LET'S MAKE A BABY: If You're in Singapore, Tonight's The Night

Mentos takes on Singapore's population crisis

• By Chris Paine and Sarah Michael
  
  Mentos launches National Night campaign Mint maker tells Singapore: "let's make a baby" National Night is Singapore's unique campaign to increase its birthrate by urging its citizens to get it on

Mentos's team of marketing rockstars have turned baffling population forecasts for Singapore into a simple message to the people: let's make a baby.

In 2012, Singapore ranked the single lowest on a fertility report of 203 sovereign nations, according to CIA World Factbook's 2012 list. The report forecasts Singapore's average birth-per-woman rate at a stark low of 0.78.

But Mentos wants to change all that.

The freshmaker has turned baby-maker and its marketing team, BBH Asia-Pacific, has released a three-minute video to turn today, August 9 - Singapore's National Day - into National Night.

And we all know what National Night means. But in case you don't, Mentos gives you some tips to get you started.

The chewy mint company has activated its "pro-natalist policy" by dropping a hip-hop beat.

"Why you eating a mint baby? So I can kiss you ON THE FACE," the video starts. "It's time to do our civic duty... I'm talking about making a baby."

'Replacement level'
Behind Singapore, Macau has the second lowest fertility rate at 0.92, followed by Hong Kong at 1.09, Taiwan at 1.16 and the British Virgin Islands at 1.22.

Australia's rate is 1.77, with the UK at 1.91 and the US at 2.06.

Population expert Dr Udoy Saikia said a healthy fertility rate was 2.1 - enough children to replace the father and mother, and to take the country's mortality rate into account.

But every developed country in the world now has a fertility rate below the replacement level.

"There is a kind of fertility crisis in developed countries," said Dr Saikia, associate director of applied population studies at Flinders University.

"Not only because birth rate is low but at the same time life expectancy is increasing."

Dr Saikia said this changes the age composition of a country, making the growing older population more dependent on the economically productive 15 to 60-year-old age group, which itself is declining.

'LEH-GO'

So why should Singapore care? Well, if they don't have enough babies coming through to replace the current population, they won't have enough people to pay taxes.

And if they don't have enough taxes, there'll be no money to replenish infrastructure and to continue advancing the state.

Mentos reckons it's time for national action, encouraging people to "make fireworks" after the real fireworks from the National Day celebrations.

"LEH-GO! Let's not watch fireworks, let's make 'em instead!"

University of South Australia Professor Richard Blandy said low birth rates were associated with high standards of living for women.

"You tend to see it in countries where there is high workforce participation and high levels of education among women," Prof Blandy said.

"There are opportunities for them to do things (other) than have families."

Prof Blandy said Australia was "a bit of a stand out" because we have high workforce participation but still fairly high birth rates.

Just don't wake the kids: "'cos they'll be appalled by THE STUFF we gon' do up in that bedroom".

How awesome is Singapore?