I quite like the series of tv ads promoting Singapore to Australians tourists. I liked Singapore after spending a few days there in 2008. A friend has swum in the pool featured at the end of clip. Magical.
However, Singapore Tourism had an epic fail with their promotion of Singapore to Filipinos. It is close to one of the most excruciating advertisements you will ever see, so bad it is almost hypnotic. The ad has been taking down by Singapore Tourism, but removing things in these days of the internet is not so easy.
Just had to watch it 'til the end. I'd call it compulsive watching
ReplyDeleteFun60, you really wonder what those who approved it, or made it too, were thinking.
DeleteHello Andrew:
ReplyDeleteHappily 'Honey' we have not yet booked a holiday in Singapore!!
JayLa, I found 'honey' particularly aggravating. English in the Philippines is very much American style.
DeleteThe beer fairy and I had a good laugh when we first saw the 'get lost' add for Singapore, we had a stop over there for a few days in 2000.
ReplyDeleteWe had breakfast, one the best I ever had and went for a walk, we spent the rest of the day completely lost just wondering around, it was a great day and we saw lots of the city but boy were we tired.
Merle.........
Merle, I don't really take much notice of ads but that one did grab me. There is rather a lot to see there, as we did when we did three tours in two days.
DeleteThat second ad is truly vomitorious. And if that isn't a word it should be.
ReplyDeleteLove the first.
EC, your addition to the English language is a very acceptable way to describe the ad.
DeleteYes, you have to swim in that pool at Marina Bay Sand! When we were in it, my hubby kept saying, "Melbourne should have built one like that." for the first few hours. Then I overheard a yankee said to his wife,"New York should have built one like that."
ReplyDeleteYes, you have to swim in that pool in Marina Bay Sand!
MM, it was all under development when we there and visited Sentosa using the chairlift. One day we will swim in the pool.
DeleteNow I know how my dog feels when he looks at me all inquisitive like what the heck is she talking about. That's how I looked at the second commercial, pretty places but what the heck are those people talking about.
ReplyDeleteRubye, it struck me as a bit US 1950s, or rather my perception of the 50s.
DeleteWhile the Phillipine ad is truly horrendous, I must admit, I haven't been a fan of the 'get lost' ad either. To me, it seems a bit like a rip off of our very own 'where the bloody hell are you' ad from a few years back (i.e. use course language because that's how Australians would speak).
ReplyDeleteAd Rad, speaking of horrendous ads, that was our own one. So embarrassing. I suppose most people know Singaporeans would not normally use such an expression, well not in English.
DeleteOh dear...speaking of embarrassing, I just noticed I misspelt both 'Philippine' and 'coarse'. Spot the person who works in education!
DeleteAd Rad, I can't say I didn't notice, but your English, with you being like a foreign type, is normally very good. You are doing really well with your English. Welcome to Australia.
DeleteAs a Singaporean, I can verify that we do use the coarse language such as 'get lost', but not 'where the bloody hell are you.
ReplyDeleteMM, but possibly not like it is used in the ad?
Delete'Get lost' is a polite substitute of f&@/ off.
DeleteI found "Get Lost" a bid strange, but at least the energy of the ad was good. That second one was so bad it was embarrassing... not to mention she peed on a stick and stuck it in a velvet box... Oh, "Dear"... "Honey."
ReplyDeleteMitchell, I didn't think about the stick. Well picked up.
DeleteHaving now seen the ad aimed at Australians I have a new perspective about that other ad which until you mentioned it I didn't realise was targeted at the Philippines. Maybe the Singaporeans know their target audience better than we do. The second ad seems strange to us but maybe it strikes a chord with Filipinos.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure Victor. Singaporeans found it very embarrassing, which is why it was pulled.
DeleteI don't mind the Get Lost ad, but the other was too awful, I couldn't watch all of it.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of Getting Lost is a good one, if you have enough money and time, the best way to properly see a country is to get off the "tourist track" and explore the bits not usually seen.
River, I find using public transport and going to local shops a good way to get the feel of a place.
DeleteBoth are a bit naff, but at least the 'get lost' ad is only 56 secs long.. the other is 3 minutes of OMG ending with as Mitchell so succinctly put 'pee on a stick' .. is it wrong that I still laughed :)
ReplyDeleteNo Grace, not wrong at all. There was pee on a stick in your family not so long ago.
ReplyDeleteOkay, you've probably forgotten this post by now, but I must thank you for the great laugh. I thought the second clip must have been an ad for a company named the jewel box - just makes the pee on a stick even funnier.
ReplyDeleteAlmost forgotten FC. I read your post today and felt pleased for you girlfriend.
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