If creativity drives business results, then a creative agency benefit brands and businesses by achieving communications objectives. While there’s been a proliferation of marketing and advertising agencies in the industry, not many of them can truly live up to the title of ‘creative agency’.
In essence, a creative agency is able to infuse creativity strategy into your brand identity, communications and any outward-facing collaterals you might have/need. That may sound nice on paper, but what exactly can a creative agency in Singapore do for you?
Well, if it’s a legitimate creative agency, this is what they should be able to deliver for your brand:
Branding
Right at the top of the list, a creative agency should be capable of delivering a full-fledged branding campaign and its various deliverables.
For new brands, businesses and start-ups, a branding campaign will consist of a new logo and tagline that brings out your unique selling point (USP) and tells your brand story. This often includes a complete Corporate Identity (CI) guide, branding guidelines or brand toolkit, depending on the usage and the brand’s identity.
What about existing brands? Do they need branding campaigns as well?
Of course! But those are usually called RE-brandings. While it mostly involves a change in the current taglines and/or logos, re-branding campaigns can also be completed with additional messaging or just a shift in direction.
Starting with the key message that propels your brand ahead of its old identity and its competitors, the campaign should leave an impression in the target audience’s memory, reinforce brand recall and generate talking points. New visual styles or revised visual identities must complement the revised messaging as well.
Application of the new branding must occur across all of its outward-facing collaterals, whether it’s the product packaging, website, social media or name cards. Creative agencies can and should be able to apply it within a mock-up for development.
Website Revamp
Mentioned in passing within the previous section, website revamps are executable by creative agencies.
From website design to website development, a complete creative agency has the capabilities to execute the necessary steps within a website revamp that complements your brand and the overall big-picture communication strategy.
With a creative agency, each design element within the web design will be kept within the branding guidelines, while delivering a memorable and impactful visual experience.
Same goes for the site’s development. As the website design is brought to life, the creative agency accounts for the optimal user experience on the live website – visibility, UI/UX, mobile responsive, etc. The actual site should become a representation of what the brand stands for and helps achieve their business objectives.
Some creative agencies, though not many, are able to integrate eCommerce development, allowing your website to directly achieve conversions and sales.
(P.S. Some creative agency can even deliver government-subsidised eCommerce solutions, thanks to the Productivity Solutions Grant. Now, ain’t that a treat?)
Full-Scale Marketing Campaigns
If a branding campaign defines your brand for the long-term, then a marketing campaign is what refreshes the target audience’s memory. Nonetheless, a creative agency is more than capable of executing one given its similarities.
A marketing campaign usually consists of a key message and key visual, akin to a tagline and logo. It’s not exactly identical with added dimensions being the tactics and executions, which consists of the following implementations:
- Guerrilla Marketing – surprise and/or unconventional interactions to promote publicity
- Digital Marketing – comprising of social media channels (i.e.Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn, Instagram) and search marketing (aka Google Ads)
- Out-Of-Home (OOH) Marketing – marketing tactics that are used offline, like banners and bus ads
- Interactive Marketing – tactics that trigger user behaviours and actions such as microsite games
Got a new product or a new packaging to launch? Feel free to approach a creative agency for the planning of a full-scale marketing campaign for it.
Social Media Engagement
Widespread usage of social media channels in today’s digital world demands for brands to be on these channels, and to be engaging on them as well. Besides, encouraging interactions and engagements on social media channels keep your brand at the top of your target audience’s minds.
To achieve that, you need a content calendar with daily to weekly thematic posts comprising of stunning visuals and thought-provoking copy, all while staying in line with your branding guidelines.
It’s no small feat, but it’s something a creative agency can deliver.
Approaching A Creative Agency
Sometimes, the easiest way to get answers is to speak to someone. Have a plan in mind and prepare a brief beforehand, including a branding guideline (if you got one), a list of deliverables and the objectives you wish to achieve. Once you have all that, ring up a creative agency to discuss what they can deliver for your brand.
