Source: The 5-Min Video Challenge website. Invitation to enter the local rounds.

Singtel Group launched The 5-Min Video Challenge to promote creative content across its global markets. The competition is a collaborative effort among Singtel’s associates, including Optus, AIS, Airtel, Globe, and Telkomsel. Winning videos will be shared with over 600 million customers within the Singtel Group.

Content creation is a key element of the Group’s strategy for customer engagement in a world where mobile devices are everywhere and demand for online video entertainment is high. The five-minute video format is perfect for viewers who are used to watching content on their mobile devices.

Mark Chong, Singtel’s CEO, International, stated, “We are heavily investing in digital content because consumers’ entertainment consumption habits have drastically changed. For many of Singtel’s 600 million customers, the mobile phone is the only way to access the internet. A cross-regional competition makes perfect sense because great content can overcome geographical and linguistic barriers. Our customers will have access to a diverse selection of original content created by the region’s most talented content creators.”

The competition has local and regional stages. Each associate company will first invite aspiring and seasoned local filmmakers to submit five-minute films based on the theme “Connecting Lives.” Originality, storytelling, and cinematography are among the criteria that will be used to judge the entries. The winning entries from each associate’s market will then compete on a regional level.

Chong added, “The theme ‘Connecting Lives’ reflects Singtel’s mission of connecting people and how those connections can have a positive impact on our daily lives. We hope to discover fresh talent and ideas that we can use in future projects for the Group’s mobile and video platforms, such as Globe Studios and AIS Play.”

Somchai Lertsutiwong, CEO of Advanced Info Service, said: “Video content consumption has skyrocketed in Thailand. This is because it meets the needs of today’s consumers. Other factors include AIS’ robust digital infrastructure, which includes mobile technologies such as 4G, 4.5G, Super WiFi, and the AIS Fibre fixed broadband network. The rapid expansion of affordable smartphones in the mass market is another key factor driving the video content boom.”

“Therefore, we are delighted to be a part of this video content competition. We want to collaborate with new individuals as content partners in the video content creation industry. We hope to discover the best video content through this competition and offer even more diversity to AIS customers via the AIS Play video platform.”

Interested?

Two videos from each associate’s market will be shortlisted, and a total of 14 videos will advance to the regional level of the competition. The grand finale will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 21, 2016, where the grand winner and runner-up will be announced.

The grand prize winner will receive US$30,000, while the runner-up will receive US$15,000. Regional winners will also have the opportunity to promote their videos to customers in the group’s markets across Asia, Africa, and Australia through each associate’s mobile and video platforms. Enter the competition