Mascots and their messages
Singaporeans growing up in the 1980s and 90s would be familiar with a series of mascots promoting everything from courtesy to saving water and money. Amelia Teng recalls four
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SINGA THE COURTESY LION
• Singa was born during the National Courtesy Campaign in 1982 to encourage people to be kind and considerate
• He later became the Singapore Kindness Movement's mascot, but retired from his position in 2013
TEAMY THE BEE
• He was the mascot for the national productivity movement in 1982 to inspire a more efficient workforce. This busy bee retired in 1999.
• His slogan came in the form of a buzzing jingle: " Good, better, best! Never let it rest. Till your good is better and your better, best."
BOBO THE WATER-SAVING ELEPHANT
• Bobo, introduced in 1973, had a cartoon TV series that taught children to save water. He also appeared in advertisements for the then Public Utilities Board.
• His successor is Water Wally, a blue water droplet introduced in 2005.
SMILEY SQUIRREL
• An animal known for squirrelling food away for rainy days, the squirrel was chosen in 1983 to encourage children to save money instead, as part of POSB's National School Savings Campaign.
• The campaign was revived last year in conjunction with SG50.
