Ogilvy & Mather signs three year strategic initiative with Singapore Economic Development Board to enhance modern marketing services
As Singapore’s Smart Nation agenda gathers pace, WPP’s Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) have announced their collaboration on a three-year strategic initiative aimed at advancing the city-state’s capabilities in modern marketing services. These include data analytics, customer engagement marketing, marketing automation, user experience (UX) design, and digital media.
For O&M, this initiative also aims to foster Asia-led innovation from the Singapore office for its global network and to create solutions for its global clients. At the same time, the initiative will also include programmes to develop a strong pipeline of Singaporean talent in this space.
This announcement follows reports on the Singapore Government calling for a record S$2.82 billion worth of technology tenders in 2016 and the launching of the Research Innovation Enterprise 2020 Plan (RIE2020) in January which will grant S$19 billion over the next five years to support Singapore’s R&D efforts, innovation drive and technology adoption.
Correspondingly, O&M will be investing to build new solutions in Singapore as part of O&M’s global strategy to drive digital transformation and the advancement of modern marketing service offerings for its key clients. This will not only advance O&M’s growth in Singapore but also further establish the country as one of the network’s key global hubs.
The three-pronged strategic initiative will include the creation of the following programs:
• Ogilvy & Mather Modern Marketing Lab to develop globally-recognised products and
services such as a turnkey SME marketing solution, social media crisis program and media
modelling for audience intent to address client requirements. Undertaking development work
ahead of client demand positions O&M to innovate ahead of the industry’s needs and establish
leadership in the areas of modern marketing solutions. Operational since 1st November 2016,
the Lab team will grow to encompass at least 40 modern marketers over the next three years.
• Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Affiliates Program which will develop 20 high potential
Singaporean talent for leadership roles through a secondment program to the agency’s global
headquarters in New York. Participants will be assigned to globally significant client accounts,
before returning to Singapore to apply those learnings to drive innovation and growth in Asia.
• Ogilvy & Mather Modern Marketing Training Program to strengthen O&M’s creative services talent pool in Singapore through the delivery of a structured marketing training program including modules on data analytics, digital transformation, marketing automation, social media and UX.
Kelvin Wong, Assistant Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board (pictured above right), said, “Our goal is for Singapore to be a leading global hub where global brands partner different players in our marketing ecosystem to develop and pilot digital marketing innovations for the region and beyond. To achieve this, it is important for the marketing ecosystem here to build up capabilities in areas such as creative technologies and marketing analytics. We are therefore heartened by Ogilvy’s choice of Singapore as one of its key hubs to grow its modern marketing capabilities.”
Chris Riley, Group Chairman, Ogilvy & Mather Singapore (above left), said, “Singapore is at the heart of the fastest growth regions for modern marketing, with the number of Asian internet users soaring and a booming e-commerce sector to match. It is also uniquely placed within the Ogilvy network as one of a handful of global hubs for our worldwide agency. With EDB’s partnership, we will further our shared mission to create locally impactful, globally influential solutions that will lead the change and drive innovation for the many brands and businesses that have made Singapore their home base in Asia, as well as the broader economy and society.”