Written by Singapore, 9 April 2021 – Media publisher TheSmartLocal (TSL) worked with leading payments technology company, Visa, and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), to conceptualise and produce a content series spotlighting a range of homegrown businesses. Staff Only Entry unveils the preparation process behind each product, and uncovers personal stories from the founders on how they translate their passion into reality. The concept was sprouted from how customers often see F&B outlets for their menu options, but not the work and passion that happens behind closed doors.
The series released its third and final installment in March 2021, and has since garnered 0.5 million followers on Facebook, over 650k organic video views and received overwhelmingly positive response, with viewers praising the series as inspiring and tagging their friends to visit the places together.
“As a local brand, TSL continues to champion Singaporeans’ achievements and create content that celebrates our uniquely local offerings. This project resonates well with the company’s vision to encourage Singaporeans to support local and rediscover Singapore with a new lens”, said Bryan Choo, TSL’s managing director.
These businesses are featured in Visa’s and STB’s joint domestic campaign, which brings together each organisation’s campaign – Visa’s WhereYouShopMatters and STB’s SingapoRediscovers1– and encourages locals to rediscover and support businesses while they feast, explore and shop in Singapore.
To bring to life businesses within the Feast pillar, TSL created Staff Only Entry, a Facebook documentary series hosted on TheSmartLocal that reveals the behind-the-scenes of local F&B outlets. Through providing an insider look into these businesses and the stories of passion behind them, the series hopes to spark locals’ interest in and support of the homegrown F&B scene. The installments featured The 1925 Brewing Co., Janice Wong Singapore and Oh My Goodness!.
Yeo EK, Brewmaster of 1925 Brewing Co., is heartened that the series helped to get “more people interested and curious to try out their creations”. His co-founder, Ivan Yeo, shared that “the resoundingly positive response motivates (him) to continuously innovate beers that define Singapore’s identity on the world stage.”
In addition to the documentary, TSL has featured other homegrown businesses across the feast, explore and shop pillars on their Instagram page. Each visual photo series takes locals through the founders’ journey in building their brand to showcase the variety of hidden gems to explore.
TheSmartLocal conceptualized, produced and distributed the brand stories on their website, Facebook and Instagram while working closely with Visa’s agencies, Havas and Starcom, to extend the high-quality creative assets onto Visa’s website and social media channels (Facebook, Instagram).
1 The SingapoRediscovers campaign was launched in July 2020 by Enterprise Singapore, Sentosa Development Corporation and Singapore Tourism Board. The campaign rallies locals to support home-grown tourism and lifestyle businesses, through the discovery of hidden gems and experiences, as well as attractive promotions.
Watch:
Staff Only Entry Documentary Series here
Find:
Campaign photos for featured homegrown businesses here
Download a PDF copy of this press release.
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Media Contact:
Mandon Lee
mandon.lee@thesmartlocal.com
Samantha Ngain
samantha.ngain@thesmartlocal.com
About TheSmartLocal
TheSmartLocal (TSL) is an independent media publication that focuses on lifestyle and positive content. Through its website, YouTube channel, Facebook page and Instagram, TSL gives locals trusted information on what to do in and out of their country.
TSL Media averages over 8.8 million pageviews across its four websites, 5.4 million in reach across its Facebook pages, and a further 3.1 million views over its three YouTube channels. Most of their viewers are in the 20-40 demographic.
