Singapore property portal uses image of child dragged from home to advertise virtual viewing service
A Singapore real estate portal is using a bizarre image of a distressed child being dragged out of a home by her mother to promote a 360-degree video property viewing service.
The supposedly humourous print ad, for Singapore Real Estate Exchange (SRX), which ran in the Straits Times yesterday, features the cover line “Tired of dragging your family to open houses?” to suggest using srx.com.sg’s virtual home tours instead.
The image shows a girl being pulled along a living room floor by her foot. Only the mother’s arms and legs are visible in the shot, which has the tone of a scene of domestic abuse.
In the blurb to introduce the virtual tour, the advertiser suggests that the use of 360-degree video “means the seller is serious.”
In a statement, Sam Baker, CEO of StreetSine, responded: “Mumbrella was correct in observing that the ad was designed to be humorous. When the ad was tested with our focus group, it was by far the most popular of the four visuals we are using in a campaign to introduce more transparent and efficient ways to buy, sell and rent real estate.”
“We are sorry that Mumbrella interpreted the ad negatively. The intention of v360 technology is to reduce the hassle of house-hunting for both children and parents. Having moved five times as a child, I thought house-hunting was a drag and the metaphor used in the ad resonated with me. The ad suggests that instead of metaphorically dragging your children to an open house, you can house-hunt from the comfort of your sofa while your children play or study nearby. That’s a win-win for both parents and children.”
Singapore Real Estate Exchange was formed in 2011 by local start-up StreetSine, with 11 major estate agencies posting their deals on the portal. StreetSine was majority acquired by Singapore Press Holdings in 2014, and the SRX and STProperty portals merged into one platform.
Another in house SPH ad that’s so creative (not) …?
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