Category: experiments

Who listens when you’re gone?

Writing a will, and figuring out who gets what, is one of those things that we all struggle with. Which is why we’re pleased to announce that Etiqa Insurance Singapore has introduced a new campaign for its Premier suite of legacy planning solutions for high-net-worth individuals, courtesy of you know who. (Not that we’re in that category ; )

Using Harry Potter-style living portraits, this omnichannel launch takes an amusing look at the grave topic of bequeathing one’s wealth upon passing on.

“Legacy Planning is an important consideration when developing a sound financial strategy. However, most people don’t think about what they’d like to leave behind, or how they can do it effectively” explains Simon Ashton, Executive Vice President and Head, Partnerships Distribution at Etiqa Singapore. “Our ad campaign highlights the unfortunate outcomes of not having appropriate succession plans in place using a more light-hearted approach than is normally seen for this important subject.”

The integrated campaign breaks mid-April across print, digital, out-of-home and free-to-air TV. A new website offers detailed illustrations of the various legacy planning solutions available. This will be followed by personalised marketing initiatives and events targeted at high-net-worth individuals.

Great work from Liang and Prav (art and copy), lead by Justin and Elsa. Hats off to Caleb for bringing the idea to life. Thank you to our wonderful clients at eTiQA for giving us the opportunity!

Finally, a big shout out to Ad Nut at Campaign Asia for picking the story up. #CampaignAsia #AdNut

Client: Etiqa Singapore

Brand: Premier by Etiqa

Agency: Blak Labs

Director: Caleb Huang

Film Production: Smallshop Communications

About Etiqa

Protecting customers since 1961, Etiqa is a licensed life and general insurance company registered in the Republic of Singapore. We are regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and governed by the Insurance Act.

With a comprehensive suite of protection, savings, retirement and legacy planning solutions, we are committed to helping our customers plan for a better future. Rated “A” by Fitch in April 2019 for our financial strength and stable outlook, we humanise insurance by placing people over policies.

Etiqa is owned by Maybank Ageas Holdings Berhad, a joint venture company that combines local market knowledge with international insurance expertise. The company is 69% owned by Maybank, the fourth largest banking group in Southeast Asia, and 31% by Ageas, an international insurance group with footprints across 16 countries and a heritage that spans over 190 years.

Don’t turn a deaf ear to abuse. Do your part.

Yesterday saw the launch of a new campaign from Blak Labs. You can read all about it here.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/social-workers-hailed-for-helping-abused-children-as-big-love-marks-5th-year

And here’s one of the clips the team put together.

We’d love to hear what you think.

Full credits to follow with the next post.

New Home, Fresh Start

When we first started Blak Labs back in 2010, we couldn’t afford an office. Our workspaces were coffee shops in Dempsey and dining tables in our homes.

We didn’t know what the future would hold, or if we would be in business long enough to have our own address. So our first business card just featured mobile and email.

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As luck would have it, things started to happen for Blak Labs. Clients took a chance on us. From Maybank to PayPal, we picked up projects and started growing the team. We needed somewhere central to meet and were lucky that a mate had some desks free – which we willingly borrowed.

And while they were at the top of three flights of stairs, those desks and facilities were invaluable until we needed space of our own.

Finding the right place for your gang can be tricky. Especially when each place on property sites can be so misleading.

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What one person likes, another finds inconvenient. And what pictures online fail to show is actual size and usability. When we eventually found Pahang Street near Arab Street, we all agreed it was a space to try. Simple – wood floors, shophouse location, an upstairs unit with a mezzanine floor, tiny kitchen and a single loo. It was perfect – a space we could all live with. Until we outgrew it once more.

IMG_7358Our next space on North Bridge Road was twice as big. Two shophouse upper levels side by side. Meeting rooms, a pantry and dining area. Chill spots and workbenches. Plenty of room for growth. Until we were almost sitting on each other.

Luckily for us, the partners had put a deposit on two adjacent units at a new development. We’ve invested in comfort and utility. There is still room for growth. And experimentation.IMG_7366

How will we perform in this new space? Will it be filled with ground-breaking ideas? Will clients be clamouring to come through the front door? Will they like the vibe?IMG_7364

Only time will tell! #06-76, a new chapter begins

Learn the future…Save yourself now

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Every now and then something piques interest in my inbox. Here’s this week’s gem.

The opportunity to “Master essential skills to build digital competencies…”. But only if you’re a Beginner with a free day. And a Union member with fifty bucks to spare instead of the usual $300…

I think I might just sign up so that I can help write the e-enabled AI for the writers of the future. e-enabled AI with poor grammar skills and the inability to write with emotion.

The Digital Transformation continues!

Long live the e-Revolution then.

 

 

 

2018…it’s going to be a bit of a giggle

Here’s Mark Ritson’s take on the Big Seven in 2018. Or “BS in 2018” for short, which appeared in this week’s Marketing Week daily digest.

Here at Blak Labs HQ, we had a very serious session digesting all that Prof Ritson has to say. And we’d like to know what you think.
Better still, if you’re searching for answers for how your marketing should deliver in 2018, then please get in touch. With 5 creative partners, Blak Labs is the only Singapore creative agency that provides clients with Creative Counsel, delivered with Creative Care.  If you would like to know more, then drop us a line here

We’re 100% independent and conflict-free.

 

 

LinkedIn. Where you can meet yourself.

A few months ago, I tried to sign in to LinkedIn from my iPhone. I must’ve used the wrong email to sign in and ended up creating an entirely new account.

Here’s the result. LinkedIn introducing me to the person I know better than anyone: myself.

Of course, this is just one if the issues that we face in the age of AI and algorithms. There are many more – including thinking that machines will ever fully replace us.

Yes, machines can take the donkey work over, with our blessings. But there’s much to be said for the human touch.

Now I just need to figure out how to remove my doppelgänger. Watch this space.

Top dogs wanted. Patience rewarded.

The Blak Labs Grad Challenge is back! So fetch your 5 best pieces of work and send them to talktous@blaklabs.com before end of June 1, 2017.

If your book gets our tails wagging, then you could be the top dog that wins an 8 week internship at Singapore’s leading independent creative agency.

We can’t promise it will be a walk in the park. But hey, you gotta start somewhere!

 

 

Up for your first real brief?

The Blak Labs Grad Challenge continues in 2017. If you’re a recent NAFA Graduate, we’re throwing you a bone. The chance to win an 8 week internship in one of Singapore’s leading independent creative agencies. Fetch your 5 best pieces of work and submit them to: talktous@blaklabs.com before end of day June 1, 2017.

 

Think you’ve got the right pedigree?

It’s that time of year when the young pups from NAFA come out to play. And following the success of last year’s challenge from BlakLabs, we’ve got another internship up for grabs for the Graduating Class of 2017.

To sniff out the most talented individuals,  we at Blak Labs, are offering an 8-week placement for one top dog.

The challenge highlights the dogged mentality needed to succeed in advertising, requiring graduates to submit 5 pieces of their best work to prove they have the bite to thrive in this dog-eat-dog business.

Although aimed at NAFA graduates, this challenge is open to anyone looking for a place to sit, stay and play.

Send 5 pieces of your best work to talktous@blaklabs.com by 1st June 2017.

Waning Influence

The web has empowered so many individuals in so many different ways. And now the social web has truly exploded that potential.

YouTubers, Instagrammers, Facebookers and all sorts of other-ers (including the Chinese We Chatters and Weibo-ers) have sprung up everywhere. They appear in your feed like uninvited guests occasionally. And while their posts are pretty inoffensive, here at Blak Labs, we think clients are wasting their money paying for their influence.

A few recent examples.

The first, a humorous take down by Aaron Wong, suggests better ways for influencers to earn airmiles – that’s his thing. You can read it here.

The second? We’ve observed that influencers who post about how much they love travelling with a particular credit card tend to drop followers per brand post.

Posts either side of these endorsements have at least 3K likes or more and numerous comments. The brand-related posts lose at least 2k followers.

Last but not least – the fashionable instagrammer. Again, a store signs on a bunch of influencers to lend some sparkle to their charity shopping event. Among them, one very fashionable instagrammer who shall remain nameless.

Thing is, beyond the two posts about said charity event and an appearance in one paid-for promo piece, there was no ‘real love’ for the client, nor evidence of actual brand loyalty. And again, the posts for this brand fared less well than others.

Followers see through these thinly veiled endorsements and IMHO, each goes against the grain of ‘authenticity’ that these influencers purport to offer. And while like celebrities, we have to marvel at their ability to be “famous for being famous”, we find ourselves wondering what credibility do they offer?

And when you know that certain influencers receive huge payouts for a single tweet or post (up to US$100k or more), then this form of endorsement just looks even more ridiculous.

Because in the blink of an eye, they’ll stick something else up to get more thumbs up. And your post will disappear down their feed into social oblivion. #justsayin