Irene Ang would remain glued to the tv screen when she was growing up, while others used corporate breaks as a chance to scurry to the bathroom.
” I was very excited to watch ( the advertisements )”, the actress-comedienne recalls. ” Ads are really, really, very, very interesting for me”.
Singaporean TV ads had a way of establishing themselves in the country’s psyche, from the sophistication of the Singapore Airlines ( SIA ) stewardesses to the earworm fast-food jingles to witty taglines.
Over the years, these advertisements have mirrored and moulded the sense of identity of Singaporeans. ” They’re like that naggy family but in a nice way”, quips professional Chua Enlai, who starred in Ikea’s 2003 “gangsters” message.
For singer-songwriter Dick Lee, who penned McDonald’s Great Time, Great Taste melody in 1990, posters were more than selling pitches. ” Ads brought me into a unique globe”, he says. “( They were ) very aspirational”.
See: From Milo to McDonald’s — Do you realize these Singapore TV advertising? ( 45: 35 )