Tribal Worldwide Singapore brings back MOH’s ‘Guardian of Health’ to fight high sodium intake
The Ministry of Health has brought back iconic health heroine ‘The Guardian of Health’ in an action-packed blockbuster film created via Tribal Worldwide Singapore, to be launched in time for Chinese New Year, this time in a multi-verse storyline.
The new film sends a powerful message for the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) ‘Healthier SG’ initiative – a nationwide campaign aimed at preventive healthcare.
Titled ‘The Great A-salt’, the action-packed, 90-second film sets out to curb salt and sodium intake among Singaporeans ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations. The nation reportedly consumes on average 3,600 mg of sodium per day which is almost double the World Health Organisation’s recommended daily limit of 2,000 mg. The use of excessive salt or sodium increases the risk of hypertension, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. In Singapore, the message is particularly pertinent given that one in every 6 residents suffers from hypertension or high blood pressure, according to the 2021 National Population Health Survey.
“We leaned into the popularity and appeal of Korean dramas to create an entertaining film that Singaporeans from all walks of life can appreciate,” said Benson Toh, ECD at Tribal. “Reimaging a familiar character while leveraging on food as a talking point for families and friends to engage in, especially ahead of reunion meals and get-togethers. Hopefully, this will serve as a reminder to make healthier choices, especially when it comes to salt consumption.”
The film follows the Guardian of Health’s return via a time portal to triumph over a masked band of salt villains at a restaurant and rescue at-risk diners encased in salt crystals. The health heroine puts her impressive skills to the test in a gripping battle with all the markings of a Hollywood blockbuster. She marks her hard-won victory with an important message urging Singaporeans to pursue a healthier lifestyle by consuming no more than one teaspoon of salt per day.
The campaign follows previous efforts to raise awareness of diabetes among Singaporeans via a series of Kung Fu-style films also created by Tribal which garnered widespread buzz with over 1.3M combined views for the 2017 campaign.
“Healthier SG empowers Singaporeans to take charge of their own health and develop healthy living habits from the get-go this Chinese New Year,” said Karen Tan, Group Director of Communications and Engagement at MOH. “We are thrilled to once again collaborate with Benson and his team on such an exciting project and important message.”
The campaign is complemented by other supporting efforts on free-to-air TV, cinema, outdoor, digital and social media.
