In today's competitive market, brand strategy is the linchpin for success. For lifestyle brands in Singapore, partnering with a creative agency like WYLD can make the difference between just surviving and truly thriving. From Bangkok to Singapore, WYLD is a creative agency Singapore businesses can rely on to flip the script by exploring new markets and building new business lines. With core values rooted in being Explorative, Quick-witted, Universal, Empathic, and Approachable, WYLD ensures that your brand not only stands out but resonates deeply with your target audience. Today, I will share the approach of brand strategy for companies like lifestyle brands in Singapore, and some case studies that our partner, Pailin, the Head of Creative and Branding Consultant at WYLD, was involved in when she ran her previous agency.

Understanding the Role of a Creative Agency

A creative agency is a B2B service provider for businesses; it can be involved with your business as a strategic partner dedicated to transforming your brand vision into reality, or it can also be involved at the execution level where they implement your strategic plans through more tangible actions. These agencies combine artistic creativity with effective communication to develop comprehensive design services to meet your expectations. From market research to brand identity development, a creative agency plays an important role in shaping your creative works.

Why us, WYLD?

Business Meets Creativity

At WYLD, we believe in the harmonious blend of rigorous logic and creativity. Our approach ensures that every branding strategy is not only creative but also innovative and practical. This dual focus ensures that our clients receive solutions that are actually relatable to their real business context. As a leading creative agency Singapore trusts, we bring the best of both worlds to the table.

Driven by Insights

Good solutions don’t materialize from thin air; they are rooted in insights, crafted from research through proven frameworks. WYLD’s process is deeply driven by real customers’ voices rather than guesswork. We engage with both you and, most importantly, the end-customers to uncover valuable insights that you often overlook. This thorough understanding allows us to craft strategies that are not only creative but also grounded in real-world data, making us a preferred creative agency Singapore can rely on for data-driven decisions.

Non-Textbook Approach

Having started as entrepreneurs ourselves, Pailin and I understand the challenges and nuances of starting and running our own businesses. Our strategies are derived from hands-on experiences and accumulations of failures and successes in the entrepreneurship ecosystem. This non-MBA approach allows us to tackle problems with a fresh perspective, ensuring innovative and effective solutions, further establishing WYLD as a creative agency Singapore businesses can depend on for fresh insights.

International Mindset

In the global marketplace, local identity is crucial. WYLD ensures that your brand can compete globally while maintaining a local identity. We help brands expand their reach, enabling them to tap into new markets and attract a broader audience. As a creative agency Singapore and other international markets recognize, we bridge the gap between local and global branding.

Our framework: From Insight to Implementation

WYLD’s brand strategy framework is a comprehensive process that is driven by an emotional approach in qualitative research. This is not a list of steps or processes; it’s rather modes of your mindset when tackling real context challenges of the brand. Here’s a closer look at how we work:

Stakeholder Engagement: We begin by engaging with key stakeholders, whether you are the owners, founders, CEOs, or the head of the department. Understanding and aligning the vision, mission, values, and ultimate objective is crucial for developing a strategy.
Customer Insights: Our team and stakeholders recruit end-customers to participate in contextual inquiry, customer interviews, and behavior studies. We do not do focus groups. These insights are invaluable in understanding the true target audience’s needs that shape the business potentiality.
Competitor Analysis: We conduct thorough research on competitors to identify gaps and opportunities. This helps in positioning the brand wisely in the market.
Strategic Problem Identification: Based on our research, our team identifies the strategic problems that need to be addressed. This forms the foundation for our ideation process.
Ideation and Solution Development: Our team brainstorms and develops creative solutions to address the identified problems. We ensure these solutions are innovative and aligned with the brand’s objectives.
Validation and Implementation: The proposed solutions are validated through further research and testing. Once validated, we assist in implementing these strategies, ensuring a seamless transition from planning to execution.

Real Stories of Success

Expanding Thai Brand Globally: Vincita

One of our significant achievements was helping a 37-year-old Thai brand optimize its reach in 71 countries, including Singapore, Taiwan, Germany, and the USA. Pailin initiated the branding project at this OEM-only manufacturer about a decade ago to merchandise their own products to overseas markets. Pailin and their 2nd generation owner conducted extensive qualitative research overseas, service safari, interviewing customers from various countries to understand their needs and preferences. The launching of the brand has been successful, resulting in covering up almost half of the revenue of the company now. Now we just optimized their branded e-commerce website through studying their end-customer insights; we achieved a remarkable 46% increase in conversion rates within three months in 2024, demonstrating why we are a top creative agency Singapore brands trust for international expansion.

Localizing UK brand to Thail Market: Elemis

Another success story is that when Pailin was involved with Elemis when she previously ran her own agency, aiming to penetrate the Thai market. The challenge was that their brand was localized for Thai consumers while maintaining its core identity. Her team there undertook a market analysis, including competitor research and consumer study. By adapting their identity into a local brand’s strategy to align with local cultural nuances and consumer behavior, we successfully facilitated the brand’s entry into the Thai market, garnering positive reception and increased market share. This project further solidified our reputation as a creative agency Singapore businesses can rely on for localization.

There are more projects related to expanding from one country to another overseas market soon. Stay tuned if you want to see more, including the upcoming project that focuses on expanding from Singapore to the Japan market.

Challenges Faced by Singaporean Lifestyle Brands

Lifestyle brands in Singapore often face the challenge of expanding to other countries due to a limited domestic market. WYLD helps these brands unlock their potential by navigating regional markets such as Thailand and Japan. Our deep understanding in strategic frameworks of expanding to overseas markets, combined with our partner marketing agencies at each locale, ensures that Singaporean brands can expand their reach and grow their business effectively. As a leading creative agency Singapore can depend on, we pave the way for international success.

Conclusion

At WYLD, we are more than just a creative agency; we are your strategic partners. Although agencies do hold only responsibility and not accountability, we understand the importance and weight on entrepreneurs’ shoulders and sincerely want to ease it as much as possible. Our framework and approach, driven by insights and grounded in real-world experience, ensures that your brand is not only creative but also strategically sound. For lifestyle brands in Singapore looking to expand their horizons to overseas markets, strengthen their own brand stance, and create new business lines, WYLD is the partner you need. Discover the secrets behind effective brand strategy with WYLD and take the first step towards transforming your brand’s future.

If your business is aiming to elevate its brand strategy, partnering with a creative agency Singapore like WYLD can transform your brand's market approach. For more insights and to start your branding journey, visit our website.

Credit

Primary author: Taishi Hasegawa - CEO at WYLD.

Author assistant: Manusavee Sattha

Graphic by: Patsorn Arayaluck

Special thanks to Pailin Hasegawa - Head of Creative at WYLD, for foundational insights and expertise in storytelling that inspired this article.

Creative Agency Singapore: Secrets Behind Brand Strategy