SINGAPORE – Rows of teddy bears on a table, and tiny white shirts imprinted with the words “PAP Sengkang” neatly arranged at the side.
Multi-coloured ribbons could be pinned on the bears’ chest, or for a more feminine look, on their ears – these were among the custom options for some 30 residents who streamed into the People Action Party’s Sengkang East branch for a build-a-bear workshop on March 16.
The event at 124A Rivervale Drive, headed by the branch’s chairwoman and potential general election candidate Bernadette Giam, was among a series of outreach events held in recent weeks.
Political parties have kicked their election campaigns up a notch since the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report on March 11. Whether it is to forge a personal connection with voters or to bolster their war chests, they are investing in creative merchandise to make sure their messages are effectively conveyed – and brought home by – voters.
Since the 2015 General Election, the maximum amount that candidates can spend on each voter – expenses incurred before, during or after the election by a candidate or election agents – has been $4. It was previously $3.50 and was adjusted to account for inflation.
The PAP’s Sengkang team, which made the news in 2024 for its PAP-themed Labubu dolls, is distributing about 2,000 teddy bears in conjunction with International Women’s Day, which fell on March 8.
It told The Straits Times that the teddy bears are not intended for election campaigning, but Mrs Giam pointed out their appeal to a group representation constituency that contains a high proportion of young families.
Build your own bear: PAP’s Sengkang East branch chairwoman Bernadette Giam with residents. ST PHOTO: CLEMENT YONG
Using Department of Statistics data, ST’s estimates show that 16.6 per cent of residents in the GRC are between the school-going ages of seven and 20 – above the national average of 13.9 per cent.
Mrs Giam said: “The teddy bear is a well-loved symbol that transcends age, and we felt it could help us foster a sense of connection and care, particularly among young families.”
Already a hot commodity with plenty of inquiries from residents, the bears will also be handed out at upcoming party events, gatherings and during house visits.
“While fliers, posters and banners are tried-and-true methods, we’re constantly looking for new, creative ways to engage with residents,” Mrs Giam added.
Not to be outdone, the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has once more rolled out plushies of what it calls its chief compassion officer, an otter named Otica. The name is an acronym for openness, transparency, independence, compassion and accountability – values the party wants to associate with its campaign.
The Progress Singapore Party is selling plushies of its mascot, an otter named Otica.PHOTO: PROGRESS SINGAPORE PARTY
Otica was launched in 2020 and was so popular that the soft toy had to be restocked twice, said a PSP spokeswoman, who added that they are again expected to be snapped up rapidly once rallies begin. This time, the party has also created small keychains of the mascot.
A pair of big Oticas are up for “adoption” for $50, while four small keychains can be purchased at the same price. PSP is also selling T-shirts, caps and a Santa hat on its website, and is planning to include UV-protection umbrellas and a mobile fan on its merchandise list.
As for the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), a spokesman said it is in advanced discussions with its partners and vendors to replenish its inventory of items such as flags, clappers, T-shirts and copies of SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan’s books – the latest, It Starts With A Dream, was published in 2024.
SDP’s mascot, Danny the democracy bear, will also join in the plushie wars with its own dedicated Facebook page. It has given “interviews” to alternative media like The Online Citizen, and in 2020, came in at least three shades.
The Singapore Democratic Party’s mascot, Danny the democracy bear. PHOTO: DANNY THE DEMOCRACY BEAR/FACEBOOK
Asked if SDP intends to increase its stock of merchandise from the previous general election, an SDP spokesman said: “The quantity of all these assets will depend on the areas we eventually decide to contest in.”
Danny the democracy bear. PHOTO: FACEBOOK/DANNY THE DEMOCRACY BEAR
The Workers’ Party (WP) declined to provide details on its wares, saying that merchandise is not the focus of the general election.
Its teams have been seen handing out newsletters and party booklets during walkabouts in areas such as MacPherson, as well as distributing Hari Raya goodies to families in rental flats.
A supporter blows his vuvuzela as others wave yellow inflateable hammers at the Workers' Party's (WP) rally for Nee Soon GRC at Yishun Stadium on 4 September 2015. [General Election 2015 ]
A supporter blowing a vuvuzela at a Workers’ Party’s rally at Yishun Stadium in 2015.ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
But the party is no laggard in the merchandise department: Umbrellas and flags have long been brandished by supporters at WP rallies.
Workers' Party (WP) supporters taking shelter under a sea of blue umbrellas in the noon-day sun at Admiralty Secondary School, a nomination centre for General Election 2011, on 27 April.
Workers’ Party supporters taking shelter under a sea of blue umbrellas at Admiralty Secondary School, a nomination centre for the 2011 General Election.ST PHOTO: STEPHANIE YEOW
Banners, volunteers, but do they matter?
With the Covid-19 pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, political parties have also taken pains to re-assert their physical presence.
This is seen clearest in the recruitment and designation of teams of volunteers on the ground, as well as banners – such as gigantic ones publicising candidates and “GRC report cards” that have been spotted around Singapore.
Updates to election advertising rules, introduced by the Elections Department in May 2024, state that the full name of every person who played an “active role” in publishing or displaying advertisements, including the printer, must be shown. Paid ads must indicate that they have been sponsored.
When approached for comment, the major parties would not be drawn in to say how the changes have affected their advertising.
The PAP, as the incumbent, is ahead in this race for visibility. A poster featuring North West District Mayor Alex Yam shows a statistical breakdown of hardware upgrades, such as the number of new sheltered linkways and fitness corners built in Yew Tee.
Residents of PAP wards such as Bukit Batok and Clementi have also received plenty of pamphlets detailing constituency masterplans for the next five years.
A banner of MP Rachel Ong in Telok Blangah.ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Ms Cynthia Oh, manager of printer Print & Print, a regular vendor for government collaterals, told ST that it has been approached by political parties since early March.
The company is expecting a 15 per cent to 25 per cent increase in its workload for the 2025 General Election, compared with five years ago. Orders are usually finalised four to five days prior to campaigning, and can comprise banners, posters, tissue packets, fans and door hangers. Amounts range from 2,000 to 64,000 pieces of marketing collateral depending on the scale of the campaign.
pixebrc2025 ST20250313_202540200842 Ong Wee Jin / A banner with Workers' Party members Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap, Sylvia Lim, Pritam Singh and Gerald Giam, at a walkway between Kovan Market and Food Centre, and Heartland Mall Kovan, March 13, 2025. Can be used for stories related to Aljunied GRC during the general election (GE).
A banner of Workers’ Party members Faisal Manap, Sylvia Lim, Pritam Singh and Gerald Giam at a walkway at Kovan Market and Food Centre.ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
Ms Oh said: “There is a resurgent interest in physical marketing materials for in-person events, local outreach and personalised engagement, and print is viewed as a complementing component in multi-channel efforts.”
Another printer, Republic Holdings, has also been alerted to be on standby by major political parties since “a few months back”. Its director, Mr Ben Ang, is expecting a surge of 100 per cent in demand for GE2025 compared with the previous election.
Mr Ang said parties can print up to a few hundred thousand fliers during election season, which will take three to five working days to deliver.
A campaign flier that was distributed in Bukit Batok.ST PHOTO: REI KUROHI
The firm will be hiring at least five part-time staff to cope with the increased volume of orders.
But Dr Lynda Wee, adjunct associate professor of marketing at Nanyang Technological University, said these numbers should not be taken at face value: Greater visibility cannot be equated directly with political support.
While many might brandish party paraphernalia to advertise their political leanings, others may be using functional merchandise, such as umbrellas, out of convenience.
She said: “This creates possible miscommunication if usage is interpreted as favourable popularity. Mindless usage might not reflect that a political brand is indeed their choice. They are just using the free products.”
For maximum impact, political parties must focus on marketing fundamentals. “They will have to demonstrate their ability to understand the needs of their voters and coin a slogan or catchphrase.”
Already, the WP appears to have struck a chord with the slogan Step Up, coined after its leader Pritam Singh was asked if he would consider stepping down following his conviction in court in February.
In past years, other more official slogans have included the SDP’s Now Is The Time, for the Bukit Batok by-election in 2016, and the PSP’s You Deserve Better, for its manifesto in 2020.
Voters whom ST spoke to agreed that the elections are not about merchandise, though they said outreach efforts through these tangible objects show that political parties care.
Ms Anna Thanam, a 53-year-old senior executive in the transport industry, said a party event with free haircuts rejuvenated her interest in grassroots activities and motivated her to volunteer.
Ms Vivian Yong, a part-time customer service assistant working in the transport industry, once felt slighted after a political party’s event that gave out game cards restricted the giveaway to children.
“It was not advertised that way,” the 53-year-old said. “But what is more important are activities. I can bring my mum to these events close to my home.”
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