'Baby surprise' tourism promo video could have been done better: STB

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) acknowledged on Tuesday, April 8, 2014, that some aspects of its video to promote Singapore as a tourist destination to the Philippines "could have been done better." -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) acknowledged on Tuesday afternoon that some aspects of its video to promote Singapore as a tourist destination to the Philippines "could have been done better."

In response to media queries, STB's executive director of communications and industry marketing Mr Oliver Chong said that the video was produced by Philippine network ABS-CNB in an effort to customise content for the country's audiences. When it was first shared on STB's Facebook page for the Philippines, the video attracted more than 3,400 'likes' in the first week and garnered some 900 comments, "largely positive', added Mr Chong.

The three-minute-long video, which was first uploaded last month has since been taken down after it caused a stir online. It featured a couple from the Philippines travelling around the island visiting attractions such as Gardens By The Bay and Marina Bay Sands. In the clip, the woman also presented her man with a gift - a pregnancy test kit with a result indicating she was pregnant. The man, taken aback, remarked that "Singapore always had a surprise waiting for me".

The video, however, drew flak from netizens, who slammed it for a variety of reasons ranging from its "bad script" to the poor use of voiceovers.

Titled "Singapore, See where the world is heading", the video is believed to have been taken down from STB's YouTube channel on Monday after news website mothership.sg published a post on the video on its website.

Though the original video has been removed, duplicates are still being circulated online.

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