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For the past decade, global organisations have emphasised building brand reputation, heavily investing both time and money into building this endeavour. However, the threat of misinformation and disinformation can dismantle all of this work in a matter of days. 

Misinformation and disinformation are amongst the biggest threats facing organisations today. In fact, 87% of business leaders agree that the spread of disinformation is one of the greatest reputational risks to businesses and is costing the global economy billions of dollars every year. 

With disinformation and misinformation a significant problem – or at least worry – for many brands, PR and communication professionals need to be aware of how fake news and weaponised misinformation campaigns spread, and develop a strategy to safeguard decades of goodwill.

Social media as fertile ground for amplifying fake news

The old Churchill aphorism, “a lie can spread halfway around the world before the truth has got its boots on” holds true in today’s digital landscape. Misinformation is not a novel occurrence nor is it new. The difference now is the massive amplifier known as social media. In 2018, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology received access to a full historical archive of tweets to track the diffusion of true and false news stories on Twitter between 2006 and 2017.

It found that falsehoods spread “significantly farther, faster, deeper and more broadly” than true claims in all categories of information. False news stories were 70% more likely to be retweeted than true ones. On average, it took the truth six times as long as false stories to reach 1,500 people. 

In today’s media landscape, what is viral on social media tends to rear its ugly head every now and then, and can potentially make its round in mainstream media more than once. Earlier this year, accusations were levelled against NTUC Fairprice for Muslim insensitivities after a picture of the grocer’s arabiki pork sausages circulated across social media.

Although the word arabiki is Japanese for ‘coarsely ground’, netizens took to infer it as an attack on the Arab community. Notably, this complaint first surfaced in 2020 but came back once more in 2023. As fresh complaints surfaced, the communications team behind NTUC FairPrice proactively clarified the origin and meaning of the word, debunking the idea that it was racially insensitive. 

Another local brand, Toast Box Singapore, grappled with a boycott campaign after a viral photo circulated on Whatsapp, accusing the chain of significantly increasing its food prices to take advantage of the GST hike. According to Toast Box, the side-by-side picture of their food prices was not a recent comparison of before and after GST, as the photo alleges, but a comparison with prices from years before.

These recent examples go to show that brands are one Whatsapp away from a crisis. This points to a real need for marketing, PR and communication professionals to pay attention to how their brand is being talked about outside the realm of mainstream media and proactively monitor social media conversations – especially since sometimes these seemingly innocent misunderstanding are actually weaponised campaigns.

Disinformation-for-hire is a booming industry

Recent trends also revealed that disinformation is not conducted by a sole actor. In fact, disinformation-for-hire is a booming shadow industry where firms are paid to sow discord by spreading false information and manipulating content online. Much like how businesses can hire PR agencies and marketing firms to build up reputation, so too can threat actors hire disinformation agencies to spread fake news, half-truths and everything in-between.

Their tactics include creating batches of fake social media accounts to spread falsified information, or even setting up fake news and fact-checking websites that promote these ‘key messages’. Since 2018, more than 65 private companies in 48 different countries have emerged offering these services. One firm even promised to “use every tool and take every advantage available in order to change reality according to our client’s wishes.”

Such disinformation typically originates in the seedy underbelly of the dark web. Often it’ll move from towards social media platforms, jumping from one to another before it spreads via mainstream news. In this case, there is a greater need for media monitoring and social listening. Communications teams should tap on dark web crawlers or engage fake news monitoring services which provide real-time alerts if targeted disinformation is gaining traction and momentum. 

The era of AI-enabled disinformation is upon us

Looking towards the near future, the threat of disinformation is rising as AI goes mainstream. Just like any technological tool, the human user determines whether AI tools are put to beneficial or malicious use. While social media content creators cheered ChatGPT since it can aid in automating content ideation, so too did threat actors. With generative AI, these bad actors can tap onto these open-source AI platforms to produce an infinite amount of low-effort and low-cost content designed to misinform or deceive readers. For instance, the GPT-2 software can generate convincing versions of fake news articles from just a summary sentence.

Deepfakes are another example of how AI can be used to create realistic but fake videos or images. While Kendrick Lamar famously used deepfakes to superimpose celebrity faces onto his body for his music video, the use of deepfakes have vast potential for harm to discredit known figures and influence public opinion. As social media is loosely regulated when it comes to this form of content, communication professionals need to be aware of this trend and have strategies in place to identify and address any deepfakes that may circulate. 

However, the antidote for weaponised AI is AI. Cybersecurity and threat intelligence experts have been building AI-powered solutions to combat the threat of disinformation. For instance, Blackbird.AI’s solutions use artificial intelligence and deep contextual insights to help brands identify emerging risks within narratives through toxic language, hate speech and bot behaviours. Communication teams should consider investing in risk intelligence to shore up their defences.

With these recent developments, it is unsurprising that the 2022 Asia-Pacific Communications Index found that crisis and issues management edged past corporate reputation as the top PR agency service being called on by clients this year. 

It is crucial for companies to be prepared for a communications crisis rooted in misinformation and disinformation, including who may target the company and their motivations, and have a strategy in their crisis toolkit for addressing misinformation. Brands need messaging, responses and safeguards in place so that when an attack happens, it can be swiftly nipped in the bud before negative stories get out of hand.

This information warfare demands a rise of a new generation of PR practitioners, armed with technological tools themselves, who are not only tasked with raising brand awareness and strengthening reputation – but also monitoring and fighting misinformation.

Keen to continue the conversation? Talk to us at hello@mutant.com.id

Here at Mutant, we all have superpowers — be it PR, content, branding or design. And if you’re familiar with superhero movies, you’ll know that superheroes are the strongest when they join forces to use their powers for good. 

With Mutant for Good (MFG), our first ever CSR initiative, we’re doing exactly that. MFG’s first campaign is titled ‘Peering into our Future’, and all the Mutants involved are all driven by one common purpose – to make ocean conservation personal enough for people to care. 

By bringing together some of Singapore’s most talented writers to craft dystopian futures, we hope to inspire and remind people to protect our oceans. Through the added elements of experiential storytelling and events, we hope to replicate what is happening to our oceans here on land and inspire a personal connection to these happenings. And finally, by harnessing the power of PR and storytelling, we aim to amplify this important message to as many people as we can and get them involved.

While we drive many integrated campaigns on a day-to-day basis, Mutant for Good provides a rare opportunity for all Mutants to showcase their cross-functional team capabilities and work closely together for an aligned cause.

How do we do it? Allow me to shine a spotlight on the amazing teams that are championing this epic campaign.

Building an eye-catching brand from scratch

For our first CSR initiative, we built  a whole new brand from scratch. This meant creating an entirely new identity for ‘Peering Into Our Future’ that resonates with a wider audience. Under the magic touch of our senior designer, Jeremy Yap, our branding team has created a series of digital and print visual assets, including brand logos, posters and a stunning webpage. 

Importantly, the branding team conceptualised and directed a campaign trailer that reflects the eerie, mysterious, and yet slightly hopeful tone of the brand.

“I want to see how people would respond to the various touch points of our project,” Jeremy says. “Will they be so deeply moved that they start to make sustainable lifelong changes for the sake of our future? I’m looking forward to that.”

Creating first-class content

We believe in the power of words, and wanted our campaign to leverage heavily on storytelling.

Mutant has always prided itself on a strong content team that comprises former editors and publishers. Formerly from a publishing background in New York, Bethany Bloch, Mutant’s senior editor, collaborated with five local writers on short stories about ocean conservation. She’s done a phenomenal job, working with each writer to develop their initial ideas into data-backed stories that are bound to send chills down your spine.

“Being able to work with authors directly again and edit fiction has been really fun for me!” Bethany shares. “The fact that this whole project is based on creating more awareness for ocean conservation brings an extra layer of excitement — it’s always nice to know that what you’re doing truly means something and will have a positive impact.”

Besides the short stories, Bethany’s leading the project’s content efforts, including developing a website, blogs and thought leadership articles.

Putting ourselves out there with solid PR

With more than a decade in PR, we obviously pulled out all the stops! Senior consultant Shannen Tan and team have been quietly working in the background to bring this project to life in the best, most meaningful way possible.

Beyond traditional media pitches, Shannen is working on amplifying the impact of the project through key partnerships with local organisations that we’re thrilled to work with. “I hope that the stories compel readers to not just reflect on the world beneath the waters, but also embolden them towards demanding change in their own communities,” she explains.

Influencing on social 

It’s not a 2022 project if we’re missing a social media presence. Senior Manager Abraham Christopher, who has a depth of experience in consumer communications and social media, leads the social media team’s content and influencer management, making sure that we tap on the right advocates to amplify our message.

As part of the social strategy, Mutant will be carefully curating posts on Peering Into Our Future’s social media pages and collaborating with key opinion leaders to create awareness and drive action.

Delivering exciting events 

On the events side, we have two major events lined up: an exhibition at the ArtScience Museum, as well as a Singapore Pavilion representative at the upcoming UN Climate Change conference in Egypt. These events are opportunities for us to share meaningful messages and highlight ocean conservation needs with our network. 

A huge shoutout to our Manager Jaclyn Phan, who juggled multiple moving pieces to make this happen! On her role in Peering Into Our Future, Jaclyn says: “Being able to work with Coastal Natives on an exhibition for the ArtScience Museum is really cool. I hope more people will be aware of the terrible things happening to our ocean, and will hop on board to protect it.”

As you can tell, we’ve had our hands full in the last couple of months, and I’m beyond excited to see it all come to life this September.

To learn about Mutant for Good and stay updated with our efforts, please watch this space for more, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Sandy beaches and sea breeze; beautiful blue oceans that are teeming with life. I’m not talking about a remote tropical paradise, I’m talking about our home – Singapore. 

As a certified and avid diver, I’ve had the privilege of perspective from beneath surface waters. If you’ve been diving yourself, I’m sure you can identify with the eye-opening experience of having a whole other world revealed to you, with nothing to take you away except the sound of your own breathing (and that distinct crackling of underwater life). The magnitude and multitude of life in our oceans is breathtaking (pun not intended) but so is the damage being done to it. We may feel separated from it on land but life in the oceans is just like ours – complex and resilient but fragile, and in need of tremendous care. 

With my gained perspective, it’s easy to be surprised when friends tell me they’re craving an island getaway and remind them that they live on one. It’s easy to wonder at just how separated people feel from the waters that literally surround our island-city. But if I looked deeper, I was just the same. I equally shared this perspective before I was shown differently – before I personally experienced it.

This got me thinking – how can I get others to think differently about our oceans? About our home and its place amongst the oceans, about our role in protecting not just the land but the waters that sustain us. 

Enter, Mutant for Good. 

Making ocean conservation personal

With a decade of experience in PR and communications, campaigns, key messages and storytelling are second nature for me. But after years of watching our amazing Mutants in Singapore and Malaysia leading our clients to success, my needling thoughts about the ocean finally came to a head. I asked myself, “What if our agency harnessed the power of storytelling for good?”

In true fashion, our leadership team responded emphatically. Ideas snowballed into plans, plans culminated into partnerships and our project, Peering into our Future, came into shape. 

Peering into our Future, and all the Mutants involved, are all driven by one common purpose – making ocean conservation personal enough for people to care. By bringing together some of Singapore’s most talented writers to craft dystopian futures, we hope to ignite imaginations and remind readers of just how easily our idyllic city could be ravaged by the destruction of our oceans. Through the added elements of experiential storytelling and events, we hope to replicate what is happening to our oceans here on land and inspire a personal connection to these happenings. And finally, by harnessing the power of PR and storytelling, we aim to amplify this important message to as many people as we can and get them involved.

Does Singapore need another CSR project? Yes, yes it does

As anyone in the conservation space knows, trying to encourage change isn’t straightforward. Despite being a life-affirming source of support for millions worldwide, marine ecosystems are under immense stress from global warming, overfishing, and pollution. As an island nation, Singapore has a responsibility to care for its rich coastal and marine biodiversity. However, media coverage on the issue has been surprisingly scarce, and most coastal conservation efforts have been isolated and inconsistent. 

It takes great tenacity, passion and dedication to persevere in this space, and we are grateful to work with some amazing NGOs who do exactly this, to help translate our lofty ambitions into impact. They have entrusted us to build a platform that educates people about the importance of ocean conservation, and in return, they gain support in continuing to do what they do best. 

The main challenge that lies ahead of us is conveying the importance of ocean conservation to the distant or disconnected layman, and creating an active community of advocates for this cause. Our approach is understanding that we all want change, and that nothing ignites change like personal stakes. What is happening to the oceans affects us all, and through Peering into our Future, we hope to educate, facilitate and revive the deep connection that we Singaporeans, as island dwellers, have to the marine world. 

And we plan to have a lot of fun doing it.

To learn about Mutant for Good and stay updated with our efforts, please watch this space for more, and follow us on socials.

Cover photo: A juvenile Cuttlefish photographed in Singapore waters – Photo Credit: Matthew de Bakker

This year marks Mutant’s 10th anniversary. 

It’s been an incredible decade of growth, successes, valuable lessons, and failures. We’ve had plenty of struggles, but have always worked together to find ways to effectively navigate muddy waters. 

When we launched Mutant, the goal was to build one of the best PR and content agencies in Southeast Asia, and then continue expanding. Looking back, while I can confidently say we have achieved these goals, there’s one area we haven’t focused on as much – and that’s ensuring our work has an impact that extends beyond clients, to make a mark and leave a legacy. 

Giving back to the wider community

Throughout my life, I have fought for what I believe in. I’ve run ultramarathons for charity, joined protests, volunteered around the world and, back in my days as a journalist, written articles about worthy causes to amplify voices that needed to be heard. Doing something positive for society that creates a lasting impact is important, and so we thought it was high time to wrap this into Mutant’s values and mission. 

That’s why Mutant is launching its inaugural, team-driven CSR initiative, Mutant for Good. 

While we have been focused on leading award-winning work, I am acutely aware of the state of the world and the need to create something that addresses key concerns, while also ensuring everyone at Mutant has the chance to be part of making a difference. We see Mutant for Good as an ongoing movement that will galvanise a generation of passionate and enthusiastic advocates, who in turn will continue to educate and inspire their communities to take action and make change.

Empowering Mutants to showcase their cross-functional team capabilities 

Team satisfaction is of paramount importance to us, and we’ve been able to create the work we do because we focus on a healthy work culture that prioritises inclusion and talent development. Mutant for Good aligns perfectly with our goal of offering staff an exceptional professional experience, where they can take pride in seeing their efforts come to life. 

Mutant for Good offers our Mutants an opportunity to work on an exciting campaign that pushes their limits creatively and exposes them to different skill-sets.  A unique opportunity to exchange knowledge and collaborate on meaningful work, this initiative will see them work together to bring it to life — regardless of whether they work in PR, content, branding, or design.

We want people to use their skills for a good cause, and try their hand at developing capabilities and exploring new functions.We work with a slew of unique clients across multiple verticals, and with Mutant for Good we also hope to inspire them to support our causes. This includes exploring potential content partnerships, thought leadership from key eco-conscious decision makers, and even volunteering opportunities with our non-profit partners. 

We will be officially launching our first Mutant for Good campaign in September, where you can see the final results of months of hard work from the team. I won’t give too much away, but it has been an ambitious endeavour, and I’m proud that we have all become involved with something that’s bigger than all of us.

To learn about Mutant for Good and stay updated with our efforts, please watch this space for more, and follow us on socials. 

When it comes to strong social media content, human stories shine. Social media users reward good storytelling, and love content that revolves around interesting characters. This means just posting about your brand’s product or service won’t cut it – you have to put a face to the offering, and a name to the face. 

That’s exactly what we did for Singapore Sports Hub.

In a year where the vibrant events hub was limited by Covid-19 restrictions, we needed to drive interest another way. So we took to social media with a narrative in mind: Singapore Sports Hub is the home of Team Singapore athletes Chasing the Medal. 

Nailing the profiles for Chasing the Medal

Working with the Singapore Sports Hub team, we identified four first-time Olympic contenders  and a decorated Paralympian as potential profiles. All 5 individuals were dynamic, driven athletes who spent between 6 to 30 hours a week training at the Hub. 

We were certain that they had strong and compelling stories to tell, and we spent time getting to know Jonathan, Kiria, Jia Min, Freida and Pin Xiu. Through interviews and research, we uncovered fun and interesting details about every person. And it wasn’t just about their sporting careers – almost the opposite. The most valuable questions we asked were the ones that elicited personal emotion and fun facts. Here’s the key: if you think of the people you’re profiling as real human beings, then your audience will, too. Don’t get caught up in the key messages – working that in comes naturally once the story falls into place.

Telling their stories

After getting to know the athletes, we started to streamline our storytelling process. What did we want our audiences to know about this athlete? How did we want to convey it? And, importantly: how did Singapore Sports Hub fit into that picture? To prevent a force fit, we paid special attention to seamlessly integrate the Hub into every part of the Chasing the Medal series. 

We ensured that Singapore Sports Hub was visually relevant – all athletes were pictured training or competing within the Hub – but more importantly, we ensured that the Hub was a foundation for every story, even as the athletes took center stage. The format was key for this: Instagram Stories allowed us to portray authentic social content native to the platform, with a variety of interactive elements including trivia, polls, Q&A boxes and sliders to maximize audience engagement. 

We also made sure to tie every trivia point back to the athlete’s career and training within the Hub. For example, an interactive quiz introducing diver Jonathan prompted audiences to guess his secret fear, which included a deliberately wrong option for heights (the answer was spiders). 

This “fun fact” was a segue into Jonathan’s sport: the 10m platform dive, which he trained for within the OCBC Aquatic Centre. By drawing meaningful links between fun social content and our purpose, we stayed focused on delivering our key narrative, and drove home the message through every touchpoint, i.e –  Singapore Sports Hub is the home of Team Singapore athletes Chasing the Medal.

Amplifying our reach

In putting together the series, we collaborated closely with many parties – not just the athletes themselves, but their respective sport associations, Singapore National Olympic Council, Singapore National Paralympic Council, Singapore Disability Sports Council, and of course, Team Singapore. Across the five stories, we secured reposts from every mentioned party, strongly extending the reach of our stories through organic amplification.

Ultimately, we secured a total of 25,580 impressions and 1,732 user element interactions, with an average clickthrough-to-end rate of 77%, higher than the industry average for such long-form edutainment series. More importantly, we received direct feedback and encouragement from our followers, giving us confidence that we achieved our goal of positioning the Hub as a central supporting icon and host training ground to national athletes.

The results speak for themselves: human stories will always capture the hearts and minds of social media users. Singapore Sports Hub was thrilled with the outcome, and made Chasing the Medal a long-running series featuring athletes of every major game. When you head to their Instagram page today, you’ll still see the stories highlighted at the top of their profile. 

Leveraging human stories can bring your brand to life – so find your profiles, tell their stories, and amplify your reach today.

Looking for a team to help you bring your brand to life on social media? Reach out to us at hello@mutant.com.sg.

Brand humour is one of the hardest wins to achieve. Sometimes it may feel like a confusing game of dice – how can your brand make memes, and what do (can?) you do if it doesn’t land the way you intended? 

If you want to meme with confidence and without having to walk on eggshells around your audience after, read on. 

Why your brand should incorporate memes

Humour is related to intelligence 

According to The Role of Creative Potential and Intelligence for Humor Production, the ability to come up with good puns or jokes has been seen across time as an indicator of intelligence or creativity. By using humour, you are subtly positioning your brand as one that is smart, attentive, and sharp. That said, knowing when and where to crack a joke is almost as important – if not more important – than the joke itself. Master this, and you will nail the witty brand image.

Laughter is the best medicine

For a generation that is exiting a global pandemic and entering an impending recession and escalating political tension internationally,  laughter in times of crisis is as good as gold. People are hungry for a sliver of light-heartedness, so why not deliver on it? 

Self-awareness through satire

Memes, in essence, are a form of visual rhetoric that convey criticism through satire. Yes, making fun of yourselves, your brand, your generation, your nation or culture, and even your audience can open your brand to some fire, but if your customers can tell that your brand is frank about its own limitations or flaws, this creates valuable opportunities for open conversations and feedback. 

Standing out in an industry of repetitive content

We get it, – not every industry is colourful, exciting and informal. Take B2B industries like finance, technology, and even HR that are saturated with jargon funding, earnings, mergers and acquisitions. They know how inaccessible and obtuse this language can be, even when it’s necessary for doing your job –and that can be used to cut through the noise.

Contrary to popular belief, B2B consumers are more emotionally connected to their vendors, than consumers are to theirs, and almost 50% more likely to buy when there’s a personal, emotional connection, according to a study by Google. It’s no secret that funny campaigns boost recall, and memes, such as MailChimp’s Failchips, are an opportune way to open a channel of communication where your audience can both react and add to the joke. Even better, this can boost that connection and lead to user-generated, brand-centric chatter.

The Big Disclaimer – Only Good Memes Work

How can brands guarantee that their meme-mentous efforts do not go awry? 

4-Step Guide to Memingful Content

Know your brand

Make sure that at the end of the day, you’re not telling two stories and going against the key messages of your brand. Getting swept up in meme trends just to get a pizza the share-of-voice pie, and forsaking your brand’s personality in the process is embarrassing, to say the least

Knowing your brand doesn’t have to be rocket science. Take this ad from Wonderful Pistachios – they conveyed their brand values simply, used the (arguably timeless) Keyboard Cat meme right, and it certainly cracks you up.

Keyboard Cat’s Wonderful Pistachios Commercial!

Know your audience

Being sensitive to your audience’s psychographic profiles is key. Knowing what makes them tick is just as important as knowing what makes them laugh. Some things are common sense –  it’s never funny to make jokes that spread racism, sexism and homophobia, or at the victims of crises, such as war or natural disasters.

Some nuances, however, are harder to grasp as the world of memes revolves faster each day. Fast-food giant and renowned Twitter spit-roaster Wendy’s allegedly failed to catch wind that the long popular Pepe the Frog meme was recently adopted as a white supremacist hate symbol, and came under fire when it posted a Wendy’s lookalike Pepe meme. That’s why it’s important to stay up-to-date with cultural awareness. 

Take advantage of trending topics & formats

Sometimes, you don’t have to be a punny genius to create a meme that resonates with your audience. Thankfully, there are some cheat sheets for making memes.

Graphic Frameworks

Back in 2012, there were the “Y U NO” captions that took the internet by storm. But we’ve moved on, and we will continue to do so. Thankfully, fried chicken franchise Jack in The Box found the missing piece.

Audio clips

Memes can come in the form of images, sounds, videos, and even phrases. In the age of multimedia, the roaring success of Tiktok videos and Instagram Reels have cemented the reign of vertical videos. A visceral force behind such videos are the audio clips used that drive home the top-of-mind-recall. 
What’s different today is that trending sounds, such as this season’s ubiquitous Material Gworl audio clip, can be easily adapted into one’s own videos on major social media platforms.

Users actively search out trending sound clips, so hopping onto one can be an easy and strategic way to use audio memes for your branding. However, do consider that some trending audios are NSFP – not safe for publishing. These may include tracks that contain expletives or racial slurs, which you probably don’t want your brand being associated with. 

Trending filters

Similar to audio, trending filters can also be harnessed by brands. For example, by using TikTok’s native greenscreen filter to convey witty scenarios and a sassy brand personality, airline Ryanair soared to over 1.6 million followers and more than 13.6 million likes.

Trending phrases

At the start of 2021, the lofty ideals of live, laugh, love were overthrown, and a new queen meme was in town – the phrase, Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss that took over Twitter, then the rest of the social media world. However, if you want to deploy a phrase, it needs to line up with context of use and more importantly, social media managers should double-check if the phrase is even still trending.

The reality of microtrends today may signal short-lived campaigns. McDonald’s made that mistake by hopping on this text format incorrectly, and to make matters worse, six whole years too late. 

Indeed, say no more. 

If you value longevity over virality then you might want to consider banking on formats or topics that –  in the words of Miss Swift – will never go out of style.

Finally, polish before you publish

While memes, in consumption, are a casual affair, making sure the humour lands right is something you should take seriously. A great way to ensure this is by doing an acid test with your coworkers and friends of a similar demographic and psychographic profile as your audience.

So take a breath, relax, take in the tweaks and try again. Don’t try too hard, though.

Ready to create meme-orable content? Drop us a line at hello@mutant.com.sg.

When people think of PR events, they often think of big-bang launch events with the sole purpose of announcing the company’s latest achievements or milestones. However, PR events are much more than just an avenue to break news. They’re also a place to meet and foster relationships with different stakeholders, from journalists to potential customers.  

Understandably, physical events were few and far between during the pandemic. PR folks had to pivot to virtual briefings and interviews for media engagements, which then changed the media relationship dynamics. Now that people have adjusted to virtual platforms, they are often used as just another digital tool for getting companies’ messages across rather than for mingling and building relationships.

Today, things are slowly taking a different turn as restrictions lift and people venture out of their homes,  learning to coexist with the pandemic. As PR events ramp back up, and here are some reminders of what needs to be done to plan and host a successful event:

Phase 1: Planning a kick-ass event

As part of your planning, the venue will be one of the first things that needs to be locked down. The right venue will help you create the vibe or convey the ambiance needed to support your event and fit the theme. For instance, if you’re launching a new camera, you will need a venue with strong natural sunlight or lighting that is able to give your guests the right experience when testing out the camera. That is why a site recce is important  – you should never book a venue without personally viewing the place and asking questions. 

Once you have the right venue, you then need to start working on the media materials that need to be prepared ahead of time – everything from invites to briefing documents. A workback timeline is extremely important to keep your team on track and aligned. The last thing you need when planning for a PR event is forgetting to do certain things and only remembering it on the event day itself.

Phase 2: D-Day

How smoothly the event day goes is all dependent on how much preparation you put in ahead of time. It is crucial to brief the working team on their respective roles and responsibilities a day before the event to ensure that it is still fresh in everyone’s mind. If time permits, a dry run or rehearsal is advisable to ensure not only the working team knows exactly what to do, but that the client and spokesperson understand their roles, too. 

However, not everything always goes according to plan. When things go awry, this is when working teams need to stay calm, think on their feet and be resourceful. Always bring along an emergency bag of necessities that includes stationery and simple tools like safety pins (which have proven to be quite a lifesaver at the most unexpected times!). The key here is to anticipate for things to go sideways and be prepared for it. Like Doraemon, just imagine you have a magical pouch filled with all the things you need to make sure an event runs smoothly! 

Phase 3: The End. Now what?

Many people think that after an event wraps, they can finally close the chapter and be done with it. However, this is usually not the case. Though the main event is over, it is still important to keep the conversation going and be in touch with the journalists and guests who attended the event. For instance, it is a good habit to send individual thank you notes to people for their time. While it may seem as a small gesture, these are the little things that make a great impression and help people remember your brand. Eventually,a journalist might ask for a quote or commentary because they remember you. After all, it is easier to reach out to someone they already know than searching for someone new.

Organising PR events is not something new. Many of us have done it before. But sometimes, it’s the extra steps that count. Thinking ahead and anticipating what’s next is the key to ensure a seamless and successful event. 

Need help putting together a PR event? You’ve come to the right place: hello@mutant.com.sg.

Diversity and inclusion have increasingly become integral pillars for businesses, especially within the past few years. We’re seeing more companies devoting resources to programmes that help drive this cause, with a study expecting the global market for diversity and inclusion to reach US$15.4 billion in size by 2026. This is a fantastic and much-needed trend that would benefit many employees.

Amid this push for more inclusivity and diversity, can companies not only recognise introverts in the workplace but also advocate for them, too?  

The World of Work

Workplace cultures tend to favour active, highly sociable, go-getter attitudes, and people who are eager to voice their opinions, interact and network. These are attributes often associated with “extroverts”, an all-too-familiar term that describes a person who derives their energy from their external surroundings (conversely, “introverts” derive their energy internally; for example, by reflecting on or thinking about ideas and memories). 

Long before the pandemic struck, it seemed that virtually every workplace had an open-office plan, which effectively killed the notion of privacy or “your own quiet space in the office”. Ultimately, the modern office was the ideal environment for more sociable workers to thrive and to get ahead of their peers. It enabled a competitive corporate culture that greatly suited extroverted qualities. What we see online would corroborate this, with research finding that highly extroverted people have a 25% chance of being in a higher-earning job.

But what about our introverted colleagues? These are the co-workers who might be described (whether accurately or not) as your “quiet” deliverers, the team members who may not be as sociable, active or loud, or who prefer to limit their interactions with others. How did they cope in an office environment that was not conducive to their natural inclination for quiet, calm and privacy?

Well, they did what they had to—they adapted so that they could survive in a corporate world that wasn’t created for them. 

But then COVID-19 swept the world and turned all of our ideas about work on its head.

The Great Disruptor

With the pandemic forcing everyone to stay home, remote work became the default. Face-to-face meetings—where the more vocal you are, the more you get to assert your presence—vanished. Office social gatherings were curtailed or prohibited, and completing your tasks alone became the centrepiece of your workday. 

The world of work became an introvert’s dream, with articles and opinion pieces declaring how it was time for introverts to shine. It seems that this sudden paradigm shift shook the world of extroverts to the core, while those who didn’t necessarily seek active socialisation at work (like me) thrived or were hardly bothered by it. If the pandemic has shown anything, it’s that the constant need to be “always on” at the office isn’t necessary to succeed at one’s job. 

Finding the right balance 

With the world opening up again as we enter a post-COVID reality, there needs to be a balance where both extroverted or introverted employees can be allowed to contribute in their own ways.

While I personally am relieved at the work-from-home revolution, being a self-proclaimed introvert myself, I can also recognise that always working from home may not be suitable or sustainable for all employees. Ultimately, my preferred way of working is as much of an imbalance in workplace culture as requiring everyone to work full-time in an open office environment is. Any focus on one biased environment over another is damaging as it benefits only one group of people rather than considering the varying, nuanced needs of your extroverts and introverts, and those in between.  

As more companies slowly make the shift back to the office, we’ve seen a rise in flexible or hybrid work arrangements, which is encouraging and could be the happy medium for all employees. What’s more, studies have shown that flexible work arrangements boost productivity, work-life balance and employee engagement.

This is why it’s important to find a middle ground, and companies and their employees can each play a part in moulding a workplace culture that is diverse and inclusive. 

Recognise that introversion =/= weak

So what else can businesses and organisations do? For starters, much like how they need to recognise and celebrate the value of having employees from different backgrounds, companies also need to acknowledge and recognise the value that employees with introverted qualities can bring. The common misconception about introverted people is that they’re shy or meek or hesitant to voice their opinions. This is far from true, and leads to the strange notion that they need to be brought out of their shell with intensely social activities like ice breakers or networking.  

Rather, business and team leaders should strive to make the most of their introverted team members’ innate capabilities and understand how those qualities can complement a team or business. Researchers and experts believe that empathy, good listening skills and deep thinking are the hallmarks of introversion. 

So providing appropriate time and space for reflection before approaching a problem is key to an introvert’s ability to contribute and communicate effectively. With this in mind, companies should strive to create a work environment where introverts don’t feel the constant pressure to say something if they have nothing of value to add at that moment. In the same vein, providing a physical space where an employee can sit and think in private can be incredibly beneficial, especially in today’s modern offices where there’s constant activity and disruptions. 

Introverts, rise up!

At the same time, employees who consider themselves introverted can play a part, too. How? By tapping into their own unique strengths and finding avenues that allow them to be heard. For example, if the thought of big group meetings is not your cup of tea, make an effort to do 1-on-1 meet-ups with people instead.

If you didn’t get the chance to contribute in a meeting or brainstorming session, follow up with an email or a private message to share your thoughts and ideas. Arrange for quick chats with your manager just to update them on your tasks and progress, as this helps establish rapport in your own way and in a space where you don’t have to compete for attention or shout to be heard.

These are small steps that can make a difference. Crucially, introverts should remember that they deserve to be recognised and to work in an environment where their qualities are not seen as weaknesses but as assets.

All in all, businesses and organisations need to widen their perception of what makes an ideal employee. By leveraging each other’s differences, we can create a work environment that provides ample space for different people to feel included, respected and valued. 

CTA: Have any thoughts about workplace culture that you’re eager to share? Let it all out at hello@mutant.com.sg 

Who ever thought that the day would come where Microsoft Windows would be making viral, five-second videos on Tiktok and that big brands like Amazon, Adobe and NASA often leave witty comments in response?

This shift comes alongside the rise of social media and messaging and evolving consumer expectations around brand engagement. People no longer want to simply hear from brands about what they can offer – they want to converse directly with brands.

Because of this, it’s now not uncommon to see some of the world’s largest corporations deliberately interact with audiences in a quirky and fun manner on social media. As brands focus on being more relatable and engaging, the perception of marketing is shifting from traditional techniques that can seem devoid of personality and leave less impact on audiences. 

There’s more to building a brand voice than jumping on Gen Z-driven trends or speaking like a teenager to make your brand more human, though. You need a deep understanding of your brand, values, and voice as well as a social media strategy. If you’re looking for ways to punch up your brand voice and social media presence, here are some ways you can get started: 

Be True To Your Brand 

Brand humanisation isn’t just about hopping onto viral social trends and trying to be relatable. When brands tap onto these trends simply for the sake of boosting engagement rates, more often than not the content flops. Your branding and social media presence needs to be consistent with who your company is, instead of coming across as being too try-hard for the sake of boosting engagement rates. When your brand voice and values are consistent throughout every consumer touchpoint, people will have a better, more holistic understanding  of your brand, which lends a hand in building credibility. 

Stimulate Your Audience’s Emotions 

A recent study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Braze, discovered that it is increasingly important for brands to ground communication channels with emotional attributes such as responsiveness and friendliness. A great way to achieve this is by weaving humour and empathy into your messaging. These attributes can help your business seem more relatable and can go a long way in getting people interested in why your brand is relevant to them. 

When putting together campaigns and creating content, remember that a compelling story is more impactful than rambling on about your brand’s list of accolades or constantly selling. Your audience wants to know more about the heart and people behind your brand as well! 

Stay Consistent 

Last but not least, ensure that your brand’s voice and storytelling is consistent across all communication channels. Consistency makes your brand feel dependable, and goes hand-in-hand with conveying a sense of allyship to customers. Maintaining brand consistency is key in ensuring that all the work that you’ve undertaken to build and execute your brand value and messages don’t go down the drain. 

Messaging and social media enable brands to create deeper connections and build credibility with their audiences, leading to better business results. The key to success lies in talking to your audiences like they’re real people and being self-aware, without trying too hard. 

If you’re still unsure about how you can build genuine and strong connections with your audiences, get in touch at hello@mutant.com.sg! 

One of the most memorable quotes from the 2010 film The Social Network, is when Justin Timberlake’s Sean Parker says: “We lived on farms and then we lived in cities – and now we are going to live on the internet.” Twelve years later, this line is much more true than it was then, as people now use the internet to congregate and form digital tribes on these platforms, and engage one another in myriad ways, including messages sent to friends, family, and brands, voice chats on Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces, and videos in the form of short-form entertainment, streaming, and business calls.

As the world transforms digitally, the communities we interact within have changed, too. This also means that brands are fighting much harder than before for our attention in the digital space.

Brands have been integrating social media as part of their communications strategy for years now, working to reach the billions of people who visit Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn daily. With every brand out there looking to engage consumers through these platforms, they are increasingly becoming more bloated and saturated with branded content – ranging from the obvious sponsored adverts to ‘subtle’ product placements. 

But because of this influx of content, people often feel brand fatigue. As advertisers compete with each other for consumers’ attention, brands now need to rethink their social media strategy. More than ever, brands need to focus on engaging their target audience and the wider community in meaningful ways, which is key to increasing brand loyalty and affinity.

Here are a few social media platforms that brands can leverage on to build and engage their communities:

Discord

Discord is a VoIP (Voice-over-IP), instant messaging and digital distribution platform. Users communicate with voice calls, video calls, text messaging, media and files in private chats or as part of communities through different servers. The platform first gained popularity within gaming communities, and was a hit with users with its easy-to-use interface and low barriers to entry, making it one of the most used community platforms within the younger age groups.

One of the key challenges brands consistently face is the ability to build and nurture communities, and to engage their own user base meaningfully. Discord bridges the gap through its community-centric approach, which encourages users to set up their own channels and provides the ability to engage in voice-chat seamlessly. The fact that it’s popular among the younger age groups will also help brands trying to target this particular demographic. 

Community channels can also be created for like-minded individuals to connect, for example, over their common love for certain brand’s products. This creates organic community engagement and allows for conversations  where people can potentially provide important feedback. Help channels can also be set up for customers to join and speak to a person in real-time, allowing for queries to be answered quickly.

Discord can also be utilized effectively in engaging the media, with its unique text, voice and video capabilities – as well as the ability to make certain channels private or exclusive to a small audience. For example, a brand could dedicate a channel as a media repository where visual assets, press fact sheets and FAQs are stored. 

The platform can also be useful for coordinating virtual press conferences and events, with the ability to keep journalists in ‘holding channels’ or conduct simultaneous 1-on-1 interviews across different channels. Moderators and various spokespeople can also park themselves in these channels so journalists can pop-in with questions anytime. 

Twitch

A video live streaming service that focuses on video game live streaming, Twitch is a platform  where brands can leverage the real-time engagement  content creators and streamers earn. 

Streaming allows content creators to connect with their audiences in a more direct and intimate setting, and people can directly interact with the brand spokesperson or ambassador in real time. As long as a brand selects an ambassador who gels with the brand message and products, and is genuine in their recommendation, it can be easy for them to build affinity and loyalty through the platform. Ultimately, Twitch satisfies the need for organic and real-time engagement, and will make the brand feel more personable to the masses.

Quora

Quora is a social question-and-answer portal where users can collaborate by editing questions and commenting on answers that have been submitted by other users. One challenge that brands constantly have to tackle is community management as consumers often treat social pages as helpdesks, and managing queries through traditional social media channels can often be clunky. As such, a consolidated FAQ repository that allows users to access information and facts easily will reduce the load on the customer support front. 

Brands can also tap on Quora to share short-form thinkpieces and commentaries on the brand’s own platform, circumventing traditional media titles. Posts can be curated and edited to suit the tone of the brand, and publishing on a platform like Quora will also invite organic Q&A opportunities for consumers to engage in conversations. Ultimately, this helps build the brand  through a thought-leadership approach, where the brand consistently spearheads conversations about relevant topics and establishes themselves as a key opinion leader within the space.

In an era where digital mediums fight to keep people’s attention, brands should focus on what’s important for its business and its audience by  shifting away from pushing out new content and towards engaging their audience and maintaining brand loyalty.

Ultimately, it’s a long game: the brands that thrive are the ones that invest in their communities and engage them in meaningful ways that go far beyond gimmicks and flash campaigns.

Want to set up a solid social media strategy? You’ve come to the right place: hello@mutant.com.sg

With festive woven ketupat artfully displayed, pelita lamps providing a welcoming glow, the upbeat tune of Sudirman singing “Balik Kampung”, and the smell of lemang and rendang in the air – Hari Raya is upon us once again! 

Similar to Christmas, the month-long period of Ramadan and Hari Raya is not only a significant festive season and religious occasion, it is also one of the key campaign periods earmarked for the year. 

After two years of celebrating this momentous holiday in lockdown, Malaysians are thrilled to be celebrating Hari Raya in its full glory once again. From Hari Raya decor, new Raya outfits, and mouth watering delicacies, several brands went big to push their festive launches. But with many companies launching their Raya campaigns during this period, it is easy for brands to get lost in the chatter, leaving them with little return on investment. 

Find out how to make most of your Raya campaigns with these tips on how to amplify your brand and make your business stand out with effective public relations and marketing strategies.

Plan early

The first step is to plan in advance so that you have time to spark interest in your brand. The key is not to launch your campaign on Hari Raya itself, but right at the beginning of Ramadan – the month before Hari Raya, where Muslims observe fasting, spiritual reflection, and self-improvement. Iron out your campaign messaging, marketing objectives, and event planning to make the most of this festive period.

Stand out from the crowd

Differentiate yourself from competitors and capture people’s attention with limited-edition festive packaging, new products, or perhaps a heartwarming advert. The goal is to have your brand front, centre, and top of mind for your consumers. The key to achieving this is  creating a campaign your customers can relate to. If you can resonate with your audience, you can increase awareness and brand love, which will hopefully lead to sales and increased engagement. 

One great example comes from Subway Malaysia, which launched a campaign that definitely made them stand out from other quick service restaurant brands in the market. In the spirit of celebrating togetherness and local culture, Subway Malaysia introduced a new mascot in conjunction with Ramadan and Hari Raya. They partnered with social media art sensation Ernest Ng, known for his ‘Don’t like that la bro’ comic series, to produce the character ‘Sabweh’ that made its debut across Malaysia with limited-edition Raya packets that were available for guests to redeem in-restaurant with any purchase.

Not only does the ‘Sabweh’ character capture the attention of customers, Subway Malaysia also showcased a series of heartwarming videos featuring people from different walks of life, in an attempt to highlight the importance of sharing and kindness in the community.

Put together immersive media engagements 

Immersive and interactive engagements are sure to bring your Ramadan or Raya event to the next level! Not only is it a great way to bring media, influencers and partners together to celebrate the festive season, it is also a great way to kickstart your campaign!

Our team at Mutant Malaysia prides themselves on curating personalised experiences for the media and influencers so that they can immerse themselves in the brand – a few examples include working with clients to host a gastronomical Buka Puasa dinner after an entertaining ‘Eid In Harmony’ Hari Raya launch, conducting a mini Wayang Kulit workshop and hosting a private Wayang Kulit performance at Intermark Mall, and organising a spectacular performance by Upin & Ipin at Pavilion Bukit Jalil for the media and their kids.

Hosting unique media engagements not only secures more media attendance, it is also key to garnering quality coverage beyond a standard press release. 

Relying on social media 

Social media and digital marketing are not only essential strategies, they prove to be a great way to communicate with your target audience. Plus, it is a platform where people are spending more time during Ramadan. In fact, social media has been cited as the top online activity that Muslims engage in during the Holy Month of Ramadan. 

Islamic lifestyle app Muslim Pro is an excellent example of how a brand can use social media to engage with Muslims all over the world as well as successfully partner with Muslim influencers. For example, Muslim Pro collaborated with celebrity chef Rouba Shahin, who shared her recipes for breaking fast, and fitness entrepreneur Nawal Haddad, who contributed fitness routines for Ramadan workouts. Such partnerships can help businesses grow brand awareness by leveraging the social media following of influencers while also using social media as a platform for effective storytelling and brand building. 

Telling impactful stories

Get your name out there by landing solid media placements through engaging stories that are timely and relevant to the consumer. Storytelling is the most authentic and effective way to share your brand or products with audiences. 

One of our clients, Intermark Mall, a neighbourhood mall in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, used adept storytelling about Malaysian culture throughout the Ramadan period by creating Raya decorations that shone the spotlight on the ancient art of shadow puppetry with Malaysia’s traditional Wayang Kulit as well as nostalgic Malaysian childhood games such as Batu Seremban and Congkak. 

In addition, the mall collaborated with Wak Long Music & Art Centre so that shoppers could participate in interactive workshops and performances. To help spread the word about Intermark’s initiative, the Mutant Malaysia team organised interactive media engagements with journalists and bloggers, and arranged for one-on-one interviews with a master puppeteer for the media to write features on the importance of preserving an important piece of Malaysia’s culture.  

Interesting media gifts

Ramadan and Raya is all about gifting and giving back. What better way to appreciate the media, partners and influencers you’ve been working with than to present them with something special to celebrate the festive season?

Mutant Malaysia recently curated two unique media gifts for our clients over this festive period. To help promote Muslim Pro’s Ramadan content, we curated an exclusive Sunnah Superfoods box packed full of nutritious, immunity-boosting superfoods to fuel the mind, body and soul during the fasting month of Ramadan. We also loved Subway Malaysia’s sub-lime pillow that commemorates the star of Subway’s Ramadan campaign – the footlong sub. Media and influencers were certainly happy to receive this special sub-prise!

Brands that can successfully engage consumers during this festive period will hold the key to success. Fully taking advantage of the increased social media screen-time is a prime opportunity for brands to educate, entertain and engage consumers for them to leave a lasting impact that continues on beyond Ramadan and Hari Raya. 

Want to create campaigns that stand out? Contact us at hello@mutant.com.sg

Back in the day, you could write a press release to announce a new product, menu or campaign you have and voilà – press coverage and happiness served on a platter! But as the media landscape has rapidly evolved over the years and begun to shrink, journalists and publications expect more than a press release, making it harder to land coverage. Today, those in the F&B industry must instead find ways to connect with their audience directly while providing journalists and publications with more sophisticated offerings. 

Compounding this is the fact that the F&B industry has undergone two years of intense changes, from dealing with recurring waves of restrictions and disruptions in supply chains to an uncertain future. Regardless, the industry has persevered, and there is much to be discussed as to how it can continue to thrive. Through our interactions with brands in the industry, here’s our take on three how-tos to ensure continued success for these businesses.

Adopt a tailored approach to press announcements  

Let’s say you’re launching a new product (yay!) – the (not so) bad news is that only you and your consumers care about it. But the good news is that there are ways to make the media care about it.  To do this, brands must think outside the box to jazz up their launch and engage media and consumers, while bearing in mind the current news cycle – perhaps an occasion is round the corner or there is a heavy focus on a particular topic in the news. Work to leverage these moments whenever possible and tie them into your announcements and launches to ride the trending topic wave while also generating excitement for your new product. 

On top of the usual press assets like a press release and press kits, F&B brands should consider going one step further and coupling these announcements with creative media drops or media events to give writers, critics, and tastemakers a first-hand experience. Finally, to further drive post-launch sustenance, brands must continue to engage journalists with tailored story angles to maintain momentum.

Stay informed of industry news and  trends 

As part of the industry, brands must stay in the know about the latest trends and developments within their specific niche. This allows them to, as mentioned above, tap into these moments and trendjack them with relevant content while also discussing what these issues mean for their customers and the larger community. 

One such way to keep updated is through media monitoring – by doing this, brands can have an overview of the type of industry news making the rounds as well as what their competitors are doing and saying. It is also useful for brands with a significant presence to track their consumer feedback and gather data to analyse any potential trends to further improve their services. Additionally, these insights can be  packaged with announcements to share with the media, whenever relevant. 

Be an authority on relevant topics and  have an opinion 

Ever wondered why you always see the same few experts commenting on the same industries and topics? For media to consider certain brands or spokespersons as go-to experts, they must first establish themselves as an authority on core topics within their business. Most importantly, these spokespeople must be willing to take a stance or provide high-level insights and analysis, whenever appropriate. 

To position yourself as an industry expert, trust and credibility must be built first on your brands’ owned platforms – anything from sharing infographics on social media or your thoughts in a blog posted to LinkedIn. When you get your thoughts, opinions, and data out there, you distribute content relevant to your industry and position yourself as a thought leader in your area of expertise. If your content is impactful, it will translate to your brand and help cement you as a  trusted source people can turn to for a quote or comment. In addition, this will help you amass a trove of information that can be used in media engagements. 

Eventually, journalists will start seeking you out after you’ve established a certain level of trust. From there, repeated interactions with journalists either through casual (media lunches, meet and greets) or formal engagements (exclusive media interviews) help to build a relationship, foster trust and allow journalists closer access to you and your brand. 

Want to know more about building meaningful relationships with the media and find the best way to make your announcements known to the public? Drop us a line at hello@mutant.com.sg!