I recently read that the government, through MCYS, is launching a campaign to “promote dating among its notoriously love-shy singles.”
Article (here).
To quote:
“The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) issued a tender this month through the government’s official procurement website calling for proposals on how to encourage singles to date…No details of the tender were given on the website, but the Straits Times said the winning bidder will produce a television commercial to promote dating and draw up a “unique dating concept” to get singles to interact. Targeted at people aged 20 to 35 who do not date, the initiative is the latest effort by the government to act as matchmaker for its loveless singles population.”
In today’s Sunday Times, they interviewed Mr Brown and some other creative people and asked them how they would pitch this project if given a chance to do so.
Some of their ideas were quite interesting.
Now I’m not a creative person, nor am I any good at copywriting, but if given the chance to conceptualise a pitch for the MCYS, it might go something like this:
(Bear in mind that because this is Singapore, people will not be bothered to heed a call unless i) they will be penalised for not doing so, or ii) they are sufficiently discouraged by the dire consequences of not doing so. I think I would prefer to go with the latter approach.)
“C’mon.
It’s not that difficult.
Most of your friends have done it already, why not you?
You enjoy having relatives asking you the same question every Chinese New Year?
C’mon.
It’s not that difficult.
You think your parents are not wondering why you’re still single at this age?
If they could do it, why not you?
Look, you wouldn’t even be here if they didn’t do it.
C’mon.
It’s not that difficult.
You realise the longer you wait, the harder it is to land a good one, don’t you?
The longer you hold out, the lesser your chances.
No one finds true bliss after 40.
(Sumiko Tan is an exception.)
Put yourself out there.
Go out.
Date.
Get married.
Make your parents happy.
(We’ll talk about kids in another campaign.)
Don’t get left on the shelf.
Because the shelf is old, dusty and infested with termites.
Really, it’s not that difficult.”
…
NB: Hey, I’m single…I’m allowed to make fun of my own kind, right?
=)
