Could social media have created the Singapore Girl?

An article that appeared this week says that Asian budget airlines are increasingly using social networks like Facebook to boost their business. The chief executive of Tiger Airways was quoted as saying that print media now barely figured in his company’s marketing budget. “Spending money on print advertising just seems so old-school now, so why do it?” he is reported as saying.

This is in the same week that TBWA announced the return of the Singapore Girl. This icon of gentle, gracious service will be winding back the clock and wafting her way through the streets of Paris, Jaisalmer and San Francisco on a TV near you soon - and yes she’ll be riding that tram again.

Obviously a budget airline takes a very different approach to its marketing, but it did get us wondering whether you could create anything as powerful and enduring as the Singapore Girl using social media alone.

She’s certainly dipped her toes into the digital world with the latest campaign previewed on YouTube. Time will tell whether she’ll move over completely or whether she’ll stay wedded to her "old-school" roots.