Viral SIM Registration video wins Best TV Ad in world’s biggest ad website

AFTER racking up millions of views and drawing praises from netizens for its wit and creativity, the viral video of mobile brand TNT entitled Tattoo has been recognized as Best TV material by Bestads, the world’s best global ad industry website. Bestads selects the best advertisements in every medium each week from submissions all over the world, as judged by a top creative director or team.

The first Filipino video to top the Bestads list within the past three years, Tattoo, is part of TNT’s “Mag-SIM Reg Para Hindi SIM Dead” campaign and is one of three videos aimed at encouraging subscribers to register their SIMs to avoid permanent SIM deactivation and all its hassles.

Tattoo was handpicked by guest judge Maria Devereux, Head of Innovation and Executive Creative Director at Accenture Song, North America.

“This film reminded me how good it feels to laugh,” noted the multi-awarded Los Angelesbased creative. “A simple idea that touched on a relatable pain point for anyone who hates the complexity of life admin, which as far as I can tell, is pretty much everyone,” she added.

“We are honored with this recognition from Bestads, which proves the power of creative storytelling to touch people and move them to action - while eliciting a good laugh,” said Francis E. Flores, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business – Individual at Smart.

“This is a result of all the creativity, hard work, and collaboration among the TNT and Smart teams as well as our partner agency, who are all committed to informing our subscribers about the importance of SIM Registration,” he added.

In the clever and creative film, TNT sticks

‘Tattoo’ is part of TNT’s ‘Mag-SIM Reg Para Hindi SIM Dead’ campaign to its brand promise of delivering ‘saya’ or fun – even in a public service reminder that shows the universal pain points of dealing with administrative processes.

The video features a man visiting a remittance center to claim his cash but failing to provide his One-Time Password (OTP) for lack of a registered SIM. To prove his identity, he resorts to showing his graduation photo, driver’s license, SSS ID, and birth certificate—all tattooed on his body! Watch the film here: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6tCbApNWvA

The video has garnered over 40 million views across social media channels like YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok, with netizens praising it for being “unique,” “funny,” and “unskippable, effectively urging them to finally register their SIM.

The character having his birth certificate tattooed on his behind photocopied

Leader in SIM registration

As of May 8, Smart and TNT continue to lead SIM Registration in the country with 44.9 million registered subscribers, which is 67.75 percent of their declared subscriber base.

With the recent announcement of the deadline extension of the SIM Registration Act, Smart continues to encourage subscribers to register their SIMs before July 25, 2023.

To register, TNT and Smart Prepaid subscribers can visit the https://simreg.smart.com. ph portal, while Smart Bro subscribers can refer to http://www.smart.com.ph/viewbroadbandsms for instructions on getting their OTP. Smart Postpaid users, on the other hand, are already considered registered based on the latest advice of DICT.

Cast rallies behind controversial ‘The Idol’ series

THE cast of new HBO series The Idol on Tuesday defended its overtly sexual scenes and rejected rumors of onset turmoil, after the show scandalized critics at Cannes.

“We know we are making a show that is provocative, it’s not lost on us,” director Sam Levinson told journalists the day after the series premiered at the film festival on the French Riviera.

The show depicts Lily-Rose Depp as a pop star struggling to get back on track after a breakdown, surrounded by heartless handlers, when she meets the manipulative leader of a modern-day cult, played by musician Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye

While Depp’s performance was praised as “riveting”, many critics felt a plethora of sexual scenes – including nudity, kinky masturbation, and graphic dirty talk – went too far.

“I think that sometimes things that might be revolutionary are taken a bit too far,” said “Euphoria” creator Levinson, commenting on the “very sexualized world” we live in, the influence of pornography, and the underbelly of the internet.

The series – which gives a nod to Britney Spears and toxic fame that engulfed ‘90s pop stars – brings yet another complex female character to Cannes, which has served up plenty of films exploring the dark side of women.

“The bareness of the character physically mirrors the bareness we get to see emotionally. I have never felt more involved in those kinds of conversations,” Depp said of her character’s nudity.

Tesfaye – who also produced the show and announced earlier this month he was scrapping his stage name The Weeknd – describes his character who tries to lure the popstar in as “Dracula”.

The series received a modest five-minute ovation, but most critics were put off by the excessive sexuality.

Variety slammed its “tawdry cliches” and said the show “plays like a sordid male fantasy. Meanwhile, Deadline wrote: “Until we know more, it’s hard to make value judgments about morality and ethics, or, more substantively, the arguments about the male gaze and female body rights.”

The Idol – which will be released in June – had been plagued by rumors of onset turmoil and graphic sex scenes before its release.

Depp said the accusations were “not reflective at all of my experience shooting the show,” while actress Jane Adams said it was “one of the best creative experiences I have ever had.” AFP