Most people in Singapore know their neighbour's shoes better than their neighbour's name.
It wasn't always like that. Doors used to stay open, and everyone knew whose kid was whose. People called it the kampong spirit. Then, slowly, the doors closed.
So we sent someone to knock. Ben was the new neighbour in our two-part TVC, and he did something almost nobody does anymore. He said hello. He brought NESCAFÉ.
Then we took Ben off the screen and into real heartland neighbourhoods, with red mugs of coffee to share.
In stores, NESCAFÉ came with a red mug, so anyone could do the same. All 50,000 were gone within a week. Creating Friendships came back the next festive season, and the one after that.
But mostly, people were ready to say hello. Some of those shoes have names now.
P.S.It was my first big TVC shoot, and a coffee shoot at that. I drank MILO the whole time. Same company, so I think it's allowed.