Singaporean musician ShiGGa Shay rap battles against himself in Gatsby commercial

Singaporean rapper ShiGGa Shay is the star of a new ad for hair styling brand Gatsby.

The one-minute video shows the musician, known for his pompadour hairstyle, embroiled in a heated rap battle against two different versions of himself.

The first, named ‘Street Shigga’, is dressed in the rapper’s usual getup with his trademark hairstyle. In contrast, ‘Sleek Shigga’ is shown sporting slicked-back hair and a tailor-made suit. The set-up is deigned to show the two main uses of Gatsby pomade – a sleek, classical look and one for the street.

Created by Arcade, the video ends with viewers being asked to pick a side – The Sleek, or The Street.

The brand’s sales and marketing director Takaya Ueda said: “We wanted a new and unique concept that would resonate with young males in Singapore, whilst bringing them a quality pomade at an affordable price. Working with a talented local rapper was a great experience and the results so far have been really positive. We’ve not only seen a significant increase in social media followers, but also an increase in sales.”

The video and digital campaign will be supported by a series of on-ground activations such as in-store and on campus pop-up barber shops where participants can get their hair professionally styled according to the side they pick ‘The Sleek’ or ‘The Street’.

Credits

Agency: Arcade

Mark Taylor: CCO

Gary Tranter: CCO

Angelina Tan: Account director

Tracy Ong: Account executive

Shaun Lee: Creative services director

Sunny Chuang: Art director

Pek Li Jun: Copywriter

Keith Chang: Producer

Michelle O’Brien: Senior planner

Clients

Takaya Ueda: Sales and marketing director of Mandom Corp Singapore 

Shane Sng: Senior marketing executive (Gatsby)