Independent agency atomz closes shop after 20 years

Integrated branding agency atomz will be closing shop in Singapore at the end of March 2020. Founded by Lily Chia, who has over 20 years of experience in marketing communications, atomz was established in 2000. The branding agency has worked with both local and international organisations in the public and private sectors. This includes OCBC Bank, Godiva, Nikon, National Environment Agency and Land Transport Authority among many others. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) had also listed atomz as an approved agency for the Whole of Government (WOG) period contract and framework agreement for communications campaigns (creative services) and video production in 2018.

Also founded by Chia is digital agency Carbon Interactive. Chia confirmed to Marketing that the agency, which was first launched in 2004, will be winding down its business in Singapore but will continue to offer marketing communications counsel under the Carbon Interactive name. The existing regional client for Carbon include National Basketball Association's global youth development program Jr. NBA. Carbon's more recent accounts also include Funan, Shilla Duty Free, and Sentosa.

At the start of the year, Marketing understands there was 12 people overall in both agencies.

In an exclusive statement to Marketing, Chia said: “It has been a wonderful and glorious journey that I would never exchange for anything else. I am thankful for all the staff that has worked with us to build the companies, and also grateful to all our clients and partners who have trusted us all these years. It has indeed been a truly blessed journey.”

Meanwhile, former Carbon Interactive general manager and principal consultant Jeffrey Lim launched a brand consultancy called 8traordinary in April 2019. He had left Carbon Interactive in March 2019, after six years and three months with the agency. As founder and managing director, Lim said the consultancy aims to focus on combining design thinking, branding, creatives and digital expertise to help brands be "extraordinary". Targeting the markets in Asia Pacific, 8traordinary currently has a team of less than 10 in Singapore, while there are over 22 staffs in the region. 

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