Tag: The Secret Little Agency

Singapore – The Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) has teamed up with The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) for the second phase of its ‘Break The Silver Ceiling’ movement — a transformative initiative aimed at breaking the narrow, outdated portrayal of seniors in mainstream media. 

For this new phase, AIC aims to tackles ageist stereotypes head-on by producing a comprehensive digital photo repository that celebrates seniors in their true light—active, engaged, and diverse. The photo bank contains 120 images of 40 seniors, captured by four renowned Singaporean photographers–Aik Beng Chia, Amiera Raushan, Mindy Tan, and Zantz Han.

These photos will be available at breakthesilverceiling.com and used in out-of-home billboards and media collaborations across Singapore. The aim is to ensure that older adults are not only seen authentically but portrayed with the dignity, complexity, and diversity they deserve. It is also in support of Age Well SG, with the aim to support seniors to age well in their homes and their communities by ageing actively, staying socially connected, and be cared for within the local communities.

Recent data shows that only 4% of people featured in advertisements worldwide are aged sixty or older, despite seniors representing a significant and growing portion of the population in many markets. 

In Singapore, a HKUST study found that 88.6% of news articles from 2020 to 2023 contain ageist rhetoric, reflecting the pervasive stereotypes that misrepresent older adults. The urgency to correct these portrayals has never been clearer, especially when 1 in 6 people globally will be aged 60 years or over by 2030. 

Nicholas Ye and Mavis Neo, co-chief creative officers at The Secret Little Agency, said, “This movement isn’t about trying to make 60 the new 40. t’s about being 60 and proud of it. A simple Google image search or stock photo search reinforces such a myopic view of ageing. As an industry, we have to do better – we are perpetuating the stereotypes of ageing that exist in visual culture and as brand stewards, we have the responsibility to represent ageing in a way that is real, authentic, and true.” 

They added, “It’s time to remove phrases like, ‘She looks good for her age,’ from our collective vocabulary. The reality is that the over 60 today live full active lives, defined by more than just their age. By changing how seniors are portrayed, we change how they’re seen—and how we’ll see ourselves as we age.”

The campaign will culminate on 1 October 2024, celebrating the International Day of Older Persons, with an exhibition featuring photographs of seniors at Our Tampines Hub. This six-day exhibition honours the diversity and dynamism of Singapore’s seniors, highlighting personal stories and everyday moments. A photo contest held from 21 August to 15 September 2024 also called for the public to contribute their own photos of seniors breaking silver ceilings under three themes – sports and fitness, lifestyle and leisure, and learning. Selected photos will also be showcased in the exhibition.

By working with national media outlets, government agencies, and community organizations, AIC and The Secret Little Agency are taking a bold step towards dismantling ageism. Through this initiative, they are creating a future where ageing is embraced, not feared, and where older adults are represented in all their diversity and dignity. 

“We often encounter limited portrayals of seniors. AIC’s One Photo at A Time campaign challenges these stereotypes and encourages Singaporeans to rethink their perceptions of ageing, fostering a more inclusive and positive view of growing older and ageing well together.” said Eva Lim, director of the integrated communications and marketing division at AIC. 

Singapore – After a competitive closed-door pitch, travel and experience platform, Klook has appointed independent creative agency The Secret Little Agency as its creative partner for their upcoming global brand work. 

The Secret Little Agency’s remit includes the development of a global brand strategy for marketing and communications, conceptualisation of global brand platforms and campaigns, as well as mapping opportunities for future experience pillars. 

Klook will join the agency’s list of global clients which include Star Alliance, IKEA Singapore, Marriott Bonvoy, DBS Bank and more. 

Marcus Yong, vice president of global marketing at Klook, said, “Choosing the right partner to support our next stage of growth was crucial. The Secret Little Agency demonstrated a clear understanding of our goals and brought fresh ideas to the table. We’re excited about this collaboration and what we can achieve together to bring even more joy to millions of travelers around the world.”

Meanwhile, Eunice Tan, group CEO at The Secret Little Agency, said, “Klook has transformed the way we travel and enjoy experiences over the past decade. We are excited to embark on this journey and to work together to co-create a revolutionary brand as they enter their next chapter of innovation.”

Singapore – Home furnishing retailer IKEA has launched the pillow-like RESTEN bag as a symbol of rest in Singapore, categorised as the third most sleep-deprived country in the world. It is a recreation of the blue FRAKTA bag made in partnership with creative agency The Secret Little Agency.

Featuring a padded design with comfortable fabrics and stuffing, the bag doubles as a makeshift pillow to help Singaporeans find rest on the go.

“With the entire country running on overtime, rest is often sought in unconventional places, and we saw the opportunity to bring comfort to the busy lives of Singaporeans by creating the world’s most “rest-able” bag for one of the world’s most rest-less countries.” Nicholas Ye and Mavis Neo, chief creative officers of The Secret Little Agency, said.

The RESTEN bag will debut during the RestFest at IKEA, a three-day event in IKEA Jurong, Alexandra, and Tampines in Singapore featuring sleep, rest, and relaxation activities.

Commenting on the campaign, Caroline Ng, country marketing manager of IKEA Singapore, said, “We know sleep is important, and rest is a vital yet often overlooked part of Singaporean lives. IKEA has a wide range of well-designed and affordable products to help you get there, and what better way to launch it than with our new ‘Leave the rest to IKEA.’ year-long campaign that kicks off with our first-ever RestFest and the RESTEN bag. It reminds us of our busy lifestyles, the importance of finding opportunities for rest, and that Singaporeans can simply leave the rest to us.”

Customers can get their RESTEN bag through the giveaway hosted on IKEA Singapore’s Instagram page and at the RestFest event on Sept. 6 to 8, 2024.

Singapore – The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) has introduced expanded PR and communications capabilities through PPURPOSE as it unveils a rebrand of its experience and advocacy arm. The rebrand is accompanied by PPURPOSE’s win of beer giant Carlsberg’s latest creative pitch for Waterbomb Singapore 2024, a second Enterprise Singapore Heartland Rejuvenation project, and new key additions to PPURPOSE’s team.

Founded in 2016, the rebrand and expansion of services is a natural progression for the agency which has been behind many prominent publicity and experiential projects for the likes of Netflix, Hugo Boss, Zespri, Asian Civilisations Museum, National Arts Council, including the recent preview of New Bahru, the lifestyle and creative destination by The Lo & Behold Group.

The ‘PPURPOSE’ team has recently won the creative pitch for Carlsberg’s upcoming activation at the Waterbomb Singapore 2024 music festival. PPURPOSE’s remit includes creative conceptualisation and development of programming & experiences to deliver a uniquely Carlsberg experience for all. 

With its rebrand, ‘PPURPOSE’ will now include creative PR and communications planning to its offerings, on top of its services in experiential, culture programming, and advocacy. This strategic move is a response to the fast-evolving industry, where the boundaries between communications, events, and influencer marketing have become increasingly blurred. 

The rebrand also aims to enhance PPURPOSE’s direction by creating meaningful experiences in today’s fast-moving temporal world, setting a new bar for creativity in PR. 

Eunice Tan, group CEO at The Secret Little Agency, said, “We want to bring the fun back to PR. We believe PR as we know it has so much more to offer, and it can be creative. PPURPOSE has always strived to offer something more, something different – culturally impactful programming versus events; genuine advocacy rather than temporal KOL engagement campaigns – because we see the depth of what we can achieve for our clients. We saw an opportunity to build on our strengths in advocacy and programming to carve a space for ourselves through modern PR communications that leads first with creativity and intention.”

She added, “With this expansion, we hope to give our clients a genuine chance at gaining global exposure. In this new chapter, we will continue to partner with brands and creators that align with our vision of meaningful communications and authentic experiences that ultimately create cultural impact with lasting brands and communities.” 

Singapore – The Land Transportation Authority (LTA), alongside The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) is marking the end of its film series focusing on EV readiness in Singapore by releasing its third and final instalment of the film series, directed by renowned local filmmaker Jack Neo.

The third and final installment, starring iconic Singaporean actor Henry Thia, is aimed at sharing the electrification of public transportation driving environmental benefits. The heart wrenching drama follows Ah Hui on his journey to keep his promise to his departed love, to live more sustainably, culminating in his realisation that sustainable transportation is readily available through our buses.

The decision to collaborate with Jack Neo, one of Singapore’s most celebrated filmmakers, was a strategic one. Leveraging Neo’s unparalleled ability to connect with Singaporeans through his unique brand of humor and storytelling, the final film lands the message that all generations are already experiencing Singapore in it’s EV readiness with the electrification of bus fleets; all Singaporeans, not just vehicle drivers, have a part to play in driving our switch to electric initiatives forward.

The campaign–launched December last year–sought to educate Singaporeans around the ready infrastructure supporting the adoption of electric vehicles that exists today and into the near future through the use of cinematic films. 

The three films utilises storytelling in surprising ways, playing on typical genre tropes familiar to all movie-lovers to land tactical messaging on the nation’s electric future. The first film touched on the longevity of a full charge of an average electric vehicle through an action-packed film; and the second used a Romeo/Juliet-esque romance musical to bring to life the ease and convenience of switching to an EV through comprehensive charging infrastructure networks across the country. 

Nicholas Ye and Mavis Neo, co-chief creative officers at The Secret Little Agency, said, “We wanted this final iteration to speak to the hearts of Singaporeans, young and old. Neo’s brand of storytelling, brings a fun, familiar, deeply resonant twist to our series. We saw the opportunity to bridge the knowledge gaps between generations, through highlighting the diverse ways in which Singaporeans of all ages contribute, shape, and experience Singapore’s EV-future, as past of the collective action towards a sustainable future.”

Singapore – Popular furniture brand IKEA has joined the April Fools’ quirkiness by launching its own ‘INVSBÅL’ collection, inspired by makeshift home solutions to everyday clutter, and intentionally resembles convenient solutions that don’t fully address everyday messes at home, but over time, have become part of the home—simply because we grow accustomed to it.

Launched in time for April Fool’s Day and cheekily named the INVSBÅL collection (a play on “invisible”), the range features a see-through laundry basket, a transparent picture frame, as well as colourless storage boxes and clear shoe racks. 

Moreover, the campaign’s visuals are shot in real homes and featuring relatable everyday messy situations, and seemingly showcases an INVSBÅL product that offers to “solve” the mess for a low price of just $1.04. A keen eye will notice that there is no real product pictured in the frame, and the price tag hints at the fact that the entire collection is just an April Fool’s joke.

While the products might be made up, the INVSBÅL collection aims to serve a real purpose—to shine a light on such easily overlooked messes and subtly nudge homeowners to seek better home solutions with IKEA. 

A spokesperson for The Secret Little Agency (TSLA), the agency that conceptualised this campaign, said, “Life goes by so quickly in Singapore, and little things tend to add up around the home. To keep up, we often find ourselves using quick-and-easy solutions to contain the mess, and we eventually become used to the mess itself. It’s like the mess blends in, and becomes part of the furniture. That was how the INVSBÅL collection came about.”

To achieve this, the social posts drive users to an IKEA webpage that shares more details on the INVSBÅL collection—but also cleverly leads visitors to check out other existing IKEA collections and items if you “can’t see what you’re looking for”.

In addition, IKEA Singapore also created a new trend on Instagram Stories, inviting fans to snap and share photos of their own INVSBÅL solutions at home.

Another TSLA spokesperson added, “We knew that every other brand would be jumping at the chance to share a funny joke or a prank on April Fool’s. But we wanted to go beyond that, and use April Fool’s Day as a platform to highlight a real pain point in Singaporean homes, and offer a real solution—but in a joyful and light-hearted way.”

Singapore – The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) and Mandai Park Holdings have announced that it is closing their creative chapter as Mandai had recently called a new creative tender, as managed by R3. This marks the end of TSLA and Mandai’s seven-year work together, which began in 2017.

Mandai appointed TSLA back then as its lead creative and branding agency globally following a heavily competitive pitch process.

TSLA previously worked with Mandai for a new masterbrand and brand world back in 2021, as the multi-year rejuvenation of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve continued. This was done with TSLA’s global brand practice Anak, and aimed at bringing Mandai’s group branding ambitions to life on both a domestic and global level.

Photo Courtesy: The Secret Little Agency

From naming, brand strategy to brand architecture, and visual development across thousands of touch-points both digital and offline, the 4 year branding journey was often referred to as “a new playbook for biodiversity.”

More recently, TSLA and Mandai launched the highly-anticipated Bird Paradise, effectively migrating both brand and production from the former Jurong Bird Park into what is today the world’s largest free-flying aviary.

Eunice Tan, group CEO at The Secret Little Agency, said “Together with Mandai, we created something special that all Singaporeans can be proud of globally, shifting Mandai from just a zoo brand, to a global platform for wildlife conservation and biodiversity. The entire team at Mandai have been fantastic collaborators, and at this moment, there is only a sense of appreciation and deep pride for what we’ve been able to achieve together.”

Meanwhile, Belina Lee, deputy CEO, transformation and growth at Mandai Wildlife Group, commented, “In this changing of the guard, we want to thank our long-standing partner, The Secret Little Agency, who journeyed with us for seven years, and with our stakeholders, laid a solid foundation for the Mandai brand world. We are grateful to have strong partnerships, both present and future, as we transform the Mandai Wildlife Reserve from a collection of world-leading wildlife parks to a globally iconic destination.”

Singapore – The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has recently launched the first of a three-part series of films with The Secret Little Agency to demonstrate electric vehicles as a reality of Singapore’s mobility. 

While awareness of electric vehicles is high amongst Singaporeans, the campaign seeks to educate Singaporeans about the ready infrastructure supporting the adoption of electric vehicles that exist today and into the near future.

The campaign aims to ensure that electric vehicle readiness is hyper-visible to the public by making it part of everyday culture through the language of cinema. Titled ‘Now Showing on Roads Near You’, the campaign puts the power of cinema storytelling to surprising use to show how electric vehicles and its supporting infrastructure aren’t just a thing of the future but are highly present in the here and now.

https://youtu.be/ahjgNlW8SFI?si=p8NASF78QoVLM650

The first of the series touches on the EV’s longevity and range, in the style of an action thriller. Created in collaboration with Abundant Films and director Jesse James Mcelroy, the film follows a protagonist on a thrilling mission to save his family on one single electric vehicle charge. It brings the viewer through an epic journey with entertaining plot twists and turns while demonstrating just how much mileage can be achieved with a single electric vehicle charge.

Each film within the three-part series will touch on three aspects of electric vehicle readiness. With longevity being released first, the following films will tackle the ease and convenience of switching to an electric vehicle through a comprehensive charging infrastructure network, and how the electrification of public transportation drives environmental benefits – each taking on a different genre of cinema.

Talking about the campaign, Nicholas Ye & Mavis Neo, co-chief creative officers at The Secret Little Agency, said, “A cleaner future powered by electric vehicles is inevitable and something all Singaporeans can look forward to, just like an upcoming blockbuster at the cinema. And so ‘Now Showing On Roads Near You’ was born as we create the kind of sizzle that movie trailers do starting with this trailer about the amazing things you can do in just one charge.”

The upcoming two films in this three-part series are slated to be released between mid-January to early February. They will see the campaign culminating towards the Chinese New Year period.

Singapore – Bakery supply store RedMan, a part of Phoon Huat Pte Ltd, has teamed up with creative agency The Secret Little Agency for its newest ‘#JustBakeIt’ campaign that encourages Singaporeans to consider baked goods as the ultimate gift for anyone.

The campaign aims to encourage Singaporeans to #JustBakeIt, embracing the warmth and sincerity of baked goods not just as gifts but also as a means to foster deeper connections and authenticity with every bite.

Featuring a series of witty, cheeky, and provocative key visuals, the campaign playfully parodies the visual language of famous luxury, tech, and electronic appliance brands. Utilising the OOH platform, the key visuals are strategically placed along the bustling Orchard Road to catch the crowd that’s going holiday shopping in the iconic shopping district.

RedMan’s campaign is also available on social media and digital, all designed to make Singaporeans think twice about the value of a gift and to stray away from insincere consumerism.

Additionally, shoppers will also have the chance to spot ‘@RedManWithSign’ at iconic spots along Orchard Road. Based on the global social personality ‘@DudeWithSign’, RedManWithSign will share truth bombs on gifting to encourage shoppers to bake and give the gift of thoughtfulness instead.

As part of the campaign, RedMan will also offer baking classes and baking kits at its stores to empower shoppers to create their own ultimate thoughtful gift for the holiday season. Meanwhile, shoppers who can snap a photo of @RedManWithSign will enjoy a discount at RedMan stores with their baking purchases.

The campaign is part of Phoon Huat’s larger strategy of positioning baking as a quintessential Singaporean pastime.

Swapnil Shah, head of omnichannel at Phoon Huat Pte Ltd, said, “Collaborating hand in hand with The Secret Little Agency sparked a beautiful idea to redefine the essence of giving this Christmas season. Baking becomes a magical act of love, a heartfelt endeavour to spread joy through delightful creations. Delving into the kitchen to craft something from the heart is more than a gesture—it’s a display of genuine care, capable of expressing a myriad of emotions. With this campaign, our aim is to ignite a spark in others, encouraging them to partake in the timeless tradition of crafting handmade bakes as the ultimate personal gift for everyone.”

Nicholas Ye and Mavis Neo, co-chief creative officers at The Secret Little Agency, also shared, “We live in an age of mindless consumerism, and we wanted to convey the spirit of the campaign in a playful way that is thought-provoking in order to get Singaporeans to rethink their purchasing choices. Ads after ads after ads are created this season, telling people to buy more—we wanted to flip this narrative on its head whilst emulating some iconic brand ads to challenge the collective obsession with shopping and bring back the heartfelt gesture of baking.”

Singapore – Australian low-cost airline JetStar has announced a new brand platform, urging travellers to ‘Make It Count’ in 2024. Notably, this marks the next chapter of an ongoing partnership for Jetstar and The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) crafting the airline’s brand platform, with the last brand proposition, ‘Because You Can,’ created over seven years ago.

The ‘Make It Count’ campaign hopes to encourage people to overcome planning procrastination and put intention behind travel, emphasizing the importance of purposeful journeys. Reflecting strategic shifts in the travel landscape, the campaign also rallies travellers to emphasize the quality of their experiences and the importance of understanding why they travel rather than just where they’re going.

The creation of the new brand platform is accompanied with a new brand toolkit, complete with a library of assets for use across digital, social, and various destinations and occasions. 

This includes a film that takes the audience on a visceral adventure, where viewers will journey through a visual scrapbook, capturing the essence of meaningful travel experiences that linger long after the journey ends. The film, shot in hot travel destinations across Asia featuring Jetstar’s crew, aims to resonate with modern travellers living out their journeys with intention and purpose.

Belinda Allen, regional manager of group marketing and direct sales for Asia at Qantas and Jetstar Airways, said, “Jetstar has always been about more than just reaching a destination; it’s about the journey and the many stories we create along the way. ‘Make It Count’ is not just a campaign; it’s a commitment to meaningful travel experiences, encouraging our passengers to embrace the why behind their journeys, and ensuring every trip is a chapter worth remembering.”

She added, “We are committed to giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy these meaningful travel experiences affordably and to rediscover our destinations over and over again. We’re excited to continue the partnership with The Secret Little Agency to bring this to life – as the creative agency that created our brand platform 7 years ago, we knew there was no better partner to help us in this new wave of travel.”

Meanwhile, Mavis Neo and Nicholas Ye, co-chief creative officers at The Secret Little Agency, commented, “Our goal was to craft a platform that transcends the ordinary, resonates with the modern traveller’s mindset, and showcases Jetstar’s commitment to a new era of purposeful travel. ‘Make It Count’ is not just a tagline; it’s a creative journey that takes the audience beyond the destination, making every moment a canvas for memorable experiences.”

The brand platform launches in celebration of Jetstar’s 19th birthday sale happening 12 December 2023, and is expected to run well into 2024 across digital programmatic, social, and OOH including iconic billboards across Asia Pacific.