The creative industry under pressure has become prone to sameness, often prioritising efficiency over depth and blurring the standards of originality. Amidst these complexities in the creative industry, some agencies are pushing back, asserting their boldness to create a lasting impact.
Since its establishment in 2009, The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) has become known for its creative solutions, creating ripples from its base in Singapore throughout Southeast Asia and beyond. It has worked with major brands, creating work that resonates with audiences.
In MARKETECH APAC’s latest Agency Leadership Decoded, Eunice Tan, group CEO at TSLA, shares how she leads with an approach that blends creativity and innovation, turning it into a culture. In the exclusive interview, Eunice details her philosophies that have helped define TSLA’s evolution as a creative agency.
Culture of innovation
At the heart of Eunice’s leadership is the belief that innovation is more than a function, but a condition fostered by the right environment.
“Innovation isn’t a department—it’s a culture. My core philosophy has always been to protect space and create safe spaces for creativity: space for strange ideas, untested instincts, wild experiments, and inconvenient truths. I believe in cultivating emotional intelligence alongside creative intelligence, because that’s where real innovation lives—not in performance mode, but in environments where people feel safe enough to be brave,” Eunice said.
This safe space at TSLA is not about comfort but about courage. Eunice shares how teams at TSLA are constantly challenged to ask, “What does the world need now?” and to answer it with imagination.
TSLA’s culture of innovation breeds an important element for the agency: creativity. Its creative identity is inseparable from its cultural DNA. Under Eunice’s leadership, the agency has prioritised building a plural, human-centred creative culture.
“We’ve always believed that the secret to creativity is actually no secret at all—it’s culture. Our strategy has been to double down on creating the kind of culture we wish existed in the industry: creatively plural, emotionally generous, and intellectually sharp,” Eunice said.
Creative strategy at work
With TSLA’s creative vision, it has been translated into tangible platforms like JUNK, which explores cultural futures; Anak, which crafts brand storytelling; and PPURPOSE, which creates meaningful experiences.
“Our competitive advantage is our ability to move fluidly between disciplines – and remain deeply human throughout. We invest in talent who see no border between ideas,” Eunice said.
However, TSLA’s commitment to creative integrity does not come without difficult choices. As the industry grew safer and more transactional, Eunice and her team chose the harder path with courage.
“We challenged our leadership to be bolder, not smaller. That meant saying no to briefs that didn’t align with our values, yes to building new capabilities in-house, and a decisive pivot toward work that is ‘built-to-earn’—that not only drives culture but adds diversity to visual culture. It wasn’t easy—we had to rebuild muscle in new places—but it reminded us that we’re at our best when we’re fearless,” Eunice shared.
“Today, that decision has paid off: our teams are producing some of their most ambitious work, across both client and owned platforms,” she added.
Measuring success in people
While TSLA has brought home notable accolades, Eunice is quick to point out that the most meaningful milestones often go unawarded. While the agency has achieved milestones like branding Singapore, launching REAL, and JUNK, she highlighted ‘quieter’ achievements.
“The ones that matter most to me are the quieter ones: watching interns become leaders, watching formerly invisible talent find voice and power, seeing young creative talent find their voice. These moments remind the industry that creative excellence isn’t just output – it’s who gets to speak, what stories we value, and how we choose to build. Our impact is cultural, not just commercial,” Eunice said.
To future leaders, Eunice offers a guiding principle, stemming from her experiences at TSLA.
“Be brave enough to be different—and kind enough to bring others with you. The world doesn’t need more polished decks or award-chasing sameness. It needs creative leadership that’s generous, curious, and obsessed with relevance. Don’t chase category best practice. Build your own version of excellence, and protect it with everything you have.”
Eunice’s leadership ensures the agency is not reacting to culture but actively listening to it and shaping it.
“Get very, very good at listening—to culture, to people, to what’s unsaid. That’s where the real work begins,” Eunice said.
At a time when much of the industry leans toward the play-safe sameness, Eunice builds her vision and creative practice on conviction, cultural depth, and bold leadership. At The Secret Little Agency, the essence of creativity and innovation is not only found in outputs, but also in its people and culture.
