Empowering Singapore’s Youth: A Journey of Digital Learning and Growth
In a world where impressions determine decisions and metrics often overrule creative persuasions, M&C Saatchi Performance recently had the opportunity to do something beyond the arena of funnels and performance.
As a leading global digital media agency, we’ve often spearheaded growth for some of the biggest brands in the world today and have successfully expanded their reach into new markets. However, our purpose is driven by something deeper: we aim to advocate for positive changes and create a lasting impact beginning with this initiative.
At M&C Saatchi Performance, we strongly believe in the transformative power of education, recognizing its ability to create long-lasting and meaningful change. One of our core values guides us towards taking responsibility and changing advertising for the better. Driven to execute something cool, something that reflects our values, we recently collaborated with the Health Promotion Board Singapore, 32CM, and Mendaki Singapore with a common goal to inspire positive change and empower the next generation of digital marketing enthusiasts.
A Little Background: A Heartfelt Initiative to Empower Our Youth
Our Country Director in Singapore, Melissa Yik, and Misbah Hameed, People Operations Director in APAC, creatively designed a three-day Digital Marketing Boot Camp for young college students with help from several key senior stakeholders from M&C Saatchi Performance, the Health Promotion Board, and 32CM.
Mendaki Singapore offered us an avenue to bring in young learners from the Institute of Technical Education.
The Health Promotion Board entrusted us with a digital media brief for the students to work towards. We aimed to provide the proper guidance and teachings to participating students, equipping them with essential digital marketing skills.
Brief for Young Learners: A Thoughtfully Curated Topic
The Health Promotion Board, a statutory board under Singapore’s Ministry of Health, launched the HealthierSG initiative to encourage better health among Singaporeans. They introduced the H365 app to facilitate wellness activities, track health screenings, and monitor progress toward improved health.
Recognizing that young adults often overlook health priorities, Healthier SG wanted to target this demographic with a campaign that encourages healthier habits through the Health365 app and promotes better sleep habits. This included initiatives that helped raise awareness about vaping and its harmful effects among youth, supporting cessation efforts, and promoting healthier sleep habits by addressing issues like doom scrolling and bedtime procrastination.
The Execution: Digital Marketing BootCamp By M&C Saatchi Performance Experts
From March 18th to 20th, 2024, we crafted an immersive experience to educate and inspire young minds with our in-house Digital Marketing BootCamp. Senior domain experts from the M&C Saatchi Performance Singapore team delivered keynote sessions on their areas of expertise. Bobbie Gersbach, our Global Planning Director, APAC, went beyond her way to take the session for our participants on Zoom despite working from the Australia office.
The boot camp was strategically designed to interest passionate participants in digital marketing activities. The content and tasks were designed so that, in addition to pursuing a career in Digital Marketing, our participants also felt interested in and responsible for sharing knowledge and awareness on key health concerns proposed by the Health Promotion Board.
Here’s an overview of the Three-Day In-house BootCamp:
Day 1: Setting the Stage for Growth
The journey began with anticipation and excitement as the students were welcomed into the vibrant world of digital marketing. Our Managing Director for APAC, Roshat Adnani, set the tone with insights on clear goals, KPIs, and the marketing funnel—laying a solid foundation for the days ahead. The following sessions, led by our senior domain experts, delved into understanding the target audience, navigating social media landscapes, and harnessing the power of programmatic advertising.
Day 2: Crafting Strategies for Impact
On the second day, students dived deep into the art and science of campaign planning, media strategies, and effective sales techniques. Mentors provided guidance, encouragement, and valuable feedback during breakout sessions, empowering students to refine their ideas, sharpen their pitches, and aim at winning.
Day 3: Unleashing Potential and Celebrating Success
The final day was a crescendo of emotions, enthusiasm, and achievement. Students put their newfound skills to the test as they finalized their pitches and braved the stage. With hearts pounding and dreams soaring, they presented their campaigns to the mentors, the judges, and the audience, showcasing creativity, resilience, and a deep understanding of the power of digital marketing to drive positive change.
The Impact: Seeds of Transformation
Beyond certificates and prizes, the boot camp sowed seeds of awareness and transformation. Participants gained not just knowledge but confidence, resilience, and a sense of purpose. The support from the partners and our dedicated mentors nurtured a culture of learning, collaboration, and collective growth.
Recognition and Appreciation
As we got ready to close, the Health Promotion Board and 32CM’s appreciation and the awards ceremony were not just moments of recognition but symbols of collective achievement and shared aspirations. Along with Patricia Mondonedo, Deputy Director of the Health Promotion Board, our CEO, Kabeer Chaudhary, also judged pitches from the participants. The jury awarded the winning and runner-up teams NTUC vouchers sponsored by the Health Promotion Board and 32CM.
To ensure our efforts to create an impact didn’t end with the boot camp, we decided to select one exceptional participant for a coveted internship opportunity at M&C Saatchi Performance, symbolizing our commitment to nurturing talent and fostering meaningful connections.
With this initiative, we were reminded of each individual’s immense potential and collaboration’s collective power. The participants showed exceptional enthusiasm and determination to absorb and implement the skills taught within a short span of three days!
We’re grateful to our partners and key stakeholders for bringing this to life with zest and dedication.
