Film Craft > Production
GOOD ENOUGH HANDWASHING AIN'T GOOD ENOUGH
SAATCHI & SAATCHI, Singapore / PROCTER & GAMBLE / 2021
Overview
Credits
OVERVIEW
Write a short summary of what happens in the film.
This film is the accompanying music video for Philippine’s first rapper influenzah (influencer), Fred D’ Germ's debut single - "Hugas Na Rin 'Yan", or “That’s as good as washing too!”.
The 2-minute video features Fred's loud, obnoxious rap performance advocating the “benefits” of improper handwashing. Taking center stage in full hip-hop getup while rapping, Fred traverses the different universes of four character-types representing the four improper handwashing styles most prevalent among Filipinos:
• Wisik Wisik Man (Mr Sprinkle Sprinkle)
• Punas Punas Gang (Wipe it, Wipe-it-Gang)
• Miss Hugas Bilis (Miss Fast Wash)
• Mr Tissue Boy
The performance culminates in a showdown when Fred is pitted against legendary Pinoy rapper Gloc-9 representing Safeguard. They trade jabs in lyrical form, with Gloc-9 delivering a ruthless rebuttal to Fred's show of bravado, emerging victorious after emphasising the importance of practicing SafeWash, the proper handwash using Safeguard.
Cultural / Context information for the jury
Over 80-90% of Filipino adults were revealed to wash their hands with just water, or use alcohol sanitisers in lieu of handwashing, despite repeated reminders during Covid-19. Most of these improper handwashing behaviours were 100% human-intended – they didn’t arise due to water scarcity or a lack of access to soap, but due to a sense of complacency.
As one Filipino respondent explained: “When it comes to washing, a lot of Filipinos grew up with a ‘pwede na’ mentality. As long as your hands are wet, that’s good enough.” Washing as quickly as possible, using alcohol because they couldn’t be bothered going to the sink, or washing with only water. It’s the ‘pwede na’ or ‘that’s good enough” mentality at work.
By showing things from a germ's perspective, Safeguard wanted Filipinos to realise when they don't wash their hands properly, it’s as if they didn’t wash them at all.
Tell the jury about the creation of the original music track.
The lyrics of the song were a result of several lyrics-swapping, day-long, marathon songwriting sessions between us and Gloc-9, the Philippines’ most respected living rap star. We came up with catchy, easy-to-remember names for each character who represented a bad handwash habit. These memorable names then served as the jump off point by which we and Gloc-9 composed an entire song in classical rhyme using a rap meter. Every single revision and re-composition of lyrics also entailed a re-recording by Gloc-9 to make sure it maintained its “rap legitimacy” or “street cred”. To further ensure that Fred D’Germs’ first rap song would be a hit, we also enlisted one of the country’s top hitmakers Thyro Alfaro who helped to craft the earwormy melodic hook which became the repeating chorus.
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