Need proof? Just witness the antics of agencies in the latest telecoms advertising face-off.
Batey's campaign for StarHub employs a Jack Russell appropriately named Sparky. In touting StarHub's mobile coverage, the ad follows the fictitious saga of the lovable mutt who has gone missing. Fortunately, he's swallowed his master's StarHub mobile phone, which should make finding him a little easier. One ad shows a mock poster and the copy line: "Missing. Three-year old Jack Russell named Sparky ... swallowed a StarHub phone. May ring distinctly anywhere in Singapore."
If Sparky hasn't yet been found it's because the critter has been ambushed by DDB. In a cheeky move, DDB started taking out full-page ads in the local daily a few weeks back with a picture of Sparky and the copy-line: "Dear Sparky's owner ... switch to M1 for the lowest rate all day, all night."
Anthony Khoo, DDB vice-president account management, happily crowed that the publicity in The Business Times and on Channel i's evening news was testament to the success of the ambush exercise. Nick Marrett, Batey joint-CEO, was more circumspect: "I think it is the greatest compliment a competitor could give but if I were M1 I would have refrained from using StarHub's Sparky character. Best to let sleeping dogs lie.
