SINGAPORE — It is in our Asian culture to put others before ourselves, with generosity often feeling like an obligation. In many situations, choosing otherwise could potentially create uncomfortable situations which we would rather avoid, thus leading us to act on the opinion and expectations of others even if it might not be what’s best for ourselves.
However, in a study conducted by NTUC Income, 98% of Singaporeans agreed that there are times in life they would need to put themselves first, most commonly in the areas of personal health and finances. In the area of financial planning, many agreed that it’s financially responsible to prioritise one’s personal finances, and that small actions accumulate over time to create a big positive impact for their future. 93% of Singaporeans believe that putting their financial needs first enables them to start planning earlier and better for their retirement.
This is why NTUC Income and BBH Singapore are encouraging Singaporeans to think ‘Me First’ in their new retirement planning campaign.
Marcus Chew, CMO, Income, said, “We’ve often felt that Singaporeans are choosing to do what is popular or expected of them at a personal expense. We wanted to better understand how people felt about putting themselves first since it’s a philosophy that runs against the grain in our society. Adopting a ‘me first’ approach in our financial planning encourages one to first set aside enough for themselves before spending on other people and material things in life that are also important to them. This philosophy allows one to evaluate more carefully the reasons and motivation behind their current expenditure, and to assess if it can be better spent on securing a comfortable retirement in future.”
The campaign, led by a four-minute film, follows the story of Denise and Derek, a sibling duo who lead their lives differently, especially when it comes to financial planning. The tension between them escalates due Denise’s somewhat questionable and self-serving behaviour, pulling the family apart over time. However, an unexpected family event reveals a lesson in the importance of planning’s one’s future, even if that goes against one’s obligations.
Janson Choo, Group Creative Director, BBH Singapore, added: “We are all somewhat a version of Denise or Derek. While some of their actions might appear extreme at times, they are not completely out of place in a society like Singapore. There’s a real need to focus and rely only on oneself for the latter years in life or in the case of Derek where one gets a bit too caught up with ‘living’ life. But the important lesson we wish to bring across here is that sometimes we have to look after ourselves first before looking after others.”
Credit list:
Agency: BBH Singapore
Chief Creative Officer: Sascha Kuntze
Group Creative Directors: Janson Choo & Khairul Mondzi
Business Director: Manavi Sharma
Associate Account Director: Shu Li Tan
Head of Strategy: Rebecca Ash
Senior Strategist: Amanda Lim
Agency Producer: Kim Lim
Production Company: Freeflow Productions
Director: Roslee Yusof
Client: NTUC Income
Chief Marketing Officer: Marcus Chew
Head of Segment Marketing: Chloe Fair
Manager, Segment Marketing: Jessica Leong, Christopher How
Assistant Manager, Segment Marketing: Jean-Claire Rozario
