SINGAPORE — 17 years since opening its doors, and The Secret Little Agency’s real address and contact number are still not listed in any public directory. Its founding partners kept largely out of the limelight, with 100% of its business still attributed to word-of-mouth.
“Over the years, clients have discovered us because they’ve had a positive encounter with our work. We didn’t dabble in small talk nor your typical networking event… Suffice to say, we never set out to be the type of agency that hosts yacht parties in Cannes either,” said Eunice Tan, Group Chief Executive Officer at The Secret Little Agency.
Eunice has stepped into the new role of Group CEO at The Secret Little Agency after helming the agency’s strategy department for well over a decade. Known amongst clients for its brand of cultural creativity, the agency is responsible for creating and unifying the Singapore brand as SG domestically and globally, helming Netflix’s regional creative and social presence that led to its meteoric regional rise and most recently, the entire rebranding and positioning of Mandai as a wildlife nature reserve that champions global biodiversity.
The independent agency started around an IKEA table in a suburban Housing Development Board (HDB) flat. Almost two decades later, the agency has thrived in the hyper-competitive market, with over 70% of work now regional or global for the likes of Unilever, Marriott Bonvoy, Netflix, KFC, and more, in over 15 countries, spanning across four continents.
Beyond geography, the agency has also expanded laterally; the agency’s 12,000 square feet studio is now home to a cultural insights agency, brand practice, production house, and experiential agency.
“We built each and every one of these businesses from scratch, and accelerated their growth in the height of the pandemic – each are thriving businesses with unique specializations and talents. Our leadership is 100% Asian and Singaporean, with a fully global mindset,” said Eunice.
She added: “I’m proud of the agency we’ve built together, and the culture we’ve worked hard to create. We’ve nurtured an authentic, creatively-led experience at the agency – a lived experience of what it truly means to be creative. I look forward to the next chapter, as we continue cultivating the next generation of Asian creativity and excellence, for our team, our clients, and our partners.”
With APAC as a region outpacing the world in growth and ad spend, Singapore has become a hotbed of agency activity with even more clients and agencies relocating their global and regional headquarters to the tiny-island state.
“For many, a career in advertising is just a job. This is our entire life and making creativity your entire livelihood often raises a few eyebrows and perplexed frowns from concerned friends and family in a country like Singapore. We’re on a mission to make a career in creativity one that is keenly sought after and respected, as is a career in medicine, law, or finance,” said Mavis Neo and Nicholas Ye, Co-chief Creative Officers at The Secret Little Agency.
Along with the announcement of Eunice as Group CEO, the agency’s creative founders Mavis Neo and Nicholas Ye will now co-lead the agency’s creative department as co-Chief Creative Officers.
“We are here to champion sustainable creative lives. We’re in it for the long haul and won’t be satisfied till we see and know that we’ve transformed the industry and left a real positive mark on it,” added Mavis and Nicholas.
