Many Japanese companies based in Singapore say the same thing: “Business here is transparent, straightforward, and pleasant.”

When considering expansion into Southeast Asia, one of the first concerns for many Japanese companies is the risk of corruption and bribery. Business permits, customs clearance, government procedures—companies may wonder whether they will be expected to offer something unofficial to a local official. For many years, this has been seen as a common concern when doing business in Southeast Asia.

In Singapore, however, that assumption generally does not apply.

Singapore’s Transparency, as Shown by the Numbers

Transparency International, an international organization that monitors corruption, publishes its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) every year. In the 2023 index, Singapore ranked fifth in the world, with a score of 83 out of 100.腐敗認識指数（CPI）。2023年版でシンガポールは世界5位（100点満点中83点）にランクインしています。

The difference becomes clear when Singapore is compared with other Southeast Asian countries.

Source: Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index 2023

These figures represent more than just a positive image. They reflect the high level of predictability, transparency, and fairness found in Singapore’s business environment.予測可能性・透明性・公平性の高さを表しています。

Differences You Notice in Day-to-Day Business

When working with Japanese companies in Singapore, we regularly experience this transparency in practical ways.

Photography permits are handled smoothly Applications for permission to photograph in shopping malls and public spaces are processed properly when the official procedures are followed. Informal back channels or special favors are generally not part of the process.
ショッピングモールや公共スペースでの撮影許可申請は、正規の手続きをすれば適切に処理されます。「担当者に一言お願いする」という裏口は基本的に存在しません。

Projects proceed according to the quotation Unexpected additional charges and unexplained fees are relatively uncommon. There is a strong business culture of honoring the terms stated in contracts.
「後から追加費用が発生する」「不明な費用が請求される」といったことが非常に少ない。契約書に書かれた内容が守られる文化があります。

Government procedures are clear Visa applications, company registration, and regulatory filings are supported by well-developed online government services, including GoBusiness. It is rarely necessary to rely on personal connections to get things done.
ビザ申請、法人設立、各種届出。シンガポールのオンライン行政サービス（GoBusiness等）は整備されており、「誰かに口を利いてもらわないといけない」という場面がほぼありません。

Why Is Singapore So Free from Corruption?

This did not happen by chance. Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, made a rigorous anti-corruption policy one of the foundations of the nation.

• The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) has strong powers to investigate corruption. Public-sector salaries are set at competitive levels to reduce the incentive to accept bribes. Corruption offenses carry severe penalties, including imprisonment and substantial fines. Politicians and senior public officials are also subject to investigation. Over more than 50 years, this system has helped establish a strong culture of integrity throughout Singaporean society.
• 公務員の給与を民間並みに高く設定し、賄賂を受け取るインセンティブを下げる
• 摘発された場合の罰則が非常に厳しい（懲役・高額罰金）
• 政治家・高官も例外なく調査対象になる

この仕組みが50年以上かけて「クリーンな文化」として社会に根付いています。

Ease of Doing Business Is One of Singapore’s Greatest Assets

Success in Southeast Asian business depends not only on speed and cost, but also on having an environment in which companies can operate with confidence. Singapore is certainly not a low-cost country. However, it stands out in Southeast Asia for its transparency, predictability, and reliability. This is one of the main reasons many Japanese companies choose Singapore as their regional headquarters.

シンガポールは決してコストが安い国ではありません。しかし、透明性・予測可能性・信頼性という面では東南アジアで群を抜いており、それが多くの日系企業がシンガポールを地域統括拠点に選ぶ最大の理由のひとつになっています。

「海外進出したいけれど、不正や汚職が心配」という方には、シンガポールはまず最初に検討すべき国と言えるでしょう。

The post Why Singapore Is the Easiest Place to Do Business in Southeast Asia: The Advantage of Low Corruption first appeared on Luxpho｜東南アジア対応 日系企業向け撮影会社.

Here are the live commerce genres that sell particularly well in Singapore and Southeast Asia, along with the success patterns behind each.

• Beauty & Skincare (Largest Category): The host applies products to their own skin in real time, giving live reviews. An honest approach that even highlights downsides builds trust and drives purchases. Micro-influencers with 10,000–100,000 followers often achieve higher conversion rates than large accounts. K-beauty brand Beauty of Joseon, for example, sold tens of thousands of units of a single product through TikTok Shop.
• Health Food & Supplements: Ingredient comparisons and expert dialogue formats are popular. Presenting evidence with numbers is a key purchase driver. The Purest Co is well known in the industry as a model for effective Shopee Live use in this category.
• Fashion Try-On Lives: Multiple outfits are tried on in real time while viewer votes are taken. This sense of participation extends watch time and boosts TikTok's algorithm metrics (Watch Time and Engagement).
• Local Food & Beverage: Selling ingredients and condiments while cooking live. Multicultural food content typical of Singapore attracts strong viewership, and smaller brands often use Shopee Live and Instagram Live for this format.
• Electronics & Gadgets: Spec comparison demos are standard. Brands like Samsung use official TikTok Shop lives to reach younger audiences directly, and formats that show numbers — such as "old product vs. new product" — build credibility.

A format common to successful live streams is athree-person setup — MC, product explainer, and reaction host —delivering fast-paced banter, use of FOMO (fear of missing out) triggers like "only 10 left" or "ending in 5 minutes", andregular streaming three or more times a weekto gain algorithmic advantage. Rather than a one-off live, consistent operation builds both reach and trust over time.

The core of "trust" from the era of word-of-mouth spreading person to person remains intact — the stage has simply shifted to live streaming. For Japanese companies looking to establish a presence in Asian markets, understanding this trend accurately will be essential.

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• Notable Live Commerce Accounts and Popular Genres in Singapore

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Here are some of the most prominent influencers in Singapore's live commerce scene. They are more than just presenters — they achieve high conversion rates built on genuine trust with their audiences.

• Valery Yeo（@valeryteddybear）: Approximately 127,000 Instagram followers. One of Singapore's top live hosts, known for brand showcases on Shopee Live. She maintains long-term partnerships with multiple brands and a stable viewer base.
• Cheryl Chin（@cherb8ar）: Approximately 132,000 Instagram followers. Founder of skincare brand "cclo-up" and active on TikTok and YouTube with beauty and skincare live streams. A prime example of the "seller = host" model, where the influencer sells their own brand live.
• Qiu Ting / Qiu Qiu（@bongqiuqiu）: Approximately 281,000 Instagram followers. One of Singapore's largest lifestyle influencers, running live streams centred on beauty, food, and travel content. Her high profile attracts numerous brand collaborations, and her influence spans a wide age range.
• Rachell Ng（@aglimpseofrach）: Active across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram covering fashion, beauty, and fitness. Participates in collaborative live streams with multiple brands and has strong appeal to younger audiences.
• Jacelyn Phang（@jacelynphang）: Runs live streams in the unique niche of feng shui and tarot, specialising in selling spiritual and wellness products. A clear example of how high purchase conversion rates can be achieved even in a niche market.

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• Popular Live Commerce Genres and the Keys to Success [Singapore & Southeast Asia]

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So what about Singapore?

Clean pavements, well-maintained street trees, and — almost no advertising.

Why Are There So Few Outdoor Ads in Singapore?

Since its founding in the 1960s, Singapore has made visual cohesion and cleanliness a national strategy. Installing outdoor advertising requires strict permits from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA), with stringent standards governing size, location, and design.

As a result, the sheer volume of outdoor advertising is dramatically lower than in other major Asian cities. You'll find small shopfront signboards, but the wall-to-wall takeovers and jungle of suspended billboards typical of Southeast Asia are rarely seen.

This is not accidental — it isintentional urban design.

What Does This Mean for Marketers?

Put simply, fewer outdoor ads means this:

The number of out-of-home (OOH) touchpoints that capture people's attention in the city is dramatically lower than in other Asian cities.

In Bangkok or Jakarta, you can expose your brand repeatedly through bus wraps, rooftop billboards, and digital signage on pedestrian bridges. In Singapore, those opportunities are structurally limited.

So what are people in Singapore looking at? Their smartphones.

Singapore's internet penetration rate exceeds 97%. Inside MRT carriages, almost every passenger is looking at a screen. The same is true in cafes and parks.With fewer ads on the streets, people's attention flows into digital spaces.

What Makes Digital Advertising Work in Singapore

Meta（Instagram / Facebook）

Instagram usage in Singapore is high, particularly strong among the purchasing-power demographic of 25–44 year olds. Since English is an official language, campaigns can be run in English as-is, which is also cost-efficient.

Google Search & YouTube

A strong "research before buying" culture means search ad conversion rates tend to be higher than in other Southeast Asian markets. YouTube is frequently watched during commutes, and even 6-second bumper ads are effective for brand awareness.

LinkedIn

Singapore is Asia's business hub. For B2B and professional audiences, LinkedIn is powerful and well-suited for reaching regional headquarters and decision-makers. In finance, technology, and consulting in particular, it is a channel that cannot be overlooked.

The scarcity of outdoor advertising, looked at from another angle, is also adifferentiation opportunity against competing brands.

In other Asian cities, the game is about how much exposure you can get in the streets. In Singapore, that game is harder to play. Which means:brands that move first in digital can claim mindshare without fighting through an offline crowd。

A clean city calls for a clean digital strategy. That is the essence of winning in the Singapore market.

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• シンガポールの広告制作

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Based on 13 years of experience on the ground, we explain Singapore's advertising rules — which differ fundamentally from those in Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

LED Billboards & Digital Signage Are Almost Nowhere to Be Found

Anyone who has walked through Bangkok's Asoke or Hong Kong's Mong Kok will have been overwhelmed by massive LED screens covering entire building facades and electric billboards filling every intersection.

In Singapore, that kind of visual environment is almost entirely absent.

Outdoor electronic advertising (digital signage and LED billboards) is subject tostrict regulations from the URA (Urban Redevelopment Authority) and BCA (Building and Construction Authority), with detailed rules governing permitted locations, size, brightness, and whether animation is allowed. Approved areas are largely limited to Orchard Road, Bugis, Raffles Place, and other CBD locations — large-scale digital advertising is generally not permitted elsewhere.

In conservation areas such as Chinatown, Little India, and Tanjong Pagar, illuminated or flashing signage is effectively prohibited to protect the appearance of historic buildings.

Leafleting Is Also Illegal — Street Promotions Are Generally Prohibited

The flyer distribution common outside train stations in Japan, and street promotions typical across Southeast Asian cities, are in Singaporeillegal without a permit. In Singapore, where littering carries heavy fines, advertising activity on public streets is regulated with equal strictness. Sampling inside shopping malls or at event venues is permitted, but prior approval from the organiser or property manager is required.

Comparison with Other Major Asian Cities

So What Advertising Methods Actually Work in Singapore?

Because of the strict regulations, the advertising channels that actually work in Singapore are narrower in scope.

① MRT (Subway) & Bus Stop Transit Advertising

Many bus stops are equipped with digital signage running 20–30 second video and static ads.

In-station panels and digital screens at MRT stations are also effective, with major stations like Raffles Place and Orchard offering strong reach.

。

② Digital Marketing (LinkedIn, Meta, Google)

For B2B companies in Singapore,LinkedIn is the most important channel.

It offers highly accurate targeting to local subsidiary managers, HR, and procurement teams at Japanese companies — making it especially effective for recruitment and B2B services.

Meta and Google are used for both brand awareness and direct enquiries.

③ Shopping Mall Advertising & Event Spaces

Advertising in the atriums and corridors of major malls like ION Orchard, VivoCity, and Suntec City is effective for reaching affluent consumers and expatriates.

Setting up event booths is also possible with prior approval.

In Singapore, where you can't rely on digital saturation, the challenge is how to make a lasting impression within the limited advertising space available.

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• シンガポール SNS広告運用・日系企業向けマーケティング
• シンガポールの広告制作サービス

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Across Asia, word-of-mouth referrals from friends and acquaintances — so-called "person-to-person marketing" — have long been at the heart of purchasing decisions. Recommendations from trusted individuals far outweighed advertising, and a culture where community connections directly drove consumer behaviour took firm root. "Who recommends it" mattered more than "what is being sold."

With the rise of smartphones and social media, this word-of-mouth network shifted from in-person to online. Information sharing in WhatsApp, Facebook, and LINE groups became the new word of mouth, and the influence of recommendations has only grown stronger. The next step forward islive commerce (live selling). Real-time selling through TikTok Shop Live, Shopee Live, Instagram Live, and similar platforms exploded in China before rapidly expanding across Southeast Asia.

TikTok Shop's live selling market in Southeast Asia grew from approximately USD 4.4 billion in 2022 to approximately USD 16.3 billion in 2023 — nearly4x growthin just one year. The purchasing pattern itself is structurally shifting from search → compare → buy to watch → connect → buy instantly.

Live Commerce in Singapore: The Three Major Platforms

In Singapore, over 80% of the population are active social media users, with the 18-35 age group driving the majority of purchases. Each major platform has its own distinct strengths.

TikTok Shop Live

The fastest-growing platform in Singapore. Major brands including Samsung Electronics Singapore have opened official stores and are running live sales in earnest. The largest category in Q1 2025 is beauty and health, with brands using TikTok influencer affiliate programmes increasing rapidly. One skincare brand reportedly achieved 3,000 viewers, over 400 orders, and a 2-hour live stream. Another brand recorded SGD 1 million in sales in its first month on TikTok Shop. Bedding and lifestyle brands such as Epitex are setting up daily live streaming operations ahead of 2026.

Shopee Live

The most established live commerce platform in Southeast Asia. Among Singapore's category-by-GMV rankings, Home & Living leads, followed by Health & Beauty. During mega sale events like 11.11 and 12.12, live viewership surges to several times the normal level. Health and beauty brand The Purest Co won Singapore Brand of the Year through a strategy centred on Shopee Live and affiliate marketing, and is widely cited as a successful live commerce model.

Instagram Live / Facebook Live

Primarily used by small and medium brands and individual sellers. Particularly strong for local food and beverage, handmade accessories, and niche products. Effective for repeat purchases by leveraging community ties with existing followers. While it lacks the immediate purchasing power of larger platforms, it is highly effective for building brand loyalty.

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• お問い合わせ・ご相談はこちら

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Price Guide by Video Type

Corporate PR & Company Profile Videos

Corporate PR videos that communicate a company's business and vision are among the most common requests from Japanese companies.

• 1-day shoot + basic editing: SGD 1,500–3,000 (approx. JPY 150,000–300,000)
• Full production (planning, shooting & professional editing): SGD 4,000–10,000 (approx. JPY 400,000–1,000,000)

Recruitment Videos

Videos used for local hiring in Singapore or recruitment targeting Japan. Typically centred on employee interviews and workplace environment showcases.

• Interview video (1–3 people): SGD 2,000–5,000
• Full employer branding video: SGD 6,000–15,000

Product PR Videos

Product videos for e-commerce sites and social media ads. Studio shoots include equipment costs.

• Simple product shoot (studio): SGD 800–2,000
• Story-driven promotional video: SGD 3,000–8,000

Event & Seminar Coverage

Video coverage of trade shows, company award ceremonies, commemorative events, and more.

• Day-of shooting only (1 camera): SGD 800–1,500
• Including highlight video editing: SGD 2,000–4,000

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• シンガポールの動画撮影・動画制作
• お問い合わせ・お見積りはこちら

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