SINGAPORE – As part of SGSecure’s ongoing efforts to strengthen public awareness and community vigilance against the threat of terrorism, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in partnership with creative company VML Singapore, has launched a new short film encouraging members of the public to look up from their phones and be more aware of suspicious items in public spaces.
Titled “Bye Tech Neck”, the short film opens with a masseuse demonstrating simple exercises to relieve so-called “tech neck.” But the light-hearted tutorial takes a (literal) twist, delivering a sobering reminder that the threat of terrorism in Singapore remains high, and everyone must play their roles in staying alert and reporting suspicious items to the authorities promptly. By highlighting the impact of excessive phone use, the short film reminds the public that vigilance starts with simple and small, conscious choices – like looking up from our screens and paying attention to our surroundings.
Nimesh Desai, Chief Executive Officer, VML Singapore, said: “With the threat of terrorism remaining high, the need for vigilance is ever present. It is critical that our communications resonate in ways that are relevant and relatable, capturing attention while clearly underscoring the importance of vigilance.”
Matthias Chew, Director (SGSecure Programme Office, MHA), said, “In our SGSecure social experiments last year, we observed that many people walked past suspicious items without noticing them. Often, people were just glued to their phones. We hope the humour behind ‘Bye Tech Neck’ will help everyone to remember to look up from time to time – and if we can do so, we will be a much more vigilant and safer society.”
The film will be rolled out in March across MHA and SGSecure social media accounts, as well as public transport nodes in Singapore, including bus interchanges and MRT stations.
CREDITS
VML Singapore
Chief Creative Officer: Mateusz Mroszczak
Group Creative Director: Gerald Chue
Associate Creative Director: Gelo Lico
Senior Copywriter: Aslinda Khanafi
Art Director: Ee Min Goh
Strategy Director: JS Foo
Business Director: Fred Eng
Account Director: Hazel Lim
Account Manager: Liming Yu
Account Manager: Bernice Wong
Senior Account Executive: Ru Ying Kang
Associate Project Director: Gisela Sim
Hogarth Singapore
Executive Producer: Kimie Ong
Producer: Gwynne Chan
Production House: Seven Sunday Films x Mum Films
Film Director: Mum (Suthon Petchsuwan)
Executive Producer: Afeeq Nadzrin
Business Director: Fon Pornsiri
Producer: Perdana Batangtaris
Producer: Fern
DOP: Worawoot Sukasem
Head Editor: Supachai Supakij
Co-Editor: Rino Gautama
Colourist: Parallel Studios
Online Artist: Pawan Sanjaya
Audio Engineering: Spacebar Audio Productions
