Marina Bay Sands, Singapore - Pre-Launch Hard Hat Tour:

Hosting India’s Media at the World’s Most Iconic Resort in the Making

Client: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (soft opening phase, 2010)
My role: Conceptualised and executed the pre-launch PR for India, including hosting a curated Bombay/Mumbai media delegation to Singapore, securing editorial placements across leading travel, architecture and trade publications.

The moment before the Singapore skyline changed

Hard hats on, neon safety vests strapped tight, and the buzz of cranes overhead — that’s how our media group from Bombay first encountered Marina Bay Sands. The site was still raw concrete and scaffolding, but even then, its scale was unmistakable. Three towers stretched upward like unfinished giants, and the skeletal curve of the SkyPark hinted at the marvel it was about to become.

As I guided journalists from Times of India, Outlook Traveller, Architect & Interiors and Express Travel World across the construction floor, the excitement was palpable. They weren’t just covering another hotel opening — they were witnessing a piece of architectural history in the making.

Objective

To position Marina Bay Sands not just as another integrated resort, but as:

  • An architectural icon of global significance
  • A luxury travel destination appealing to Indian leisure travellers
  • A meetings and conventions powerhouse targeting trade and business audiences

The goal was to ensure that by the time doors opened, India’s most influential media had already carried compelling stories, sparking both consumer aspiration and industry confidence

The idea — tell three stories at once

We crafted a three-pronged narrative strategy:

  1. Architectural spectacle — spotlighting Moshe Safdie’s design and engineering marvel for design press
  2. Luxury & lifestyle — showcasing the SkyPark, infinity pool, celebrity-chef restaurants and shopping for travel media
  3. MICE strength — highlighting the convention centre and event capabilities for trade and business publications

Execution — a layered, deadline-driven programme

  • Hosted media delegation: I personally led a group of leading Indian journalists from Bombay to Singapore, ensuring they experienced Marina Bay Sands before the public did
  • Exclusive hard hat tour: Journalists donned safety gear and walked through the construction site — from the cavernous convention halls to the towering SkyPark deck. I still recall their awe as they tried to picture the infinity pool floating 200 metres above the city
  • Tailored media packs:
    • For Architect & Interiors, we provided engineering blueprints and interviews with Safdie’s team
    • For Outlook Traveller, we highlighted lifestyle experiences — dining, retail and rooftop leisure
    • For Express Travel World, we focused on MICE scale, logistics and case studies
  • Phased storytelling: Coverage was timed with the resort’s soft opening milestones — casino in April 2010, SkyPark in June, and subsequent roll-outs through 2011 — creating multiple waves of visibility
  • Exclusive placements: Features were secured in all targeted outlets, ensuring broad consumer, design and trade reach

Results — launching with credibility and momentum

  • High-impact coverage:
    • Architect & Interiors India (Feb 2010) ran a full feature, “Milestone in the Sky”, spotlighting the SkyPark’s engineering feat and positioning Marina Bay Sands as one of the world’s most remarkable design achievements 
    • Coverage in Outlook Traveller and Express Travel World brought visibility to both leisure travellers and the business travel sector
    • Times of India’s presence during the hard hat tour guaranteed national mainstream visibility
  • Consumer aspiration: The SkyPark and infinity pool images became instantly iconic, repeatedly featured in travel press and fuelling demand from Indian travellers
  • Trade credibility: MICE narratives landed strongly — Marina Bay Sands hosted international conferences within weeks of opening, with Indian planners citing the property as a benchmark venue
  • Sustained buzz: Because the resort opened in stages, our layered coverage strategy kept it in the news cycle for over a year, far beyond a typical one-week launch window

What I learned (and what worked)

  • Take media to the experience, don’t just send them releases. The hosted delegation and hard hat tour created authentic, memorable stories
  • Tailored narratives matter. Different verticals need different hooks — architectural marvels for design, lifestyle for travel, business strength for trade
  • Phased launches are opportunities. Staggered openings allowed us to build multiple waves of coverage, not just one
  • Visual icons multiply reach. The SkyPark and infinity pool weren’t just design features — they were media magnets that ensured long-tail visibility