ANALYSIS: Advertising - God sheds light on regulatory minefield - Religious diversity has cost a series of God ads free run in Singapore

The Singapore government's decision to ban a church-backed television and print advertising promoting God, highlights the regulatory minefield that agencies face in this culturally and religiously diverse country. This tiny nation of more than three million people is home to Buddhists or Taoists (more than 50 per cent), Muslims (15 per cent), Christians (13 per cent) and Hindus (three per cent). In addition, the ethnic cocktail comprises Chinese, Malays and Indians. Little wonder then that when the Churches of the Love Singapore Movement and its agency Ogilvy & Mather rolled out a high-profile campaign aimed at presenting God in a more benevolent light, the government pulled the ads from television stations and newspapers. The campaign has been deemed as too intrusive amid concerns that it would upset the non-Christian majority. In a statement, the Singapore Broadcasting Authority said: "Religious advertisements are not allowed on television as Singapore is a multi-racial society and such advertising would be seen as proselytizing." But creatives are undaunted by the ruling. One of them is Eugene Cheong, O&M's head of copy who played a lead role in developing the God ads. He said: "Creativity will always find a way of breaking the rules in the name of social progress." Bartle Bogle Hegarty executive creative director Steve Elrick believes the government is correct in striving for social harmony, but he adds that "sometimes they are far too safe and conservative". Cheong characterised the churches behind the God ads as progressive. Out of some 1,000 churches in Singapore, the Churches of the Love Singapore Movement is made up of 150 churches across a broad range of denominations. "They don't sing 15th century songs. They are trying to be in the 21st century and they are doing this by embracing the arts and technology. They have some of the best musicians and musical instruments. They have the most advanced audio visual equipment in the market and they even have an interactive guy," Cheong said. The aim of the churches' campaign, which is now restricted to outdoors and below-the-line, is to put God in a contemporary, affable and witty light. The movement's main objective is to correct the misconception of God from a disapproving schoolmaster to a figure who is witty and approachable as well as omnipresent and all-powerful, according to Reverend Canon Derek Hong. The Television Corporation of Singapore and Singapore Press Holdings initially approved the ad's planned run even after O&M had alerted both media companies to the possibility that the campaign could be deemed as controversial and banned. When asked why it wasn't common practice for agencies to ask the authorities for approval at the storyboard stage, a source said, "Never ask first. They invariably say no. When in doubt, their policy is to say 'no'." Another noted that the government would sometimes "allow things that it most likely would not have allowed before because it takes into account changes in social norms". Which rings true especially when seen in the context of bolder ad campaigns appearing in the city. But Cheong says it is unfair for the God ads to be singled out. "They ought to level the playing field and ban all religious advertising from the mass media, not just ours," he says in reference to other religious ads in the mass media. FCB regional executive creative director Chris Kyme agreed, saying, "The ad authority should revisit their strategy. Either have a rule which is consistent or not." Added Cheong: "The difference between ours and the others is that we are a bit more organised. We appear to have a strategy and a plan." And this is possibly where the problem lies; too much organisation and strategy frightens the authorities into thinking that its carefully laid plans for social harmony could be disrupted. Cheong insists that the campaign is aimed solely at correcting a misconception and has not been designed to drive up church attendance. But others in the industry disagree. BBH's Elrick said that no matter how sensitively or tastefully executed a campaign is, the problem lies with the content and its objectives. "If they weren't preaching, what were the ads about. If the aim wasn't to convert, then there's no point to the ads." However, Cheong insists the ads will not make people believe in God. They might generate conversations, discussions or debates that could lead to a reassessment of a person's belief. For a person to make such fundamental changes, he would need books like the Bible, the Torah or the Koran to help the transformation along, said Cheong. "The campaign aims to make God more relevant. One-liners won't change things too dramatically. If they predispose you towards God, the ads have done their job." He also denied coming up with the advertising concept and then pitching it to the movement as a precursor to entering award shows. "The idea of us pitching to them to spend Sdollars 2 million so that we can enter awards is preposterous. The clients are not stupid," he countered. But he made no secret of the fact that he may enter the campaign in award shows. "I told the reverend that we were going to send the ads for competition. He was very amused by it." As debate rages on, the church movement is looking into more innovative ways to kick-start the campaign. One channel it is examining is mobile telephone short message services.

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