I really do love Singapore. I love the city, I love the food, I love the airport, and I love the airline. I don’t think I’d ever want to live there, but I always love visiting for a couple of days.
One other thing I love about Singapore (in a backwards way) is some of the promotional travel videos that come out of the country. A few years ago I wrote about a Singapore Tourism Board video that went viral. The video talks about all the surprises you may experience if you visit Singapore… like pregnancy! The production quality also makes it look like it was made in 2004 rather than 2014. Not surprisingly, the Singapore Tourism Board quickly withdrew the video, as it became popular in a way they weren’t anticipating.
My friend Jim forwarded me a video that Changi Airport published today, in which they’re trying to promote the airport using the hashtag #ImagineChangi. The video is described as follows:
What happens when you #ImagineChangi into something more enchanting? Watch a modern-day love story unfold in Changi Airport!
While the previous video was cringeworthy, this one is just… strange, and I’m confused. First let me share the video:
Someone has to help me out here:
- Is Insta-stalking in order to find someone’s location now considered socially acceptable? If you’re going to Insta-stalk him, at least slide into his DMs!
- At the two minute mark it appears as if she’s thinking of messaging him on Instagram, and considered saying “long time no…”; does that mean she knows him?
- What exactly is the flashback she’s having at the beginning where she sees his name? Did they used to date, or something?
- If she doesn’t know who he is, am I the only one who thinks that using the same hashtag isn’t sufficient grounds on which to fall in love?
- Maybe they should take it easy when it comes to the pace at which they’re posting Instas, because they’re getting zero likes 😉
- Maybe I’m overanalyzing all of this
Despite all that, I find this video oddly enchanting and cute, and have watched it multiple times…
Singapore is one of the most overrated places , up there with HK and London
The messaging appears to be in the style of Instagram in-app messaging which might explain quite a few of your questions 😉
Yes, weird, but cute.
@anon seems like they don’t like cities. Is NY on the list too?
Singapore is one of the most awesome cities…I love stopping over there whenever possible
Lived in Singapore for two years. Don’t want to repeat that, but Singapore is one of my favorite layover cities.
The flashback is to when she was younger – at 2:50, a younger version of the girl meets a younger version of the guy while plane-spotting at Changi, and he drew her a picture, she then remembers his handwriting when she sees the Instas in the modern day and they reunite.
@ Matt — OMG this is complicated!! It looks like you’re right, though. Thank you.
I prefer the voice over. Can’t stand the Singlish accent. But cute video still.
Wow, the pregnancy one… some of the worst acting I have ever seen. The second video is not that bad imho. Don’t see stalking in that, it’s kind of cute.
In Singapore, online stalking is encouraged.
I like it
I prefer to #ImagineCharlie
that is changi, and that qantas oneworld 330 showed up big times. ROFL! #whereisSQ
I thought it was cute and rather easy to follow. 🙂
Singapore is infamous for coming up with goofy things like the National Day song a few years back that was pirated from a Lady Gaga song. The uproar was hilarious because of how upset and embarrassed so many Singaporeans were about the song. The social media comments posted were fun to read.
The ad with the surprise pregnancy while hilarious and cringe-worthy, is actually understandable because it was around that time that the Singapore government was alarmed by the dropping birthrate of Singaporeans and was making a big push to encourage Singaporean women to have more children and for singles to get married. The message they were trying to get out was: get married and get pregnant!
@jacob: Singapore produced vids don’t have the highest production values. The surprise pregnancy ad was targeting people to visit Singapore and not meant for the Singapore market. Doubt if that aired in Singapore at all.
That first video was… ooph. I really liked the second one though. I thought it was super cute and didn’t find anything weird about it. Definitely think you’re overthinking this.