Can a podcast with President Tharman change how Singapore talks about kindness?

The Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) is turning to long-form content and one of Singapore's most recognisable mascots to spark conversations around kindness, respect and belonging.

As part of its broader "Be greater, together" platform, SKM has released a special episode of the Singa Podcast featuring President Tharman Shanmugaratnam in conversation with Singa the Kindness Lion. Created in collaboration with creative agency PROTOCOL, the episode explores themes such as mutual respect, kindness in the workplace and Singapore's future.

According to Karun S'Baram, deputy director of strategic marketing and communications and Michelle Tay, executive director at SKM, the idea stemmed from an internal discussion about how kindness is woven into Singapore's identity and its ability to bridge differences across communities.

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"The idea for this episode actually started with a chat among our team about how kindness is woven into Singapore's DNA, and how it can bridge gaps across different communities," they said.

"Half in jest, we thought it would be wonderful if our mascot, Singa the Kindness Lion, could sit down with the President to talk about this. So Singa wrote him a letter, and to our absolute delight, President Tharman said yes."

The timing, they added, felt particularly relevant given the President's longstanding advocacy for multiculturalism, mutual respect and creating a stronger sense of belonging across society.

The episode sits at the heart of SKM's "Be greater, together" campaign, which encourages Singaporeans to move from a mindset of "yours and mine" to one focused on collective responsibility and community.

Rather than producing a traditional short-form campaign asset, SKM opted for a podcast format to create space for deeper conversations around empathy and kindness.

"We intentionally chose a podcast format over a traditional 30-second campaign video because kindness and empathy aren't things you can rush. They need real, unhurried conversation," said S'Baram and Tay. 

"A podcast gives us the space for nuance, warmth and authenticity to come through naturally. It also happens to be a format that resonates really well with younger audiences who value authentic, long-form content over polished advertisements," they added.

The initiative also marks an effort by SKM to evolve Singa's role for a new generation of Singaporeans.

According to the organisation's latest Graciousness survey, nearly four in five Singaporeans recognise Singa, while more than half can correctly recall the mascot's name. In addition, 89% associate Singa with being a reminder to be kind or courteous.

"These findings show that Singa isn't just a nostalgic childhood icon; he is still a friendly, spontaneous prompt for positive behaviour," they said. "By putting him in a podcast setting, we are bringing him into the modern conversations Singaporeans are having today."

The episode also places a spotlight on workplace kindness, an area SKM believes remains highly relevant given the amount of time Singaporeans spend at work.

According to research by the organisation, 65% of employees who experience kindness from colleagues say it makes them happier to go to work. The findings also point to respectful communication and appreciation from colleagues and managers as key drivers of positive workplace culture and mental wellbeing.

When it comes to measuring success, SKM said it is looking beyond traditional campaign metrics.

While views and engagement will be tracked, the organisation said its primary objective is whether the conversation resonates with Singaporeans and reinforces the idea that kindness and mutual respect are everyday choices rather than abstract ideals.

"The truest measure of impact is whether Singaporeans walk away feeling that kindness and mutual respect aren't lofty, out-of-reach ideals, but simple, everyday choices we can all make. A kinder, more gracious Singapore is something we build together," said S'Baram and Tay.

The latest podcast episode continues SKM's recent efforts to experiment with new formats and storytelling approaches to engage Singaporeans on issues of kindness, empathy and social cohesion.

Last year, the organisation generated buzz through "Operation glitch out", a social media stunt that saw it wipe its social channels and post a series of cryptic, glitch-themed teasers ahead of a new PSA series. Produced with local agency Bless7Up, the campaign featured local personalities including Benjamin Kheng and used surreal, arts-based storytelling to spotlight everyday acts of neighbourliness, appreciation and mutual support.

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