A life-affirming funeral
I saw this commercial, and though I have read it in the news, seeing it ‘live’ is a completely different experience. And oh so true the message that it conveys: the little imperfections that make your spouse so perfect… ----- COOL ADVERT MCYS’ new commercial was inspired by a woman’s love for her husband’s paunch May Seah This year, MCYS’ pro-family campaign, which was launched yesterday and will run until May 16, features yet another commercial crafted by acclaimed Malaysian director Yasmin Ahmad. This time, the focus is on relationships that are real, but no less beautiful for their imperfections. Named Funeral, the new work shows a woman giving a eulogy at her late husband’s funeral. Instead of extolling his virtues, she tells a humorous and touching anecdote about his snoring. The commercial is currently airing on MediaCorp TV Channels 5, 8, Vasantham, and Suria. It is also available online via YouTube and Facebook. In making and airing this work, said MCYS’ director of communications and international relations, Richard Tan, the Ministry had to “cross a lot of barriers, including minds that had been set since Singapore’s independence. No Government campaign will feature a funeral.” But the popularity of the Family commercial gave Tan the confidence to take more risks. “There was public suggestion for a sequel, but Yasmin felt we should do something different. We think this is going to break some new ground and raise some eyebrows.” Contrary to popular superstition, Ahmad feels that the funeral setting makes the commercial life-affirming. “You come out of it thinking, ‘It’s good to be alive’.” Perhaps the reason Ahmad is so good at telling people’s stories is that these are her stories, too. “I went into it as an observer of the way my husband drools,” she explained. “He’s not the best-looking man, but he’s the most good-looking man on Earth to me. In the morning, while he’s sleeping, I lean over to my 46-year-old Chinaman and coo, ‘So cute!’ If the neighbours heard me, they’d think I was mad ... He’s got a paunch where he used to have a flat stomach. I said to him, ‘You know what? I prefer you with a paunch. You have more to hang on to.’ It’s so nice! Like a cushion!” Because she calls herself an “observer” of life, Ahmad said she feels “guilty receiving awards for this”. This commercial was born from her love for her father and husband, who both snore. “I used to read about American women divorcing their husbands for snoring and I used to think, ‘What’s wrong with them? Your husbands can’t help it. You have your own imperfections that they live with’.” Admitted Tan: “We all have a love-hate relationship with Government campaigns.” But this particular campaign has resolved not to browbeat its public. “We’ll let the audience decide what the message is,” he said. From TODAY, Plus Monday, 06-April-2009
THE girl with the red shoes and her quietly loving single father touched Singaporeans’ hearts so much that we voted the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports’s (MCYS) Family commercial tops at the recent MediaCorp Viewers’ Choice Awards, where the best television commercials are honoured.
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