“AsiaOne Wins Digital Media Award for Engaging Ridout Road Coverage “

Remember the Ridout Road controversy? In 2023, online discussions flared as Singaporeans questioned how cabinet ministers could afford to rent colonial black-and-white houses on Ridout Road. With terms like “Good Class Bungalow” (GCB) and “heritage property” circulating, the AsiaOne team recognized a knowledge gap and sought to clarify these distinctions for the public.

In response, they created What the Fuss: Are black-and-white colonial houses as good as good class bungalows? just six days after the idea took shape. The video explained the differences among various types of elite Singapore properties and took viewers inside these historic black-and-white houses.

On April 24, this project received the award for Best in Audience Engagement at the Digital Media Awards Asia 2024 in the small to medium media category, reaching nearly 2 million people and garnering over 416,500 views across platforms. AsiaOne’s CEO Sean Ler emphasized that meaningful engagement is rooted in understanding audience interests: “The public was interested in the matter, and it was up to us to dissect it and present the facts.”

AsiaOne also won Best Native Advertising for their video Discovering hidden gems in Yishun, where the team showcased unique local businesses, using their signature “off-center, on-trend” style to connect viewers with Yishun’s vibrant offerings.