Tag: Singapore

Singapore – The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has announced that it is committing S$150m to drive technological innovation in the financial sector. The financial commitment was made under the renewed Financial Sector Technology and Innovation Scheme (FSTI 3.0).

FSTI 3.0 seeks to accelerate and strengthen innovation by supporting projects that involve the use of cutting-edge technologies or with a regional nexus, while doubling down on MAS’ commitment to promote a vibrant technology ecosystem for the financial sector.

Moreover, FSTI 3.0 will continue to support advanced capability development and adoption in key areas such as artificial intelligence and data analytics (AIDA), and Regulation Technology (RegTech). 

Specifically, MAS will focus on promoting AIDA adoption in smaller financial firms and supporting the needs of less digitally mature firms looking to acquire regtech solutions. Across tracks, applicants will also be required to devote resources to talent development, in order to strengthen the Singaporean fintech talent pool.

FSTI 3.0 will comprise several tracks which include enhanced centre of excellence; innovation acceleration; and environmental, social and governance (ESG) fintech.

The scope of grant funding will be expanded to include corporate venture capital (CVC) entities, at funding support of up to 50% of qualifying expenses, capped at S$2 million per project. Moreover, the funding will enable CVCs to offer strong mentorship and support to help start-ups scale and develop resilient and viable business models.

Moreover, MAS recognises the importance of partnering with the industry to support innovative fintech solutions arising from emerging technologies such as Web 3.0. MAS will conduct open calls for the use of innovative technologies in industry use cases. Grant funding will be provided to support actual trial and commercialisation.

Lastly, MAS also aims to support the development and deployment of projects that address ESG data, reporting, and analytics needs of the financial sector, at funding support of up to 50% of qualifying expenses, capped at S$500,000 per project.

Ravi Menon, managing director at MAS, said, “Since 2015, the Financial Sector Development Fund (FSDF) has awarded $340 million as part of the FSTI programme to drive the adoption of technology and innovation in the financial sector. Transformative technology projects that MAS has piloted with the industry include SGFinDex, Project Orchid’s Purpose Bound Money, Project Veritas’ Responsible AI, green and sustainable finance through Project Greenprint, as well as large payment initiatives such as the cross-border payment linkage with Thailand.”

He added, “Notably, FSTI 1.0 and 2.0 helped strengthen the digital capabilities of financial institutions which served them and their customers through the COVID pandemic. With FSTI 3.0, we look forward to continued collaboration with the industry to advance purposeful financial innovation.”

Singapore – Travel and lifestyle PR agencies GHC Asia and Accela Communications received a joint mandate to reposition the newly transformed Grand Hyatt Singapore as ‘A Grand Living Room and Wellness Haven in the Orchard Road area’. 

The dual-agency appointment is part of Grand Hyatt Singapore’s marketing strategy to elevate the hotel’s luxury positioning, rooted in legacy and exceptional service, that spans over five decades.

As the hotel enters phased completion in its multi-year transformational journey, it aims to secure its enviable position as Singapore’s long-established favorite place for locals and visitors alike to meet, convene, and celebrate for generations to come. 

“The appointment of GHC Asia and Accela Communications comes as we prepare to reveal Grand Hyatt Singapore’s reimagined spaces, which will be more theatrical and captivating than ever before,” said Charis Choi, regional vice president of sales and marketing Southeast Asia for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. 

Choi further reveals that “GHC Asia will lead the strategic communications and uplift the hotel’s luxury positioning, with a focus on partnership marketing and international media outreach, while Accela Communications will drive creative communications for the lifestyle concepts at the hotel’s signature restaurants, bars, and Damai Spa.”

GHC Asia has carried with it a 20-year expertise and international network in the travel, tourism, luxury lifestyle, and property sectors since its inception in Hong Kong in 1998. 

“We are delighted to have been selected to lead the relaunch PR campaign for such an illustrious and much-loved hotel as Grand Hyatt Singapore. Like many people, we have a lot of fond memories of special occasions within its familiar spaces over the years. The hotel’s rich history and international acclaim give us a strong backdrop from which to build new stories and forge meaningful partnerships, driving awareness across traditional media, digital platforms, and social touchpoints,” said Paul Hicks, founder and CEO of GHC Asia.

Meanwhile, Accela Communications will take the lead for consumer PR for Grand Hyatt Singapore’s reimagined F&B and wellness concepts and will develop guest-centric story angles for the hotel’s iconic lifestyle destinations. The agency is renowned for its integrated communications approach to generating creative and innovative campaigns across traditional, social media, and digital marketing. 

Erin Padilla, CEO and co-founder of Accela Communications, shared that “We’re thrilled to be part of this significant moment in Grand Hyatt Singapore’s history. As long-time champions of the property, we’re excited to have won the agency bid to lead creative PR activations for the relaunch. Grand Hyatt Singapore is loved by locals and international travellers for its world-class hospitality and innovative dining experiences. We can’t wait to bring back Singapore’s urban oasis right in the heart of the Orchard Road district.”

The iconic hotel welcomed its first guest in 1971 under the name Singapore Hyatt Hotel, which was subsequently renamed Hyatt Regency Singapore in 1979. In 1998, the hotel rebranded as Grand Hyatt Singapore after a major upgrade of its 677 guestrooms and suites, complemented by the introduction of world-class gourmet concepts.

“Within the World of Hyatt, Grand Hyatt hotels offer a front row seat to major gateway cities and resort destinations, bringing travel dreams to life by celebrating the iconic in small details and magnificent moments. Our guests would be able to expect service excellence and first-class accommodations within a multicultural backdrop of dramatic architecture, inventive restaurants, luxury spas, and sophisticated meeting spaces,” said Charis Choi.

“We’re very excited at how Grand Hyatt Singapore’s evolution makes it more than ever the perfect embodiment of the Grand Hyatt brand promise. We can’t wait to show the newly transformed hotel to our ambitious guests around the world seeking confidence and the new in familiar,” she further added.

Singapore – Vistar Media, the global provider of programmatic software and digital signage solutions for out-of-home (OOH), announces a partnership with Ten Square, the largest outdoor LED display in Singapore. 

Vistar Media will serve as Ten Square’s supply-side platform (SSP) partner for programmatic DOOH transactions. And with this partnership, advertisers across Southeast Asia and around the world can now access Ten Square’s groundbreaking 3D anamorphic screen via Vistar’s SSP. 

“As we double down on our investment in programmatic DOOH across Southeast Asia, I’m excited to forge such a strong partnership with Ten Square, bringing advertisers one of the most unique out-of-home formats in Singapore for their advertising efforts,” said Ben Baker, managing director, APAC, at Vistar Media.

He further shared that “Partnerships like these are crucial to our efforts at Vistar to accelerate the overall adoption of pDOOH, and I’m confident this will help advertisers continue to recognise the unique value the channel can bring to an omnichannel media mix.”

The iconic Singapore Ten Square is an eye-catching digital billboard that stands at 305 sq m.tall and boasts high-resolution images with a 10mm pixel pitch and more than 3 million pixels, including anamorphic content on three sides.

Being the first of its kind in Singapore, it offers an immersive experience for onlookers passing by a high-traffic shopping hub in the city. It is situated on the facade of the iconic one-stop car vending machine in Singapore’s bustling CBD.

Ten Square also includes an event space that can be utilized for brand activations, launches, and promotions.

Franck Vidal, director for Southeast Asia sales and partnerships at Vistar Media, shared that they are thrilled to welcome an innovative partner like Ten Square to join their robust network of digital inventory in Southeast Asia. 

“Ten Square’s unique screen truly leans into the future of programmatic out-of-home, and the immense creative potential that comes with the channel. I’m excited to witness firsthand how advertisers tap into this unique canvas for their advertising campaigns,” he continued. 

Meanwhile, Gary Hong, founder of Ten Square, comments on the partnership, saying that, “We are thrilled to partner with Vistar Media to help brands execute iconic pDOOH campaigns across our standout, “state of the art” screen that sits on the façade of the eye-catching car vending machine.” 

“With these innovations, we hope to elevate creatives and branding to new heights, captivating audiences even in the darkest of nights through our mesmerizing 3D anamorphic “ready” billboard. The seamless fusion of technology and artistry empowers brands to make a deep and lasting impression on passersby,” he added. 

Singapore – Global communication platform Slack reveals that it will roll out a completely redesigned interface and new user experience aimed at helping users stay organized, focused, and productive. 

The redesign is expected to roll out in the coming months and will feature a more intuitive layout and better organization to finish work faster. To go into specifics, the new design helps users navigate through channels and conversations easily, focus on what’s important and knock out distractions, and find essential tools faster and easier for a more simplified experience. 

The redesigned Slack features easier navigation of channels and messages across multiple workspaces. The sidebar will become a default ‘Home’ view, with those in the Enterprise grid having the ability to view channels from every workspace, all in Home.

Another prominent feature introduced with the new design is the dedicated pages for a more focused view. With this, notifications will be housed deeper within this view, so users will have more control over when they want to work and when they’re ready to collaborate with the team.

Slack’s new design also emphasizes the importance of having useful tools one click away. With the revamped design, a new ‘create’ button will allow users to start new messages, channels, canvases, and huddles. And a new “more” button is introduced for simpler access to workflows and apps without friction.

Noah Weiss, chief product officer of Slack, said that, “We know millions of people start and end their workday in Slack, so we took great care to ensure these improvements make it a more productive and pleasant home. The new experience helps teams stay better organized, focus on what’s important, and quickly access a growing set of tools in Slack.”

Other than the highlighted features, Slack will also introduce hover functionality to monitor activity quickly, device-specific updates, and new themes.

Singapore – In line with Singapore’s continuous efforts to promote safety in situations of crisis, the Ministry of Home Affairs worked alongside Wunderman Thompson Singapore on its latest ‘SGSecure’ campaign, ‘What’s your role?’, to educate the public about what they can do, as well as empower them to play their parts to help keep Singapore safe.

The new campaign by Wunderman Thompson Singapore and the Ministry of Home Affairs features everyday people and shows how they play their roles in protecting others simply by drawing on their personalities and innate strengths.

The campaign was portrayed visually with posters and a short film depicting how individuals can contribute to security with examples such as the ability to bring people together in both peacetime and times of crisis, the eye to spot fake news, the strength to stay calm in emergencies, and even the courage and heart to support those at risk of radicalization.

Nimesh Desai, chief executive officer at Wunderman Thompson Singapore, said,  “Despite being one of the safest countries with a well-established system, we recognise that people living in Singapore cannot take anything for granted. Hence, the premise of the campaign – we all have a part to play.”

Meanwhile, Gerald Chue, group creative director, Wunderman Thompson Singapore, commented, “We wanted to step away from the usual doom and gloom that instils fear, and inspire Singaporeans to rise up instead, by using their own skills to keep our home safe and secure.”

In the fast-paced and highly competitive world of marketing, staying updated with the latest trends and honing your skills is essential to succeed. Fortunately, Singapore boasts a thriving ecosystem of marketing training providers, catering to professionals and aspiring marketers alike.

Whether you’re seeking hands-on workshops, comprehensive certification programs, or personalised coaching, these training providers are dedicated to empowering individuals with the knowledge and expertise necessary to thrive in the ever-evolving marketing industry.

In this listicle, MARKETECH APAC takes a look into the standout features and unique approaches of the top marketing training providers in Singapore, opening doors to new opportunities and propelling your marketing career to unprecedented heights.

ClickAcademy Asia

ClickAcademy Asia, with its vision of creating a future-ready workforce, has been dedicated to providing high-value training that empowers businesses and professionals to thrive in the online realm. With over a decade of experience, they have successfully transformed the careers of numerous marketers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs, equipping them with the skills and knowledge required to excel in the digital age.

Some of its offered services include Skills Future Singapore (SSG)-funded training programmes, in-house and bespoke training programmes, lead generation services, research services, and content production services. 

Moreover, ClickAcademy Asia is committed to delivering tailored training solutions to businesses of all sizes, ensuring the programs align with specific organisational requirements.

ClickAcademy Asia boasts a wide roster of experienced professionals who possess a deep understanding of digital marketing. For the company, it’s important to deliver industry-leading expertise. This is evident in their commitment to quality content, meticulously curated and regularly updated to reflect the latest trends and advancements in the ever-changing field of digital marketing.

As an accredited training partner (TP) with the SSG, ClickAcademy Asia’s courses qualify for government funding, making them more accessible and affordable for businesses. This accreditation underscores their commitment to providing quality education and professional development opportunities.

ClickAcademy Asia serves a wide list of local and international clients; including Changi Airport Group, Hitachi, Kimberly-Clarke, Lenovo, NTUC, OCBC Bank, Prada, PwC, Singapore Airlines, Singapore Management University, SingTel, Standard Chartered, Temasek Polytechnic, Thomson Reuters, Toshiba, Unilever, amongst others.

To learn more about ClickAcademy Asia and the various digital marketing courses offered, you can contact them via their official website. You can also either email them at [email protected] or drop them a message via WhatsApp via the number +65 9388 8755.

Equinet Academy

The Equinet Academy was first introduced in 2013 and offers a variety of courses in order to accelerate the process of digital marketing transformation across all industry sectors. Some of its courses range from content marketing, social media advertising, digital marketing analytics, search engine optimisation (SEO), and e-commerce marketing.

For the company, they aim at providing concise and actionable tips and insights that will help marketers achieve their organisational goals in a more cost-efficient and productive manner. Their way of teaching is anchored in the idea that marketers need quick wins and actionable strategies they can immediately apply to their existing marketing campaigns.

Lastly, they envision themselves as the ones equipping businesses with competent marketing personnel, improving productivity and innovation and maximising returns across all industry sectors. Some of their clients include DHL, IKEA, Nikon, NTUC, SingTel, and Starhub. 

GEX Academy

GEX Academy aims to draw upon the expertise of seasoned entrepreneurs and investors who have an intimate understanding of navigating challenging decisions with limited information. The company is dedicated to providing aspiring marketers with a guiding hand and unwavering support on their journey towards achieving financial freedom and career success.

Additionally, they aim at bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, GEX equips its students with valuable tips and resources to excel in the real-world marketing landscape. The platform creates a collaborative space where students, mentors, and alumni can exchange knowledge and insights beyond the confines of traditional classrooms.

Impossible Marketing

Impossible Marketing, founded in 2012, offers a variety of digital marketing-related courses for those who want to diversify their independent marketing skills. Interested users may enroll on classes revolving around topics such as influencer marketing, web marketing, lead generation, SEO marketing, email marketing, and web application development.

For the company, as a Google and Meta business partner company, they believe that through their existing course partnerships, they are able to empower those who want to enrich their marketing knowledge via in-house training and in-house experts who have a wide range of experiences and backgrounds to teach the new generation of digital marketers.

Next Level Singapore

Next Level Singapore puts focus on business growth and employability for business owners and individual professionals, respectively through their own courses. For them, they offer quality engagement experiences for learners as part of their taught courses. They believe that through active interactions and guidance from trainers, the overall learning process will encourage learners to ask questions and clear any doubts that they might have.

Moreover, aside from their own training programs, they also offer digital marketing services to busy business owners to achieve the best possible results with maximum return on investment. For them, they strive to deliver organic growth of traffic and increase lead conversions for any business projects that they take up.

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As the demand for marketing expertise continues to soar, the importance of choosing the right training partner cannot be underestimated. Whether it’s honing digital marketing strategies, mastering data analytics, or understanding consumer behaviour, these top marketing training providers offer a gateway to success in the competitive industry.

Aspiring marketers are encouraged to explore the array of offerings, considering factors like course content, industry relevance, and instructor expertise, to make an informed decision that aligns with their career goals. By investing in high-quality marketing education, professionals can equip themselves with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the dynamic marketing landscape of today and contribute significantly to the growth and success of businesses in Singapore and beyond.

Singapore – With many Singaporeans following international leagues such as the English Premier League, a majority indicated they could also be encouraged to watch local football, given the right motivation. This was revealed in a recent survey from Yahoo and YouGov, conducted as part of the Season 2 launch of Yahoo’s Footballing Weekly.

While this is a widely held belief amongst Singaporeans (40%) in the study with 40% remaining neutral, there are slight differences amongst generations with older cohorts such as baby boomers (45%) and Gen X (43%) particularly standing tall as advocates of football’s significance, believing that football is important and influential to the culture and identity of Singapore. 

Meanwhile, younger generations such as millennials (35%) and Gen Z (37%) trail slightly behind their older counterparts in this sentiment.

The study also revealed that while only 35% say they currently support local football clubs or the national team, 70% would be encouraged to support a local football club or the national team if at least one of their criteria was fulfilled; the top three criteria identified were talented and skilled players (35%), their hobby or interest (30%); and a strong team spirit (28%).

Moreover, while existing support for local football is equal across generations (Gen Z 36%; Millennials 35%; Gen X 26%; Baby Boomers 34%), younger generations may be key to further fuelling the flames of the country’s passion towards the sport. Gen Z (80%) and Millennials (72%) lead the pack, above the national average (70%), in being potentially interested in local football, citing personal interest as the top criteria.

The survey also showed that Singaporeans who support the national team or local clubs are more optimistic about the country’s aspirations for the Unleash the Roar! project – a bid to develop a national squad that could qualify for the 2034 World Cup. Local football fans (39%) believe that Singapore will be represented at the world’s biggest sporting event within the next 10 years, while only 9% of those who identify as non-supporters agree. 

Fans who indicated their support for the Singapore Premier League (SPL) have a different take: 45% of SPL supporters believe that their partner, spouse, or family should support the same football team, compared to fans of other leagues such as Serie A (35%), UEFA Europa League (34%), Bundesliga (31%), UEFA Champions League (29%), La Liga (29%), and EPL (26%).

Aligning with this sentiment that football, especially local football, is a friends and family affair, respondents indicated that strong community engagements (26%), friend and family support (21%), and a strong team spirit (28%) are amongst the factors that will encourage them to support the local football scene.

Despite their love for the beautiful game, fans are split when it comes to paying to attend live matches. Nearly half (45%) of Singaporeans will not want to attend a live match if they have to pay, whether it involves a top European football club or the Singapore national team at the Singapore National Stadium.

Out of those that were willing to pay to attend a match, respondents were willing to pay more to attend a match involving a top European football club as compared to the Singapore national team: 16% would be willing to pay more than $100 for a top European football club, while only 7% would be willing to pay the same price for the Singapore national team.

The study also revealed that Singaporeans are mixed when it comes to catching the action away from the sidelines: 45% said they tune in to watch live matches online or on TV, with almost a third of respondents (32%) spending up to three hours a week catching up on the game and reliving each important aspect. Meanwhile, 55% said they do not watch live football matches online or on TV.

Chia Han Keong, co-host of Yahoo’s Footballing Weekly and Yahoo editor, said, “Football, after all, is a team sport requiring every player to understand their roles and help his teammates. In Singapore, whether you watch or play football, it builds a community bond that few other sports can manage, and that passion and camaraderie shows up in the findings of this survey.”

He added, “As the first whistle blows on this year’s Yahoo Footballing Weekly, we wanted to take a deeper dive into the perspectives, behaviours, and attitudes of Singaporeans towards football. The insights uncovered are enlightening especially as we ponder on the current state and future fortunes of Singapore football. As a nation, we have always loved the sport, but there is clearly a long way to go before the national team can taste sweet success.”

Singapore – As part of its commitment to promote and support sports in Singapore, telecommunications company Singtel has renewed its partnership with the Singapore National Olympic Council, increasing its sponsorship over the next five years, its biggest sponsorship for sports to date.

Singtel’s new five-year partnership with SNOC aims to support Team Singapore in upcoming major sporting events such as the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. Singtel will provide S$1.5 million in funding and also sponsor S$200,000 worth of mobile roaming services for Team Singapore contingents.

Being a major corporate partner of Team Singapore, Singtel has supported athletes in achieving their goal of competing for Singapore in major games including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Singtel’s S$2.5 million sponsorship over the last ten years has helped fund various SNOC programmes, offset the contingents’ travelling expenses and enabled them to stay connected while competing overseas. 

Shanti Pereira, one of Singtel’s 2023 partner athletes, said, “As an athlete, it is very encouraging to receive support to enable me to train and compete while representing Singapore. I would like to thank Singtel for their support and for continuing to help Team Singapore to achieve our sporting aspirations.”

Talking about the renewed partnership, Chris Chan, secretary-general of the Singapore National Olympic Council commented, “Singtel has been an unwavering partner of Singapore’s Olympic Movement, the SNOC and of Singapore sports for more than a decade, at our side through triumph and adversity. We are grateful to Singtel for this steadfast support without which many of our athletes’ dreams would not have been possible, and we look forward to celebrating many more Team Singapore milestones with Singtel.”

Meanwhile, Yuen Kuan Moon, group CEO of Singtel, said, “Singtel is delighted to continue our longstanding partnership with SNOC and Team Singapore to support our local athletes as they pursue their sporting dreams and display their talents on the world stage. They are a great inspiration to Singaporeans and show us that with a passion for excellence, determination and resilience, nothing is impossible.”

Singapore – VCCP Singapore has hired two new members to its leadership team, with the goal of aiding the agency into its next phase of growth. Katya Obolensky has been named managing director, and Mark Teal has been named chief marketing officer. Both hires are effective immediately.

Obolensky and Teal join the agency to help it grow, strengthen its presence in Singapore, and expand across Asian markets. As managing director, Obolensky will uphold the agency’s dedication to producing creative work and providing excellent client service.

Obolensky brings over fifteen years of advertising business experience in both New York City and London to the agency. Her career began at JWT NYC, where she worked on the Microsoft account, and she later moved to M&C Saatchi in London, where she was working for clients such as Hyundai, Currys/PC World, Public Health England, and Havana Club. She recently served as the leader of the Virgin Media O2 account at VCCP’s London headquarters, joined the London arm as a Senior Account Director back in 2015.

Speaking about her appointment, Obolensky expressed, “I’m absolutely thrilled to be bringing the challenger spirit of VCCP London to Singapore, and couldn’t be more pleased to have Mark join us at such an exciting time in our growth story. We’ve had an incredible few years and I’m excited to take our Asia offering to its next stage .”

Teal has two decades of experience in advertising and marketing technology. He arrives from Wunderman Thompson, where he is the head of business development, directing marketing technology alliances and driving creative and technology-related pitches. Previously, as business development director at Digitas, he was responsible for increasing the agency’s expertise in CRM and CMS build projects. 

Meanwhile, Julian Douglas, International CEO at VCCP said, “VCCP Singapore has seen solid momentum, bringing in clients Canon, Cathay Pacific, Toll and Deliveroo and welcoming several new superstar hires. Now with both Katya and Mark on board, we have the right leadership in place to propel the agency and Network even further as we reach the third phase of our global expansion plan which has APAC at the heart of it. I look forward to seeing their impact on our business.”

Singapore – AirAsia launched the “YASSS to Holiday Quickies” project, which aims to revive Singaporeans’ love of travel and adventure. 

Originally launched in 2019 as “Holiday Quickies,” this travel advertisement has sparked the desire to travel and adventurous spirit of many Singaporeans. AirAsia’s network of 130 destinations, including 15 direct routes from Singapore, has been embraced by tourists seeking the beauty of fast travel by enabling them to go on short, stimulating trips.

On Saturday, July 29, 2023, AirAsia launched PlayLive!, a voice-activation game on Clear Channel Singapore’s digital screen, where participants had a chance to win free flights by screaming “YASSS” for 10 seconds, enhancing AirAsia’s brand image as a lifestyle-oriented airline.

Speaking about the launch, Logan Velaitham, CEO of AirAsia Singapore, expressed, “We are excited to relaunch this successful campaign in Singapore with the return of our popular ‘YASSS to Holiday Quickies.’”

He added,  “What better way to reintroduce it than partnering with Clear Channel’s interactive voice-activation digital screen to not only get our guests to scream on top of their lungs for free flights, but also get our brand on top of their minds for future travel opportunities.” 

“As we are back in full swing with frequencies and capacities akin to pre-pandemic levels, with 15 destinations from Singapore, we look forward to flying Singaporeans to their much-needed and well-deserved holiday locations, always at the best-value fares possible,” Velaitham said.