Singapore, 18 January 2019 – The Media Shop has contributed to TheNetworkOne’s recent collection of media essays – one of the most widely released annual media publication.
TheNetworkOne publishes collections of essays from agencies all around the world, featuring independent media agencies and media specialists.
“The independent agencies you’ll find in this publication all have something challenging, radical and innovative to say to the world. They are driven by a passion, a commitment, a readiness to improve and to change and the energy to grow through their own efforts, rather than by acquiring their competitors.” says Julian Boulding, President and Founder of TheNetworkOne.
The Media Shop is proud to be the only media agency in Asia to be featured and recognised for our work as the only independent media agency in Singapore.
In the essay, Jessica Toh, Chief Executive Officer of The Media Shop shared about how she worked towards success for the company. Read on to find out her success tips:
Small, Fast, Nimble
David and Goliath.
The biblical story of how a giant warrior was defeated by a smaller opponent in combat is often used to refer to a situation where a smaller organisation faces off and defeats a much bigger, stronger adversary in unexpected ways.
It’s an analogy that has played out for one Singapore-based start-up.
In 2016, data protection company Veritas was looking for an agency to coordinate media buys for their regional offices.
The brief was issued to their media planning agency based in the United States.
The US media agency wanted The Media Shop to partner them on the international requirements for the job, and adapt certain aspects to suit the local framework in the four countries.
That deal came through very quickly. One that the company – which provides media planning and buying across all advertising platforms – attributes to its unique location, Asian identity, and tight, dynamic setup.
The independent boutique agency prides itself on being an Asian media buying agency, run by Asians who understand the Asian markets. An agency where being small allows it to be more nimble, flexible and responsive. In the eyes of Jessica Toh, co-founder of The Media Shop, being small is a strength.
“Our flat structure allows us to act quickly and reduce turnaround time in addressing the needs of Veritas’ stakeholders located on both ends of the planet,” adds Jessica.
Smallness is greatness
The Media Shop founders had a clear vision of the legacy they wanted to establish – that of a small, nimble, independent media buying agency that plays to a different strength, providing service that deep dives into one discipline, media buying, and doing that extremely well.
To achieve that called for a management team with the right skill sets.
Jessica co-founded the agency with partner Gary Tang in 2009. As a niche player, they ensured very little hierarchy to encourage open communication within all levels among their 15-strong team. This facilitates active sharing of ideas and fosters a collaborative structure. The agency also values independence in thinking and empowers its people to make swift decisions.
“The fact that the pitch team are the decision makers and the ones executing the campaign highlights the advantage of being a small, independent outfit. We see your project through from start to end, I think that’s what a lot of clients appreciate,” adds Jessica.
When the company was launched, it was also a time when the focus was still on traditional media buys, but The Media Shop opted to offer digital solutions as well alongside every traditional media buy. This strategy kept them ahead of the game.
Going regional, staying local
Lean in size, big on action – it is a tack that’s clearly paid off. Barely a decade after setting up base in Singapore, the company has expanded to Shanghai and Australia. Its clientele base is diverse, among them, CIMB Bank, one Faber Group, Toshiba, Autobacs, and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
Today, The Media Shop’s reputation isn’t limited to among clients. The Media Shop was anointed Local Hero – Media Agency of the Year at Marketing Magazine’s Agency of the Year Awards for four consecutive years since 2015 and Best Local Media Agency at Singapore Media Awards in 2018.
While it’s an achievement be proud of, The Media Shop isn’t about to rest on its laurels. “We want to continue seeing ourselves as a speedboat navigating challenging, quickchanging terrains,” says Jessica. “Technology has disrupted the whole purchasing journey and the greatness of staying compact and agile is our leverage when adapting to clients’ media buying needs.”