Showing posts with label PGP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PGP. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Promotion for pioneer package hits sweet spot

My Paper, Tuesday, August 19, 2014, Page A7, Opinion
From http://epaper.mypaper.sg/emnd/fvxen/fvxp/fvxpress.php?param=2014-08-19
Source Website: http://mypaper.sg/opinion/promotion-pioneer-package-hits-sweet-spot-20140819
By Daniel Yun, mypaper, myp@sph.com.sg, Published on Aug 19, 2014


The Mandarin version of the Pioneer Generation Package commercial
PHOTO: RIGHT NOTE: The Mandarin version of the Pioneer Generation Package commercial posted on the YouTube channel of the Singapore Government features Lee and Tan singing about the package, with seniors dancing in the background.
PHOTO: YOUTUBE
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7e2mCj7eQQ2Ckf5pLWCwfglDU3D0sy9NtMdTAYIIA_ibofXH17G9ghh_Oi2CyBW7ECna99grXFHIKllmjI9eedOQQREMXzKbRV0RAaHKOobucQWgt_wo-uE_PfX15_kljZbzVPQVgNY/s1600/Promotion+for+pioneer+package+hits+sweet+spot.jpg
My Paper, Tuesday, August 19, 2014, Page A7, Opinion


THOSE who watched Channel 8 in the last few weeks may be aware of an elephant in the room.

No one seems to want to talk about it but, when someone does, everyone has an opinion, including some strong views.

I am referring to the Pioneer Generation Package (Mandarin) - The Musical commercial.

I first saw it on television immediately after the National Day Parade.

At first, I could not make out what it was.

I thought it was a follow-through of the parade, a Mandarin national song of sorts.

It also crossed my mind that it could be an early mid-autumn commercial for mooncakes.

Towards the end of the commercial, the logo for the Pioneer Generation Package appeared.

Those who do not know what I am talking about can catch the musical on YouTube.

There are various versions of the commercial, in different dialects and languages, as well as a variety of formats.

The Mandarin version is a musical and it stands out, for good reasons to some, and for all the wrong reasons to others.


Old Shanghai songstress played by Sebastian Tan
PHOTO: Old Shanghai songstress played by Sebastian Tan
Posted by Christina Chung | | Evian Baby, Evian Water, Lifestyle/Tech, Mark Lee, news, PGC, PGP, Pinkdot, Pioneer Generation Card, Pioneer Generation Package, Rainow Lover, Sebastian Tan, Singapore, singapore blogger
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrrG4Snd4CiOYKe7THuvIpR_Slqyz-8rP15WeF0n6rJOE-brEK_sMibeXBBZBqrID8tzdVmJNKFCHQEjVS654jUglx5EHaMB8_KIsrZ7r3uAXNuYZ7eenOVL4l9Nmpg1gkumXoTxsrRc/s1600/Sebastian-1.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwDF-UcmY_BSBu1jXsyebijRrbwR0QJ0oO3NPHcEOmtmcrBScw_VPy3iG4Ind8qIUaG5S2ThTtuHomeeevUt1wUsmKahENnjtCZZoH7vRD5HuvnsUsaIcT2F-tpwbNdSE4mtF68NqOfA/s1600/Sebastian.jpg
http://huneyzworld.blogspot.sg/2014/08/i-think-pioneer-generation-package-ad-is.html


It features Mark Lee and Sebastian Tan singing about the Pioneer Generation Package, with seniors dancing in the background. Tan cross-dresses as a woman.

The Government is concerned that it may be difficult to communicate the Pioneer Generation Package to seniors - the pioneer generation.

That is why the Government has a deliberately elaborate campaign for it.

The Mandarin musical has sparked discussion about whether it can really do the job of communicating the package to seniors.

Many in this group said they did not get the full message, if at all. What is the Pioneer Generation Package really? To be fair, outside of the target group, many Singaporeans do not know it as well, at least not the details.

This is not unlike the Central Provident Fund, where a lot of people, not just older people, do not know the specifics.

The discussion about this musical, however, is not really about the effectiveness of communicating the package. Rather, the question is, why do it as a musical, and why have a cross-dresser in a musical?

I posted about the Mandarin musical commercial on Facebook with a comment that I was not sure if I liked it, nor if the musical could enlighten old folk on the Pioneer Generation Package.

The reactions were fast and furious. The likes and dislikes were equally and vocally aggressive.

Many said their parents would stop what they were doing to watch the commercial every time it came on.

A few even said their uncles and aunties were asking for the YouTube links to it, saying that they were captivated by the song and were very entertained by the musical.

There were others who liked the performers, especially Tan. There were also some who did not know the woman singing in the musical was a man.

Some thought the woman was Jack Neo in drag. And then there were some who thought it was bold to have a cross-dresser in a musical for the pioneer generation.

Those who disliked the commercial thought using a musical made it even more difficult to communicate what the package was about.

Some felt it was inappropriate to have a cross-dresser in a musical targeted at seniors. Why not someone the older generation looks up to, they asked.

So, do I like the Mandarin musical? I found it catchy. I was not sure if I was entertained. But I was drawn to it and I have grown to like it.

And because I like it, I progressively knew more and more about the Pioneer Generation Package.

From a marketing perspective, any campaign that solicits strong responses is successful in some way.

If a campaign entertains and informs, then it is unusually effective, even worthy of an award.


Catchy, drawn to it and have grown to like it.
PHOTO: Catchy, drawn to it and have grown to like it.
Picture posted by tansux, Arch-Supremacy Member on 29 July 2014, 10:34 PM
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTo0_h58Po_m46MhO_jVRVO46UtfpEdK1FgengskJYnWJBeMdWJWyH8wTyRmGYPuZhP8f1zm9FDzLAxx58Mwx1gYKponDJJd-qw3d8uCV4DEAxMyAb8HTphKMooIKGY8F7RRr0-XaM5Zc/s1600/F9wTJ5L.gif
http://i.imgur.com/F9wTJ5L.gif
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-drink-man-woman-16/new-pioneer-generation-advertisement-starring-mark-lee-4755605.html


By Daniel Yun, mypaper, myp@sph.com.sg, Published on Aug 19, 2014
The writer is a film-maker and life coach. He blogs at danielyunhx.com


Pioneer Generation Package (Mandarin) - The Musical

By gov singapore, published on Jul 25, 2014
Our Pioneer Generation helped build our nation into the Singapore it is today following our independence.

Hence we need to honour them, recognise their contributions and care for them in their silver years.

The Pioneer Generation Package helps provide assurance for their healthcare needs for life. To find out more, visit www.pioneers.sg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNHGqE1SC8w


Pioneer Generation Package: The Musical - Behind the Scenes (Hokkien/Mandarin with Eng subs)

By gov singapore, published on Aug 10, 2014
Watch Mark Lee’s and Sebastian Tan’s special Hokkien/Mandarin rendition of ‘Pioneer Generation Package: The Musical’ in this behind-the-scenes video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gVcc5dakrc
 


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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

How to reassure Ah Pek on the Pioneer Package

My Paper, Thursday, May 22, 2014, Page A10, News, Opinion
From http://epaper.mypaper.sg/emnd/fvxen/fvxp/fvxpress.php?param=2014-05-22
Source Website: http://mypaper.sg/opinion/how-reassure-ah-pek-pioneer-package-20140522
By Jeremy Lim, mypaper, myp@sph.com.sg, Published on May 22, 2014


SHOW AND TELL
PHOTO: SHOW AND TELL: This show in Hougang last month used English, Mandarin and dialects to explain details of the Pioneer Generation Package. While communicating the benefits is vital, perhaps the challenge lies in the complexity of the design.
PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7Q5Y2m1ggYNyhKfaqIdApTKXW1RCC3cdytFjfu8zi5aHhGFf-Rv4nbQ9a9S3sMJGBNvDlFsQuy_qjnqaqhAT45qxUSfP_PSq0lJouJNotCVBzG5Q7nJZ2fVJCQXOq6bc6pweeTdwujQ/s1600/How+to+reassure+Ah+Pek+on+the+Pioneer+Package-1.jpg
My Paper, Thursday, May 22, 2014, Page A10, News, Opinion


AMID the euphoria of the Pioneer Generation Package (PGP) announcements, it is hard to be a wet blanket. In fact, it seems almost churlish to question the package of medical subsidies the Government has committed to giving the "pioneer generation", or those aged 65 and above.

But before the headlong rush into implementing the package, it would be timely to step back and ask whether there are aspects that can be done differently.

I do not doubt the Government's sincerity and commitment. At the same time, one cannot help but wonder whether the package will fully achieve its twin objectives of providing our pioneers with not only lifelong medical care but also financial peace of mind.

For the PGP, simplicity is vital. The scheme targets citizens who are educationally, linguistically and socially diverse. Policymakers have to deliver messages simple enough to be understood and yet powerful enough to resonate.

If one does not understand, it is difficult to feel reassured.

A recent survey highlighted that seven in 10 Singaporeans had heard of the PGP but more than half admitted they did not know or understand the benefits. The statistics involving the target group - the pioneers - I suspect, would be even more modest.

It is striking that in rolling out the PGP, the Government has found it necessary to establish a task force, helmed by two ministers, which has prioritised communicating the benefits to the intended recipients.

The co-chairman of the task force, Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor, described last month plans to train 1,000 front-line staff and said that the Government would be "running through with them the various questions and concerns that Singaporeans may have regarding health-care subsidies and also to help them address some of these questions and concerns to provide reassurance to patients".

Perhaps the challenge really lies in the complexity of the design. From a policy perspective, the PGP sits on top of the existing 3M (Medisave, MediShield, Medifund), Chas (Community Health Assist Scheme) and CDMP (Chronic Disease Management Programme) schemes, which, arguably, most Singaporeans do not fully understand anyway.

Under the proposed system, there are multiple tiers of subsidy, depending on whether the presenting disease is deemed "simple" or "complex", whether the disease is included in the CDMP, and so on.

The contrast with many countries with universal health coverage is stark. The message should be simple: At the point you need health care, concentrate on getting well; don't worry about money.

In many schemes globally, no co-payments are required, or if there are, these are in the form of fixed amounts with annual limits. In Singapore, the individual's co-payment can soar, while the Government's share (subsidy amount) is capped.

Australia announced in its Budget last week that the government would impose a A$7 (S$8.10) co-payment for each visit to the general practitioner, up to a total of A$70 a year for concessional patients.

No caveats depending on type of disease, no exclusions depending on housing type or income. Just a simple A$7 figure to understand and remember.

This brings me to the second point. It is better to frame the scheme to be viewed through the lens of the pioneer and not the policymaker.

While $9 billion is an admirable commitment to the health- care needs of the pioneer generation, the pioneer would much rather know what he needs to pay individually rather than the amount the Government subsidises.

Imagine the thoughts running through the mind of a pioneer: "Yes, it is good to know there is a $28.50 per visit subsidy for a common illness like a cough or cold, but how much do I need to pay? Nothing? $10? $20? More?"

The Government's concerns over unanticipated costs and the instinct to safeguard public coffers are understandable and perhaps even natural.

But to the Singaporean living on $1,000 a month, a mis-estimation of the medical bill by $50 is 5 per cent of all he has; to the Government, the same mis-estimation occurring for even 10 per cent of our pioneers is $2.25 million, or barely a quarter of a per cent of the $9 billion allocated.

Perhaps the risk of getting the numbers wrong is a yoke easier borne by the Government's accountants than by elderly Singaporeans.

The PGP is the cornerstone of the Government's 2014 Budget. The Government has correctly read the minds of the pioneer generation that fears around health care weigh heavily.

The political will is there to make a difference; Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has declared to the pioneer generation that he and his Government will "make medical care always affordable for you".

Let's design the PGP such that every Singaporean in the pioneer generation can easily understand and use it, safe and secure in the comforting reassurance of a nation's gratitude.

By Jeremy Lim, mypaper, myp@sph.com.sg, Published on May 22, 2014
The writer is a partner in the global consulting firm Oliver Wyman. This article first appeared in The Straits Times.

 To the Singaporean living on $1,000 a month, a mis-estimation of the medical bill by $50 is 5 per cent of all he has; to the Government, the same mis-estimation occurring for even 10 per cent of our pioneers is $2.25 million, or barely a quarter of a per cent of the $9 billion allocated.

PHOTO: Simplicity is vital. To the Singaporean living on $1,000 a month, a mis-estimation of the medical bill by $50 is 5 per cent of all he has; to the Government, the same mis-estimation occurring for even 10 per cent of our pioneers is $2.25 million, or barely a quarter of a per cent of the $9 billion allocated.

Perhaps the risk of getting the numbers wrong is a yoke easier borne by the Government's accountants than by elderly Singaporeans.

It is better to frame the scheme to be viewed through the lens of the pioneer and not the policymaker.
PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES, Published on May 14, 2014
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rVOTExbIWTxmlG0sQD_KFqWkqwV4gd63kH3G0sZkaYTks_Gv4JsnNEfe_KPxdcxsodpVyQL_dqzuX81pzkbCgQhFRO0UmSBu46cFd6zHXdyvIT9grT5WW-Wo4J4LjbCCvwck-9oPPAg/s1600/MY_20140514_OPINION14_P_316988.jpg
http://mypaper.sg/sites/default/files/field/image/20140514/MY_20140514_OPINION14_P_316988.jpg
http://mypaper.sg/opinion/problem-overconfidence-20140514
 


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