What do tissue packs, trolleys & kaya toast say about S’poreans?

Ah, National Day.

At 60, Singapore is quite young compared to other nations in the world.

But just because our nation is young, it does not mean that our culture is still uninformed.

Rather, it’s been defined by progress - built quietly, intentionally and strategically - and above all, efficiently.

In Singapore’s humid weather and hawker culture, even a humble tissue pack has an elevated importance.

It is not just good for the sweat on your forehead or taking the grease off your lips.

This is the quintessential tool to chope your seat and favorite table.

Now that you are armed with your tissue pack, wandering haplessly around food courts or hawker centers till your fishball noodle soup turns cold is an ancient history.

This same level of efficiency can be observed across different walks of life and on different occasions too.

Take a trip to the wet market or supermarket, and you'll notice that our aunties, with trolleys full of groceries, are almost hands-free.

With their fast fingers, they're ready to grab the freshest-looking fish, outpacing those poor souls still juggling multiple plastic bags in their hands.

At first glance, these look like something of no big deal, with the acts seemingly as insignificant as the tissue packet or trolley cart.

However, these are unique local habits that effectively capture our fast-paced lifestyle and showcase our ingenuity in maximising time and optimising efficiency.

By avoiding the hassle of finding a seat while carrying food and reducing the number of trips to the supermarket, we demonstrate how well we can adapt.

And standing beside us through this journey? Visa! It empowers this adaptive mindset by enabling simple and seamless experiences from waving your card or phone to in-app payments.

Celebrate SG60 with Visa’s Vee Adventure and Visa exclusive offers

Which is why, to showcase and celebrate our unique culture, Visa is currently running a campaign that invites people to locate its blue, card-shaped ball of chaos and charm, Vee.

What’s in it for you, you might ask?

A two-night StarDream Cruise for two people in a Palace Deluxe Premium suite valued at approximately S$3,800 per suite.

A total of six suites will be given away – that's a luxurious escape for up to 12 people!

As part of their SG60 celebrations, Visa has placed six statues of its fluffy cheerleader, “Vee”, around Singapore, each representing a decade of Singapore’s independence.

Keep your eyes peeled because each statue represents a small win on your way to a shot at the cruise.

You probably have already guessed the location of one of the statues from the image above.

To find the remaining five statues, keep your eyes peeled on Visa’s Instagram posts for hints on where they might be located.

To enter the giveaway, take a selfie with each "Vee", share it on your Instagram with the hashtag #HuntTheVee and tag @Visa_sg Instagram (don’t forget to set your account to public).

Promotions to help you celebrate National Day

In the meantime, Visa has teamed up with a few partners to offer multiple promotions by Visa to help you fully enjoy National Day and celebrate your everyday achievements in efficiency.

Thinking of ordering in to enjoy the celebrations and skip the hassle of cooking?

Enjoy S$12 off with a minimum order of S$60 on foodpanda. Available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for food delivery and pick-up orders, just use the code <VISASG60> when you checkout with Visa.

Making a quick trip down to the supermarket to stock up on groceries? Scan the FairPrice Group app ScanAtEntry QR code at the store entrance across 58 stores to win Visa vouchers.

For those who drive, you can take advantage of Shell SmartPay via the Shell App to minimise time spent at the petrol station.

When you fill up with at least S$70 twice in a calendar month and pay with your Visa card, you'll receive a complimentary 100ml Ben & Jerry’s mini cup ice cream.

Other offers by Visa include:

• Receiving a complimentary 50g packet of Irvins Salted Egg Potato Chips with every purchase of five packets of Irvins chips,
• Enjoying up to 7,500 ION+ Points (worth S$3,000 e-vouchers) when you spend a minimum amount on your Visa card, and
• Enjoying up to 15 per cent off sitewide on Klook on Visa weekends, and 15 per cent off car rentals.

  • There will also be a top spender giveaway for StarDream Cruises products with a Visa card.

More information on the promotions and campaign can be found here.

As we continue our never-ending march towards greater progress, let’s also remember to celebrate how far we have come and how much we have built up in such a short period of time.

After all, it’s the little things that truly count in the end.

This sponsored article by Visa made this writer stand up and recite the pledge.

Top left photo via Visa, right photo via CHIJ Katong Primary FB