Transform. Innovate. Repeat.

This post is sponsored by Tribal Worldwide Singapore.

While technology has always been a great enabler for businesses, the pandemic has positively fuelled digital adoption across organisations. The global crisis forced more consumers online, and marketers had to get creative fast in order to remain competitive.

Speed and accuracy were paramount to success. In 2020, it was all about how quickly you could launch a marketing initiative and influence the right people at the right time. 

Hyper-personalisation was the word on every marketer’s lips and companies turned to enterprise marketing technology stacks for answers. The right technology stack empowers companies to not only experiment and try new things on the fly, but also do the same things in smarter, and more cost-efficient ways. What’s more, the resulting consumer behaviour data meant companies facing an uncertain future could now measure the impact of their marketing activities to focus on what worked when it mattered most.

Here are some of the ways in which technology turned 2020’s seemingly insurmountable challenges into opportunities for both businesses and the greater good.

Business transformation: From bricks-and-mortar to e-stores.

Cycle & Carriage Singapore partnered with Tribal Worldwide to enhance myC&C – a mobile app that enables a digital car ownership experience – with a new eShop feature.

Within three months, the minimum viable product (MVP) was launched, allowing customers to browse and purchase after-sales services, accessories, and lifestyle products with seamless installation bookings.

The swift implementation just before the pandemic hit Singapore came in handy. The app placed Cycle & Carriage Singapore’s products and services at its customers’ fingertips which improved their overall experience and generated new leads. Since the MVP, myC&C eShop has transacted with more than 2,000 customers over 10 months.

Shoppertainment: Driving eCommerce with entertainment.

The tourism industry remains among the hardest hit sectors. Airports saw sharp declines in footfall from both inbound and outbound travellers. iShopChangi, Changi Airport’s online tax and duty-free store, was forced to find new ways to maintain high levels of customer interaction.

Together with Tribal Worldwide, iShopChangi created and launched a first-of-its-kind, seven-week virtual marathon of deals at tax and duty free-absorbed prices in the domestic market. iShopathon was conducted via live-stream and featured social influencers, radio DJs, and content creators sharing tips, taking part in live challenges, and giving product reviews. The campaign generated more than 1.3 million visitors and bolstered sales during the campaign period. 

“The campaign offered our tenants at the airport a ready-made platform to enter the online space, sell their products, and even grow their business during the pandemic,” said Nicole Foo, general manager of online retail at Changi Airport Group.

“We launched iShopathon to give new and existing tenants more exposure and prominence while strengthening Changi’s retail proposition through content that resonated with our growing Millennial customers in Singapore.” 

Foodies at home: Cooking up a storm with Discovery’s Asian Food Network.

As work-from-home became the new normal, homebound food lovers were spending more time exploring online resources for meal preparations, and bonding with like-minded people in online food communities.

Asian Food Network partnered with Tribal Worldwide to not only give its website a facelift, but to also adopt a new enterprise content management system with cloud scalability. The new website improved overall customer engagement and satisfaction, offering the expanding foodie community a faster and more intuitive way of finding well-loved recipes, cooking tips, and stories about Asian food cultures.

IAMACCB.SG: Using tech for public good.

Shortly after Singapore entered its Circuit Breaker phase, Tribal Worldwide’s total experience team launched IAMACCB.SG (I am a community circuit breaker), a one-stop platform to keep Singaporeans informed and entertained during the pandemic.

The site’s blazing fast launch in under two and a half days exemplified the team’s strength in agile practice and getting the product out within the shortest possible time.

Within mere days following its launch, IAMACCB raked in almost 500,000 page views. The platform drew significant interest from the tech community after it was shared during the “Tech for public good: Designing community platforms” online seminar hosted under STACK-X by GovTech (Government Technology Agency of Singapore).

As 2020 came to a close, IAMACCB presented a virtual exhibition that summed up people’s feelings about the year in pictures. Organised with the support of the DesignSingapore Council and the local design community, the “Our graphic memories of COVID19” featured artwork submitted by everyday people. The platform not only supported and connected Singaporeans during a time of distress and disconnect, but also served as an outlet for locals to share their experiences.

Created in partnership with the National Youth Council, Youthopia.SG similarly launched a digital city that housed topics, causes, and experiences to help young people make sense of the unfolding situation. The platform sought to address their concerns, rally support for the environment, and offer career guidance amid growing uncertainty about the job market.

Being future-ready for 2021 and beyond

While there is no doubt that technology will continue to play a pivotal role in enabling continuity in both business and life, its usefulness will extend far beyond the context of the pandemic.

The arrival of the 5G network and edge computing will further accelerate digital adoption and the wider acceptance of technologies such as AI, VR, AR, and cloud computing as marketing tools.

We are especially interested to see what happens in the wearables and telehealth sectors – categories that have spiked significantly in 2020 with no signs of slowing down. Telemedicine platforms are increasingly complementing healthcare systems around the world – supporting homebound patients with both advice, diagnoses, and medication.

And wearable health devices are a vital part of remote care management for chronic diseases, especially as the market continues to grow with more diverse and affordable options, including watches, earbuds, rings, and other everyday accessories.

The pandemic has shown us first-hand the vital role of digital transformation across all areas of business as the lines between physical and virtual perspectives continue to blur. To be future-ready is to support customers seamlessly across online and offline environments – effortlessly picking up where the other left off.

Click here to catch Tribal Worldwide Singapore’s take on the tech trends expected to shape the year ahead.

The writers are Herry Budiyanto, head of technology, and Leslie Goh, chief operating officer, Tribal Worldwide Singapore.