Relationships are imperfect

I am not a big fan of local ads, but there are two TVCs that has touched my heart. Both TVCs were done by an award winning local film maker.

First is this TVC touched me because I am married to a man who is a LOOUUDD snorer. And although it irritates me to no end, I must admit, it is and will always be music to my ears. Watch:

This one reminds me of my dad who is probably the most selfless human being on the planet. Unfortunately, he is also the no. 1 alaskador. And even at 29 years old, I still get pikon with him and would walk out on him (with matching tears) whenever he teases me about stuff. No "sad stories" tonight, though. Just watch:

--

The story behind the two TVCs:

RELATIONSHIPS are imperfect and a $1.25 million ad campaign by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), starting on Sunday, aims to convey that.

It broaches a taboo theme - a funeral, where a widow talks about her late husband's flaws and what it means to her. It also features an inter-racial relationship.

The inspiration for the ad, produced by advertising veteran and award-winning film director Yasmin Ahmad, 51, comes from her relationship with her husband. The imperfection she likes about her husband: his crooked teeth.

The ad is a move to get singles here to go beyond waiting for the perfect partner, a finding from a 2006 survey.

Said MCYS director of communications and international relations Richard Tan on Friday: 'The strength of family and family bonding is important but if you don't have family, you can't talk about strength of family and family bonding.

'And where do we get family from? We got to get young people to get married.'

He added: 'More importantly, it's to tell people that in any relationship, there will always be flaws, there will always be imperfections but you can build on a relationship without this imperfection affecting it.'

The ad garnered positive reactions at a preview screening for media and invited bloggers on Friday. Said paper designer and blogger Aida Haron, 45, of the ad: 'It's not rah-rah. It's more realistic. It features tragedy, sadness, humour and uplifting feelings.'

To reach out to the internet generation, the ad will also go on Youtube. The English version of an earlier MCYS family commercial about the relationship of a young woman and her father, by the same director, has garnered about 26,000 hits on the video sharing site.

It also won the recent MediaCorp's Viewers' Choice 2008 award in the local category.

--
Oh yes, they actually have a campaign, a $1.25M campaign at that, to encourage people to get married and have kids.

Thanks Shaf for sharing the links, and I do hope you get married soon. Puh-lease.