Bask Communications: A Quarter in Review

In the blink of an eye, we’ve wrapped up the first quarter of 2025! As the year gains momentum, we’re excited to share some highlights and meaningful milestones from the past few months. 

Deepening Our Commitment to Cancer Advocacy 

Continuing our partnership with 365 Cancer Prevention Society (365CPS), we are honoured to be retained as the Society’s PR agency of record. Over the past two years, we have worked hand-in-hand to strengthen their presence across mainstream media, radio, and online platforms, reinforcing their tri-fold mission of Cancer Prevention, Cancer Fighting, and Cancer Education.  Beyond spotlighting 365CPS’ suite of free annual cancer screening campaigns, our efforts have helped the Society deliver essential health education and support to the wider community, through collaborative knowledge sharing in the media together with healthcare professionals.  

• Lianhe Zaobao (联合早报) – “肺”事何时了 认识肺癌症状做好预防 

• Berita Mediacorp - Diramalkan hanya ada lagi 6 bulan untuk hidup, pejuang barah hati ini nasihat orang ramai jalani ujian awal 

• CAPITAL 958 – 城市号列车 

In March, we returned to Our Tampines Hub for the third edition of 365CPS’ Bloom with Hope celebration. Inspiring cancer fighters, families, friends and partners came together to celebrate the resilience of the cancer fighting journey; attendees were also encouraged to take proactive steps in early detection by signing up for the free screening campaigns #My1stPapTest, #My1stMammo, and #My1stColonoscopy.  At the celebration, nOm’s culinary content creator and producer, Azfar Maswan delighted attendees with a cooking demonstration of Assam Fish Curry with Vegetables and Nasi Ulam, proving that we don’t have to sacrifice our beloved flavours to eat healthier. The event also hosted a heartfelt fireside chat discussing the impact of cancer on families, the power of prevention and the importance of a strong support system.

Check out the inspiring stories of our cancer fighters Mdm Vijay and Ms Mallika on Tamil Murasu 

Celebrating Successful Partnerships 

In Q1, we also concluded our partnership with family care brand BZU BZU and hospitality client Dorsett Changi City Singapore. 

With BZU BZU, we positioned the brand as a trusted homegrown name through strategic media engagement, influencer marketing and partnerships, as well as targeted campaigns and giveaways. We successfully engaged with over 40 mummy influencers, delivering an estimated reach of 436,000, and achieving an average monthly engagement rate of 12.1% from their social media content sharing. We also built up a strong brand presence for BZU BZU in key local parenting titles.  

Catch-up on CEO Raphael Jiang’s interview on MONEY FM 89.3

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Over at DCCS, we supported the communications around its recent acquisition and rebrand—successfully building awareness in the early stages and helping the refreshed identity gain traction in the hospitality space. It was a pleasure to journey alongside both brands. 

• Singapore Motherhood - Dorsett Changi City Singapore: An East-Side Escapade and Local Foodie Staycation to Savour 

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Looking Ahead 

As we move into the rest of the year, our team remains focused on elevating our offerings and delivering impactful storytelling for our clients. Whether you’re looking for PR support, influencer marketing, media pitching, or press release distribution, we’d love to hear from you. 

Reach out to us at hello@baskcomm.com - let’s create meaningful and engaging narratives together.  

365 Cancer Prevention Society Celebrates the Resilience, Unity and Unwavering Spirits of Cancer Fighters at Bloom with Hope 2024

More than 1,200 participants came together at Bloom with Hope 2024’s annual community walkathon on 2 March 2024 to celebrate the resilience, unity and unwavering spirits of cancer fighters in Singapore. Organised by 365 Cancer Prevention Society (365CPS) in collaboration with Tampines Central Community Club and Tampines Central Community Sports Network, the walkathon at Our Tampines Hub kicked off two days of exciting activities geared towards empowering members of the public to gain a better understanding towards cancer prevention, cancer fighting and cancer education. The event was graced by special guest and honorary patron to 365CPS, Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and Ministry of Manpower.

365CPS Launches Free Cervical Cancer Screening to Eligible Members of the Public

In conjunction with Bloom with Hope and International Women’s Day, 365CPS celebrates the launch of #My1stPapTest, a free cervical cancer screening campaign for eligible members of the public from 1 March 2024 to 31 May 2024. This marks the 7th addition to 365CPS’ annual line-up of health and cancer screenings for lower-income individuals since the launch of its free health screening campaigns in 2021.

365CPS is the first and only social service agency to offer free colonoscopy, low-dose CT lung cancer screening, and the upcoming liver disease screening in support of the Healthier SG initiative. The complete line-up of 365CPS’ health screening campaigns in 2024 includes breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer, and liver disease.

Members of the public who are interested in finding out more about 365 Cancer Prevention Society and the free health screening campaigns can visit https://www.365cps.org.sg.

For press enquiries, please reach out to the team at hello@baskcomm.com.

Bask Communications solidifies its partnership with 365 Cancer Prevention Society as the PR agency of record

SINGAPORE, 6 February 2024 - Bask Communications has been appointed as 365 Cancer Prevention Society (365CPS)’s PR agency of record with a 1-year retainer, effective February 2024. Tasked with spearheading 365CPS's communications initiatives, Bask Communications will be focused on fostering a greater public understanding of cancer and the support offered by 365CPS. Additionally, the collaboration aims to boost participation in vital areas of cancer prevention, such as health screenings, and promote a better understanding of cancer within the community.  

For the past two decades, 365CPS, a non-profit organisation, has remained steadfast and dedicated to raising awareness, advocating prevention, and educating communities in Singapore on cancer. The strategic alliance with Bask Communications is poised to boost the society’s outreach and better serve the community.  

Ng Lay Peng, Director of Bask Communications shared, “We have been actively supporting 365CPS in its communication endeavors across various projects since 2023. The society’s decision to award us as the PR agency of record is a validation of our work and a testament to the success of our collaborative efforts. The team at Bask Communications is deeply inspired by the impactful work undertaken by 365CPS to serve the community.  We look forward to working closely together to drive more effective communication and engagement for the society.”  

This strengthened partnership reflects the shared commitment of both organisations to make a positive impact on the community through communication efforts.  

For more information and media enquiries, get in touch at hello@baskcomm.com.   

A look back at 2023!

As 2023 draws to a close and the festive cheers ring, it is always a good time to call for reflection and a look back on my new journey as part of the team at Bask Communications. What an interesting experience it has been, being new to the PR industry in Singapore. There are certainly steep learning curves for a stranger to the industry, and the constant feeling of change that lurks at the back of my mind. But after 9 months, I have come to a greater and deeper understanding of the work we are involved in, and the vision we strive to achieve for our clients and various projects.  

One of the more memorable clients that I have had the privilege to work with this year is 365 Cancer Prevention Society. To be in the presence of the brave cancer fighters has been an eye-opener to the courage and strength one can have amid a gruelling battle against cancer. Not only do they uphold the positivity and energy to live life to the fullest, some even picked up roles to help their fellow fighters in the community. Some of the uncles and aunties I’ve met are truly inspirational and a shining example of how we can stay strong in the face of adversity. It is inspiring to learn about the efforts of organisations like 365CPS and the important roles they play in lending a hand to the less fortunate. I truly believe their work is extremely important and greatly appreciated by their many beneficiaries.  

One of our other projects this year is the Mitsubishi Electric Asia’s Car Boot for Good event. The weekend car boot pop-up market was part of the company's effort to encourage sustainable living and lifestyle in line with some of the global efforts in tackling the issues of climate change and pollution. It was another meaningful event that not only brought new life to secondhand goods but also showcased charities and social enterprises to the community. Beyond that, it was heartening to see many individuals willingly play a part in their lifestyle for a common cause. 

Mitsubishi Electric Asia's "Car Boot for Good" Preloved to Reloved Drive

In recent months, we have also begun working with Chinatown Business Association. As a Singaporean Chinese, this project resonated strongly with me. Perhaps it was a sense of individual responsibility, and the need to help preserve our Chinese culture and heritage, especially in an iconic location like Chinatown. Please look forward to what the CBA will be bringing in the upcoming year as we continue to bring in fresh ideas and activities that can hopefully help to build upon the rich history of Chinatown and at the same time introduce new sentiments and longing for this precinct. 

To wrap it all up, it has indeed been a fruitful 2023 for me as a PR consultant and I hope that there will be more learning opportunities in the coming year as I get to come into my own in the industry. Meanwhile, enjoy your holidays during this festive season. Here’s wishing everyone a great 2024 ahead!  

What is Public Relations?

According to the Public Relations Society of America, public relations (PR) is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organisations and their publics. Most times though, people who are unfamiliar with PR tend to confuse it with advertising and being a media reporter.

While some people may refer to PR as a Persuasion Business, we find ourselves likening it to the business of building relationships. Regardless of whether it is a corporate communications or a product launch strategy that we are tasked to work on, we are ultimately working on connecting the business with its stakeholders.

What is the difference between public relations and advertising?

With a budget of $20,000, you may be able to afford three to four pieces of full-page full-colour advertisements in magazines. This is what we classify as paid media. The same amount of money can also go towards engaging a public relations team to work on a communications campaign over a fixed term to help you land publicity and feature articles on multiple media platforms and in the format that best suits the story you are telling. This is what we define as earned media. PR firms take the information given by the client and find the best way to package the story so that it gets the maximum exposure. It can take multiple formats, including interviews, press tours, product samplings and more, across traditional media platforms, social media, and digital outlets to in-person activities to maximise engagement.

Compared to paid media, earned media is usually perceived to be more credible as they have been independently verified by a trusted third party, as opposed to being purchased. 

Is public relations the same as corporate communications? 

Depending on what the communications campaign is about, PR can fall under the sphere of marketing or as a standalone. According to Edelman’s The Future of Corporate Communications Report, only 34% of Corporate Communications Officers reported directly to the CEO in 2014, with the vast majority reporting to the CMO. This number has increased to 46% today. More than ever, communications is increasingly being recognised as a strategic business driver for organisations.

COOs are seeing their organisations shift from singularly focused expertise to a multidisciplinary function of complementary capabilities. Leading teams are now balancing traditional skills like writing, storytelling, and media engagement with expertise in new areas like social purpose, risk management, creative and content marketing underpinned by a CommsTech stack providing data science, actionable insights and measurable outcomes.

-The Future of Corporate Communications, Edelman

The main difference between corporate communications and PR is that the former drives communications within an organisation, while public relations drives engagement and outreach with external stakeholders. Both streams of communication leverage similar skill sets. 

At Bask Communications, we are not just pros at supporting businesses with strategic public relations programmes with media and the public. We have also built and supported organisations with internal communications programmes to foster employee engagement and build a strong company culture at work.

If you’re curious to find out how we can partner together, get in touch now at hello@baskcomm.com.