Category: Singapore

Gatsby posters break the rules

Gatsby, the renowned hairstyling pomade from Mandom Japan, is known for its off-the-wall style creatives. 

So when the Mandom team approached Blak Labs, one of Singapore’s leading independent creative agencies with the challenge to create an out of home campaign that stops people in their tracks, the team needed no further invitation.

Using a mix of crafted illustration and photography from Japan, the creatives tell the remarkable stories of the everyday challenges in the “Art of being a Gentleman” Gatsby-style.

 

“These posters are not-so little reminders that it’s easy to triumph over everyday problems and look like a Gentleman at the same time. We hope these creatives add a little Gatsby magic to everyone’s day while helping them look their best, ”said Charlie Blower, Managing Partner, Blak Labs.

Bugis MRT provided the location. Moove Media provided the space as well as the buses.

Client:  Mandom Corp, Japan

Agency: Blak Labs

Creative Partners: Charlie Blower Esq, Nick Tan Esq.

Copy: Sir Gatsby, Charlie Blower Esq,

Art Direction: Sir Nick Tan, Squire Elliott, Page Leo

Project Management: Lady in waiting Alicia

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.

Mmmerry Christmas

Soaked in Christmas spirit…glazed with Ah Kor’s Hainanese Sweet and Sour sauce. Yum

Here’s Blak Labs’ latest seasonal work for our friends at Shashlik.

We’ve recently redesigned and launched the website. Now mobile-optimised, the site tells the story behind the new Shashlik 2.0, while showcasing the restaurant’s heritage, family favourites and instagram-worthy dishes. Photography was by John Heng, Da Photographer

Check the site out: http://shashlik.sg/

And make yourself a very merry reservation!

Happy Holidays from all of us at Blak Labs!

New Creative Frontiers

Recently Blak Labs was invited to speak at Clear Channel’s Idea Seminar held at the Projector in Singapore. It was a privilege to be able to share our learnings about opening in a new market and delivering creative excellence there. 

You can view the presentation here 

Be sure to read the notes for the full flavour. And here’s the clip that introduces the car. 

For the full presentation of this and other case studies, drop us a line at talktous@blaklabs.com

Conversations turn to Gold!

Last Friday at the Gong Show, Singapore’s Creative awards, our Chinese New Year film for Maybank scored well in the craft categories.

Two Bronzes, a Silver and Gold in Film and Branded content. Congrats to all involved especially Director Caleb Huang and his team at SmallShop Communications for bringing this story to life. And to our clients at Maybank for having something to say about the meaning of relationships. Thank you for the opportunity. 

ICYMI, here’s the film again. Give it some love!

Client: Maybank Singapore

Agency: Blak Labs

Director: Caleb Huang

Production House: Smallshop Communications

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

Screen Shot 2018-07-31 at 9.50.28 AM.png

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.

 

 

 

Focus Interruptus

Interruption. Distraction. Miscommunication.

These three words seem to determine our working lives at the moment – indeed for some, even our personal lives.

With the proliferation of channels of communication and information, you’d imagine we would get better at getting our message across.

From the good old face to face meeting to the telephone call to the instant feedback loop that is WhatsApp messaging, chat and #slack, with emails in between, the reality is that we’re not.

Fractured conversations. Half thoughts and less than insightful text messages puncture our working days and nights.

Apparently after an interruption, “it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back to the task” according to Gloria Mark, study lead at the University of California Irvine in a study released in 2015…

Instructions are fragmented. Ideas are ill-defined. In the pursuit of speed, we are sacrificing brevity for insanity.

Indeed, one blog recently talked about how every work block should be no longer than 10 minutes. Ridiculous as it sounds, that’s hardly enough time to clear your mind of any distractions, to barely scratch the surface of a particular project.

Nowadays a large part of our time is spent deciphering half-formed responses. Interpretation is often misunderstood and even misinterpreted. Context is everything. And nothing.

If everyone is as interrupted and distracted as we are, then we have a serious problem.

So let’s cut the chat and get back on message. Focus our efforts on clarity. And our brain cells on creativity.

For in the words of Bill Bernbach, “Is creativity some obscure, esoteric art form? Not on your life. It’s the most practical thing a businessman can employ.”

 

 

Thanks to https://digitalsynopsis.com/design/client-designer-whatsapp-conversations/ for the pic.

A tale of two sisters

It’s fast approaching Chinese New Year in Asia.
Here’s a short film by Maybank Singapore about families coming together for the season.
Red packets are monetary gifts (in little red envelopes) that are handed out during special occasions like Chinese New Year. It is usually given, in a ceremony, by an elder member of the family to the younger (from parents to children).
The story: Two sisters born into financial hardship created a make-believe red packet ceremony to escape their reality. But eventually, one sister’s ambition and hunger for a better life tore them apart. This short film was written for Maybank, Malaysia’s largest bank and the 4th largest in Southeast Asia, as part of their online content to reinforce their brand positioning – Humanising Financial Services.
Maybank Conversation
Client: Maybank Singapore
Agency: Blak Labs
Director: Caleb Huang
Production House: Smallshop Communications
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