One Sneak Peek Into Nation Branding with Koh Buck Song

As avid LinkedIn users, we often hear the term “personal branding” being thrown around.

What we’re discussing today is similar to that, but on a much, much larger scale.

Turns out that countries require branding too!

And who better to consult regarding nation branding than country brand adviser Koh Buck Song, who is also a poet and writer?

Rick (the name his family and friends use) worked as a journalist in The Straits Times for 11 years, before joining the Economic Development Board and then a private sector communications consultancy.

He has served on the boards of various government organisations, including the National Arts Council and on three Censorship Review Committees (in 1991-92, 2002-03 and 2009-10).

He left the corporate world in 2010 to pursue a ‘portfolio career’ (working independently to sustain a few streams of income, instead of working 9-to-5 for just one employer).

Currently, he works as a country brand adviser, and has helped foreign governments build their country brands.

He is also an author who pens well-acclaimed books, such as Brand Singapore (first published 2011, third edition 2021), and most recently, Singapore’s Orchid Diplomacy, launched in July 2024.

Rick is also a practitioner of the art form haiga, and in today’s interview, we will discuss how he discovered it.

Here are my main takeaways from our conversation:

1. All of us can contribute to the Singapore brand

“I wrote the book Brand Singapore because I wanted to change people’s mindset about a country brand, and not have this perception that building the country brand only concerns you if you work for an agency like the Singapore Tourism Board.

Precisely because anybody can make a difference, we have a responsibility to portray our country well. If you meet someone foreign from a conference or any other event, you are making an impression on behalf of Singapore.

While Singapore is very well-known on big-picture ‘hard’ aspects like infrastructure and public safety, we don’t do so well when it comes to softer aspects like the creativity of individuals and self-confidence.

If more people are willing to change their mindsets and do something to make a mark for themselves, then it would make a difference to global perceptions of us.

A prominent example of impact would be like how the Singaporean CEO of Tiktok became a global sensation. If you have a brilliant idea and you put it on social media, you too could become an internet global sensation in no time.

For example, in film and TV, there are Korean shows that have made it worldwide, such as ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Parasite’. Netflix is always looking for new content. So, there’s nothing to stop anyone from creating something that reaches the same status.

However, it’s not just about creating content, you also need business skills and networking - people must be willing to speak up for you and recommend you.”

2. Seize opportunities when they come to you

“Always be open to new things. Maybe someone will contact me on LinkedIn tomorrow and I’ll be on to a new project that could take me to a new place. We only have one life to live, after all.

I came to work in country branding because, in the year 2010, I was approached by my publisher, Marshall Cavendish, because they had the rights to distribute the book, Brand America, which was written by Simon Anholt, the original guru of country branding. So, they thought of doing a book on brand Singapore and approached me.

I was in the right place at the right time. After I wrote the book, I was given the chance to speak on this subject on several platforms both in Singapore and overseas. I was also invited to be on committees and to work on some projects.

In 2015, I was invited by the Japan Foundation in Tokyo to visit Japan under a cultural leaders programme, as a cultural leader from Asia. In the process, I came across an art form called haiga, originally from 17th-century Japan, and was very struck by it. It is a very niche art form and many people in Singapore have not heard of it. Even many people in Japan have not heard of it as well.

It just seemed so suitable for our times. The picture and short poem fit perfectly on a smartphone screen. It’s perfect to send to friends. I hope to modernise this art form in Singapore and apply it to global themes.”

3. Stop trying something out when the returns are negative

“In my portfolio career, one of the areas of work that I tried was CSR (corporate social responsibility) consulting. I wanted to consult to companies and organisations and help them meet corporate objectives while also achieving CSR goals.

But small organisations usually cannot pay consultants for something so experimental, while bigger companies mostly delegate the CSR function to someone in public relations or communications. They think they don’t need you as it is not an established area of work. It is very hard to do this kind of work as an independent consultant.

At that time, I had a partner who was really into this idea of making Singapore more age-friendly. Not just for hard aspects like installing ramps, but also regarding fighting ageism in the workplace, representation in the media, and so on. It is very tough work. I am not so active in it anymore.

The government is so responsive and effective that once they took up this challenge, there was less space for a non-profit to operate in. When we just started this, there was a gap in this area. After the General Election of 2011, there was quite a significant shift towards social priorities. In fact, I feel that the government has even gone too far in certain areas, such as putting up unnecessary ramps (Laughs).

So, stop trying out something when the returns are negative. And you will know when they are.”

4. Try to take a ‘blue ocean’ approach to life

“The term ‘blue ocean’ was coined in 2004 by two professors from INSEAD business school. It is a metaphor taken from fishing. If you fish in an area where many other fishing ships are also fishing, the ocean will be red because there might be fish blood in the water. You should avoid these areas, and go to an area where the ocean is blue, because there is less spilled blood there, and ideally you can even be the only one fishing in the area. For example, I’m one of the very few people around the world doing country brand advisory work.”

Connect with Rick here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-buck-song-koh-3650b71/

Join our telegram channel: https://t.me/onesneakpeekinto

Stay tuned for more insights from our interview series as we continue to explore the stories of trailblazers breaking barriers and redefining success.