ST wins top regional awards for Taylor Swift infographic, opinion piece on Malaysia politics

SINGAPORE - Ahead of American superstar Taylor Swift’s concerts in Singapore held in March 2024, The Straits Times released nine full-page infographics.

The series of infographic posters, which ran from Feb 17 to 25, 2024, each portrayed one of nine studio albums or “eras” in the celebrity’s career, combining to form a giant collectible image of Swift.

This project won ST an accolade for regional excellence in infographics at the Society of Publishers in Asia awards held on June 26.

The awards given by the Hong Kong-based organisation honour journalistic excellence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Judges said of the project: “This brave decision is a sign of the newspaper’s closeness to its audience and also reveals a collaborative effort between journalism, design, production and promotion, resulting in a piece of data-driven journalistic design, a piece of trivia that is highly valuable and appreciated by Taylor Swift fans.”

ST Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh, 44, took home the regional award for excellence in the opinion writing category for his commentary on the state of Malaysia’s political succession.

The judges said that Mr Teoh’s piece was “an expansive prose that delves into Malaysia’s national discourse”.

“It demystifies the complex web of personalities shaping Malaysian politics, revealing how personal ambitions and alliances drive the country’s political dynamics.”

The 27th edition of the annual awards by the non-profit organisation was presented at the JW Marriott hotel in Hong Kong.

The awards span 21 categories including women’s issues, business, infographics and video reporting. More than 700 entries were received from global and regional publications.

The award for excellence is given to entries that win first place in their categories, which are followed by honourable mentions, and those in third place are finalists.

Two other interactive projects by ST received honourable mentions.

The first was a video feature on accessibility in Singapore through the eyes of a wheelchair user. The second was a data-driven investigation into how food diary videos influence body image.

Mr Billy Ker, 37, the artist behind the Taylor Swift infographics, said he was “genuinely thrilled” when he heard that Swift would be performing in Singapore.

It was a chance to “create something truly impactful and distinctive, not just for her fans, but also for our broader audience, including those who may not be familiar with her music”, he said.

The executive artist at ST highlighted the challenges faced in designing the composite infographics.

“Each piece needed to capture the unique aesthetic and spirit of its respective Era, while still functioning as a compelling stand-alone design. At the same time, when placed together as a set of nine, the series had to form a visually coherent narrative that told the full story of Swift’s evolving career,” said Mr Ker.

The cross-desk collaboration was a team effort by lifestyle correspondent Yamini Chinnuswamy, Mr Ker and senior executive infographics journalist Cel Gulapa.

Resonating with a young audience, the series increased print sales by over 8,000 copies over the nine days it ran.

Ms Yamini, 37, a lifelong culture vulture and fan of Swift’s music, said the enthusiastic response from Swifties was “enough of a reward”, but added that she was grateful for this recognition from a respected industry body.

“It shows that audience-driven content can take unexpected forms, and that print journalism can still be interesting and appealing to a modern audience.”

Mr Teoh said he was deeply honoured to receive the award, and hopes it can revive the discussion of how politics in Malaysia can be more inclusive for younger citizens. 

“The fact that Malaysia’s political leadership seemed to be ageing had bothered me since before the 2018 election,” he said.

“In the years since then, the many upheavals that Malaysia has experienced seemed to exacerbate the problem because there was one thing each succession change had in common – left by the wayside was always one or more up-and-coming politicians,” he added.

The three other finalists from ST were a feature on the shared South-east Asian heritage of the kebaya, a 100-year anniversary piece on the evolution of the Johor-Singapore Causeway, and an opinion essay on the decline of the traditional Japanese salaryman.

ST editor Jaime Ho said: “We’ve been recognised at the highest levels for the impressive range of our work; from a compelling opinion on Malaysian politics, to visual journalism that explains and touches on the social phenomenon of Taylor Swift. It no doubt points to the overall capabilities of our newsroom.

“Just as importantly, many of these awards point to journalism that touches our audiences’ human experiences – from the lived experiences of those who use a wheelchair, the dangers of social media, to perceptions of body image, to celebrating the beauty of the kebaya.”

He added: “Nothing heartens us more than to have ST’s role in our larger community so recognised.”

ST’s winning works