Exploring our history

History is often seen as static, monolithic and boring. In Singapore, what comes to mind when people think of its history are common narratives and imageries: Sir Stamford Raffles, the country’s colonial past and eventual independence in 1965. But what about some of the smaller, micro-narratives that might have slipped through the annals of history?

The Future of Our Pasts Festival (TFOOPFest) is a festival organised by Yale-NUS College, in support of the Singapore Bicentennial. Taking place for the first time in 2019, the festival featured 11 projects that reimagined lesser known stories of communities and places of Singapore’s past through creative mediums. RICE was tasked to develop an integrated communications campaign that would encourage audiences to look at Singapore’s history in new ways, and drive participation in TFOOPFest’s projects.

The results? 324 pieces of earned coverage across print, broadcast, online and social media platforms; and growth of followers on festival’s Facebook (48% increase) and Instagram (104% increase).

In the month leading up to the festival launch, we set up mobile coffee cart pop-ups at four local universities. The pop-ups set the backdrop for intimate, on-the-ground conversations, allowing the project creators and the public to exchange thoughts on Singapore’s history over complimentary coffee. Through limited edition festival merchandise giveaways, these conversations were also taken into the digital sphere.

A festival zine was also developed in the style of an activity book. 2,500 copies of the zine were printed and placed in 15 locations across Singapore, in cafes, art centres and museums. Interactive design elements allowed for content to be repurposed on the festival’s social media platforms to further boost audience engagement online.

We provided creative and strategic counsel for the festival teaser video that was published on Facebook and Instagram a month before the festival launch.

These efforts were matched with a comprehensive earned media outreach and paid content partnerships that centred around a media launch and briefing attended by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister of Education. The campaign also engaged influencers through a paid and earned strategy to amplify the festival’s reach across the lifestyle and art space.