Touching Ad About Asian Parents Being ‘the Worst in the World’ Goes Viral

September 4, 2018

An insurance company in Singapore released a thought-provoking ad that has touched many netizens hearts online.

With an eye-catching thumbnail stating “The World’s Parents in The World,” the video produced by NTUC Income in partnership with BBH Singapore may be accused of click-baiting but many have found that it is actually a hook worth sinking into.

In the video which runs for almost five minutes, a groom in a wedding program begins his speech with a shocking announcement that his mother and father are “the worst parents in the world.”

He went on to enumerate all the times he felt left out as a child because his parents chose to spend less on extravagant parties and trips.

“Ma, I’ve always questioned why I was never sent for piano lessons like all my other friends,” the man began. “The only music lessons I got we’re home free.”

The groom then went on to reveal that he had lived a fruitful life despite his parents’ apparent penny-pinching.

“I had an amazing childhood,” the man said later while gazing at his father. “So what if I wasn’t sent for piano lessons? Ma and Pa knew better. See? Karaoke champions.”

“Had you given me everything I wanted back then wouldn’t have everything I can have now.”

“You juggle between spending money on me and saving up for your retirement but you didn’t do it for yourself. You did it for me. Now, Claire and I can focus on the steps we’d like to take in our new life together. Thank you Ma and Pa for showing us the way.”

“Before I end, I would just like to say that Claire and I will do our best to become the worst parents in the world.”

As the video suggests, the ad is part of a campaign encouraging Singaporean parents to plan for their retirement.

The ad aims to capture the dilemma parents often have in choosing between spending on their children and saving for their retirement.

“We believe that it’s extremely important for parents to invest in their children and help them build a secure future, and one of the best gifts they can give their children is saving for their own retirement. The campaign aims to drive home this message through story-telling via an engaging film set in the backdrop of a wedding,” Marcus Chew, chief marketing officer of Income, told Marketing in an interview.

“We hope that this initiative will encourage Singaporeans to think more deeply about their retirement plans and, in so doing, take a step towards securing their own financial future so that their children can be future ready,” Chew added.

Since its release on Wednesday, the video posted on YouTube and Facebook has been viewed over 4.6 million times and has been shared and re-uploaded by netizens on other platforms.

“I wasn’t expecting to cry over a random ad before my youtube video…this was beautiful!” one commenter wrote.

“The only ad that I did not skip within 5 seconds. great work guys,” another netizen praised.

Featured Image via YouTube / Income

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