TSLA taps Fabian Tan to lead strategic insights agency JUNK

The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) has appointed Fabian Tan as partner of JUNK, its strategic insights agency and cultural bureau. This comes as JUNK looks to expand into a service cultural strategy agency to ensure deeper regional foresight and fluency for clients across Southeast Asia. Tan is trained as a qualitative researcher and brand consultant with Quantum Consumer Solutions, first in Singapore and eventually moving to Shanghai to set up and co-lead its China presence in 2017.

According to JUNK, Tan adopts a method-agnostic approach to applied human sciences, and believes in reimagining conventional research "rules" to deliver interesting yet useful outcomes for clients. As such, he has applied his specialisation in cultures and insights for brand strategy, innovation, purpose-building and communication across various verticals, including personal care, beauty, F&B, nutrition and supplements, alcohol, social issues and sustainability. His experience and partnerships are anchored in Asia and the global South.

TSLA launched JUNK in 2018, as an editorial and research desk to better understand the vibrant cultural landscape of Southeast Asia for readers and brands. Where cultural economics meets speculative design, JUNK aims to help clients achieve a deep understanding of Southeast Asia’s unique and diverse cultures - often superficially understood or overlooked - to unlock sharper strategies that can achieve desired business outcomes. JUNK has already begun work for a variety of client brands, including most recently the Potato Head Group, and currently has open roles and is actively hiring curious, inquisitive cultural thinkers.

“Asian Excellence - that’s how I’ve always seen TSLA. And I’m thrilled to now be a part of this mission focussed agency and to work alongside some of the brightest, most daring, and passionate thinkers, creatives, and problem solvers,” said Tan.

He added that JUNK will further deepen this ethos, as it fortifies its offer by studying Asian cultures more deeply and empathetically. "We want to tell cultural stories that are real, raw, nuanced, and inspiring, and have set our sights on decoding the complexities and excavating the (thus far) inaccessible aspects of our region. I’m excited to be on this journey, and to see the magic and impact we can create with JUNK’s robust cultural insights function within the TSLA ecosystem," he explained.

Separately, TSLA beefed up its team last year with three key hires across departments: Rachel Tan as its second head of mothering, Brandon Ellison as content creator for T-Studios, and Kifaya Taha as its senior strategist. Managing partner Sorcha John said previously that adding talented and passionate people to its leadership table ensures that both its future direction and the work it creates is continually elevated and challenged by new voices, new perspectives and new abilities.

The year 2021 also saw the rebranding of TSLA Design to Anak. Moving forward, the design arm now focuses on branding and design development of brands rolled out at scale regionally or globally from Singapore.

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