The Real Cost. National Crime Prevention Council.

Illegal loansharks (Ah Long in local lingo) are a menace in Singapore’s residential neighbourhoods. The National Crime Prevention Council sought our help to raise awareness of the harm they posed, and deter the public from helping them or borrowing from them.

We observed that many loansharks advertised their services through photocopied fliers. So we decided to hijack their own media channel to bait potential borrowers, only to reveal the real cost of these malignant loans. Our flyers were to be distributed exactly like those of loansharks: stuck on walls and food court tables, or shoved into letter boxes.

We designed our brochure to resemble a bundled-up wad of dirty cash. Inside, we elaborated on the hardship that such a loan would lead to.

The campaign also included a film piece focusing on the pivotal moment someone decides to accept a loan—or reject it.