Man's skimpy attire in TV ad is disgusting
I wrote to Mocca.com on Sept 18 to voice my and my friends' disgust at the tasteless, vulgar advertisement that is being shown frequently over our television channels at all times of the day.
I got a reply from the customer service saying that contrary to our opinion, they had been receiving favourable feedback.
Whilst I agree that people have different interpretations of advertisements, I am wondering who the perverts are who think that this commercial, featuring a skimpily-dressed guy trying to sell his flat, is tasteful.
If majority of Singaporeans think this advertisement is all right, then I am very sad. It means Singapore's moral values have gone down the drain!
Could we have a consensus on this advertisement? If the majority thinks it is disgusting, then Mocca.com should take it off the air.
Vivien Koh Swee Hoon (Ms)
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Mocca.com commercial: Take it in the right spirit
I REFER to Ms Vivien Koh Swee Hoon's complaint against the Mocca.com television advertisement, 'Man's skimpy attire in TV ad is disgusting' (Online forum, Sept 24).
The writer must understand that there are a lot more flesh-revealing images on our media today. The man in the Mocca.com advertisement she so detests is apparently a bodybuilder and bodybuilders, just like women in beauty pageants, have to parade in skimpy clothing.
He was even doing standard bodybuilding poses. If that is disgusting, I don't know what isn't.
The advertisement was done to show the dynamism in advertising, using the irrational incompatibility of a bodybuilder selling his house as a technique to both draw laughter and advertise Mocca.com's services.
If Singapore's values have gone down the drain, we might as well scrap bodybuilding and beauty pageants as they reveal too much flesh. In that sense, we might as well ban bikinis and brief-trunks at swimming pools and beaches.
I think it is quite sad that new-age puritanism in our country threatens to rob us of our sense of fun and humour.
Ho Chi Sam
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One's idea of fun and humorous may be highly offensive to others and harmful to society
I REFER to Mr Ho Chi Sam's letter, 'Mocca.com commercial: Take it in the right spirit' (ST, Sept 26).
I strongly disagree with his views that Ms Vivien Koh Swee Hoon's complaint against the Mocca.com television advertisement, 'Man's skimpy attire in TV ad is disgusting' (ST, Sept 24), constituted 'new-age puritanism'.
Ms Koh, as a concerned member of the public, has the right to object to the advertisement's indecent and offensive content.
''Decency' is determined by what members of the public think it is, and when they express it to be decent or indecent, as Ms Koh has done.
Mr Ho should cease from extreme labels such as 'new-age puritanism'.
What he finds fun and humorous may be highly offensive to others and harmful to society.
Ms Koh's complaint is a legitimate call to decency. We should avoid unhelpful and hurtful labelling of others.
The right to free speech is not absolute; there are unwritten responsibilities attached to any right under the law.
Public decency is a common good or community value. We should not objectify human bodies, but appreciate and uphold the dignity of each person.
Andrew Lim Chia Wei