‘Hunk for housekeeping’ ad goes viral, but many are sceptical
Available only for this weekend: "Singapore's first ever hunky man cleaning service".
The "limited-time service" Facebook post with photographs of topless men performing home cleaning chores has gone viral, with more than 9,000 shares and 5,500 comments.
"Who better to clean up the mess than a sexy man for hire? This is NOT an April Fool's joke!" declared renovation platform Vehs.com
Mr Xu Biwei, 39, founder of Vehs.com, told Chinese-language newspaper Shin Min Daily News yesterday the men in the photos and video clip are students and part-timers who agreed to go topless in the advertisement.
He added that four of them have agreed to perform the home cleaning services.
Mr Xu said: "We have emphasised from the beginning that they have to be professional and display a healthy image to avoid misunderstanding."
Services are priced between $420 for a one-bedroom Housing Board flat and $700 for a penthouse.
While it is not known exactly how many responses Vehs has received, Mr Xu said: "We did not expect such a huge reaction and will need more time for administrators to schedule (jobs)."
Some of the online comments were sceptical or sarcastic.
Facebook user Fong Elsie Bong wrote: "Ok, they look good, so can clean or not? Whole idea of hiring cleaners is to clean. If my auntie cleaner does a better job. I'm hiring her."
Another user Donnabelle O. Lee said: "Thinking of innovative & new ways to drum up the public's interest BUT shallowness is a new low."
Some comments also discussed the objectification of men and questioned the morality of the advertisement.
Facebook user Ian Adrian wrote: "If these (were) girls, everyone (would) be shouting 'stop objectifying women'; don't be a hypocrite."
A spokesman for a local cleaning company told The New Paper: "This gimmicky offering will not affect other companies that provide home cleaning services."
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