company Archives - MIU Your Creative Digital Agency

October 20, 2020August 9, 2022

5 Creative Lessons We Can Learn from the Best Advertisements in Singapore

Advertising. Such a key component in marketing. Did you know that in 2018, the most watched ads on YouTube, by Singaporeans, were made in Singapore?

That’s right. According to the YouTube Ads Leaderboard itself, six of the top 10 ads in the first half of the year came from Singapore. In fact, the top 4 places were dominated by ads with a compelling and emotional story. What these ads do well in is portray a heartfelt story driven by a goal to connect, rather than to sell. And that’s the key to truly engage your consumers.

Evolve your advertising strategy with the times

In 1984, a psychologist by the name of Walter Fisher developed a communication theory that we can put to use when we talk about ads. Known as the narrative paradigm, it posits that humans, at our core, are storytellers, and thus we thrive on narrative communication.

This is perhaps one of the reasons why emotional content performed so well in the YouTube Ads Leaderboard. Since storytelling is one of the oldest modes of communication, humans today still make decisions and act within this narrative framework, approaching the social world in such a mindset.

With this knowledge, we can confidently construct effective ads that will capture the heart and minds of Singaporeans alone. Today, there are so many advertisements floating around in the digital space that it can be hard to stand out amidst the clutter sometimes. Here’s some lessons on how to better stand out that we can learn from the top ads themselves.

1. Disrupt the conventional

Singapore Airlines – The Briefcase: You’re never far from those you love

The Briefcase is an advertisement that balances the fine line between heartwarming and bittersweet. Inspired by the experiences of many travellers, The Briefcase captures this universal feeling of homesickness to bring us on a journey — even when we’re not flying.

Powerful yet emotive, this ad pulls on the heartstrings of its viewers and leaves them with a bittersweet feeling. By inspiring viewers to think about their families during the festive season, The Briefcase successfully manages to connect with its audience on a topic that all of us can relate to — family — driving home the tagline, You’re never far from those you love.

Produced by TBWA Singapore, the ad by the Paris-based agency taps into their core philosophy, “disruption”. Taking notes from Todorov’s narrative structure theory, TBWA Singapore seeks to “disrupt the peace” with the unconventional. Using this system, they identify recent changes or action in culture to develop their advertising strategy.

Todorov’s theory states that there are five stages of narration and that all stories begin in a state of equilibrium. Disruption – the second stage in the narrative cycle – refers to an event that disrupts the peaceful state of equilibrium. By using this theory to their advantage, TBWA manages to stand out amongst competitors and implement their own unique flavour in each of their ads.

2. Animation is key

GoBear

Not convinced with this advertisement? Animated videos are all the rage right now, particularly when it comes to explainer videos, and here’s why. 75% of adults turn to YouTube for nostalgia rather than tutorials or current events. With animation, your imagination is the limit.

In a way that live-action videos might be unable to, animation videos bring concepts to life and simplify them for viewers to easily digest. Just look at TED-Ed. Knowing how helpful animations can be in engaging their audience, they have begun incorporating it as part of their content.

Not only that, animation suits just about any marketing need imaginable. Be it explainer videos or other forms of content, marketers recognise this great trend and are all adopting it as part of their strategy. This might explain why more than 60% of the best explainer videos collected by Hubspot, Video Brewery and Switch Video are animated.

In fact, did you know that 92% of consumers watch videos with the sound off? And only 50% of them rely on captions to understand the video content!

You could be potentially losing 50% of your consumers just because your content is not reaching them. To rectify this, you need to make sure your video is able to portray whatever message you want to bring across. In this scenario, a live-action video might present some restraints where an animated video does not.

The ad by Invisible Artists does just that — it explains the brand perfectly while remaining concise and engaging. The adorable animation is what draws the audience in at first, where the topic of finance is then presented. Everyone needs money — so this is a perfect point to focus on since viewers can relate to it.

Invisible Artists is an award-winning company that has worked with famous brands like Coca-Cola, Facebook, and The Body Shop. In 2014, they were titled the Investment Into The UK Award, just three years after their establishment. This advertising agency has definitely proven its potential, to say the least.

3. Gamification

If you want to go above and beyond, the best way to capture your audience’s attention is to involve them in an activity. Sticking a video in front of their noses might work, but do you know what’s even better? Games!

The amount of information absorbed by a viewer cannot be calculated or determined even if they have watched your video — but you can be sure that your brand is going to leave an impression in their mind when you present them with an activity to engage in.

This is what Hashmeta does well. They understand how pivotal a game can be in propelling an advertising strategy to success, and capitalise on it to generate leads and engagement for their clients. Even a simple quiz can be quite entertaining, as you can see for yourself!

The advertisement for NTUC LearningHub in fact reached more than 8000 players. Better yet, the average number of times a user played was 2.09. That means that players were actually hooked onto the quiz itself that they decided to replay it once more! Talk about engagement. Certainly, games might be the future of online advertising, so why not jump into it now?

4. Use the environment to your advantage

What can we say? These creative environmental ads just blow our mind. By taking an ordinary space into something funny.

Billboarders are here to help — by going against the norm. Despite the soar in the popularity of digital marketing, they recognise the potential in physical space. Instead of going with the flow, they decided to think out-of-the-box and offer a multimedia solution instead.

By creating the idea of human billboards, Billboarders give business a chance to build interpersonal relationships with their consumers while at the same time seeming witty. Comprising professionals who interact with audiences, they are able to deliver advantages that no other medium can match.

Such an innovative way of advertising not only grabs immediate attention, but is also interactive and fun. Not to mention, these human billboards can go anywhere and anytime, based on your preferences!

If you have been searching for a clever and extremely unique concept for your next advertising campaign, consider Billboarders’ direct media solution of limitless opportunities and remarkable results.

5. Let others do it for you

Ahh, yes. Social media advertising is yet another at the height of the marketing industry. With 3.5 billion social media users worldwide, it is no wonder businesses are turning to such platforms to drive their advertising campaigns. Of these users, 1 billion of them are active monthly on Instagram.

We’ve talked about how sponsored videos get thrice more comments than sponsored photos. But we have not yet talked about the potential of Instagram Stories, and how you can tap into it to bring about the best benefits for your brand. So let us.

Just based on statistics alone, there are 500 million daily active stories users, of which one-third of the most viewed Instagram Stories stem from businesses. In fact, Socialbakers found that brands can generate over four times more interactions on Instagram compared to Facebook!

What does this mean? Well, perhaps it’s time to look beyond Instagram Ads and Instagram posts for marketing — and dive deep into the world of Instagram Stories. Your consumers are already using it, why shouldn’t you?

In fact, Stories stickers can increase video viewership 83% of the time. This means that there is a huge potential in grabbing consumers’ attention via Instagram stories, by creating your own branded stickers and filters.

Introducing the Spark AR Studio, Facebook now lets anyone create their own augmented reality filters, which means that businesses can use this tool to further their marketing needs. Filters can even be used while streaming on Instagram Live, which gives you even more reason to use it!

Here’s a little fun fact: the heart love sticker is the most popular Giphy sticker in Instagram Stories, and the most used face filter is the one with the heart eyes. With this interesting tidbit, perhaps you now have an idea of what sort of stickers and filters you want to create for your brand?

The Secret Little Agency partnered up with Circles Life to address one issue brought about by the pandemic. Targeting working adults who are now working from home, they adeptly created an Instagram filter for those who are too lazy to put on proper clothes when answering a work-related video call.

Comprising a few different “outfits”, these filters are not only available on Instagram but also on Snapchat, Zoom, and Google Hangouts. Talk about being handy! Indeed, this tongue-in-cheek advertising stunt brought about many laughs for consumers who had an amusing time playing around with the filters.

Is your brand in need of a clever advertising and marketing strategy?

If you thought the list above ended at the fifth point, you’re in for a treat. There are so many ways to creatively express yourself through different marketing stunts, the possibilities are endless. Why not let MIU think of one for you?

So if you’re looking for a professional company to kickstart your digital marketing campaigns, consider contacting us today. Get ready to go on the wildest journey with our crazy ideas and innovative experiences — for both you and your consumers.

September 22, 2020September 4, 2023

5 Easy Steps to Design Your Own Name Card

How to create a fabulous name card design

Having a well-designed name card is essential for a business. Not only could it be the first impression your customers will have, but a good name card also leaves a lasting impression in their minds. Want your customers to think of you when looking for your product or service? You need an eye-catching name card.

Surely, it’s not that hard to design a good name card, you might think to yourself. After all, it’s just a piece of paper.

But it’s so much more than that. Your name card is what will draw customers back; it is in itself an opportunity to advertise your brand and implement brand recognition. To run a business effectively, you cannot do without a good name card.

Here’s how you can design your own name card in a few steps:

1. Search for a name card template

Some of Canva’s business card templates. (Source: Canva)

There are plenty of websites out there that offer templates for basic name card designs. Canva, for example, is one website where you can quickly craft your own name card and is especially helpful if you are doing it on a time constraint. Most of Canva’s templates follow the basic rectangular structure of the standard size, but feel free to break out of the mould if you want your name card to stand out!

2. Add your logo and relevant graphics

Example of a name card with a clear and distinct logo. (Source: RawPixel)

The most important detail of any business name card is, of course, the logo — so you want to make sure that your logo is the most prominent detail on the card itself. This will go towards building brand recognition and brand design. Do keep in mind that you can use both sides of the card to your advantage. In fact, it is recommended to have your logo on both sides, so have your logo on one side be a smaller version along with your contact details.

Now that you have your logo placement settled, it is time to decide on any graphics that you might want to add on to your card. Think about what kinds of graphics would help make your name card stand out. Or are you going for a minimalistic design? If so, you can also opt for a clutter-free design by choosing to leave as much negative space as you want on the card itself. Remember, this all contributes to your brand identity, so make your choices wisely.

3. Consider other details

What is the most vital piece of information you want to present on your card? (Source: Grabprinting)

Other factors that you should consider besides the logo and the graphics on the card would be the font, colours, as well as the information attached. Visuals play a huge part in building your brand identity, particularly in the eyes of your customers, so take care to pick your brand colours and typefaces with that in mind. You can refer to our Instagram for some typography tips!

On any name card, there always has to be three required pieces of information present. This includes who you are, what you do, as well as your contact information. So make sure your name, company, and job title are all clearly presented on the card itself. Contact information may refer to your phone number, email, or even your business address. You may also consider adding your social media handles on your card so that potential customers may be nudged into checking out your brand online, which will then help pull them further into becoming a loyal customer. Lastly, if you so prefer, do also include your website URL and if it helps, your company slogan.

4. Determine the final touches

What a luxurious card design this company has come up with! (Source: Line25)

Now that the design is all ready for printing, the last factor to consider before you send it off for bulk printing would be the shape, material and any other finishing touches. One feature you can make use of is die-cutting. With the advancements in printing technology, it is now possible to mass print name cards, even if they are not the standard layout we are used to seeing. You can even switch out the typical paper or plastic material for something more uncommon, like wood or metal, although that will undoubtedly be more costly.

Other special effects you can implement on your business card as well would be embossing, letter pressing, or even spot UV coating, which will give your business card a premium feel. These might make the logo or text on your business card really jump out and catch the eye of potential customers. Of course, this might not be possible with the free name card templates that you might find online, so if you want a more unique design, you might have to turn elsewhere for help.

5. Send it for printing

You can even opt for metallic finishes at the edges of your cards! (Source: NovelPrint)

Once you’ve brainstormed over the minute details of your name card and have come up with a design you are satisfied with, you just need to sit back and let the printing company do its job! I daresay this is the easiest step of the list — just watch the magic happen, from screen to hand.

If you’re a company looking for some card printing services in Singapore, you can turn to print companies like IPrint Express, PrintCity and HoopStudio, all of which guarantee quality business card printing services.

How important do you think a name card is to a company? If your answer to that question was “unimportant” before, I sure hope this article has since changed your mind. A high-quality name card with a strong design can do wonders for a brand — after all, name cards are just like pocket-sized billboards. We offer plenty of design services at MIU — yes, including name card designs as well — so don’t hesitate to hit us up for any of your design needs.

September 1, 2020September 4, 2023

4 Simple Steps to Run an Effective Content Marketing Campaign

Does the perfect content marketing campaign exist?

There are different branches of marketing, all of which are various ways a business can promote themselves. From branding, to advertising, to content marketing, these methods are all valid ways for a business to reach their intended audience.

Different Types of Content for Content Marketing — What exactly is content marketing? (Source: Aspiration Marketing)

Content marketing is a simple way for brands to attract and retain their targeted audience by creating their own content to generate interest in their own brand. Though simple, this method of marketing can be powerful and effective as it allows the brand to create its own narrative. Content can come in all forms—blogs, infographics, videos, or more.

How exactly does content marketing help promote a brand? Well, you’re asking the right questions. When a brand creates its own content, they are indirectly building an audience – one that has vested interest in the product or service that the business is offering. What’s more, they can also use their content to educate the same audience about their own product or service.

This not only establishes confidence in the brand—because you will sound like you know what you’re talking about, thus proving your knowledge and expertise in the field—but also inspires loyalty amongst your audience.

This is where content marketing agencies come in. These agencies are able to produce and share content on your behalf, with your intended audience in mind and the goal to turn them into loyal customers. With their knowledge of digital marketing and more, they are able to readily and efficiently get their content to reach as wide an audience as possible.

We would like to aspire to these agencies please! (Source: AgencySpotter)

There are many content agencies in Singapore, but what sets apart the top few from the rest are their content marketing plans and strategies. Top content agencies like MediaOne, Click2view, and Evolve Digitas are the cream of the crop due to their meticulous step-by-step planning.

So how do you run an effective content marketing campaign? Content marketing is one of the most important channels of digital marketing, and we at MIU understand that. With our expertise in marketing, we understand the importance of distributing the right content to captivate your target audience. Just like the aforementioned content agencies, we also have a clear plan in mind for when it comes to devising the perfect content marketing strategy for our clients.

1. Determine your goals

Science Says Only 8 Percent of People Actually Achieve Their Goals. Here Are 7 Things They Do Differently | Inc.com — Aim for the sky! (Source: Inc.)

The first step to effective content marketing is having a concrete plan. What is your goal, and what are the steps you’ll take to achieve it? Who is your target audience? These questions will help you figure out what kind of content you should put out.

2. Understand your target audience

It is important to create a buyer persona so that you can easily understand what kind of content your target audience might enjoy. That said, it is also important to research the other types of content that are already out there—how can you differentiate yourself from your competitors? This is the key to really making your brand stand out to your audience.

3. Decide what type of content to put out

Now that you know what your goals are, and who your target audience is, the next step is to decide what kind of content would best help you to achieve those goals. Would the information be better showcased via an infographic? A book? Would your target audience prefer consuming content through reading blog articles, or watching videos? These considerations would all go towards tweaking your content marketing strategy to improve its effectiveness.

4. Monitor your content marketing progress

9 Web Analytics Metrics You Need to Know — Keep close track of your analytics (Source: WebSolutions)

Besides considering what kind of content to put out, it is important to keep track of and analyse how the content is doing. Having a content management system in place will help you to do so, so you have an idea if you’re on the right track. That way, you can continuously refine and improve on the content that you’re putting out.

With that said, it may not always be easy to run a successful content marketing campaign. This is where you might want to consult an expert to help you plan out your strategy. From web development to search engine optimisation (SEO), MIU believes that a well thought-out content marketing strategy is the first step to boosting your brand. Want to further your brand with a content marketing campaign? Look no further.

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