MCI inks content deal with Mediacorp to create variety show for seniors

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Mediacorp has launched a dialect variety programme Happy Together, or 《欢喜一家亲》, to engage seniors. The programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), aims to promote lifelong learning and empower seniors to stay healthy and active in their golden years.

In response to MARKETING-INTRACTIVE, a Mediacorp spokesperson said it will be leveraging its media network and the star power of its celebrities to drive awareness and publicity for the show, including rolling out trailers in both Chinese and dialect versions on free-to-air Channel 8, and featuring key show highlights and popular cast members such as Mark Lee, Marcus Chin and Liu Ling Ling, among others. These celebrities will also amplify publicity for the programme through TV and radio appearances. The spokesperson also added that there will be no product placements in the programme.

Each episode of the 10-part programme will spotlight a theme relevant to seniors’ everyday lives, such as digital literacy, going green or avoiding scams.

Bite-sized information on Government initiatives and tips will be weaved in through a mix of humour, drama, and a dose of competition.

The programme, which will feature local personalities familiar to seniors, will have three segments - anchor segment Comb Together, Mediacorp’s first dialect sitcom, and lifestlye segments Happy Academy, and I Can Cook, So Can You!.

Comb Together, Singapore's first-ever dialect sitcom, will revolve around heartland hair salon, which showcases stories of its customers in humorous and relatable everyday scenarios. Viewers can glean useful information on government initiatives such as COVID-19 vaccination, Merdeka Generation Package and support measures for cost of living.

Meanwhile, Happy Academy will pit veteran artistes Liu Lingling and Richard Low against each other as they learn new skills from younger experts and go through weekly challenges. Viewers can take the opportunity to learn practical skills alongside the artistes, such as using e-payment apps to buy food, decluttering and organising their homes, and even urban farming. Lastly, I Can Cook, So Can You!, is a competitive cooking show cum reality TV style segment that will show three seniors learning to cook from celebrity chef Teo Yeow Siang and compete with each other. Viewers can follow the seniors’ learning journeys and pick up healthy eating and cooking tips.

This is not Singapore's first foray in garnering appeal from seniors. In September this year, MCI launched a series of "Vaccinate Already?" music videos to encourage senior citizens to get vaccinated. Done in collaboration with Tribal Worldwide Singapore and Chuan Pictures, the videos were inspired by stage performances from the eighties. The music videos featured artists such as Wang Lei, Liu Ling Ling, Marcus Chin, Rahimah Rahim, and L. Vijayandran and were launched in Chinese, Malay, Tamil, and dialects such as Hokkien, Teochew, and Cantonese. To appeal to the seniors, the music videos took place at settings such as the wet market, a provision shop, and a coffee shop. Utilising the retro vibe and catchy melody in the videos, MCI aimed to address the importance of vaccination, especially for seniors and those with chronic illnesses.

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