writer Pico Iyer, 'a way to wake oneself up and keep as alive as when one has just fallen in love'.

Through an interdisciplinary approach combining the concepts, methods and tools in language and discourse studies and insights from marketing and tourism research, this book examines the online place branding of Hong Kong, one of the most visited cities and well-known spots in the world. The book compares how the place brand is officially constructed and conveyed by the institutional bodies, as realised on the Brand Hong Kong website online, with how the place brand is publicly experienced and perceived by individuals around the world, as realised on the TripAdvisor Hong Kong travel forum online. The book also includes comparative analysis between Singapore and Hong Kong to provide better understanding of online place branding and findings from the comparative study identify interesting similarities and differences between the official portrayal of the place brand of Hong Kong and its public perception in the digital realm, as well as between Hong Kong and Singapore in online place branding. The book also offers evidence-based suggestions on how we can bridge the gap between the online representation and perception of a place brand and how to enhance online place branding in general.

Critically discusses the increasing significance of Asian States in the field of international investment law and policy. Contains analyses of national investment law rule-making in Asia, contributions of Asian States on cutting-edge developments to the global community, and contemplates future possibilities for investor-State dispute settlement.