Listen to your heart, Novartis urges Singaporeans

In between watching commercials, Ad Nut generally stays in shape by climbing trees and gathering food each day, but realises that exercise isn't always built into humans' daily routines.

This 90-second online ad for the pharma giant Novartis aims to make Singaporeans aware of the causes and warning signs of heart failure via YouTube, paid media and social media.

It features Singaporean actor and comedian Henry Thia, who pays the price for oversleeping, eating poorly and failing to exercise, while a little pink animated heart hops around him making soft squeaking noises in half-hearted protest. Pun intended.

The use of Thia is a good choice. Viewers laugh at his character's lazy antics until it becomes no laughing matter and the tone of the ad changes completely.

Ad Nut thinks this would have been an effective ad, had it ended there.

Instead, we see what appears to be Thia's wife devastated not by the collapse of her significant other, but by the collapse of the little pink heart, which she tries to nurse back to health.

And in the final scene, she's seen scolding Thia's character in front of the doctor. Not only do we see gender stereotypes in full bloom, but we wonder if the message did not get through. 

Ad Nut wonders if this commercial truly is for the faint of heart. 

CREDITS

Novartis:
Digital and Social Media Lead: Kim Lee Tan
Product Manager: Valerie Heng
Medical Advisor: Dr Gopinath Nageshwaran
Franchise Head: Mae Ong
Healthcare communicator: Mathew Thomas

DigitasLBi:
Chief Strategy Office APAC: Justin Peyton
Business Director: Mark Teal
Account Director: Shruti Subramanian
Project Director: Jones Tay
Creative Director: Corey Cruz
Creative Lead: Keith Byrne
Head of copy: Knox Balbastro
Digital Media Manager: Esther Brigitta
Media Specialist: Joshua B Tan
Producer: Pepper See

Abundant:
Director: Rix Zhou
Assistant Director: Cassandra Boh
Executive producer: Tania Wu
Producer: Yarshini Sivanathan
DP: Chuck Tham
Camera assist: Aizat
Cam grip: Wen Xian
Gaffer: Wong
Grip: Ben Teaw, Fuad, Dickson
Jr Grip: Ardi
Editor: Jian Ying
Graphics: Layting
Colourist: Robbie
Wardrobe: Meredith
Wardrobe asst: Xin Ying
Sound: James Choong
Props Master: Norman
Art Assistant: Adli
PA: Shaun Lek

BTS Team:
Director: Thilagan Narayanasamy
Camera: Shah
Sound: Nelson

Ad Nut is a surprisingly literate woodland creature that for unknown reasons has an unhealthy obsession with advertising. Ad Nut gathers ads from all over Asia and the world for your viewing pleasure, because Ad Nut loves you. Check out Ad Nut's Advertising Hall of Fame.