singapore Archives - Page 5 of 6 - MIU Your Creative Digital Agency

October 8, 2020July 21, 2021

Top Media Agencies in Singapore You’ve Never Heard of

With millions of media agencies out there, it can be difficult to find a market segment for potential customers. Having a defined marketing angle is but the key to thriving in the business of media planning and buying. While the basic responsibility of a media agency is to advise companies on how they can better advertise and present themselves to the public, there are plenty of ways one may do so. Here are some local media agencies that have carved out a niche for themselves based on their creative marketing.

5 best media agencies and their niche areas

1. Singsys – mobile app development

Many media agencies may boast of their web development services, but Singsys takes it a step further. Not only do they offer web design and web development services, but they also specialise in mobile web design and development as well. An increasing digital penetration rate means that there are plenty of internet users to market to. According to this study, 58% of site visits come from mobile devices. It is therefore important to put a focus on mobile development to attract the consumers there, and Singsys knows that. With expertise in iOS and Android app development, they are confident of providing a top-notch service that few other media agencies claim to have.

2. Hashmeta – gamification

Now that we all know that 58% of web visits stem from mobile devices alone, what better way to capture your audience’s attention than with online marketing? Hashmeta capitalises on their strong coding experience to up your digital marketing game… literally. With skills in gamification, Hashmeta creates more than an ad — they create an experience. From mini-games like spot the difference, catching games, and quizzes, audiences are hooked into the ad from the very start. To top it all off, Hashmeta ends their mini-games with vouchers that players can redeem. This allows them to generate leads and results in a win-win situation for both the consumer and the client!

3. Dog Digital – content management systems

Dog Digital places importance on its transparency with its clients. Right from the get-go, they do not shy away from revealing their digital marketing strategies. Content management systems such as Umbraco and Sitecore are a huge part of the tools they use — but these are not the secret to Dog’s success. The key ingredient is Dog Digital’s team of dedicated professionals that make sure consumers get the most personalised and seamless experience no matter where the content may be. Although Dog has a strong base in content marketing, they also offer other services (of which they also specialise in!) such as search engine optimisation, web and content architecture, as well as public relations and social media marketing.

4. The Secret Little Agency – immersive ads

If you’ve ever seen a Secret Little Agency ad, you will understand why they are so good at their job. By combining various elements to create a powerful multimedia ad, they easily and successfully intrigue any viewers that chance upon their advertisements, no matter the product or service being promoted. Just take a look at their portfolio! Hopping on the Animal Crossing bandwagon — whose popularity skyrocketed due to quarantine — The Secret Little Agency uses this adorable game to promote Deliveroo’s services. Another ad that they did for Grab saw them handing out water bottles to passengers across the island. After such an incredible stunt, customers’ had positive reinforcements towards the brand, and Grab’s user engagement on their social media actually doubled. Talk about impressive!

5. Wavemaker – positive provocation

Another agency that comes up with extremely creative ads is Wavemaker. You’d be surprised that their advertisements are even considered as one — because of how ingenious it is. What Wavemaker does differently is that they always make sure to include a positive provocation in all their ads. They did just that for Netflix, challenging the brand to take over the local television channel as their positive provocation. In order to promote Netflix’s original show Stranger Things, they broadcasted 80s movies back to back with fake throwback commercials weaved between. Indeed, with a heavy focus on user experience, their advertising solutions know no bound.

We’ve joined the club

MIU is another agency that goes beyond expectations by bringing you the best in their work. With plenty of media planning services offered, one thing MIU does right is having a client-focused digital marketing plan. As a creative agency, they’ve done their marketing research and know what’s up-and-coming in the industry. What they boast is their commitment to giving clients their 100%. Their unlimited design and epic SEO packages are created to serve their clients’ needs from start to finish — never stopping until results are seen. In fact, MIU strives to continue the communication between them and their clients even after the service has been rendered. After all, everyone wants long-lasting results — and that is what we’re here for.

October 6, 2020October 5, 2023

The Ultimate Guide to Advertising in Singapore Part 2

Advertising vs. Marketing — What’s the difference?

In our previous article, we talked about the types of advertising that you can find in Singapore. These range from the traditional print to social media platforms which are increasing in popularity. We also touched briefly on the differences between advertising and marketing. However, in order to truly understand what goes into a good brand strategy, we first need to look at the nuanced differences between marketing and advertising.

Marketing vs Advertising: Which Will Make You More Money? — What are the nuanced differences between advertising and marketing? (Source: Lyfe Marketing)

So what defines marketing? Marketing is the systematic planning of bringing awareness to your brand, defining your brand identity, and overall the process of making your brand a household name to consumers. Alternatively, advertising is about putting the plan into action — to really make your business seen and heard, be it in a physical space or a digital one.

Think of it this way — advertising is concerned with telling consumers that this is the product or service that you have to offer. Marketing, on the other hand, is concerned with crafting the right message as to why consumers should opt for your brand, amongst the thousand other companies out there.

It is important to note that not all businesses require advertising solutions, but all businesses should strive to market themselves as efficiently as possible.

The best advertisements always involve equal parts market research and equal parts creative thinking. However, conducting extensive research on a market may stretch beyond the limits of what a company could do, due to reasons such as lack of resources or untrained staff.

This is where a marketing agency can come into play. With the right tools on hand, they can assist in developing a thorough plan by studying the market data. Having to devote the company’s resources to planning a marketing strategy might put a strain on other work processes and delay efficiency. It is therefore generally recommended for brands to seek out an advertising agency when planning an advertising campaign.

However, choosing the right agency for your company may not be as straightforward as it may seem. As one of the financially densest regions in the Asia Pacific, it is important to stand out with a strong brand identity. Not to fret — we compiled a list of the top advertising agencies in Singapore to help you in your decision.

Top 8 Advertising Agencies in Singapore

1. MIU

Despite the few years that MIU has been in existence, they have been steadily growing at an increasing rate. Looking at the satisfied reviews from clients, MIU has indeed quickly built an impressive portfolio for themselves. This agency provides all-around services like branding, digital strategy, and PR while ensuring the best for their clients — and that includes their advertising and marketing solutions.

2. Notion Age

This particular advertising agency has worked with a huge range of businesses, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. You can definitely trust them to handle all aspects of your marketing plan, be it the research or the execution. Having been around for almost two decades, Notion Age certainly knows the value of what it’s doing.

3. Digital Marketing Singapore

Also known as DMS, Digital Marketing Singapore has helped prominent clients like McDonald’s with their advertising campaigns. As a company driven by results, DMS puts in the effort to achieve the best possible outcome in every project that they take on. it is no wonder that they are among the top advertising agencies in Singapore with their unique marketing strategies.

4. MediaOne

As an award-winning company, MediaOne prides itself for having a team of talented and experienced marketers that promise to deliver impressive results. From Fuji Xerox to Changi Airport Group, MediaOne’s marketing services are indisputable.

5. Edelman

With experts in various fields, Edelman’s focus on delivering new-age solutions to their corporate clients is part of what makes them stand out greatly. Having a positive reputation of representing their clients well, Edelman is sure to impress you with their expansive field of expertise.

6. Possible Advertising Agency

Possible Advertising Agency, or PAA for short, is a niche company that zeros in on their advertising solutions and innovative strategies. They are certainly an agency to look out for when it comes to settling on an advertising agency that best understands your needs.

7. MediaKeys

As a 100% independent communications group, it is impressive how far MediaKeys has come. Expanding from its 9 regional hubs to offices in over 45 countries, MediaKeys is definitely a company that always strives to perform to the best of their capabilities. Specialising in leading international advertising campaigns, this agency will definitely not disappoint.

8. UM Singapore

With a distinct motto like “Can Lah!”, UM Singapore definitely knows how to stand out. Their wittiness does not just stop at their mission statement, however — the integrated solutions they provide proves their commitment to being the best in their field. With such a can-do spirit, UM’s constant innovation leads them to discover the best outcomes for their clients.

Despite the accelerated growth of online marketing in Singapore, it still has yet to reach its fullest potential. However, advertising agencies have to take note of the everchanging legal landscape brought about by such a rapid growth of the industry. It may not be easy for businesses to stay on top of their game with the high pace of changes, which presents an increasing need for agencies to step in for assistance.

Creative agencies often offer a variety of services that can be summarised in three categories — marketing, design, and advertising. Marketing involves the consulting, research, and planning activities. Design is more concerned with the visual, UX and UI experiences, such as web design. Last but not least, advertising represents the promotional and PR services. With MIU, we offer all three to the best of our abilities so feel free to drop us a message for more details on our advertising solutions.

October 2, 2020August 7, 2023

Ikea Is the Best Solution for Your Sleepless Nights

Ikea’s new ad has been generating buzz amidst the marketing community, and it’s not hard to see why.

With its simple design, clean colours and sleek typography, the posters manage to grab attention with its visuals, spinning a clever twist on other energy-boosting products we so often see.

Led by agency Mother London, Ikea’s campaign seeks to promote sleep as the best remedy for productivity to their consumers. And what better way to get a good night’s rest than Ikea’s products?

Unlike most fad products marketed for sleep, Ikea’s bedsheets and pillows actually benefit you. At least, that’s what the ad seems to suggest. The common running theme in these posters is of their products being a “natural” solution to sleepless nights. The word ‘SLEEP’, too, features prominently across all three posters, which positions Ikea as the best brand to look to for sleep. After all, everyone needs a bedsheet. Why not go for the best?

Clearly, Ikea has done its market research. Capitalising on their consumers’ behaviour of relying on fads to cover up their lack of sleep, Ikea stepped up with their latest ad, Tomorrow Starts Tonight, to remind consumers that ‘Hey, you’re looking the wrong way. We’ve got the best products you need for a good night’s rest.’ Night creams, supplements and energy drinks don’t stand a chance against the big Swedish brand.

Not only that, but sleep has been found to be one of the factors greatly affected by the pandemic. As many people are losing sleep over such a drastic change in our circumstances, Ikea steps in with their latest ad campaign at just the right time to remind consumers once again of their amazing products.

They even made a TV ad with their take of the fable of The Tortoise and the Hare!

We all know how the story ends – the hare gets lazy during the race, and stops to nap under a tree, all while the tortoise slowly but surely overtakes him. In this cheeky prequel by Ikea, we are shown the hare’s busy schedule the night before the race. This all accumulates to him falling asleep on the couch as soon as he gets home.

Meanwhile, the tortoise wakes up refreshed and rejuvenated in another bed – one ladled with Ikea’s products – and is ready to start the race bright and early. In one last parting shot, we see the hare waking up a tad too late for him to win the race.

The underlying implication in the ad is that a lack of sleep often ruins your day of productivity. Tomorrow Starts Tonight is no doubt an ingenious campaign marketed towards the larger demographic of all those who’s lost sleep before (and who hasn’t?).

October 1, 2020October 5, 2023

The Ultimate Guide to Advertising in Singapore

The world of advertising may be a complicated one to navigate, particularly in an era where options abound. You might get overwhelmed with having to make advertising decisions for your company. What should you advertise? Where should you advertise? How should you advertise?

First and foremost, you should understand that advertising is not the same as marketing. In fact, it is merely a subset of the larger branch known as marketing. Where marketing involves a lot more research, advertising is in its most basic form the act of promoting your product or service directly to your consumers.

At its core, marketing is a lot more customer-oriented, often consisting of data and analytics, where consumer behaviour is observed. Advertising, on the other hand, tends to be more product-oriented and involves putting information collected during the marketing stage into practice.

Most Common Types of Advertising in Singapore

illustration of traditional marketing vs digital marketing options — Examples of the types of advertising that exists (Source: 99Designs)

There are many ways to advertise your product or service in Singapore. Depending on your targeted audience, budget, and the product or service you are advertising, you may consider various platforms to promote your business on. Here are some of the most accessible types of advertising in Singapore:

1. Print advertising

One of the earliest forms of advertising available, print advertising refers to any type of promotion done on paper, such as in newspapers or magazines. This category can also include brochures, flyers and leaflets that can be handed out to consumers.

2. Cable TV advertising

Cable TV was also an early form of advertising that arose in the 20th century with the advent of television. TV ads are commonplace in Singapore, often manifesting as commercials that play during programme breaks. A huge demographic of Singaporeans still watch TV, so this is a good alternative to print advertising.

3. Mobile advertising

We’ve all gotten one of those messages before (Source: Disruptive Advertising)

Another device you can tap into for advertisement purposes, besides cable TV, is mobile phones. Although usually only used by specific industries (e.g. banks, insurance companies), it is a pretty well-known form of advertisement. Surely, every one of us has at least gotten an advertising message once in our lives — unless you don’t own a mobile phone.

4. Digital advertising

An up-and-coming form of advertisement, digital advertising involves anything that is conducted via online platforms. The most well-known examples include Google ads, social media ads such as TikTok Ads, and even paid content marketing. The online market is a huge base you could tap into, and many companies have begun to undergo digital transformation. Having an online presence is now seen as a necessity.

5. Outdoor advertising

Best department Store in orchard road - Robinsons The Heeren, Singapore Traveller Reviews - Tripadvisor — Digital billboards such as the one at Robinsons are but one example (Source: The Hustle)

Beyond the aforementioned types of advertising, the last type of advertising you can find in Singapore are outdoor advertisements. They generally include billboards, bus stop ads, display ads on the MRT and other such signage. Often placed in high traffic locations, outdoor ads are a quick way to get your message out there and attract your intended audience. Government ads tend to employ this method as a way to efficiently educate the general public.

How to Launch a Successful Advertising Campaign in Singapore

As previously mentioned, advertising is merely a subset of marketing. In order to conduct an effective advertising campaign, it is important to employ other marketing strategies along with your advertising campaign.

To plan an effective marketing campaign, we recommend companies to seek creative agencies for their marketing services. It is not always easy to come up with an impactful ad — look at this NETS e-payment ad that suffered backlash for its ‘brownface’ controversy.

Avoid pun-ishment this New Year! (Source: AsiaOne)

Of course, it is also helpful to look at past cases of successful ads that were done. These ads by the Singapore Police Force have received much praise for their witty yet impactful content. One of the reasons why such ads worked for the SPF was because they understood their audience. Knowing that the majority of their online audience preferred humorous content, the SPF crafted their ads to appeal to them.

With our experience in advertising as a digital marketing agency, MIU is confident in our advertising campaign ideas. Our advertising plans are merely a small part of our marketing package — browse the services we offer for a deeper understanding of our company. If you believe that our working style aligns with your company’s, you can hit us up for a free recommendation! After all, who doesn’t like free stuff?

September 29, 2020September 4, 2023

Applying Colour Theory to Your Brand Logo Design

Colour Theory in Brand Logo Designs

Colour. It is all around us. But how often do we really notice the psychological impact that colours have on our daily lives?

Here’s an interesting quiz: can you name the colours of Google’s logo in order? While you might not be able to remember the order, it’s easy to recall that the logo consists of green, red, yellow and blue. This distinctiveness of Google’s brand colours is what truly drives its success as a multinational technology company.

The Psychological Impact of Colours

There is a strong psychological component involved in creating a successful brand, and brand colours — as well as logos — is one of them. Research has shown that colours do have an effect on us, and can even convey messages if used right. Personal preference, experiences, and cultural upbringing are all factors that shape the way we think about specific colours.

When you understand how humans perceive colour, you’ll be better able to apply the colour theory for your brand logo. What colour palette should you use? How should you mix colours together? Should you opt for higher contrast, softer hues?

Colours play a very important part in solidifying a brand’s identity and personality. By using colours wisely, a brand can present itself to be more familiar and likeable to their consumers. In fact, one study has shown that strategic use of colours can actually influence consumers’ purchasing intent!

Another study discovered that people can make up their minds about a product or service within the first 90 seconds of their interaction with it. Up to a whopping 90% of this can be based just on colour alone. So, colours can indeed influence not only our moods but also our attitudes towards certain products.

How Brands Use Colour Theory to Strengthen Brand Identity

A good example of how colours come into play. (Source: Kaeveeoh on Dribbble)

So now we know that colours can convey messages, let’s talk about colour theory. Since different colours evoke different emotions in us, we can use this to build our brand identity. Take a look at Google, for instance. How do Google’s colours work to strengthen its brand identity in our minds?

Knowing that colours steer us to perceive a brand in a certain manner, Google uses a multicoloured logo against a clean white canvas. The logo is largely made up of the three primary colours of paint and light. This subconsciously suggests to us the simplicity of the brand. And indeed, all of us find Google’s services particularly user-friendly and easy to navigate, don’t we?

Colours such as red evoke a sense of urgency, excitement, and passion. It also stimulates the body by raising blood pressure and heart rate. Many fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s, as well as Coca Cola, make use of this to entice people to patronise their business.

Meanwhile, the colour green makes us think of health and nature. This colour can be used by brands such as Starbucks to signify a strong connection to environmental friendliness and the earthy tones of their coffee beans.

How to Create a Logo Effectively

How will colour theory translate into creating your brand? (Source: Logo Design)

Before deciding on the colours for your brand, you need to consider your brand identity and what you want to convey. Want to express your brand’s reliability and professionalism? Blue is a good colour to represent just that. Hoping to express optimism and warmth? Call on a bright shade of yellow.

Of course, creating a distinct brand logo takes more work than just looking at the colour wheel and selecting complementary colours. Brands who want a professional design can consult a creative agency for a more in-depth analysis.

As a creative agency, MIU’s strength lies in understanding what your brand stands for and what it needs. By conducting comprehensive research on your brand and its market, we are able to come up with powerful designs in high resolution that suit your brand perfectly. Ready to have a custom logo for your brand? Don’t hesitate to consult us and get into the business of choosing your logo.

September 24, 2020July 22, 2023

10 Ways Events Can Benefit Your Company

What event marketing is all about

If you’re an avid reader of our blog, you might be tired of continuously hearing us stress how relevant digital marketing is for your company. But allow me to let you in on a secret — it is just as important for a company to hold business events too. Ever heard of event marketing?

As the world turns increasingly digital and internet penetration is soaring at an alarming rate, it may be easy to overlook event marketing. In-person events, however, are still greatly beneficial for companies for a huge multitude of reasons. While digital marketing may be at the forefront of all marketing strategies, it is not the end-all-be-all.

Based on the Event Marketing 2020: Benchmarks and Trends Report, 85% of business owners identify events as critical for their company’s success — double the number from last year! Millennials tend to prefer experiences over products, which is why event marketing has become as vital as email marketing. Certainly, there is a lot of potential to be tapped into here.

In general, events can be broken down into two categories — corporate and field — although there can be overlaps. Corporate events include company dinners, conferences, product launches, as well as ceremonies and galas. On the other hand, field events range from roadshows to expos to workshops. Since corporate events tend to attract industry professionals more while field events are helpful for locking in potential consumers, decide your target audience before planning your event.

10 reasons why you should hold events for your business in the age of digital marketing

We can’t deny that online presence for a company is indispensable. However, in-person events hold just as much weight when it comes to generating leads and turnovers. If you’re still not entirely convinced on how events can be beneficial for your business, read on for our comprehensive list of reasons on why you should hold events even in this age of digital marketing.

1. Events are effective communication tools

The key thing that events allow you to do is to communicate. Be it on an internal or external level, face-to-face connections hold a great amount of value for all businesses alike. Whether you are launching internal information campaigns, advertising to potential customers and other companies in the sector, or strengthening ties amongst employees, these all go towards building interpersonal relationships between your brand and the rest of the world.

2. Access your core audience

Events are the most direct way to gain access to your main audience. It’s not enough to just get your message across — you need to get input from the other party as well. With physical events, you can take the time to get to know your consumers and understand their needs and desires. Bouncing feedback back and forth makes for an excellent dynamic to have and you will be able to learn far more than you otherwise would.

3. Networking

Networking is a large reason of why people attend events. (Source: Tenor)

Oftentimes, a great number of people attend events for one main reason — to network. The great thing about networking is that it goes both ways, so organising events will also put your brand’s name out there. Events are always a shared experience, and they no doubt bring groups of people closer together. Remember, businesses thrive on their connections. Demonstrate your influence and use this as a chance to localise your business further.

4. Showcase your expertise

Enthusiasts will always be eager to hear what the leaders in the industry have to say. Today, huge amounts of information are exchanged every second, making it hard to stay on top of current trends and issues. Hosting an event will allow you to establish your business as a go-to educational resource and to engage with other experts in the field. Consumers would therefore gain confidence in your brand. You can even use this as an opportunity to wow your attendees with your hosting skills.

5. Retain customers

Organising events for loyal customers will present your brand as more than just a business endeavour. When you take note of your consumers’ milestones such as birthdays and anniversaries, it sends them the message that you care and value them as more than just a consumer. Holding events for your customers will also provide a rare opportunity for you to meet your customer’s extended network of friends and family — a win-win solution!

6. Fundraise and generate sales

There is a great amount of ROIs to be tapped into in event marketing. Whether you are aiming for leads, sales, or brand awareness, event marketing is a highly effective channel. You can further generate revenue with extra steps like charging admission fees or having sponsorships. Additionally, having a direct connection to potential consumers or stakeholders will allow them to move into your sales funnel with more ease.

7. Boost content marketing

Milk your event for what it’s worth by generating content from it. You can go the live-streaming route — Instagram and Twitter are popular choices these days — or capture the significant moments to post on your blog and social media later. Furthermore, if you see your attendees posting about your event as well, give them a shout-out or hold a user-generated content contest and encourage them to use hashtags. This will fill your content calendar up with high-quality, original content for days.

8. Build brand awareness and recognition

A brand goes beyond more than the product or service that you offer. It takes into account the perceptions and impressions that people have of your company. Events are therefore one of the best ways to create an emotional connection with your audience. In fact, a study actually revealed that 93% of consumers believed live events had a larger influence on them than television ads.

9. Build brand loyalty and trust

gif nichijou Yuuko buddy — How loyal are your customers? (Source: Rebloggy)

It is extremely important for businesses to build trust with their consumers, particularly smaller companies and startups. Having events would allow you to present yourself as a more reputable company. At its core, events are also meant to be fun — so focus on enjoyment for the attendees! This experience is what will drive customer retention and loyalty. When your attendees are having a good time, they will be more likely to remember and associate positive feelings with your brand.

10. If you don’t, your competitor will

The truth about the industry is that it is very much cutthroat. If you slack on even the slightest opportunity, your competitor will pounce and use it to get a headstart on you. Once you start hosting events and gaining traction, it will be easier to repeat this process. Take your event off the calendar, and your competitor will grab your audience with their own events instead.

In order to host a great event, you need impeccable designs and backdrops to create a visual experience (they also make for great photos). Companies in Singapore like YouPrint and ElectricDreamz do up marvellous backdrops with their great printing services. However, if you’re looking for a stellar backdrop design for your event, you might want to take a look at hiring design companies. After all, you want your event to look amazing on social media (remember, you will be generating content from it).

Consider marketing agencies as they will be your best bet at picking the perfect design to spread your brand message and leave a strong impression in people’s minds. MIU offers an unlimited design package for its clients amongst others such as their SEO and PR packages. You can be sure to be satisfied with their services. With a professional graphic design, your event will be sure to stand out and catch your audience’s attention. Find out more about our design jobs on our website.

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 17, 2020December 27, 2021

Top 10 Creative Advertising Companies in Singapore

With hundreds of creative marketing agencies out there, it’s not about finding one, but finding the right one. Marketing is so vital for businesses because it is ultimately what drives sales. Guess what — companies that blog get 55% more traffic and 57% of businesses get more customers through their company blog.

Still not convinced? Here’s some more numbers to munch on. 49% of users find a new product through Google, which is probably why 64% of marketers invest time and effort into developing their search engine optimisation (SEO) plan.

With the increasing digital consumption, it is more important than ever to work out a good digital marketing plan for success. To do that, you need a powerful creative agency behind you to generate leads and sales for your business. So what’s considered a great marketing agency? We present to you our list of the top 10 creative marketing agencies in Singapore.

1. Dentsu Aegis Network

Dentsu Aegis Network

Dentsu Aegis Network is a global marketing agency that understands how the digital economy has changed the way consumers shop. With constant innovation, Dentsu has worked with big brands including Disney Studios and Coca Cola, amongst others. Using the advancements in technology to their advantage, Dentsu has become a prime example of what a good creative marketing agency should strive to be.

2. Publicis Group

Publicis Singapore - IAB Southeast Asia & India — Publicis Groupe Singapore

Named after the French word for ‘advertising’, Publicis Group has since extended its reach to Asia where its influence can be felt in Singapore. With more than 330 offices in over 110 countries, Publicis definitely deserves its title of the world’s third largest communication group. Well-known agency Saatchi & Saatchi is in fact also part of the Publicis Group!

3. ActMedia Singapore

ActMedia Singapore won the Asia-Pacific Digital Marketing Awards 2018 for its work with Clinique SG. They are known for their online-to-offline (O2O) strategy, which was created to adapt to the changes in consumer behaviour and retail marketing. With such a revolutionary branding and marketing strategy, ActMedia has solidified their positioning in the industry.

4. Clickr Media

Boasting a client retention rate of 80% and a client satisfaction rate of 96%, Clickr no doubt deserves the success it’s built over the past decade. From a mere startup to working with over 300 clients, which include over 2000 campaigns launched around the world, Clickr stresses the importance of intimately understanding their clients’ businesses and goals before discussing the right strategy to take on.

5. Visibiliti

Visibiliti Pte Ltd - Singapore — Visibiliti Pte Ltd

Sometimes the way an agency markets itself speaks about their business just as much as their portfolio does. With a distinct brand logo that captures the eyes of potential consumers, Visibiliti does just as its name suggests. By helping their clients to gain visibility, Visbiliti has gained a reputation for its marketing strategy that is equal parts creative and equal parts effective.

6. Havas Media

Havas - AM Marketing, Media, Advertising News in MENA — Havas Media

Their works can perhaps be glimpsed in various corners of the internet — and that is what speaks to their success as a creative marketing agency. Seen the KIA ad for their new car model? Or the Puma Holograms advert? Those are the works of Havas Media. Holding a firm belief in creating meaningful connections, Havas Media seeks to improve themselves with every project that they embark on.

7. Amber Creative

Digital Marketing Agency | Web & App Design Singapore — Amber Creative

Largely specialising in web development and design, Amber Creative has helped many companies with their services, targeting a young and savvy demographic with their contemporary and aesthetic design. Although having been around for only a few years, they boast an incredible portfolio and has had their clients praise their work.

8. J. Walter Thompson Singapore

With 150 years of brand building and marketing history under their belt, J Walter Thompson is not an agency to be overlooked. They aim to create magic everyday through the collision of technology and ideas, which is perhaps what makes them stand out so much amongst numerous other agencies fighting to have their voice heard.

9. Impossible Marketing

Impossible Marketing

Impossible Marketing has been known to be the best of their line with their track record of bringing clients to the top of the results in the search engine. Getting an increase in traffic volume and lead generation is bound to be a guarantee when working with them. Did you know they also offer courses that can be absorbed by SkillsFuture credits?

10. MIU LLP

Despite being fairly new to the industry, MIU boasts a history of successful campaigns with their clients, who have all seen immense results in their traffic growth, SEO and outreach. With many packages to choose from, including our epic SEO package and unlimited packaging design, MIU offers a plethora of benefits that you would not be able to find in another agency. Thorough and meticulous, we believe in giving our clients the best — whatever that may entail. From digital strategy, to branding, to PR and communications, MIU has got your back. Ready to start your marketing journey? Click here for a free consultation and let our work convince you.

September 15, 2020October 5, 2023

The Complete Breakdown of the Types of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing has been on the rise in the past couple of years and has become a necessity for brands, particularly in Singapore. With Singapore having the highest digital penetration rate in Southeast Asia, it is easy to see why. As we enter this digital era, the way we consume and process information has changed along with the way we shop. It is therefore important for brands to adjust the way they market themselves, too.

At this point you might be wondering, what exactly is digital marketing and how is it different from the standard marketing process? There are many aspects to digital marketing, from web development to content marketing, and it can be easy to mix them up.

7 facets of digital marketing in 2020

SEO Agency VS In-House SEO: Why You Need A SEO Agency Now? [2020] - Nexis Novus — SEO refers to the process of boosting your ranking on search engines. (Source: Nexis Novus)

1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

This is the most commonly known form of digital marketing — with over a thousand searches for “SEO agency” on Google each month, businesses are vying to make themselves relevant in this cutthroat world of competition. Knowing SEO is easy. Understanding it takes a lot more work.

To build up SEO on your website in order to rank higher on search engines, you must first understand how search engines work. Beyond just including major keywords with high search volume on your website, it is important to also look at off-page SEO. This includes backlinks — external websites that link to you — which can easily influence the amount of organic traffic coming into your website just as much.

2. Content marketing

How to do Content Marketing for Pharma | BlueNovius — Create, create, create! (Source: BlueNovius)

With the majority of people in Singapore heading online, it is also just as important for a business to have a strong online presence. It is so vital now for a brand to have their own website — the lack of a website actually screams unreliability. According to a survey, 72% of users look at websites when finding information about a brand, with 63% of these users citing it as their third most trusted source of information. More than half of these users will browse the company’s website as well. If this doesn’t indicate to you how important it is for a brand to build their own website, what does?

More often than not, a company blog allows you to showcase your expertise in the industry to potential customers, and generates search traffic for your business as well. Content marketing is often tied in with SEO in order to better market your brand and increase the success of the campaign. If done right, it will lead to traffic growth, increase brand awareness, and even convert website visitors into customers for you.

3. Social media marketing

How to Repurpose Top Content for Social Media Posts — Social media marketing is all the rage now – after all, who doesn’t use it? (Source: Digital Marketing Institute)

Webs aside, it is also just as important for brands to have a presence on social media as well. Just in 2020 alone, an estimated 3.8 billion people are using social media, and this figure is expected to increase to 4.4 billion within the next 5 years (Statista). Indeed, digital penetration is an unstoppable phenomenon. Not only that, 79% of our population in Singapore are on social media as well (Talkwalker).

Just as content marketing does, having a good social media marketing strategy will increase brand awareness, improve traffic, and generate leads for your business.

4. Web design and development

Web Design Best Practices For Your Next Website Project — First impressions are important – and so is your website’s user experience. (Source: Kinsta)

As previously mentioned, the number of online users who look at a company’s website exceed half — meaning that the majority of online users, which are your potential customers, would come across your website! It is therefore essential to make sure your website is not only functional, but user-friendly and visually appealing as well.

A website development agency will help brands improve the layout of their website, making sure it is not only user-friendly, but aesthetic as well. A website with a good user interface will be sure to convert online visitors to customers much more successfully than one without. More often than not, this requires the expertise of a digital marketer with knowledge in the user experience, which a web development agency offers.

5. Pay Per Click (PPC)

What hotels should look for in a pay-per-click program | Hotel Management — Convert clicks into revenue with PPC ads. (Source: Hotel Management)

PPC is a type of advertising that drives traffic to your website through online advertisements, in which the publishers are paid per click. Google Ads are the most common form of PPCs, where you are able to pay to get your link as one of the first results on the search engine. Many other well-known PPCs include paid ads on Facebook, Twitter ad campaigns, and sponsored messages on LinkedIn.

6. Email marketing

Beyond creating content for their website, brands can often reach out to their audience via email marketing campaigns. These usually include newsletters, holiday promotions and other follow-up emails. Email marketing campaigns are good for promoting events, discounts and any other relevant content.

7. Digital Public Relations (PR)

Get to know the best PR agencies in Egypt | Amwal Al Ghad — Maintaining good relations with your audience is essential. (Source: Amwal Al Ghad)

Of course, it is not sufficient to keep your content strictly to your business website — you need a boost from various other sources as well! This is where digital PR comes in — with a PR agency, you would be able to secure online media coverage with other content-based websites such as digital publications or blogs. This can help create backlinks to your website as well, boosting your SEO.

Besides sourcing for media opportunities, PR also includes the handling of customer relations, such as any comments, questions or reviews that might surface online. When customers see that you are actively making an effort to communicate with your customer base to make things as transparent as possible, they are more likely to view your brand in a positive light — which helps to humanise your brand, generate productive conversation, and allows you to deliver impactful messages regarding your brand.

How this changes the way you look at a digital marketing agency

So now that we understand the various types of digital marketing that exists, how do you know which marketing agency you should look for? Well, although there are thousands of digital marketing agencies based in Singapore, you need to find one that complements your needs. After all, the best marketing strategy is to engage in all of them – tastefully.

Knowing that you’re about to embark on a great marketing journey, it is vital to find an agency that makes the experience as comfortable and incredible as possible. Remember, you are building a long-term business relationship with the agency, so make sure you stick with one that works best with you.

At MIU, we guarantee client satisfaction by keeping communication lines open even after each project, so we can always ensure that we are always hitting success with each goal met. Take a look at our portfolio and let our work speak for itself.

September 10, 2020September 4, 2023

How Packaging Tells a Story For Your Brand

The importance of packaging

If you’re running a business, you can no doubt agree that packaging is a crucial element as it is the first impression your customers will have for your product. From the graphics to the colours used, each detail on your packaging will convey a specific message to potential customers. So: what story do you want your product to tell?

As a consumer yourself, I’m sure you can understand how effective good packaging design can be in attracting potential customers to buying your product. Just like how you feel drawn to a product with a beautiful design, your customers will too. “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” they say, but that’s not how it really works, does it?

Dying for the things we love | New Internationalist — Everything is vying for our attention. (Source: New Internationalist)

Advertisements and products on every shelf continuously bombard us. It may be hard to stand out amongst the numerous other products vying for attention. But with unique and strategic packaging, your product can still catch the eye of potential customers and speak for itself. As the packaging is the first thing your customers will come into contact with, it is crucial to capitalise on that opportunity to use a great design as a form of advertisement. Let’s demonstrate how influential an outstanding packaging can be for a product.

Packaging done right

Bee Cheng Hiang christmas paper bag — Orient Design’s idea for Bee Cheng Hiang’s carrier packaging. (Source: Orient Design)

Bee Cheng Hiang’s Christmas bag design was such an iconic one as it brought not only visuals but also incorporated the sound aspect to the bags. The Christmas bells were added to the bags as a pop up that moved when customers were carrying it around. Not only that, but the faint sound of tinkling bells could be heard. Indeed, this packaging by Orient Design didn’t just spark joy in customers but acted as a subtle yet smart way to advertise the product sold.

OCBC’s Christmas gift box is another example of how good packaging can be a fun way to advertise your brand. Although OCBC does not offer a product, but rather a service, they were smart enough to use corporate gifts as a way to promote their brand — and were even aware of how a good packaging can make a strong statement to their customers! This cardboard gift box may have been out of the ordinary, particularly with the material used, but that’s what made it stand out from the rest. Paper Carpenter knew how using cardboard would make their designs distinct, and capitalised on that to think of packaging designs that are out-of-the-box (pun intended).

Dester’s crisp and refreshing packaging – perfect for their brand. (Source: Creativeans)

Local beer brand Dester approached well-known design company Creativeans to come up with a clean and contemporary design to attract the young and affluent crowd. The juxtaposition of Dester’s classic blue and the material colour brings about just the right amount of visual contrast to leaving a striking impression. Indeed, the sleek design is bound to capture the attention of its intended audience, which allows Dester to stand out from its other competitors in the market.

Design is such an essential element in marketing that businesses cannot overlook it. Hence, it is necessary to find the right design company that understands your needs and can create beautiful packaging that suits not only your product but emphasises on your business’s voice as well.

Our unlimited packaging design allows our clients to adjust their packaging as much as they need, as we understand the importance of expressing their purpose. After all, the most important thing a company can do for their business is to brand themselves, with a story; a concept. This is where packaging plays a part in creating your business’s narrative. Check out our portfolio for a brief taste of what’s to come.

With our unlimited design package at MIU, we are committed to inventing and reinventing our designs until we find one that truly expresses your purpose and articulates your story to your customers. Under this package, you can request as many designs as you prefer — and we will always deliver. Furthermore, we operate on a flat cost, so you get as many unlimited designs as you want for the same rate every month. Sounds too good to be true? Click through and you will find out!