CNY is a festive period where Chinese go visiting with the popular greeting, "Gong Xi Fa Cai", exchanged generously. Gong Xi Fa Cai, loosely translates to "wishing you get rich", so is getting rich so important to the Chinese that we go round wishing that others strike it rich as well?
Well, some of the "traditions", or activities, of CNY includes gambling- from ban lak(black jack), Tai Tee, Mahjong, and even now the yearly $10 million Toto draw (darn, no luck this year...)! So, it appears that a lot of people are always in hope of that quick buck, and gambling is definitely one of the most dangerous way to adhere to.
My subject for this entry is a television commercial that struck me on the weeks leading up to and during CNY. It was constantly aired during the commercials (and even on tv mobile!) and came in two languages, English and Mandarin, but why not in Tamil and Malay?
The issue I'd like to raise in this entry is, have you watched this video before and if so, has it left an impact on you? Would it be effective in getting gamblers or family members to call the helpline number right at the end of it?
If you have not watched it, I've embedded the video into this entry, please take a look at it and comment!
Below are the two videos taken from youtube for your reference,
English verison:
Chinese version
This is the transcript of the videos in English:
"You know me,
I know what I'm doing,
I can win it all back.
My luck is changing,
I'm going to strike the big one.
Imagine what we can do.
One more try,
this will be my last...
I promise I'll give it back to you"
The high frequency of this message definitely caught my attention and the communication through the use of the mass media by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has been effective in letting the public know of its existence as well as creating awareness on the problem of gambling that plagues many families.
According to Seiler & Beall,
"Perception is the process of selecting, organizing and interpreting information in order to give personal meaning to the communication we receive."(1999)So, with that in mind, the message the video is trying to convey also requires us (as receivers) to select, organise and interpret the information and give personal meaning to.
This video has four specific qualities to aid my selection of information:
- Frequency - as mentioned earlier, this commercial was constantly aired on channel 5, 8 and TV mobile, leaving an impression on me.
- Contrast - The contrast between the desperateness of the father asking for money and the the fear and sense of hopelessness from the daughter highlights the problem gamblers could induce into families.
- Intensity - The intensity portrayed by the actor with his speech being broken down into short sentences amplifies the message from each sentence.
- Novel Stimuli - There's two here, the words from the father is typical of a gambling addict, always believing that his "luck is changing" and he just wants "one more try" and it would be "my last". At the end, a young girl, supposedly his daughter, is portrayed clutching onto her "piggy bank", oh my, how much could that be for his father to take from to gamble away?
This video also makes use of two organizational principles, figure and ground, and closure.
- Figure and ground - did you realize that all the shots focuses only on the characters, and after that it highlights the message it intends to send out captivatingly in text , "often, the people who suffer from problem gambling aren't the gamblers."
- Closure - not much information was provided, but I was still able to come to conclusion with what the whole situation the family could be facing...
The non-verbal communication in this video is normative and idiosyncratic in interpretation as the way the father talks and the daughter's non-verbal reply is typical of a Chinese family where children are usually taught not to rebuff their parents requests. The piggy bank the girl was holding on to was an objectics or artifact to symbolize the girls savings, as the piggy bank is usually where children keep all their money in. Also observe the the facial expression of the father when he's talking to his daughter, and notice the tremor in his body (kinesics) actions and voice (paralinguistic) when he says "one more try", showing that he is even nervous (maybe ashamed?) about asking his daughter for money. Also note his eyes (oculesics) throughout the video, how in instances when he felt ashamed he would look down, and when he mentions "imagine what we could do", his eyes lit up.
Overall, this video is effective in its use of language (simple and concise) and non-verbal cues to accentuate its emotions and meaning. With CNY come and about to be gone, plus the casinos in sentosa and marina resort coming up in Singapore, what better time will there be in arousing public awareness of such an problem and the avenue for help should families need it.
I think this video also has an implied message to all viewers, and the message is for people to think twice before gambling and getting addicted to it, because you won't be the only one suffering...
Overall, I feel that although this advertisement could have been useful in creating awareness of such a problem existing in families, it might not be as impactful in getting people to actually call the helpline.
I have my doubts,
what do you think?
References:
Lecture notes
Seiler & Beall, communication making connection, 1999:31
http://www.upperstorey.com/ncpg3/index.html
P.S. for those of you out there who are facing a similar situation, please do not hesitate to call the helpline,
Problem gambling hotline: 1800-6-668-668
I do agree that it takes quite a bit of courage to pick up the phone and dial the helpline for help. For we all know that people try not to 'hang the dirty linen outside'. but at least, when these people decide to get help, they know what to do/where to get help.
Well, the main problem lies with the gambler... If he refuses to admit to his addiction and receive help offered... there's practically no hope. No one in their right mind should help them by giving money, as this will just worsen their condition.
GAMBLING is no no no, not good.
But for the fun of CNY, why not.
gambling is very addictive and there is no way to stop it unless you have the determination. But with so much knowledge of how gambling destroys one or the entire family, it is not that easy to just quit.
creating awareness for this pressing issue is just not enough because people don't quit by knowing that it exists. probably a good way for it is by not encouraging.
With the casino coming up, it is a HUGE encouragement for gamblers because the government is making it legal. Although there are certain limitations in going in with the $100 entrance, to think about it, what is $100 to gamblers who think that they can make a fortune in turn of $100.
There is really no way of stopping it.
yup, there you go, my piece of mind. ohm... ... ...
Hello,
I think it's definitely a good first step, that a person is willing to recognise their own problems & attempt to seek help. Thus, I believe the helpline can only be helpful. Gambling is a serious problem, which plagues all societies & destroys families. With the up coming Casino resort, it will surely increase & aggrevate the number of gambling & bad debt issues.
- Janson
One of the reasons why I think they chose to do the commercial in Chinese only instead of Tamil or Malay is because it was the Chinese festive period and well.. Chinese have a higher tendency to gamble than Malay and Indian people. It sounds pretty stereotypical to say this, but there is some degree of truth in this.. The fact that gambling is commonplace during CNY shows that it has found its way into Chinese culture somehow.
Lets not forget that it was the Chinese who invented Mah Jong and dominos too..
-Clarence
Gambling is so addictive but I feel that we must teach the public the probabilities of striking it rich (which is once in a blue moon). I think it would be better that way so that people realize it is pure luck when they won and it is better to use the money for BETTER investment.
For me, I think the video helps people to realize that their loved ones are also suffering when they lose their money through gambling. However, it does not help when the government is strongly agreeable to building a casino in our shores.
have you all realized that the Chinese are the only race that goes round wishing others to get rich (Gong xi fa cai) during their new year?
thanks clarence for clarify the part and reason on why the clip wasn't done in other language.
I think we all seem to agree on the addictiveness of gambling, and by this I mean that once you're addicted to it, you don't know that you're addicted to it. It's like a drug, it will become essential to you when you're hooked onto it, and even when you win, you just want to win more, if you lose, you believe that you can win it all back.
So looking back at the video, I think it is wonderfully done to remind addicts of the more important things in life, ie your family rather then just making money, however essential that could be.
so another question i would like to raise here now is, what do you think could be a more effective way to tackle gambling addiction?
I'm sure you saw how the media tried to deter smokers with shocking advertisements, but could gambling do that?
what is really important in the minds of a gambling addict? the family? or the need to make more money?
how or what kind of appeal is needed to discourage them from gambling?