In a fragmenting world, Lee Kuan Yew’s principles have evolved from lived memory into Singapore’s "active DNA". While most citizens now view his legacy as more significant than a decade ago, this is not a slide into nostalgia or personality cults. Instead, Singaporeans are using LKY’s core virtues — foresight, meritocracy, and discipline — as a moral yardstick to scrutinize the performance of current leadership.

Drawing on original data from Blackbox’s SensingSG, this essay by David Black explores how LKY's "operating philosophy" serves as a global benchmark for governance.

Real-time data isn’t just faster research - it’s a fundamental shift in how brands make decisions. In today’s hyper-accelerated markets, yesterday’s insight is already a liability, consumer preferences shift overnight and competitive landscapes transform in real-time. Yet too many brands still rely on quarterly research studies that take weeks to analyze and months to implement – by which time the market has completely moved on.

Discover how real-time intelligence transforms reactive organizations into predictive powerhouses – and why in today's Southeast Asia, clarity beats volume and decisiveness beats delay.

In this Op-Ed, David Black critiques the "quantum fallacy"—the overreliance on behavioural nudges to solve systemic crises. While effective for micro-decisions, nudges cannot replace structural reform. This piece calls for a synthesis of behavioural science, AI, and systems thinking to address the underlying drivers of Southeast Asia’s complex economic and social challenges.

The final SensingSG wave of 2025 reveals a significant "Trump Slump" in Singaporean sentiment, driven by economic friction and tariff concerns. Conversely, domestic stability remains high, with Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy of meritocracy and foresight continuing to anchor public confidence ten years after his passing.

Asia’s e-commerce market is racing toward US$2 trillion, but the old playbook is dead. Is your brand ready for the revolution? Drawing on exclusive insights from 46 regional leaders, our latest report, “The Next Leap for E-Commerce in Southeast Asia,” uncovers the three tectonic shifts defining the future: the explosion of video commerce, AI-driven personalisation, and the borderless shelf. Discover the strategies you need to thrive in the experience economy.

Algorithms and Ambitions
This unique study examines how young Singapore investors (aged 25–39) are integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools into their financial lives. It confirms that this digitally-native cohort has already executed a universal shift in behaviour, with 100% adoption of AI for investment decisions. This rapid, total integration of the 'AI co-pilot' presents an existential challenge to traditional financial advice models, demanding a new strategic response from financial institutions and technology providers.

The Next Leap for E-Commerce in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia’s e-commerce sector is primed for a quality-of-growth leap. From 25+ hours with 46 experts, this report pinpoints five levers and market deep dives (Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam) to help platforms, policymakers, and MSMEs unlock scalable, cross-border momentum.

Brands are speaking — but their customers are not always listening. In today’s attention economy, people are exposed to more messages across more channels than ever before, while at the same time filtering harder, trusting less, and gravitating toward interactions that feel authentic.

On 4 Sep 2025, Blackbox hosted the Brand Leaders Brunch: The Insight Disconnect, where 50 senior decision-makers came together to ask: In the attention economy, how do we keep research meaningful? Leading the discussion were Mansi Trivedi, who heads strategy and insights across APJ at Transmission; Jessalynn Chen, Managing Director of Labbrand Singapore with expertise in brand innovation and cultural fit; and David Black, founder and CEO of Blackbox Research. Together, they unpacked why attention isn’t really shrinking, why “trust” is too vague to act on, and why senior executives will never fill your survey — surfacing 7 key shifts every leader should know to turn feedback into genuine dialogue.

Singapore’s healthcare model has long been admired for its balance — but that balance is shifting. Rising costs, confusing policy terms, and recent controversies like Great Eastern’s hospital access pause have shaken public confidence in private health insurance.

This report unpacks the cracks in the current system — revealing how protected Singaporeans really feel, what they understand (or don’t), and where trust is faltering.

Gen Z Singaporeans are emerging as one of the most influential consumer groups today, but not in the ways you might expect. New insights from Blackbox’s latest SensingSG wave highlight surprising shifts in sentiment, trust, and engagement among under-30s. From their outlook on the future to how they interact with brands and technology, this generation is quietly but decisively reshaping the rules. Here are five key ways they could be rewriting the consumer playbook.

Singaporeans Steady at Home, Uneasy Abroad
SensingSG’s Q2 2025 data paints a picture of a confident Singapore — 90% say the country is on the right track, and personal financial sentiment continues to improve post-GE2025. Yet, this domestic optimism contrasts with growing unease abroad. Trump’s tariffs have soured sentiment toward the U.S., with 1 in 3 reducing spending on American goods. Meanwhile, Chinese brands are rising fast, beating out some American competitors, and reflecting a shifting trust landscape that’s beginning to shape everyday choices at home.