Update [April 28, 1600 Hrs]: TWC2 said that the video was part of an “internal initative” by Ogilvy & Mather, where employees brainstormed on ideas to improve life in Singapore. O&M revealed a breakdown of its 3.9 million video viewership figures, as the video appeared not only on Youtube, but TimeOut Hong Kong Facebook, Suria Mohd Facebook, Rj Bhairavi Facebook and imgur.
Migrant workers group Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) revealed in a statement that it was not involved in the creative process behind the controversial Mums and Maids video released last Thursday.
The video, which was part of a joint campaign between the non-government organisation (NGO) and marketing communications firm Ogilvy & Mather, aimed to highlight the fact that many maids in Singapore do not have days off.
But the video had resulted in flak both online and offline as some felt that it portrayed mothers negatively.
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Posted by TWC2 on Sunday, April 26, 2015
The video has received approximately 397,000 video views so far, with TWC2 claiming that the video has "reached more than 2.6 million viewers worldwide, according to O&M’s tracking".
“Never has the issue of domestic worker’s right to a day off been discussed on this scale and generated so much buzz,” TWC2 said.
The campaign had focused on “modern parents’ fear of missing out”, Eugene Cheong, chief creative officer of O & M Asia Pacific told Marketing Interactive.
“By showing how parents are losing out on their relationship with their children by always requiring their domestic worker to be around, we reposition their day off as an opportunity to enhance family bonding,” Cheong added.
Others disagree with the video's strategy
Some, including gender equality advocacy group AWARE, felt that the video shames mothers and held them solely responsible for childcare.
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Posted by AWARE Singapore on Thursday, April 23, 2015