Earlier this month, SPH Media’s flagship Chinese-language daily, Lianhe Zaobao (LHZB) rolled out its brand refresh in celebration of its 100th anniversary on 6 September.
Formed in 1983 from the merger of Nanyang Siang Pau and Sin Chew Jit Poh, which were founded in 1923 and 1929 respectively, LHZB is now one of the most influential Chinese media around.
Now that it’s undergone a brand refresh in its centenary year, here are some key things that you need to know.
1. A revitalised brand promise
Underpinning the refresh is LHZB’s brand promise of “Leading Conversations, With You” [“以睿智亲和的内容，与你共谈天下事”].
Over the years, LHZB has reported both local and international news, helping Singaporeans make sense of both domestic policies and global situations. At the same time, it has also provided news and commentary to readers across the larger Chinese community from a Singaporean perspective.
With its revitalised brand promise, LHZB will continue to provide trusted and unbiased journalism, and enable its readers to be more knowledgeable, insightful and future-ready.
2. New content strategy
The refreshed LHZB also comes with a new content strategy.
Content will be presented in more relatable and informative ways, with more videos and audio content to accompany news articles to facilitate better understanding of complex issues.
New content series and programmes will also be gradually introduced in the coming year to provide more insights and analyses on issues that matter to both LHZB’s domestic and global audiences.
Already, it has introduced the explainer series “早知” (“LHZB Knows”), which explains current issues and provide answers to questions that interest readers. This can range anywhere from explaining how modern technology can improve gathering of forensic evidence, to rice prices, Formula One, and more! Check it out here.
3. A new, unified logo
Before, Lianhe Zaobao’s print logo featured a stylised 早 (“Zao”) encircled in dark red, while this logomark was composed of dark red, bright red, and blue in its digital platforms.
Now, just one refreshed LHZB logo will appear in both its print and digital editions. At first glance, it bears a striking resemblance to the previous print logo.
Upon closer inspection however, whilst the calligraphic style of the logo retains the legacy of the masthead’s original creator (renowned artist Pan Shou), it has also been modernised to enhance its legibility on varied mediums.
The red circle of the 早 mark now shows two varying shades of red to represent unbiased and credible journalism.
Inspired by the earth’s axis of rotation, which is tilted at an angle of 23.45 degrees, the logomark incorporates this tilt to symbolise the title’s desire to expand globally while staying connected to our Singaporean heritage.
4. Refreshed look on print and digital
The print edition now sports new mastheads on its front page and other sections such as Singapore, World, Sports, Business and Opinion.
Meanwhile, both the website and app have been refreshed to enhance reading experience. Key elements were reorganised to help audiences discover content faster and be better engaged with LHZB. It will continue to be optimised progressively to improve user experience.
To date, the revamped zaobao.com.sg homepage has already seen an improved engagement rate. Readers have been scrolling down further, clicking into more articles, and generating more ad impressions and click-throughs.
5. Commemorative projects to mark its centennial
In conjunction with its 100th anniversary, LHZB has launched a string of commemorative projects. These include:
- The LHZB Centennial Oral History website: This unique website encapsulates first-hand accounts and allows users to engage with history in different immersive formats
- "Our Story, An Oral History of Lianhe Zaobao": Written in Chinese, the book sets a reflective tone of the newspaper’s celebrations
- “A Scroll through A Century”: An online interactive graphic presenting the paper’s historical milestones alongside major local and global events
- “The News Catcher”: A 5-part documentary series focusing on LHZB’s core values, its development and ongoing transformation
Thanks for your interest! Please leave your details below and we will get in touch with you soon.
Fields marked with * are mandatory.
