This film proves finding a will shouldn’t require a séance

The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) is taking a humorous approach to a typically sombre subject, turning to the supernatural to remind Singaporeans that finding a loved one's will should not require communicating with the dead.

Titled "The last sign", the one-minute public education film follows a man named Will as he attempts to contact his late father using a Ouija board, asking where he kept his will.

As Will calls out to his father, the wind suddenly picks up, before his phone lights up with a notification directing him to check the SAL wills registry. The film closes with the line: "Sometimes the answer isn't on the other side."

Speaking to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Yeong Zee Kin, chief executive of the Singapore Academy of Law, said the campaign was built around the insight that while Singaporeans are paying greater attention to legacy planning, making a will is only one part of the process.

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Families may still face uncertainty if they do not know whether a will exists or where it has been kept, he explained. "At its core, it is a simple but meaningful effort to reduce the time, uncertainty and stress involved in locating a Will during what can already be a difficult period for families," said Yeong.

With wills and bereavement potentially difficult subjects to broach, SAL deliberately opted for a light-hearted, fictional and dramatised treatment to make the message more approachable and memorable.

According to Yeong, the supernatural premise provides an accessible entry point into a topic that might otherwise feel daunting, while illustrating the uncertainty families can experience when they do not know whether a will exists or where to find it.

"The video is not intended to represent, endorse, or make light of any particular belief or practice," he added. "Its central message is straightforward: planning ahead can reduce uncertainty and make it easier for loved ones to locate relevant will information when needed."

The campaign accompanies the launch of SAL's new "Wills repository service", which allows individuals to securely deposit a digital copy of their will with the SAL wills registry through participating law firms. It builds on the existing registry, which records whether a Will exists and where the original is kept.

SAL said "The last sign" forms part of its broader approach to making practical issues that may otherwise be overlooked more accessible to the public. By pairing a dramatised scenario with a clear action viewers can take, the film aims to encourage individuals to plan ahead and make it easier for their families to locate relevant will information when needed.

The campaign comes as other brands in Singapore have similarly leaned on storytelling to make practical or traditionally serious subjects more relatable to consumers.

In July, Income Insurance launched an emotional brand film for its Enhanced Home Insurance, created with Leo Singapore. Titled "Home is where memories live. Protect yours with Enhanced Home Insurance," the campaign followed a young woman returning to her childhood home and revisiting family memories, reframing home insurance around the experiences and belongings that make a house feel like home.

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