VISION
MISSION
Our Values
1976 44 years and counting
The Company was founded by the late Dr Lien Ying Chow, Chairman of the OUB/OUE Group, under the name Overseas Union Advertising to take care of the group’s advertising needs. It started business in Basement 2 of The Mandarin Singapore, a floor below the hotel’s laundry and kitchen. Mr K. C. Chong was our first Chairman.
1985 Learning to be independent
Diversification of the Company’s business began in earnest. The management team was strengthened with experienced communication professionals. A marketing office was set up on the third floor of the hotel’s shopping gallery.
1988 Growing up
As business grew with the addition of new clients, the Company needed more space and moved out to new premises.
1992 A new name
The name was changed when more external clients gave the Company the mandate to act for them. What better name to have then than Mandate Advertising to reflect the trust of its diversified client base?
2003 A new family
With the merger of UOB and OUB, the Company along with OUE joined the UOB family. But this did not last long because of the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s ruling then that banks should separate their financial from non financial business activities.
2005 Striking out on our own
Four senior employees of Mandate led a Management Buy Out. It was quite an experience as overnight, we no longer had the support of a strong parent company.
2016 40 years of strong partnership
We wouldn’t have reached 40 and celebrated our 40th anniversary had it not been for the affirmation and strong support provided by our clients, friends, business partners and every member of the Mandate team. Thank you for your belief and encouragement all these years. We looked forward to building even stronger relationships as we rebrand ourselves as Mandate Communications to reflect the integrated marketing communication services, traditional, digital, mobile and social, that we now provide.
2020 Stronger, together
Today as we look back 44 years, we reflect on our humble beginning when the firm took its first breadth in the basement of a hotel, and grateful for every significant milestone thereafter. As we do so, we celebrate the strong partnerships, friendships and trust we have forged along the way. Emerging now from devastating impact brought on by COVID-19, we say with deep sincerity that it is these treasured relationships that have strengthened and seen us through the pandemic. As we transform further to stay relevant to the new economic landscape, we look forward to working even more closely with our clients in mapping their brands future as they embark on their transformation journey too. Stronger, together.
Our Awards
We like to judge our work on results rather than its chances of picking up an award. Having said that, we have won our fair share of them. Mandate picked up awards for “Most Creative – Out-of-Home” (Gold) as well as “Most Effective Use – Out-of-Home Media” (Bronze) at the MARKies Awards 2021. Mandate is also a past winner of the Heritage Brand Award – conferred on companies that have embraced the best practices in branding, and that have stood the test of time for at least 30 years. We were listed in the 26th Annual Singapore 1000 and Singapore SME 1000 Ranking, which constitutes the top 1% of the nation’s corporations and SMEs, in 2013 and 2015. As a local-born and bred SME with strong brand equity, Mandate was recognised with a Singapore Prestige Brand Award in 2012.
We have also been awarded the NSMark GOLD in recognition of exemplary support for total defence and national service, in 2016. Additionally, we were conferred the Total Defence Award in 2017 and 2020.
Most Creative – Print at MARKies Awards 2019
The Creative Ideas segment seeks to recognise and reward the best idea and strategy behind an executed marketing campaign. The Monetary Authority of Singapore, through its MoneySense financial education programme, sought to help the public build up financial literacy when it comes to credit cards and other unsecured credit. Our inspiration and solution was to present credit cards differently such that it would help cut through the plus-side marketing consumers are bombarded with. Our work picked up the bronze award for this highly contested segment.
Most Creative – Specific Audience at MARKies Awards 2019
Where a creative idea translates into impactful solutions specific to a target audience, we garnered a silver for our “Forget Us Not” campaign with Lien Foundation. A sequel to our earlier campaign, we employed a first-person narration to provide a genuine insight into life with dementia – its frustrations, the sense of loss, and how one can simultaneously be aware of what’s taking place, yet unable to take control. Through a compelling video storytelling as well as ambient disruption strategy, we brought the idea to fruition, delivering on the brand’s communication objectives.
Silver winner at the SPH iink Awards 2017
Every year, the organiser sees an increasing number of entries, as agencies come forth to pit their creativity against the best talents in the industry. In the competitive category of “Print Classified / Recruitment / Notice”, Mandate is pleased to have picked up a silver for its Leading Defence Inovations, MINDEF Scholarship Centre.
Gold winner at the Marketing Events Awards 2014
Amidst the strong local and overseas contenders in the category of "BEST EVENT FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE", Mandate is proud to have won a Gold for "Die Die Must Say", a first-of-its- kind campaign for Lien Foundation and Ang Chin Moh Foundation.
We are delighted that the campaign received great response and that our effort was duly recognised by our peers in the industry.
"Best Idea – Viral" winner at MARKies 2013
A viral campaign that was meant to send chills in fact sent thrills in the form of an award! Our work for Sentosa Spooktacular, an annual Halloween event, picked up the "Best Idea – Viral" award at the MARKies Award 2013 in May 2013.
Gold & Silver winners at the SPH iink Awards 2013
Held in front of a packed audience at the opulent Alkaff Mansion, SPH iink Awards celebrated the best works in the advertising industry on 1 August 2013. Mandate is pleased to have picked up a gold and a silver for the its series of unorthodox ads for Lien Foundation. We are delighted that our effort was recognised in the eyes of our peers.
Gold winner at the Marketing Excellence Awards 2012
Mandate made its presence felt at Marketing Magazine‘s inaugural Marketing Excellence Awards Ceremony held at the Shangri-La Hotel on 28 November 2012, with three of its campaigns being awarded as finalists, one of which took home the coveted Gold!
Singapore Army: Excellence in Branded Content – Finalist
Far East Organization: Excellence in Internal Communications – Finalist
Sentosa Spooktacular: Excellence in Branded Content – Gold
"Best Idea – Retail" winner at MARKies 2012
Like our client VivoCity, it seems our press, out-of-home and in-mall campaign 2011 had everything covered! Our work impressed our client and MARKies Award judges alike, as we were presented with the MARKies Award for "Best Idea – Retail" in May 2012. It is an honour to win the prestigious award, giving us the impetus to strive for greater creative excellence.
Gold winners at IFEA Pinnacle International Award 2011
At an event participated by the biggest and best managed destination brands in the world, Sentosa Development Corporation picked up no less than 9 Pinnacle Awards at the IFEA’s 56th Annual Convention & Expo, held that year in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. This included Gold for Best Branding TVC, and Gold for Best Branding Press Ad Campaign.
"Readers' Choice" winner at the SPH iink Awards 2011
Every year Singapore Press Holdings invites readers of the Straits Times to vote for the press ad that connected with them best over the past 12 months. 2011 saw Mandate pick up this coveted award for its work with the Singapore Army.
Bronze winner at Effie Singapore Awards 2011
In recognition of ideas that work, an Effie is awarded for great ideas that achieve real results and the strategy that goes into creating them. Mandate’s digital arm, eMagination, took home bronze for its Sentosa Spooktacular digital campaign.