Seeing red over clowns
Backlash over PR stunt in Singapore with police alerted to their presence outside schools.
The company behind a marketing campaign that got people to dress up as clowns and hang around outside primary schools has apologised for the panic caused.
One such character was spotted outside Tao Nan School in Marine Parade, prompting the principal of the primary school to send an alert to parents to advise their children to avoid following the clowns.
Kelvin Tan, the director of Speech Academy Asia, yesterday said that its marketing team had been sent to areas in the east and west of Singapore over the past two weeks to promote the school’s courses.
The private education provider guides students in public-speaking skills.
Apologising for the commotion caused, Kelvin said the marketing team did not expect the backlash after getting the clowns to hang around outside primary schools as part of a campaign to encourage parents to register their children for their speech classes.
“There was no evil intention behind the costumes and we sincerely apologise for it,” he said. “We will not do it again.” he denied suggestions that the clowns had persuaded the pupils to follow them.
“Our employees wouldn’t go around saying such things,” he said.
The marketing stunt led to
Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuanjin posting a photo of one of the individuals, who was dressed as a clown and seen in Bedok South, on his Facebook page yesterday.
“Whoever is doing what I assume to be some viral marketing nonsense, stop it!
“I trust the police are investigating this. It’s not amusing and just plain dangerous,” he said.
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng urged parents to remind their children to be vigilant and stay within school grounds if they are waiting for their parents.
Kelvin said the company’s roadshow team members were asked to don “cute mascots” as part of their outreach efforts but he was not aware that they would be dressed as clowns.
“Maybe the clowns were too scary. It’s wrong and we won’t do it again,” he repeated.
The clown sightings had caused a stir in online communities in the past week.
The clowns had been reportedly spotted in several locations, such as Katong and Tampines, as seen in social media posts in the past week.
Police said they have received multiple reports of people dressed as clowns and approaching children at various primary schools, adding that police investigations are under way. — The Straits Times/ ANN