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Portfolio
A selection of clients' work
AIA
All big insurance companies offer essentially the same thing, in different packaging. There is little to differentiate them from each other from the customer’s POV. Our task was position AIA to stand out from this bland wallpaper by showing insight, empathy and relevance in our products, services and values.
‘The Real life Company’ emerged from extensive research and qualitative understanding. Customers wanted an insurance company that understood them and their needs, rather than one who only boasted about their own size and importance. ‘Show me that you understand my real life. Don’t just talk about yourself. Tell me what you can do for me’.
‘The Real life Company’ emerged from extensive research and qualitative understanding. Customers wanted an insurance company that understood them and their needs, rather than one who only boasted about their own size and importance. ‘Show me that you understand my real life. Don’t just talk about yourself. Tell me what you can do for me’.
KPMG
Competition to recruit the best and brightest graduates is fierce, not just between the big four accounting firms but also other financial and technology employers. Accounting firms also face concerns about long working hours, job satisfaction and life-work balance. Alchemy’s task was to use KPMG’s global proposition of ‘Extraordinary’, a much over used superlative, to create a recruitment campaign that enables KPMG to stand-out and create interest and applications from the best graduates.
We achieved this by turning the focus away from KPMG as an extraordinary employer as it had been used in the past, to the graduates themselves and what it is that makes each of them extraordinary individuals in their own ways. The on-line campaign asked “Are you extraordinary?” as the central thought. Individual examples demonstrated the different ways in which KPMG professionals are extraordinary in their everyday lives.
We achieved this by turning the focus away from KPMG as an extraordinary employer as it had been used in the past, to the graduates themselves and what it is that makes each of them extraordinary individuals in their own ways. The on-line campaign asked “Are you extraordinary?” as the central thought. Individual examples demonstrated the different ways in which KPMG professionals are extraordinary in their everyday lives.
EPIC Group
Epic Group has grown over the last 20 years from a textile manufacturer to become one of the world’s largest premium apparel suppliers and technology solution suppliers for major high street brands such as Nike, Levis' and LuLu Lemon amongst many others. However, the brand positioning lagged far behind the reality and remained product and manufacturing based.
Alchemy repositioned the Epic Group’ purpose under the banner of ‘The relentless persist of better’ to express its continual focus on improvement in quality, services and value-add. The rebranding program covered all aspects of the brand and communications - from, strategy, identity & design to website and online content. The renewed brand was applied to all areas of product and packaging
Alchemy repositioned the Epic Group’ purpose under the banner of ‘The relentless persist of better’ to express its continual focus on improvement in quality, services and value-add. The rebranding program covered all aspects of the brand and communications - from, strategy, identity & design to website and online content. The renewed brand was applied to all areas of product and packaging
YiLu Cemetery, Hainan
YiLu Cemetery, Hainan was conceived and designed to be a high-end cemetery. The solemn and tranquil atmosphere relieves the sadness of bereavement, and at the same time provides a space for contemplation and reminiscence, expressing the nostalgia and respect for the ancestors.
A perfect life also needs a perfect ending. This is a beautiful resting place, celebrating life and reflection of life. 'A Life Complete' is the positioning of the crematory. Even if one has left, it will remain in the heart of their family forever, marking a perfect end to life.
A perfect life also needs a perfect ending. This is a beautiful resting place, celebrating life and reflection of life. 'A Life Complete' is the positioning of the crematory. Even if one has left, it will remain in the heart of their family forever, marking a perfect end to life.
Standard Chartered Bank
A brand promise "Here For Good" without substance or true relevance to consumers. A very expensive campaign that did little to change perceptions. Burning unanswered question from investors was ‘what do we do that is good?’.
Together with EIU (Economist Intelligence Unit), Alchemy provided substance to the brand promise through openly engaging in a meaningful debate about the issues surrounding sustainable business practices. Have the courage of your convictions - ask the hard questions and don’t be afraid to be criticized.
Together with EIU (Economist Intelligence Unit), Alchemy provided substance to the brand promise through openly engaging in a meaningful debate about the issues surrounding sustainable business practices. Have the courage of your convictions - ask the hard questions and don’t be afraid to be criticized.
AIA Vitality
Vitality is a behavioural-based health & fitness programme that encourages members to build healthy habits, improve their diets, get more exercise and better sleep. The Vitality program is offered by AIA to its customers in Asia, subsidising healthy diets, gyms and other positive behaviours in a win-win shared benefit between AIA nd its customers. The longer and healthier its customers are, the better for all.
Initially, Vitality was initially launched without success in Singapore. Customers perceived it to be a sales promotion, rather than a credible, health & fitness program. Customers also resisted the feeling the they were being told how to live their lives. Instead, we presented the program as empower customers by encouraging them to ‘Take control of your life’ with Vitality enabling members to proactively manage and improve their health themselves in all aspects of their lives.
Initially, Vitality was initially launched without success in Singapore. Customers perceived it to be a sales promotion, rather than a credible, health & fitness program. Customers also resisted the feeling the they were being told how to live their lives. Instead, we presented the program as empower customers by encouraging them to ‘Take control of your life’ with Vitality enabling members to proactively manage and improve their health themselves in all aspects of their lives.
Diamond Market Place
Diamond Market Place is a new and disruptive P2P market for certified, second-hand diamond gemstones that assures the best price for both buyer and seller alike, with full confidence and transparency throughout the transaction. Until now the market has been highly opaque with a lack of trust or clarity about provenance, fair pricing and quality. Typically up to 60% of the transaction price has been taken by middle men and sales. DMP's market is based on guaranteed validation and standard market prices backed by the GIA standard verification of authenticity and DMP's own proprietary technology, DMP cuts out the expensive middle-men and returns the value to both buyer and seller alike in a transparent online marketplace.
Shenzhen Fountain Corporation - corporate strategy and branding
As the first Sino-foreign listed company in Shenzhen,
SFC is a low-key property developer based in SZ. Decisions are centralised around the visionary CEO. The business's diversity and a lack of corporate communication created confusion among financial analysts and key stakeholders about the companies strategy and focus. This lack of clarity, purpose and accountability extended internally and as well as externally.
Alchemy helped the company, clarify the CEO’s vision and purpose. Under the umbrella value proposition of a “Rich Community Builder” SFC's positioning and purpose was aligned and focused, clarifying corporate strategy, values and ESG.
Alchemy helped the company, clarify the CEO’s vision and purpose. Under the umbrella value proposition of a “Rich Community Builder” SFC's positioning and purpose was aligned and focused, clarifying corporate strategy, values and ESG.
Basao Tea
Selected artisanal teas that promote wellness, calm and soothing feelings. A refreshing and uplifting moment in your day.
Basao Tea is a work of devotion to the simple leaf that has nurtured, build and inspired individuals and empires for centuries.
Basao Tea is a work of devotion to the simple leaf that has nurtured, build and inspired individuals and empires for centuries.
Star Cruises
Star Cruises, owned by Genting Group had a problem. As the original pioneer of the Asian cruise industry it had long enjoyed a dominant position particularly amongst Chinese families. But with customers quickly moving upmarket towards more premium target audiences, Star Cruises had to reinvent itself and pivot towards the new, more aspirational and affluent market.
Ovolo Hotels
Alchemy transformed half a dozen service apartment buildings into a unique and vibrant boutique hotel brand called Ovolo, whilst keeping the unique characters of each property and reflecting its distinctive neighbourhood. This pioneered a new approach to a ‘molecular’ hospitality collection, as opposed to the traditional ‘string of pearls’. Every Ovolo hotel is united by attitude, design, service and innovation, whilst celebrating its individuality.
Alchemy expressed Ovolo’s positioning as ‘There’s something happening here’ to quickly established its challenger, quirky attitude. With heavy online marketing this rapidly achieved healthy occupancy and leading RevPar. It was also recognised as the ‘Brand of the Year’ across all categories three years in a row. Today the Ovolo brand has grown successfully in HK and across Australia.
Alchemy expressed Ovolo’s positioning as ‘There’s something happening here’ to quickly established its challenger, quirky attitude. With heavy online marketing this rapidly achieved healthy occupancy and leading RevPar. It was also recognised as the ‘Brand of the Year’ across all categories three years in a row. Today the Ovolo brand has grown successfully in HK and across Australia.
CUHK Business School
Competition to attract the best students, academics and researchers has increased markedly amongst all universities in HK, China and across Asia. Yet opinion amongst stakeholders, academics and students indicated that CUHK had a weak brand personality and lacked focus or any stand-out reasons for selecting it, over other, higher ranked or older and more prestigious universities.
Prestigious, established universities tend to emphasise their heritage and past accolades. This is essentially a retrospective celebration of their past. As a relatively new university, this was not practical for CUHK. We chose instead to look towards the future as our guiding mission – what CUHK was doing today and tomorrow to make a significant difference for the future. This is an optimistic, can-do perspective that goes to the purpose of tertiary education and academic research. We expressed this brand positioning as ‘Look Forward…’ In this way CUHK positioned itself as an optimistic, forward-looking university, ambitiously embracing innovation and the new, as opposed to older universities who look back at their past.
Prestigious, established universities tend to emphasise their heritage and past accolades. This is essentially a retrospective celebration of their past. As a relatively new university, this was not practical for CUHK. We chose instead to look towards the future as our guiding mission – what CUHK was doing today and tomorrow to make a significant difference for the future. This is an optimistic, can-do perspective that goes to the purpose of tertiary education and academic research. We expressed this brand positioning as ‘Look Forward…’ In this way CUHK positioned itself as an optimistic, forward-looking university, ambitiously embracing innovation and the new, as opposed to older universities who look back at their past.
Changsha Fountain Valley, by Shenzhen Fountain Corporation (SFC)
Presenting and communicating the pioneering story at the heart of SFC's vision and brand purpose to create a sustainable community and lifestyle for intelligent living.
Changsha Fountain Valley is an affluent community of families, couples and individuals who are acutely aware of their environment, use of resources and their ecological footprint. They are motivated by living healthy, sustainable lives in sympathy with nature and to leave a better world for their children to inherit.
The brand proposition was expressed as ‘Intelligent living today, for a better tomorrow’ .
Changsha Fountain Valley is an affluent community of families, couples and individuals who are acutely aware of their environment, use of resources and their ecological footprint. They are motivated by living healthy, sustainable lives in sympathy with nature and to leave a better world for their children to inherit.
The brand proposition was expressed as ‘Intelligent living today, for a better tomorrow’ .
Hangzhou Kerry Centre
Hangzhou is China’s ancient capital and the cradle of its civilisation. Made internationally famous by Marco-polo, Hangzhou is the origin of China’s finest tea, silk and authentic Han cuisine. For centuries it remained proud and insular, but in recent times it has been overshadowed by its bigger, faster growing, glitzy neighbour Shanghai, just a short 40 minute high-speed rail journey away.
Kerry Hangzhou sought to position itself as the city’s new, premium, mixed-use development. Rather than play Shanghai’s by game, we chose instead to compete by emphasising to the authentic and unique Hangzhou culture, by contrast to the short history of Shanghai. We did this by showcasing the beauty and originality of Hangzhou culture and celebrating how it shines out from within in every aspect.
With this focus on the authentic and traditional, Kerry Hangzhou quickly established itself as the preferred shopping, dining and entertainment destination for the city’s affluent residents. It has also succeeded in drawing visitors from across China and Asia, as well as repeat tourists and visitors from Shanghai.
Kerry Hangzhou sought to position itself as the city’s new, premium, mixed-use development. Rather than play Shanghai’s by game, we chose instead to compete by emphasising to the authentic and unique Hangzhou culture, by contrast to the short history of Shanghai. We did this by showcasing the beauty and originality of Hangzhou culture and celebrating how it shines out from within in every aspect.
With this focus on the authentic and traditional, Kerry Hangzhou quickly established itself as the preferred shopping, dining and entertainment destination for the city’s affluent residents. It has also succeeded in drawing visitors from across China and Asia, as well as repeat tourists and visitors from Shanghai.
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