Big red balls take over S'pore - now netizens don't want them to leave
Since July 12, 195 of these eye-catching installations have appeared in neighbourhoods, parks, and city corners.
While most are bright fire-engine red, six are decked out in the signature blue of United Overseas Bank (UOB), which is behind the campaign titled United As One Red Dot, launched in celebration of both SG60 and UOB's 90th anniversary.
The balls have captured the attention and imagination of Singaporeans, with numerous posts on social media featuring them.
Painting the town red
Now one Redditor has asked if they could stay even after the celebrations have ended.
"Each time I spot one when daydreaming on the bus, staring out of the train or walking along the road, it immediately brightens up my day," wrote user piopiolink, describing the installations - which range from 1.5m to 5m in diameter - as "hilariously huge" and placed in "super random locations".
"One ball behind City Square Mall looks abandoned and lonely, while the one at Raffles financial district looks loud and proud," the Redditor said.
"It just creates a playful atmosphere and I, in turn, feel like I'm living in a mega playground lol. My co-worker and I even started a WhatsApp chat between us just to see who can find more of these red ballball before National Day."
The Reddit thread quickly filled with light-hearted reactions. Some users, like rabbitsssssss, floated playful suggestions: "Totally agree! Should start a red ball club."
Another user, mn_qiu, lamented: "I guess they'll be removed and return at SG70."
User FitYesterday7581 even created a family bonding activity out of it: "Me and my daughter love finding them. We had an idea that there were 60 to mark SG60 so have been trying to find them. But have just read that there's 195!! I don't think we will see them all."
Even Member of Parliament for Pioneer SMC Patrick Tay got in on the fun, posting a photo of one of the red balls on Instagram.
He encouraged followers to "look out, spot them, and grab a pic with these giant red spheres in and around Pioneer constituency as well as across Singapore."
UOB is also running a contest inviting the public to snap a photo with the balls for a chance to win a $20 Grab voucher.
According to CNA, the campaign was conceived by Adrian Tan, chief executive officer of Adplanet Group, together with Francis Tan, chief executive officer of Germs Digital, and Jayne Kwek, director of 3 Aces Advertising.
"Singapore is a beautiful island with so much greenery, and it's actually the perfect canvas for an art installation. The idea was to paint the island with giant red balls that signify our little red dot," said Kwek to CNA.
The balls are built to withstand Singapore's heat, rain and wind, and undergo weekly maintenance to keep them looking plump. If needed, replacements are deployed within 24 hours.
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