'Speak Mandarin?
Yes we can!'
Content Series
Visual Identity, Photography, Videography,
Art Direction
The Brief
The Speak Mandarin Campaign was first launched in 1979 by then Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew. It encourages Singaporean Chinese to embrace the use of Mandarin in their daily lives, and enjoy an appreciation for Chinese culture. Fast forward to 2023, with bilingualism being reinforced as an important part of the Singaporean identity, we were tasked to generate a renewed interest and appreciation for Mandarin among the younger generation on social media.
Our Approach
As our target audience was Gen Z, we realised the importance of meeting them where they are. Our content had to be interesting, yet not overly complicated such that the messages would fly over our audiences' heads. Showcasing stories of everyday Singaporeans from different backgrounds seemed like a good start.
We decided to create a visual essay cum video series, centred around individuals with wildly different backgrounds. For example, one of our stories featured a millennial video producer whose newfound love for Mandarin prompted him to revisit the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary-Level Chinese exams all over again, a process that he documented on TikTok. Another story featured a Singaporean songwriter, who has been imparting his love for Mandarin to his ten-year-old daughter, an aspiring musician in her own right, through music (video can be viewed below). Through each individual's sharing of their respective journeys, we hoped to impart the idea that learning Mandarin is a worthwhile endeavour that can bring unexpected positive outcomes to one's life.
