For purveyors of fishballs and fishcakes, local brand BoBo surprisingly knows how to tug hard at our heartstrings.
They could have just done standard commercials about folks biting on their succulent moist balls — but nay. BoBo went beyond the call of duty and made emotional ads, dammit! With fishballs as the symbolic vehicle to spread love and understanding, even.
Let’s examine.
This ad may have been released last month (and resurfaced yesterday on Everyday SG), but it’ll remain as relevant as ever forevermore. Again, we have to remind you that this is an ad for BoBo’s colossal fishballs, depicted in full glory in these stills:
That wasn’t enough to drive the message. During a tense period of time when kids were getting their Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) results — once again raising concerns that Singaporean parents may be pressuring them too much — BoBo and production house Savour.Love came up with a highly relevant ad. Annoyingly dweeby, sycophantic old brother? Check. Seemingly strict tiger mum? Yeap. A child who’s genuinely just trying his best? Oh yes. All ingredients for a very emotional ad. A fishball ad.
Here’s another more recent one, and still highly relevant for the upcoming festive period. First, some gorgeous shots of their products:
The topic they’re tackling in this one? The painful microaggressions, judgemental comments and presumptions made during Chinese New Year gatherings, and how they’re always wrong. But how do they manage to fit fishballs into such a heavy subject? BoBo and Savour.Love manage.
The point is, these are way, way more poignant themes for commercials which are meant to sell boiled blobs of fish paste. And we’re loving it.
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