Sandwich Gen : What Do You Think About This TV Commercial?

[AhMeng]

Parental pressure and family worries dominate NTUC's 'The Last Sandwich Generation' campaign
www.mumbrella.asia

​

A new campaign for NTUC Income called ‘The Last Sandwich Generation’ makes a case for investing early and saving for retirement.

Created by BBH Singapore, a campaign film called ‘The Promise’ chronicles the life of a young man struggling to meet the demands of his elderly parents, even as he tries to start a family of his own.

Considering the film’s protagonist talks about being “given everything while growing up”, the new campaign can be seen as an inversion of the ‘Worst Parents in the World’ idea from last year.

The campaign was built around research commissioned by Income and conducted by Kantar which revealed that 94% of individuals that fell within the ‘sandwich generation’ – having to care for elderly parents and young children – feel financially pressured. Among young Singaporeans, 80% fear they will become the next sandwich generation.

And 60% of this burgeoning sandwich generation has not started planning for retirement. However, nine in 10 parents believed they are better placed to prevent their children from becoming the next Sandwich Generation.

Speaking about the campaign Income chief marketing officer Marcus Chew said: “We believe that today’s generation of parents have better access to the knowledge and financial tools to be independent in their retirement years, as compared to their own parents before.

“By planning their retirement, they can ensure their children will not have to be ‘sandwiched’ in future since their parents are financially independent. We hope that our target audience will embrace this message that we have shared through a relatable campaign.”

​

BBH Singapore creative director Janson Choo added: “The thing about being a sandwich generation is that many of us have a defeatist attitude towards it. We think of it almost like part of adulthood or growing up, and it becomes a vicious cycle from parent to child.

“So when Marcus and his team proposed the idea of ending the ‘sandwich generation’, it immediately resonated with us. There is a way out. It’s not going to be easy, but we can be the last, so that our children won’t have to be sandwiched in the future.”

The campaign will play out over three months across social, digital, out of home and in-store advertising

Credits:
Agency: BBH Singapore
Chief creative officer: Joakim Borgstrom
Executive creative Director: Sascha Kuntze
Creative directors: Janson Choo & Khairul Mondzi
Account director: Manavi Sharma
Account manager: Priscilla Lim
Head of planning: Thomas Wagner
Strategist: Amanda Lim
Agency producer: Kim Lim
Production company: Freeflow Productions
Director: Roslee Yusof
Audio production: Fuse Adventures in Audio
Client: NTUC Income
Chief marketing officer: Marcus Chew
Head – brand marketing: Chloe Fair
Senior executive – brand marketing: Charis Leong

 

[AhMeng]

I think there are a lot of parents out there who had never planned their own retirement and will be a burden to their children in future. If you want to raise a kid or kids, please don't expect your kid to feed you when you are old. That's my point.

 

[Bad New Brown]

I think there are a lot of parents out there who had never planned their own retirement and will be a burden to their children in future. If you want to raise a kid or kids, please don't expect your kid to feed you when you are old. That's my point.

Your kids will send you to the Care Home and waiting for you to die (without visiting you to show love and care for you) when you die they will spend your money and take your property

 

[laksaboy]

It's all fearmongering.

 

[po2wq]

dat auntie u c pushing new financial planning products 4 sand witch generation ...

 

[AhMeng]

It's all fearmongering.

Not interested in the insurance fearmongering aspect rubbish. More interested in the fact that many parents have kids expecting the kids to look after their financial needs when they grow old.

 

[AhMeng]

If you want to raise kids, raise them unconditionally and don't expect a return like that cheebye father in the TV commercial. I dislike these sort of parents.Just my point of view...

 

[laksaboy]

The Sandwich Generation:

 

[jw5]

NTUC Income ads usually induce the reaction "Boo Friggin' Hoo". The previous one (where the guy got married and pretended to scold his parents) was even worse.

 

[RogerK]

If you want to raise kids, raise them unconditionally and don't expect a return like that cheebye father in the TV commercial. I dislike these sort of parents.Just my point of view...

Yes, in this world there are such cheebye father character. In all honesty, such cheebye father character tend to be far and few in between.

Think you fell for the advert that wantonly played up that cheebye father character.

I tend to believe what Laksaboy said - fearmongering. More so when election is round the corner. What would you expect from NTUC?

 

[AhMeng]

Yes, in this world there are such cheebye father character. In all honesty, such cheebye father character tend to be far and few in between.

Think you fell for the advert that wantonly played up that cheebye father character.

I tend to believe what Laksaboy said - fearmongering. More so when election is round the corner. What would you expect from NTUC?

Alamak, didn't meant to make you so upset .. Sorry Sorry
To be honest, I have a very close childhood friend whose father is exactly like that bastard in the TVC. Hence I posted this. I have helped him numerous times financially over the years, and when I watched that beedio a while ago, it reminded me of the fuckup father of this, who is still alive and asking for money, knowing fully well that his son, my friend, isnt that well paid. I even overhead a similar conversation between his father and him when I was over at his place years years ago....

 

[zhihau]

Even without factoring the rising costs of living, these endowments will be quickly eroded by inflation.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

If you want to raise kids, raise them unconditionally and don't expect a return like that cheebye father in the TV commercial. I dislike these sort of parents.Just my point of view...

The worst shit I have heard is parents saying that Children should not expect any inheritance from the parents,,,but these parents would never say,,when shit hits the fan,,they expect their kids to look after them..and also alot of 3rd world country folks have kids is due to the kids being their retirement plan,,,,they dont do things for the kids besides feed the,,,no development etc and expect kids to take care of them,,,what sorry excuses of human beings

 

[hofmann]

Yes, in this world there are such cheebye father character. In all honesty, such cheebye father character tend to be far and few in between.

Think you fell for the advert that wantonly played up that cheebye father character.

I tend to believe what Laksaboy said - fearmongering. More so when election is round the corner. What would you expect from NTUC?

The situation is made worse by the existence of the Maintenance of Parents Act. It legalizes the behaviour of Cheebye fathers and mothers who can go to court to get handouts from their kids.

Eg if the fucked up parent(s) decide to gamble away all their money at (il)legal casinos or Toto/4D, they can go to court to get some more.

It absolves the older folks of the need to be financially responsible for themselves.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

The situation is made worse by the existence of the Maintenance of Parents Act. It legalizes the behaviour of Cheebye fathers and mothers who can go to court to get handouts from their kids.

Eg if the fucked up parent(s) decide to gamble away all their money at (il)legal casinos or Toto/4D, they can go to court to get some more.

It absolves the older folks of the need to be financially responsible for themselves.

That is why such ppl should not be allowed to breed. I hope they bring in breeding licences and the stop at 2. Unfortunately pap is doing the opposite.
Getting pregnant through IVF now safer for older women, doctors say
A pregnant woman holds her tummy. (Photo: Pexels)Share this content
Bookmark
SINGAPORE: Getting pregnant through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments is now safer for older women because of better management of possible age-related complications for mothers and their babies, say doctors.
But advancements in healthcare do not mean women above 45 years old can conceive easily.
Singapore currently imposes an age limit of 45 years old for women undergoing assisted reproduction technology (ART) procedures, including IVF treatments. That cap will be removed from Jan 1, 2020, as part of Government measures announced on Wednesday (Aug 28) to support marriage and parenthood.
READ: Singapore to remove age limit for IVF treatments, introduce new subsidies
Doctors CNA spoke to said that the age limit exists because medical conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, may be more common in older women and their chances of conceiving are lower.
However, advances in the treatment of these conditions have led to good outcomes in complicated pregnancies, said senior consultant at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital’s Reproductive Medicine department Dr Sadhana Nadarajah.
“Neonatal care has also improved significantly over the years, leading to good outcomes even in high-risk pregnancies,” added Dr Sadhana, who is part of a Ministry of Health committee that looks at assisted reproduction regulations.
Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) Associate Professor Yong Tze Tein said complicated pregnancies for older women are handled by multidisciplinary specialists - including those outside her department - such as cardiologists.
They would discuss how to reduce the potential risks for the mother and the baby before starting treatment.
READ: Why Singaporean women are going to Johor to make babies
“We are medically better. We can look after older patients better, and deal with the possible complications they may face," she explained.
"Older women have higher risk of miscarriage and they are more likely to have stillbirth. We can offer good detection (and) good support to look after them."
"EXTREMELY RARE" FOR WOMEN ABOVE 45 TO CONCEIVE
Despite the change in regulations, doctors cautioned that the chances of conceiving through IVF are low for women above 45.
Assoc Prof Yong said that after the age of 43, the chances of conceiving through IVF are "a few per cent, a single digit". In comparison, the chances of success are close to 40 per cent for women below the age of 35, she added.
"We recognise that we have all types of women and we do know that with age, our fertility drops, but it's not the same for everyone," she explained.
READ: Early pregnancy stress tied to sons' infertility
Sometimes, potential mothers are misguided about their chances of having a baby through IVF when news of elderly women becoming pregnant are published.
In some of these cases, the women get pregnant through egg donors, Assoc Prof Yong said. The older a woman, the lower the number and quality of her eggs, and conceiving through IVF after the age of 50 could be "unrealistic", she added.
“Sometimes we worry about giving false hope,” she said.
Similarly, Dr Sadhana said that although women are generally healthier and live longer, it is “extremely rare” for women above 45 to conceive.
“However, lifting the age limit will allow women to use frozen embryos that they may have created before and did not get a chance to use due to personal or health reasons,” she said.
Medical director of Virtus Fertility Centre Dr Ann Tan warned that if a miscarriage occurs, it may then lead to the need for invasive procedures to remove the pregnancy tissue. Those procedures could potentially damage the uterine environment, further decreasing the women’s chance for fertility.
The doctors encouraged couples to start trying younger.
“We don't want the public to be lulled into complacency. It's safer and better for women to get pregnant earlier. They do better, and the babies do better, and their chances of getting pregnant are higher,” Assoc Prof Yong said.
HELP FOR IUI PROCEDURE
Couples going through the less invasive IUI procedure at public assisted reproduction centres – the Singapore General Hospital, KK Women's and Children's Hospital and National University Hospital – will receive new subsidies from 2020.
Doctors said that it is likely that couples may start trying IUI earlier.
Singaporean couples can get up to S$1,000 co-funding per cycle for three cycles of procedure at a public assisted reproduction centre.
The procedure involves taking ejaculated semen, enhancing its physical features and inserting the semen into the uterus around the time of ovulation.
The co-funding could offset a large bulk of the cost of a IUI cycle, which typically costs about S$1,300 – cheaper than an IVF cycle.
National University Hospital Obstetrics and Gynaecology consultant Dr Shakina Rauff said that without such co-funding, many patients have chosen to bypass IUI and go straight to IVF treatments, which currently have co-funding.
“Now, they don’t have to hold back on doing so or be reluctant to do IUI first anymore just because of cost issues,” she said.
Dr Tan said that the financial help will nudge couples to start on their fertility journey earlier. This will be especially useful when the female is still ovulating and has healthy fallopian tubes, while their partner has semen issues.

Ms Sumitha Nair with her son Arjun Dev, who was conceived through IVF, and husband Vijay Kumar. (Photo: Sumitha Nair)
For Ms Sumitha Nair, who had her child in 2017 with the help of IVF, the changes signal more support for older women who are still trying.
Ms Sumitha’s four-year journey towards pregnancy was not an easy one, involving oral medications, IUI and IVF.
"I wanted to try IUI first because it was not as invasive and involved fewer injections, but after my second one, I got really dejected. I stopped all procedures and medications," she said.
Ms Sumitha went for two IUI cycles at a private clinic that set her back by about S$6,000. She took a break, and was recommended to another doctor across the border in Malaysia.
"It was long, painful and expensive, but it was all worth it."
The 37-year-old manager said the new subsidies are a good move. "I think it would help those couples trying the IUI route greatly, especially if they need more than one cycle."
Dr Sadhana said it is always best to have a family as early as possible, but acknowledged that the vast majority of patients in their 40s who manage to carry a child to full-term will have a relatively uncomplicated pregnancy, largely due to access to good medical care.
"Couples who are above 40 years should not be discouraged from having children," she said.
"Having said that, it is imperative that the couple understand their risks and chances, so that they can make an informed decision."
Source: CNA/ja(mi)

 

[RogerK]

Alamak, didn't meant to make you so upset .. Sorry Sorry
To be honest, I have a very close childhood friend whose father is exactly like that bastard in the TVC. Hence I posted this. I have helped him numerous times financially over the years, and when I watched that beedio a while ago, it reminded me of the fuckup father of this, who is still alive and asking for money, knowing fully well that his son, my friend, isnt that well paid. I even overhead a similar conversation between his father and him when I was over at his place years years ago....

No Bro AhMeng, you did not upset me.
Helping your friend is a good deed!! Keep it up.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Alamak, didn't meant to make you so upset .. Sorry Sorry
To be honest, I have a very close childhood friend whose father is exactly like that bastard in the TVC. Hence I posted this. I have helped him numerous times financially over the years, and when I watched that beedio a while ago, it reminded me of the fuckup father of this, who is still alive and asking for money, knowing fully well that his son, my friend, isnt that well paid. I even overhead a similar conversation between his father and him when I was over at his place years years ago....

If we all go to school to be educated, go to uni etc to train to be a professional...why can't couples be trained to have and bring up children? Why cant licences etc be issued to have kids...treat breeding like bank loans...have to qualify onself to get loans...so couples need to qualify themselves to have kids. This will minimise the trailer park trash n single moms etc

 

[RogerK]

The situation is made worse by the existence of the Maintenance of Parents Act. It legalizes the behaviour of Cheebye fathers and mothers who can go to court to get handouts from their kids.

Eg if the fucked up parent(s) decide to gamble away all their money at (il)legal casinos or Toto/4D, they can go to court to get some more.

It absolves the older folks of the need to be financially responsible for themselves.

Yes, this world has all kinds of people. Some parents are really ... I don't know what to say.

But not all parents are like that. There are many caring parents in this world. They gave the best to their kids and expecting nothing in return. A lot of them helped their kids to pay the down payment for the kids' 1st property.

With regards to the Maintenance of Parents Act, I wonder if it is just the government's way of doing things. Pushing all social responsibility back to the family and relatives. A case to point - When somebody get admitted into the hospital and if he didn't have money to pay, then the kids, mother, father etc will be dragged in to foot the hospital bill. Is this correct?

In the case of the fucked up parent(s) decide to gamble away all the money, is the same argument the government used with regards to our CPF. LOL.
Again, one swallow does not a summer make. How many percent are we talking about?

 

[hofmann]

If we all go to school to be educated, go to uni etc to train to be a professional...why can't couples be trained to have and bring up children? Why cant licences etc be issued to have kids...treat breeding like bank loans...have to qualify onself to get loans...so couples need to qualify themselves to have kids. This will minimise the trailer park trash n single moms etc

Because that would be a huge leap forward towards dystopia. Only the elite would end up breeding. Just look at how COEs for cars have kept the poor off our roads.

Having said that, on the new colonies in Luna, Mars or Titan, it's highly likely the early settlers may require a licence to breed given the limited resources on each settlement.

So who the fuck knows what's right anymore.

 

[hofmann]

Yes, this world has all kinds of people. Some parents are really ... I don't know what to say.

But not all parents are like that. There are many caring parents in this world. They gave the best to their kids and expecting nothing in return. A lot of them helped their kids to pay the down payment for the kids' 1st property.

With regards to the Maintenance of Parents Act, I wonder if it is just the government's way of doing things. Pushing all social responsibility back to the family and relatives. A case to point - When somebody get admitted into the hospital and if he didn't have money to pay, then the kids, mother, father etc will be dragged in to foot the hospital bill. Is this correct?

In the case of the fucked up parent(s) decide to gamble away all the money, is the same argument the government used with regards to our CPF. LOL.
Again, one swallow does not a summer make. How many percent are we talking about?

Your guess is as good as mine. I'll put my money on 20% taking inspiration from the 80/20 rule.