Love never fails with MediShield Life this Lunar New Year

The Challenge

The Lunar New Year season is the Superbowl of advertising in Singapore. MediShield Life, a national health care insurance plan to guard against the ills of life, does not quite fit auspiciously in the season of goodwill, jolly and abalone advertising.

The Insight

Thankfully, there’s always love and the power of emotional storytelling. This year, Valentine’s Day falls during the Lunar New Year period (February 8 – 23). With a bit of inspiration from John Lewis – ‘a love story with a love song’ – we knew that when all else fails, love never fails.

The Idea & Execution

So we created an epic love story that revolves around an elderly woman and her undying love for her husband through the years. And for a timeless love story like that, we brought on the iconic love song of the ages, by the legendary Teresa Teng, ‘Just Like Your Love’.

She was after all, the queen of soul and sentimentality.

It tells a love story, of hope and commitment, life and caring for another, the very qualities that define MediShield Life, the social welfare plan by the government. Just as well that the song brings on nostalgia, goodwill and even moved up the pop chart, rediscovered by a younger generation.

A storytelling genre you would expect from Tiffany, Burberry or even a department store like John Lewis, it’s remarkable that it came from the Ministry of Communications and Information. It could well be from the Ministry of Love and Affection.

The Results

In just a single day, the filmlet released on social media chalked up 270,000 views.

By Day 3, it had crossed 1 million views, which makes it the most watched (and probably most wept) filmlet this Chinese New Year super bowl.

Slated for national TV screening this week, we bet the abalone advertisers would have wished they had put a little less hardsell and more emotional softsell into their advertising.

This one is for all the sentimental romantics out there. And really, who isn’t?