School OF COMMUNICATION, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Diploma in Creative Writing for Television and New Media

SC8110 World Issues and The Media Maker

AY 2015/2016 Semester 2, Continual Assessment 1, 40%

CONCEPT
by:
Tan Gin Yee (p1538485)
Low Zi Qi (p1547241)
Nurul Iman Kamil (p1538740)
Nur Amira Bte Abdul Rahman (p1538747)
Farah Nur Zakiah Bte Rosli

Concept Paper Prepared by:

Nurul Iman Kamil
P1538740

Class:
DTVM/FT/1B/02

Word count:
1324

Date of submission:
2 Dec 2015
The issue that we have chosen to to produce a local media product for is travel
etiquette. Our programme will be focused on Barry The Bear.

Summary:
Barry The Bear is an advertisement that will be shown on TV, Youtube and cinemas.
Each advertisement will showcase different bad etiquette scenarios and each time,
Barry, our bear mascot, will pop out at the end to interview the rude passenger on why
he/she has done such actions. Lessons will be taught through this. Barry also has his
own twitter called "BarryTheBear" where he will be tweeting both positive and
negative things that he witnesses on public transport. Users may tweet their
commuting stories using #heybarry. Tweets will be picked every week to be produced
into new advertisement contents.

Target Audience:
Our target audience will be Singaporeans, PMEBs, both male and females, the young
and the old, students, all the races in Singapore and foreigners. Basically, we are
targetting at everyone who rides the public transport.

Key Messages:
The main key message that we want to relay to the audience is how to be a good
citizen on public transport. Other messages that we would like to relay are how to be
considerate in trains, busses and taxis, showing respect and giving up seats to those
who need them, not pushing and shoving, be quite on public transport, dont go too
far with public displaying of affection and many more.

Themes that would work:

The themes that would work with our audience are comedy, kindness and respect. The
theme of comedy would work as everyone remembers a good joke or a funny story. If
our advertisement oozes with comedy, people are sure to remember. Our audience
will remember Barry the Bear and they will much rather pay attention to a funny and
attractive advertisement than a dull boring one.

Another theme that would work is kindness and respect. Audience will feel a sense of
satisfaction to see Barry the bear teach the horrible passengers about being kind and
respectful. Surely, everyone wants to be treated well on public transport. The
audience will agree with the lessons taught and be absorbed with the advertisement.

What social, cultural and racial elements of the local audience must you
consider?:
The first element to consider is the fact that Singapore has many different races, so we
have to cater to the different races as not everyone is fluent in English. Therefore the
ads will be made in the different languages, Chinese, Malay and Tamil as well.

The second element to consider is racial stereotype. We should try to avoid the racial
stereotypes, such as the smelly Indian or the annoying chinese aunties, so as to avoid
any conflict or anger that might stir.
We should also include a racially diversed cast as this is Singapore.

Show Format:
The advertisement will start with a scenario on someone comitting a train scene.
Barry will then appear to blatantly ask the person why he or she has done such actions
and interviews them. The tagline will then appear. The Tagline is Barry Bad for
when Barry is scolding said person and Barry Good when Barry has taught the
person a lesson.

Similar Media Products:

Tree Potatoes (15 Types Of MRT Commuters)
PCK Rap: Happy Journey Starts like that (2009)
Train is coming jingle - Dim Sum Dollies (2013)
Thoughtful Bunch posters by LTA

Which have succeeded:

- Tree potatoes (successfully reached its target audience which are teenagers)
- PCK Rap (an icon did the song)
- Train is coming jingle (very catchy)

Which have failed:

- Thoughtful Bunch posters (failed because it is not memorable and pretty boring)

Why Will Our Product Work:

- It is memorable and funny, thus it will catch audience attention
- Many people can relate to them as the situations are real
- It pokes fun at people which is admittedly a hilarious
- It is not one sided, it encourages the good and discourages the bad

What Personal Experiences we have:

1.) People who insist on fitting and pushing through an already crowded train. They
do not apologise for pushing and shoving.

2.) Couples tongue battling in the train in front of many, making people
uncomfortable and slightly disgusted

3.) People, most notably the older ones, rushing for seats and pushing at people
without a second thought