BBH Singapore Archives - MARKETECH APAC

Singapore – Samsung has partnered with BBH Singapore to launch a global campaign for the Galaxy Watch Ultra, their first smartwatch designed for extreme performance and powered by Galaxy AI.

Samsung and BBH Singapore’s campaign highlights how the Galaxy Watch Ultra is the ultimate companion for any adventure, with the tagline, ‘Wherever life takes you, make it Ultra’.

The 30-second TV and online commercial portrays an adventurer navigating rugged terrain—cycling down sand dunes, swimming in the ocean, and hiking snow-capped mountains—demonstrating how the Galaxy Watch Ultra supports both his extreme escapades and professional achievements. Complementing the visuals, the soundtrack features a contemporary rendition of the classic love song “I Will Follow You” by Ricky Nelson.

The campaign will run globally and will be accompanied by three online films airing on YouTube, Instagram, Meta, and X, showcasing the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s standout features, including its military-grade durability, water resistance, and extended battery life.

Furthermore, a series of engaging, feature-focused videos will run on Samsung’s social media to offer situational demonstrations of the watch, providing more detailed information in a quirky and entertaining manner.

Sascha Kuntze, chief creative officer for BBH Singapore, said, “Time flies when you’re having fun. Or making a campaign about an extreme watch. We’re thrilled to be a part of yet another flagship launch and to build the ambition of Galaxy AI together with Samsung.”

Singapore – Welcoming a new generation of travellers, Samsung has partnered with BBH Singapore for a new global campaign that positions the Galaxy S24 Ultra with Galaxy AI as the ultimate travel companion for the summer.

As Gen Zs worldwide prepare for exotic adventures and new horizons, Samsung’s global campaign highlights how the Galaxy S24 Ultra, powered by Galaxy AI, is transforming the way travellers capture and experience their journeys, offering deeper and richer experiences than ever before.

Building on the S24 Ultra’s successful global launch in January, this campaign delves into the core of Gen Z’s travel aspirations.

Samsung understands that travel is filled with surprises, but those unexpected moments don’t always translate into the best memories. This campaign highlights how the Galaxy S24 Ultra, powered by Galaxy AI, can be the perfect travel companion to help with navigating travel hiccups like photobombs, unrecognised landmarks, and getting lost.

The campaign, featuring films, dynamic out-of-home displays, and social media executions, spotlights game-changing Galaxy AI features like ‘Photo Assist’, ‘Instant Slow-mo’, and ‘Circle to Search’ with Google, all designed to transform travel experiences. Familiar travel moments, such as “What am I eating?” and “Where am I?”are effortlessly answered by Circle-to-Search with Google, while social and digital ads address common photo issues like photobombs, seaweed in beach pics, and poor lighting, showcasing Galaxy AI’s ability to enhance images and preserve memories as they were lived.

The campaign runs across social media, digital video, and both static and digital out-of-home platforms worldwide.

Sascha Kuntze, chief creative officer at BBH Singapore, shared, “Following a successful launch as Samsung Mobile’s leading global creative agency for its flagship mobile, we’re thrilled to launch the next phase of this campaign. We wanted to seize this moment when Gen Z travellers are about to go explore the world. After experiencing the incredible capabilities of Galaxy AI firsthand, we knew this was the perfect opportunity to showcase its benefits and position the S24 Ultra as the ultimate travel companion.”

Earlier this year, Samsung also collaborated with BBH Singapore for the launch of its highly anticipated Galaxy S24 Series. The advertising agency produced a series of seven films showcasing the Galaxy S24’s most groundbreaking features. Among these was the official film introducing ‘Circle to Search,’ a feature Samsung developed in partnership with Google.

Singapore – Income Insurance has partnered with BBH Singapore and Publicis Chemistry for its latest cat-themed campaign that highlights the flexibility of its investment products for customers.

Income Insurance wanted to centre the campaign on the flexibility of its investment suite, embodied in a unique campaign metaphorically highlighting a cat’s agility. The insurance company’s ‘Investment-Linked Plans (ILPs)’ empower customers to maximise their investment potential with unparalleled flexibility.

The campaign film, crafted by BBH Singapore, cleverly parallels Income Insurance’s flexible investment-linked products with the agile movements of a confident feline navigating intricate pathways, mirroring how ‘Invest Flex’ and ‘AstraLink’ empower consumers to optimise their investment potential.

Leveraging the online craze for cats and memes to boost the campaign’s impact, Publicis also crafted a collection of cat stickers for WhatsApp and Instagram starring the campaign’s beloved fluffy mascot. Additionally, social media content showcased local cat influencers in amusing poses that highlighted their flexibility, curated specifically for Income Insurance’s channels.

The campaign film is live on YouTube, StarHub TV+, Golden Village Cinemas, and across social media.

Speaking on the campaign, Khairul Mondzi, executive creative director at BBH Singapore, said, “Recognising the dynamic nature of investing, we wanted to address the subject with a refreshing and memorable perspective. Drawing inspiration from the incredible flexibility of cats, we show how investment plans can be agile to give customers the confidence to navigate life’s unpredictable nature.”

Dhiren Amin, chief customer officer at Income Insurance, also shared, “When it comes to investments, flexibility is key to adapting to uncertainties and achieving financial goals. This campaign does the job of highlighting an otherwise functional benefit in an interesting way, tapping into the TikTok trend of showing the flexibility of cats. The very correlation of the two rather unconnected worlds of investments and Tik Tok cat memes makes this campaign enjoyable and hopefully draws people into the world of Income Insurance’s investment-linked products.”

As part of Singapore’s continued roll-out of its “Made in Singapore” global tourism campaign, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has tapped BBH Singapore and The Shophouse @ Publicis to launch a global outdoor advertising campaign that focused on highlighting some of the country’s unique and multifaceted offerings and provides a whimsical take on three iconic Singapore experiences.

Moreover, this campaign–which was rolled out in the cities of New York, London, Shanghai, Mumbai and Jakarta–is an extension of the current “Made in Singapore” campaign that replaced the “SingapoReimagine” recovery campaign. Much like the outdoor campaigns, this main campaign put into spotlight quintessentially Singapore experiences, from iconic attractions to hidden gems, that turn ordinary moments into extraordinary ones.

For our latest Top Story story of this year, we spoke with Khairul Mondzi, executive creative director at BBH Singapore to learn more about the creative process for this outdoor campaign, and what’s next for their campaign work with STB for its “Made in Singapore” campaign.

On strategically executing the campaign at a global level

One of the first things Mondzi pointed out was that for this campaign, they strategically rolled out the campaign at select global cities in order to drive higher interest for the campaign, which in turn will drive more engagement for STB.

“This strategic selection aims to raise awareness and drive heightened interest for the campaign among our key target audiences, catalysing earned coverage for the ‘Made in Singapore’ campaign in iconic media capitals of USA and UK, while fostering a greater push for recovery in top target markets of China, India and Indonesia for destination Singapore,” he explained.

Official campaign roll-out of 3D billboards by STB

For Mondzi, the ‘Made in Singapore’ global campaign puts a fresh spin on the Passion Made Possible destination brand, spotlighting how ordinary moments are made extraordinary in Singapore. Moreover, their goal was to bring to life the city’s rich tapestry of experiences and craft a compelling narrative that captivates audiences with both imagination and allure, utilising large, high-impact immersive formats such as anamorphic 3D billboards.

“Through this medium, we expanded upon our initial launch film and key visuals, extending our message into a new dimension. While digital and social media remain integral components of our strategy, the inclusion of a 3D billboard in OOH advertising provides prominent visibility and drives conversations. This approach not only effectively communicated our campaign’s essence but also offered consumers a fresh perspective, drawing them closer to the heart of our message with a deeper brand connection,” he explained.

On elevating STB’s tourism message, what’s next for their creative partnership

For Mondzi, the narrative unveiled in these outdoor billboards provides a flavour of the extraordinary experiences that Singapore welcomes visitors with, adding that everything people know about the Gardens, Performance Art and Window Shopping takes a surprising turn and is presented in an immersive way in this campaign.

“The anamorphic 3D technology provided that larger-than-life scale and magic, showcasing Singapore’s unique twist through the awe-inspiring Supertrees, the flair and artistry of a hawker cooking up a storm and plating chilli crab, and the celebration of Singapore’s Peranakan culture embodied by a skilled artisan meticulously crafting a traditional slipper within a charming shophouse setting,” he said.

3D Billboard of STB at the famous Piccadily in London, United Kingdom

When asked about what’s next for their work with STB, he notes that there will be more specific marketing campaigns throughout the years to tell the Singaporean story. One example of yet another campaign they recently launched with STB is the ‘World’s Best Mice City’, which features Singapore as a destination where business events can create and leave a positive and lasting impact.

Launched in March 2024, the campaign showcases how Singapore enables meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) event organisers and delegates to positively impact the industry, society, and environment, by turning possibilities into reality.

“‘Made in Singapore’ is our campaign platform, envisaged to be further brought to life through global marketing campaigns, that will be rolled out in the coming years to sharpen the way we tell the Singapore story, with ‘Made in Singapore’ at the heart of everything,” he concluded.

Singapore – Continuing on its ‘Passion Made Possible’ destination brand campaign, the Singapore Tourism Board has launched a global campaign bringing the island-nation to life with larger-than-life 3D billboards in the cities of New York, London, Shanghai, Mumbai and Jakarta.

The campaign, executed alongside BBH Singapore and The Shophouse @ Publicis, features the 3D out-of-home billboard that shine the spotlight on some of the country’s unique and multifaceted offerings and provides a whimsical take on three iconic Singapore experiences.

Choo Huei Miin, director of brand at Singapore Tourism Board, said, “Leveraging these immersive 3D out-of-home billboards, our aim was to capture the imagination of our travellers through transforming everyday moments into unique experiences Singapore has to offer to inspire travel. We hope this visual treat showcases the best of destination Singapore to the world and captivates audiences in key target markets with our vibrant culture, food, nature, and show-stopping futuristic landscapes.”

Meanwhile, Khairul Mondzi, executive creative director at BBH Singapore, commented, “This ‘global tour’ unveils to the world the essence of Singapore through a collection of experiences – iconic and lesser-known alike – in an unexpected, surprising way. Forget what you know about gardens, window shopping and performance art: STB’s new 3D billboards might surprise you in ways beyond the ordinary.”

In line with the anticipated launch of the Galaxy S24 smartphone series, Samsung has launched a multi-touch point campaign to feature the phone’s new features, primarily ‘Galaxy AI’ which features AI-powered features users can use to improve their smartphone experience, from searching online to photo enhancement.

For this global campaign, Samsung tapped BBH Singapore to create multiple marketing assets, ranging from a multitude of campaign films to the takeover of The Sphere in Las Vegas following the CES2024 event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DaJN5nY6ds

MARKETECH APAC recently spoke exclusively with Sascha Kuntze, chief creative officer at BBH Singapore, to learn more about the agency’s creative direction for this global campaign and tackle how to engage brand love despite Samsung being a technology brand.

On creating a unified brand message

For Kuntze, a unifying brand message for this Samsung global campaign is the ‘main character energy’ wherein it focuses on portraying the user as being able to do numerous possibilities–all at the tip of their fingers.

“The campaign is connected by the confidence an S24 Ultra gives you – we referred to it as ‘main character energy’. Working with such a diverse set of production partners became a superpower that helped make this campaign truly global,” he said.

He added, “From a teaser film reminding people of Samsung’s many mobile innovations over the years, to a teaser stunt in partnership with Marvel, to the intro film that has notched up 30m organic views, to the feature film series directed by Tom Kuntz at MJZ – every element of this campaign fits together thanks to a laser-focused brief: announce a new era of mobile AI.”

When first approached by Samsung, Kuntze said that they aimed at creating this campaign to rein in a new era by speaking to the product and how it takes the old ways of doing things and offers us a new effortless way.

“Once you’ve experienced it, there’s no going back. Even more important than showcasing the S24’s key features was showing the emotional benefits that Galaxy AI will give you. That was a primary goal of this campaign – Samsung is way ahead in terms of the technology, but the challenge is: could we build brand love to become more than just a tech brand by highlighting Galaxy AI’s emotional benefits?,” he explained.

Servicing the audience more than just cinematics

BBH Singapore has worked in multiple campaigns ranging from the global campaign for Jollibee to a music video for Income. More than just a cinematic campaign, what does BBH Singapore have to offer for its clients? Kuntze answered this by focusing on what matters most to consumers.

“I believe we’re working in service of the audience. We are asking for their time, so in return, we always need to think about what we’ve got to offer. We will never offer ordinary, because only the boldest and most beautifully crafted campaigns stand out,” he stated.

In the case of Samsung’s campaign, he stated that they worked with only the best production partners to create this campaign for Samsung, which included The Mill in London and Seoul, MJZ in the US, Academy Films, Prodco and String and Tins in the UK, Fuse Asia amongst others.

He also added that in this particular campaign, they noted that customers note of the many incremental advancements over the past few years being released, but nothing revolutionary – until now.

“To symbolise the arrival of a new era of Galaxy AI, we decided to tap into real-life moments and ‘inconvenient truths’ – those moments in life where we’ve always done things in a certain way, only now with Galaxy AI, these things become effortless. Just like that,”

Continue making global work from the heart of Asia

Kuntze also said how the scale of this campaign is a massive milestone for an agency from Singapore, as they are certain it is one of the biggest campaigns ever made from Asia.

“Singapore sits at the centre of the cultural world map – we have a diverse pool of talent here who understands different cultural nuances, and that helped us so much when it came to launching a campaign with a unified message that will resonate with audiences globally,” he said.

He concluded, “In addition to 18 films, we also launched several activations globally, including at Vegas Sphere last month. The scale of this campaign, and its impact so far, has fuelled our ambition to keep making global work from Asia.”

Singapore – With the launch of its anticipated Galaxy S24 Series smartphone lineup, Samsung has worked alongside BBH Singapore to launch a new campaign signalling a new age of communication, creativity and collaboration through mobile AI.

With Galaxy AI leading the way in this new era of mobile AI, the S24 Series offers a new way to connect, create and get things done. The campaign began with a teaser film, Galaxy AI is coming, which celebrates Samsung’s long history of pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, from pioneering TV phones in 1999 to foldable phones in 2019.

The official film introduces one of its hero features, ‘Circle to Search,’ developed with Google. Following this, Samsung is also unveiling a series of seven films spotlighting Galaxy S24’s most revolutionary features.

Developed in partnership with Google, Samsung’s ‘Circle to Search’ flagship feature provides a new way for users to intuitively search for anything on their phones with only a simple gesture, and without switching apps.

The series of films also involved a multitude of production houses, which includes Academy Films UK, Albert Park Production, Final Cut, Fuse Adventures in Audio, Fuse Asia Sdn Bhd, Globetrotter, Immigrant, MJZ, ProdCo, Room 121 Seoul, Strings & Tins, TenThree UK, The Lift Mexico, The Mill LA, The Mill Seoul, The Mill London, and The Quarry.

Sonia Chang, VP at Samsung Electronics, said, “Samsung is ushering in a new era of mobile AI with the release of the Galaxy S24 Series, which makes everyday experiences more epic. From awe-inspiring creativity to barrier-free communication, what better way to showcase the different ways Galaxy AI ignites new possibilities than with the launch of a multi-faceted global campaign.”

Meanwhile, Sascha Kuntze, chief creative officer at BBH Singapore, commented, “Partnering with Samsung Electronics to launch a global campaign at this scale makes us very proud. This campaign ushers in a new era of mobile, but also a new era of advertising from this region, proving that world-class work can originate here in Singapore. Singapore’s talents, its diversity, cultural sensibility, and its drive for innovation is a unique advantage when it comes to launching products that debunk the status quo.”

The multiple film launch is part of BBH Singapore’s continued work for Samsung following its takeover of The Sphere in Las Vegas during CES 2024.

Singapore – In conjunction with the recently-concluded Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Samsung has launched a publicity campaign which allowed to take them over the iconic Las Vegas Sphere on January 8, depicting a portal to a new galaxy inspired by Marvel.

Conceptualised alongside BBH Singapore alongside The Mill Los Angeles and Fuse Adventures in Audio, the stunt featured Doctor Strange from Marvel Studios’ “What If…?”, all episodes now streaming only on Disney+, it teased a new era for mobile and provided a glimpse of an upcoming feature that will allow users to make epic discoveries just by drawing circles.

https://youtu.be/5DaJN5nY6ds

Just as Doctor Strange discovers new portals of endless possibilities, the new Galaxy capabilities will enable discovery in a whole new way.

Moreover, the spectacular Sphere display comes after Samsung released an official teaser announcing the impending arrival of Galaxy AI. Called ‘Galaxy AI is Coming’, this was also produced with BBH Singapore.

Sascha Kuntze, chief creative officer at BBH Singapore, said, “Like the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Galaxy users will have a multiverse of possibilities at their fingertips. They’ll be able to open new worlds with the simplest of actions. Everything will change, just like that.”

All will be revealed at ‘Galaxy Unpacked,’ a biannual event unveiling Samsung Electronics’ newest devices, including smartphones, tablets, and wearables. After ‘Galaxy Unpacked,’ a series of films developed by BBH Singapore will be released globally over the coming weeks.

Singapore – The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has unveiled its new global campaign ‘Made in Singapore’, which invites the world to Singapore, where things are made a little unexpected, and where typical tourist experiences are seen in a different light in the country.

‘Made in Singapore’ replaces STB’s ‘SingapoReimagine’ international recovery campaign launched in November 2020 to rekindle passion for travel in Singapore.

Conceptualised alongside Publicis Groupe Singapore, the campaign puts a fresh spin on STB’s Passion Made Possible destination brand by spotlighting quintessentially Singapore experiences, from iconic attractions to hidden gems, that turn ordinary moments into extraordinary ones.

From ‘forest bathing’ at the unexpected setting of Jewel Changi Airport’s Rain Vortex, to working up a sweat dining at Lau Pa Sat hawker centre and witnessing a colourful ‘air show’ at the all-new Mandai Bird Paradise, Singapore turns imagination into inspiring travel experiences.

Moreover, the campaign also aims to keep Singapore top of mind and in conversations by showcasing the country’s key attributes: an inspiring City in Nature that is not only vibrant and cosmopolitan but also rooted in open, multicultural heritage – a place where unexpected twists on familiar moments are made possible.

The campaign is launched with a film directed by Singaporean filmmaker Martin Hong, best known for his music videos with international artists such as Billie Eilish.

Kenneth Lim, assistant chief executive for marketing group at STB, said, “The Made in Singapore campaign is anchored on our Passion Made Possible destination brand, which embodies the Singapore spirit of fulfilling individual passions and creating new possibilities. Through this latest campaign, we would like to reinforce Singapore as a destination that turns imagination into reality. Our goal is to showcase how everyday ordinary moments are made extraordinary and unforgettable, experienced only in Singapore – to inspire travel here.”

Meanwhile, Janson Choo, executive creative director at BBH Singapore and The Shophouse @ Publicis, commented, “One thing we can proudly say about Singapore is that we make things happen. This spirit has turned us into a rather extraordinary place, never settling for the familiar, constantly pushing to be better and, essentially, making imagination come to life. If we can think it, we can do it. And through this campaign, we hope this passion of making things happen can inspire travellers to want to see our imaginative experiences in the flesh.”

‘Made in Singapore’ will roll out across key markets globally including China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, amongst others. Anchored on the film, the full-funnel campaign incorporates activations, brand partnerships, and always-on paid media. Crucially, collaborations with content creators and influencers will engage interest communities and build talkability about Singapore as an unforgettable destination, while two social-first content series are on the horizon.

Singapore – To promote its new protection offering, insurance company Income and BBH Singapore have teamed up to release the music video ‘Fallin’ Apart’, performed by the American band The Calling, in a bid to delve into the themes of resilience and courage to face life, even when it is falling apart.

According to the agency, ‘Fallin’ Apart’ emotively conveys the stress, uncertainty and raw feelings which can result from an unexpected health issue, married with the realisation that one is not adequately covered.

Moreover, the viewers are also directed to the campaign microsite where they can assess the potential size of their own insurance protection gap via a ‘protection gap calculator’.

Stella Tan, vice president and head of brand and segment marketing at Income Insurance, said, “Staying adequately covered with insurance is vitally important but often, easily overlooked. Now more than ever is the right time to invest in life, health and critical illness cover following the aftermath of the pandemic and the current economic downturn where unforeseen circumstances can hit anytime. We’re amazed by The Calling’s ability to transform our message into a powerful rock song that connects with our audience on a personal and emotive level.”

Meanwhile, Luke Somasundram, senior copywriter at BBH Singapore, commented, “Songs have the profound ability to reach a place deep in our brains by way of our hearts. And crafting one with The Calling lets us tap into nostalgia to convey a message that’s more relevant and urgent than ever.”

MARKETECH APAC also reached out to BBH Singapore and Income to learn more about the campaign’s creative direction and factors considered prior to the music video launch.

BBH Singapore told MARKETECH APAC that the campaign was simple yet an urgent message for viewers to avail insurance–told in a way that brings the messaging to life via a music video.

“The message behind this campaign is a simple but urgent one – it’s about ensuring that you have adequate insurance coverage before a medical emergency strikes. The song was a vehicle to bring to life the anxiety and helplessness one feels when one doesn’t know if they have adequate coverage,” the agency.

They also added that for the music video’s sentimental messaging, while they are full aware that not many people are comfortable with discussing sad topics, people are always drawn to forms of media that communicate such feeling.

“People don’t want to talk about sad or uncomfortable topics – like whether they have adequate insurance coverage. But it’s so naturally human to love a sad song. We realised the right song could let people connect with the emotions they would feel if they didn’t have adequate coverage, which in turn could inspire them to get covered. So we decided to create that song,” BBH Singapore told MARKETECH APAC.

They also added, “Singapore has one of the highest insurance protection gaps in Asia. This campaign was aimed at Singaporeans in the 30s to 40s who hadn’t ensured they were adequately covered. We worked with The Calling, a band that was massively popular in the early 2000s because we knew this was a band that would have strong emotional resonance with our target audience.”

Meanwhile, Income told MARKETECH APAC told the campaign is rooted from the brand’s objective of raising awareness and realisation amongst Singaporeans on the importance and urgency of having adequate protection to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances that can hit anytime.

Citing data from the Life Insurance Association (LIA), Income says that Singapore faces a 21% protection gap in mortality and 74% in critical illness

“To ensure that we resonate with Singaporeans as we tackle the topic of insurance protection and financial readiness, we turned to music, which is what many turn to when confronting difficult feelings or challenging times in life and related to Singaporeans in an entertaining way that cuts above the noise,” Income told MARKETECH APAC.

They also added, “In this campaign, we lyrically brought to life the campaign message that “Life can fall apart if you are not adequately covered” and motivated Singaporeans to cease the silver lining and beat the odds by being protected ahead of time.”

While there is a myriad of factors that may have contributed to their increased traction across the primary campaign touchpoints, Income told MARKETECH APAC it boils down to two factors.

“The use of music, which allows us to effectively speak to our target audience in a unique way that engages the mind and tugs at the heart strings, [and] the engagement of The Calling, which is a band that our target audience is familiar with and hence, would be more open to listen to the song and subsequently the message that we want to bring across,” they concluded.