We researched about the unique blend of humor and comics in public restrooms in Singapore and were featured in the news following our academic article in the Discourse, Context & Media journal.
Kelsi, entrance of Tiong Bahru hawker center restrooms 
Keri, modeling the etiquette instruction
Key Findings
We analyzed the use of text, color, images, and humor, and found that the comics’ humor and visual-verbal interplay, informality, simple narrative plot, and exaggerated personalities were key factors in the campaign’s enduring success. The posters are one iteration of the Keep Singapore Clean campaign started in 1968.
The choice of the comic strip as the medium for the message creates for a ‘made-up world’ and makes it more acceptable to address unpleasant topics. It also helps to make the message more relatable and memorable to all ages of the public. Humor is an effective strategy for instilling values of courtesy and cleanliness.
It also helps soften instruction on good public hygiene, which can increase uptake of the campaign’s key messages
A deep dive into the ads: Use the Hand Dryer or Hand Towels
Both the language and semiotics of the comic work together to make it funny and instructional. In the comic poster below, the bespectacled man on the left is depicted as more knowledgeable. The layout of the comic also affects the reading and thus meaning of the message. The left side of a layout is usually the Given or what the reader is already assumed to know as a member of the culture. The New information is typically on the right.
The lesson of the comic is explicit, with the line saying, for example: Clean public toilets are possible. By linking the image of the flicker to this comic, connections to discourse of social irresponsibility and disgrace are made. The underlying message is that following social rules in public washrooms is an intelligent way to act.
A deep dive into the ads: Flush Thoroughly After Use
In this comic, the man’s response implies that the sight in the toilet was even worse than seeing a ghost. This comic uses visual cues to indicate the characters’ facial expressions of emotion. For example, eyes popping out and a slack jaw indicate surprise (by the woman), while eyes popping out combined with raised eyebrows and clenched teeth convey fear (by the man).
The storytelling of this comic relies on design and framing. The visual and nonvisual elements work together to convey expressions of emotion. For example, the phrase, “Even worse: I saw what was in the toilet bowl!” is encircled with a wavy word bubble, paralleling the shaking of the character’s hand and knees, as indicated with two wavy lines.
News Release
We were interviewed by the Straits Times and featured in several news articles. We also had two live-radio interviews.
News Articles
- “Comics and humour in Singapore public hygiene campaign posters,” Jun 28 – Jul 5, 2022, Coverage on our study on success behind public awareness posters in Singapore, initiated by NTU’s CCO. View news release.
- S’pore’s toilet etiquette posters the subject of 12-page research paper by US linguists, Mothership, 5 Jul 2022
- The Straits Times, July 4, 2022, “So tickled by toilet posters, they studied them” The Straits Times, page C4 (half-page, with blurb on page C1), and online
- US linguists so tickled by Singapore’s toilet etiquette posters, they wrote a paper on such campaigns, The New Paper, 3 July
- ‘Singaporean signs are very smart’: American linguists so tickled by toilet etiquette posters, they wrote a research paper on it, AsiaOne (Singapore), 3 Jul
- Comics and humour key to success of ‘Keep Singapore Clean’ campaign, Mirage News (Australia), 28 Jun
Live Radio Interviews
- American twin sisters detail the success of the “Keep Singapore Clean” campaign, Asia First, CNA 938, 5 Jul, 8.45 am (Live radio interview)
- Why the “Keep Singapore Clean” campaign is so endearingly successful, Singapore Today, CNA 938, 29 Jun, 5.10 pm (Live radio interview)
Journal Article
Here is the link to our published academic paper as well. Matwick, K., & Matwick, K. (2022). Comics, humor, and public hygiene on Singapore’s national campaign posters. Discourse, Context, & Media, 46, 100590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcm.2022.100590
Recent ads that employ similar techniques
Whether you find funny or tacky (or both), the Phua Chu Kang-fronted COVID-19 vaccination music video caught everyone’s attention.
Get Your Shot, Steady Pom Pi Pi, the colorful Singlish-inflected rap music video, features local 1990s sitcom character Phua Chu Kang (PCK) exhorting all the doubters to “Faster go and vaccinate” against COVID-19, with his characteristic cheesy lyrics and dance moves.
Future Work
In the future, we will be examining if comics are more compelling or more likely to persuade citizens towards action. We also hope to explore the cross-cultural aspects of interpreting humor in the verbal and visual design of comics.
Additional Clean Public Toilets Poster Comics
Besides the two above, we analyzed closely these two poster comics on Clean Public Toilets. They are made available for download and reprinting on Singapore’s NEA website.
