Keeping up the good fight against Dengue
Tropical city Singapore is ever vigilant about the threat of Dengue, the Aedes aegypti Mosquito borne infection.
While nowhere near the historical high of 22,170 cases reported in 2013, weekly reported dengue cases have been on an upward trend since April 2019.
The National Environmental Agency (NEA) took to reminding Singaporeans to eradicate mosquito breeding spots by clearing stagnant water.
THE CHALLENGE:
The problem with dengue is that it seems innocuous, small and not seen in epic proportion.
Except that the danger often lurks in small places at home – contrary to the misperception that the Aedes aegypti mosquito breeds only in large pool of water at construction sites, drains and forests.
THE INSIGHT:
The danger isn’t out there, but often found at home – in small places, where stagnant water gather.
Come to think of it, it is as small and as ubiquitous as the 20-cent coin.
THE IDEA & EXECUTION:
All it takes is a 20 cent-sized worth of stagnant water for them to breed.
We dramatize the threat of dengue breeding in small places by giving it larger-than-life visual drama – on film and print. More importantly, we brought home its clear and present danger.
A television spot highlighted how dengue began, with reversed sequence of storytelling, with the Aedes aegypti mosquito breeding on a 20-cent sized drop of water at home.
We waged a full-scale war against dengue with outdoor, buses, MRT and even poster walkers.
THE RESULTS:
The TVC gathered approximately 400,000 views on YouTube and Facebook in just a month.
Public comments poured in, sharing tips on different ways to fight dengue.
An iconic 20-cent coin told the small but ever-present threat of dengue in Singapore, it’s a visual image we will all remember and carry with us.