Lars Voedisch | Source | Managing Director at PRecious Communications

Lars Voedisch, managing director of PRecious Communications, said the ad is Grab's way of sharing facts and adding transparency without getting emotionally involved, which is the basics of communication.

He added that there isn't necessarily right or wrong as all three groups (merchant, delivery, and Grab) are affected by the economic situation in one way or another. "At the end of the day, it will be up to the consumers to vote with their wallets - are they willing to pay more for a service that would pay more to their drivers," he said.

Did Grab SG's social ad on commission rates help or hamper its brand image?
https://www.marketing-interactive.com/did-grab-sgs-social-ad-on-commission-rates-help-or-hamper-its-brand-image

In Singapore's case, the move by PM Lee was necessary to assure the nation that the government is in control and it’s the whole nation that needs to stand together, Lars Voedisch, managing director, PRecious Communications said. He explained that communications during crisis situations need swift, and Singapore has witnessed a fair amount of white noise when it comes to addressing concerns given the rumours, speculation and fake news circulating.

"[A country's leader should address citizens] whenever there is a situation that creates worries and concerns among large parts of the population, clear words of reassurance are needed. Especially when there are signs of panicky behavior are showing like the bulk purchasing of necessities at supermarkets, an authority has to step in as the voice of reason," he added. Nonetheless, Voedisch said the government is doing a good job overall with regular updates, transparently sharing what is happening and the steps they are taking. Staying calm and showing concerted actions is the right approach to counter fear mongering of people, he added.
However Voedisch was also quick to point out that what could have fallen through the cracks was anticipating the reaction DORSCON Orange can cause. "It seems that the government had not anticipated the kind of reaction the increase of the alert level to DORSCON Orange caused. So, it should now think about what kind of situations might arise if the number of infections or fatalities increase and should the alert level increase to DORSCON Red. This should be pro-actively addressed and not left to surprise the public as that might lead to more panic reactions," he explained.

PM Lee addresses coronavirus fears: Combating fear and government distrust
https://www.marketing-interactive.com/sg-pm-lee-addresses-coronavirus-fears-combating-fear-and-government-distrust