Singapore's declining birth rate is a major concern, prompting creative efforts like a humorous rap video to encourage more childbirth. The government spends significant funds on policies to promote having children, but the birth rate remains low. Factors such as better education and career opportunities, and resentment towards aggressive immigration policies contribute to the issue. The low birth rate is even affecting the property sector, leading to efforts to discourage small living spaces.
While government policies aim to increase the national birth rate, many Singaporeans still face challenges, including high stress levels, expensive homes, and costly education, which contribute to their decision to delay having children. These factors illustrate the complex challenges associated with addressing declining birth rates in developed countries like Singapore.
Despite government incentives such as financial support, extended maternity leave, and tax breaks, Singapore's birth rate remains low, currently standing at 1.2 births per woman, well below the replacement rate of two. Various factors contribute to this decline, including better education and a wider range of career opportunities, which have allowed individuals to pursue alternative life goals and priorities. These shifts in societal norms have led to later marriages and births, contributing to the declining birth rate.
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The advertising firm behind it, BBH, hoped that by focusing the advert on a serious problem, it could draw attention to the issue in a fun way.
"We knew that the government had tried many things, whether it be launching perfumes with pheromones in them or trying speed-dating nights, and many of these things may have been creative but didn't necessarily work. So we thought, why don't we do the most creative thing we can to fix this problem, which is come up with a rap song?"
Taking it far less lightly though is Singapore's government. It spends $1.3bn (£810m) a year on policies to encourage citizens to have more children.
The government's marriage and parenthood package has doled out as much $15,000 for each child, extended maternity leave and handed out tax breaks. But all of these have had little effect.
Singapore's birth rate according to its National Population and Talent Division, external currently stands at 1.2 per woman. The last time it was above the replacement rate of two was in 1976.
So why aren't Singaporeans having kids? Tan Wei Ming, a director of Marriage and Parenthood Policy at the National Population & Talent Division, says it's due to "better education" and "a wider range of career opportunities".
"These have allowed individuals to have a broader range of options in terms of life goals and priorities, in addition to getting married and starting families," she says.
"Such changes in societal norms have contributed to rising singlehood, later marriages and births, resulting in a decline in birth rates in Singapore."
Meanwhile, a policy of aggressively pursuing immigration to address the shrinking population has created resentment among locals. Singapore websites are filled with barely disguised xenophobia towards many new immigrants, particularly those from mainland China, who are criticised for keeping wages low and not fitting in.
While a plunging birth rate has widely documented effects on a nation's economic growth, tax revenues, healthcare costs and immigration policies, Singapore's example is also having some unexpected consequences. It has started to affect the property sector.
People blamed career, stress and the cost of properties and education as factors preventing them from having children.