Phua Chu Kang pitch hits home better

WHAT do sitcom character Phua Chu Kang, Bloody Mary a blood-spattered girl, and a germ-infested hand have in common?

They are the faces of recent media campaigns which have evoked strong reactions from the public.

In particular, Singaporeans pointed to posters on the flu-awareness campaign launched by the Health Promotion Board and the graciousness campaign started by the Public Transport Council (PTC).

Most Singaporeans felt that those with a light touch, such as the PTC campaign, are more effective in driving home the message.

Assistant Professor Yeoh Kok Cheow from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information said: "The message is straightforward and attention-grabbing.

"Through the effective use of bold black text on yellow in the speech bubble, commuters are naturally drawn to the decals of a character that has become very popular in Singapore."

As for the Anti-Drink Drive Campaign, many felt that its message about the deadly consequences of drink-driving is clear, but the scare tactics used are unnecessary.

One poster shows a girl after a car accident, with blood flowing from the cuts on her face and staining her clothes.

Mr S. H. Kwa, 26, a marketing executive, said: "After watching all kinds of violent movies, we're already desensitised to images of people getting hurt."

The PTC campaign featuring Gurmit Singh as Phua Chu Kang is more successful in comparison, according to commuters.

Ms Ivy Chan, 34, an accounts manager, said: "Compared to the hand with the germs, or the Bloody Mary in the drink-driving posters, the PTC campaign is less in-your-face.

"Whether it will prove to be successful in getting commuters to become more gracious is a different story but, at least, people who see it would not be turned off immediately."

Another commuter, Mr Christian Eber, 30, a systems field manager in a pharmaceutical company, said that he has seen more acts of graciousness after the campaign was launched.

He said: "I see more people being more forthcoming in giving up their seats to those who really need them."