Singapore Economic Development Board
The Economic Development Board of Singapore (EDB) is like a tourism agency for foreign businesses. Their job is to bring international corporations, and their investments, to Singapore. EDB was working with a Singaporean agency, TSLA, when they issued StrawberryFrog a challenge: Find a way to take the pressure off networking at business conferences, and do it in a memorable way that would get jaded C-suite executives talking about Singapore.
The Coffee Connector - A Social Machine
Our first project was the conception, development, and construction of a mobile installation called the Coffee Connector. What makes the Coffee Connector special is that it requires two attendees to be actively present in order for it to operate. To create this beautiful object, seamless digital interaction, and a social experiment all in one, we partnered with the creative engineering firm Tellart and industrial designers Octo.
The Coffee Connector made its first appearance at The Economist Big Rethink Conference in New York City, and is currently traveling to events worldwide.
Some quotes from the press:
“A mesmerizing conversation starter.”
- Daniela Walker, PSFK“The coffee machine occupies a uniquely interpersonal place in our lives. This sort of technology combines social activism with elegant industrial design.”
- Graham Templeton, Geek.com“It transcends the bridges between marketing, technology, and engineering. It gives us something to talk about together.”
- Willis Turner, CEO SMEI
Singapore Sessions: A TV Show on Bloomberg TV
To help reach CEOs, our team at StrawberryFrog created an actual television show on Bloomberg TV called "Singapore Sessions." Hosted by Betty Liu, the show brings business leaders from different industries together to discuss two-sides of an issue effecting business in Asia. The series ran for a few years before they pulled it from cable and online.
Re-branding EDB
Working with a partner agency in Singapore, my team at StrawberryFrog also created a new visual and verbal identity, rewrote EDB's brand book, and created a print campaign.
Made With Singapore
Stickers and tags that read “Made in China,” etc. are ubiquitous. This influences the way Americans view Asia —as a manufacturing location and nothing more.
Singapore is different. We proposed that while many things are Made in Asia, success is Made with Singapore.
To prove this, the Singapore government is working to change labels reading "Made In Singapore" to "Made With Singapore."
