This storyboard proposal is for an SMRT bus advertisement highlighting that Singaporeans can appear emotionless but are still willing to help those in need. The concept shows that happiness is about more than just smiles, and that looking out for others is important. It is based on a true story and aims to make commuters feel that kindness still exists and that they should look out for each other, especially during busy travel times. The message will be delivered through a slice-of-life tone showing that happiness can sneak in when least expected.

1. Storyboard Proposal
for
SMRT bus advertisement
By:
Catherine Ann B. Pan

2. Individual frames

20. Frames in detail

27. Overview
• This concept has been created in line of the news published about a
poll survey ranking Singapore as one of the least emotional nation
in the world and the unhappy one as well (The Straits Times).
• When this news has been published, there were mixed emotions –
some strongly agreeing while others not. From observing, we can
tell that people appear emotionless simply because people don’t
smile often, looked stressed and hurrying most of the time. In
places like transportation vehicles, everyone is busy doing their own
thing like reading or checking out their gadgets.
• The aim of this concept is to highlight the fact that even though
locals may appear as emotionless and may not seem to care about
others, they are willing to help in times of need. We want to evoke
feelings of happiness that Singaporeans still have through the
means of helping. We would want to show that happiness can’t
only be shown in the number of smiles but also in the heart. On top
of that, using SMRT as a medium for advertisement, we would like
to raise awareness on people to look out not only for themselves
but also on others as well.

28. Target Audience:
Commuters - locals, foreigners and everyone
staying in Singapore
Proposed advertising media:
Since it’s targeting all commuters, we proposed
it to be advertised on TV screens among bus
interchanges and MRT stations.

29. Concept Appeal
Benefits:
“Faith in humanity restored” – Prominent in social media, it’s a tag line
mostly commented as to how the audience feel whenever a good
deed has been done and shared for everyone to see. We would like
to evoke the same feeling towards the people be it locals,
foreigners and everyone staying in Singapore that such good things
still occur especially to those who believed that Singapore is indeed
an unhappy country.
Another benefit were looking for is at the hope that audience will feel
the spirit of kindness towards others not only in times of need but
also in day to day activities especially when commuting. We all
know that it’s very tough to commute especially during rush hours.
And because of the climate and crowd, such things can possibly
happen. We would like to raise awareness on people to look out
not only for themselves but also on others as well.

30. Believable:
Stating the fact that this is based from a true
story makes this concept realistic. The setting
and scenes of the story is executed in a way
that is very relatable to the target audience.
Concept Appeal

31. Message Execution:
– Slice of life
– Mood or Image
Tone: A mix of negative and positive tone
Slogans:
“Happiness often sneaks in a door you did not think was open”
It is interpreted as:
The door pertains to the image of unhappiness and emotionless
among people. We may think that this door is intact and there’s no
way that we can budge them. Only to find out that it is still possible,
and that happiness as portrayed in the story can still happen when
you least expect it.