The Christmas season is back in the month of December 2019. As we prepare to have the festive Christmas celebrations with our family and loved ones, Singtel celebrates Christmas with “The Gift“, they recently released a short film for this coming festive season, encouraging Singaporeans to spend quality time strengthening bonds and connections with family and loved ones. This film centres on a teenager who is very self-absorbed in the modern digital life, that disrupts the family’s annual Christmas tradition.
After watching “The Gift” by Singtel, some parts of the film resonated with me. There are times whereby even adults, not just teenagers, are spending more time on their smartphones instead of spending quality time with family, loved ones and friends. I hope that after watching this film, we would be able to spend more quality time with our family, loved ones and friends during this festive season and beyond.
The film took its cue from studies that show people of all ages are spending more time on their mobile phones than with family. According to a global study, Smartphone Addiction Facts and Phone Usage Statistics (The Definitive Guide 2019) by Bankmycell, smartphone users spend on average 2 hours 51 minutes a day on their smartphones, and less than 45 minutes a day on quality time with their families. Closer to home, most parents in Singapore do not limit their children to only the call and text functions on their mobile devices. A study by The Asian Parents Forum, commissioned by Singtel, found that more than half surveyed (51 per cent) are prepared to give their child a mobile line with mobile data.
Now, let’s watch “The Gift” presented by Singtel below:
“In our hi-tech world of shiny gadgets and devices, parents often feel compelled to indulge their children, even if their demands are excessive. We thought Christmas was the perfect time to reframe the spirit of giving in our increasingly digital society, that we really ought to be prioritising family time and connections in the deeper sense of the word,” says Lian Pek, Singtel’s Vice President for Group Strategic Communications and Brand.
“The Gift” is a part of Singtel’s on-going branded content campaign, which is served through a story-telling approach that allows the Group to articulate its brand values of family, community, diversity and inclusivity through a series of festive films. Focusing on the core themes of family and community, Singtel’s films have been well-received and anticipated. Last year, “Grace’s White Christmas” chalked up more than 11 million views on Facebook and YouTube. During this year’s Chinese New Year, “From Ma, With Love” garnered more than 19 million views.
“Our films are not solicitations to transact with us, but rather, to appreciate our values which would hopefully spark some desire to interact with our brand for the long haul. Today’s customers don’t just want to transact or buy from companies that meet their requirements profitably. They want to support and engage with companies that have heart,” added Lian Pek.
Conceptualised and produced in collaboration with Akanga Film Asia, the film will air on Singtel TV and various social media channels from 29 November to 31 December, and in cinemas from 12 to 25 December.
* Information and picture courtesy of Singtel Corporate Communications *