CAN YOU SERVE?

TitleCAN YOU SERVE?
BrandSINGAPORE TOURIST PROMOTION BOARD ( STB )
Product / ServiceTOURISM
CategoryA01. Best Use of Television/Cinema
EntrantBBH ASIA PAC Singapore, SINGAPORE
Entrant Company:BBH ASIA PAC Singapore, SINGAPORE
Advertising Agency:BBH ASIA PAC Singapore, SINGAPORE
Media Agency:MEC Singapore, SINGAPORE

Credits

Credits

Name Company Position
Steve Elrick BBH Asia Pac Regional ECD
Shawn Loo BBH Asia Pac Creative Director
Noel Yeo BBH Asia Pac Creative Director
Lesley-Anne John BBH Asia Pac Account Director
Richard Powell BBH Asia Pac Business Development Director

Results and Effectiveness

Can You Serve ? gained aa weekly fan base of up to 127,000 loyal viewers. The only TV Show rating higher was the nightly news.

Creative Execution

Rather than create a conventional public service campaign, we created a Can You Serve ?, a reality TV show that put Singaporeans in the shoes of customer service professionals. Each week contestants took on different vocation and battled it out in a series of serviced-based challenges - ranging from being a coffee shop barista to a guest relations manager aboard a luxury cruise ship - judged by a panel of experts and filmed via hidden cameras. The show's contestants became overnight celebrities, featuring in both national and international media. The show sparked fierce debate on Facebook over who deserved to win: and more importantly, the state of Singapore's service industry. Production of the DVD box set tripled to cope with demand and several companies now use Can You Serve ? as training material, including high-end boutiques such as Chanel. Due to the show's popularity, a second season has just been confirmed.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

In Singapore, the service industry has the image of being a low-paying career with few prospects. The Singapore Tourism Board wanted a campaign to change this.