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Collective of independent agencies named after Batey Ads founder launches in Singapore

Independent Agency NetworkA collective of independent agencies is launching in Singapore.

Called the Independent Agency Network or IAN for short – named after Ian Batey, the founder of Batey Ads – the group has been set up to give indies a voice, and clients seeking an alternative to multinationals a single point of contact.

One of the first initiatives from IAN is an event called ‘Made In Singapore’, which offers local brand owners the opportunity to get branding and communication advice for how to succeed in markets beyond Singapore.

Among the founding agencies of IAN, which is open to advertising, design, digital and branding agencies, are the Alchemy Partnership, Arcade, Blak Labs, BS Advertising, Convertium, FlabSlab, Kult, Up BrandBuzz and Wild Advertising & Marketing.

Alvin Wong, CEO of Alchemy, told Mumbrella: “We started the collective largely as friends, who all happened to hold senior positions in the big international agencies, who then left to be captains of our own ships. With that common ground, and after a few more drinks together, it was really just natural to come together as a band of Singapore based independents.”

“As IAN, we’re starting to tap into each other’s specialist skill sets, collaborating on projects, and exchanging ideas not just about creative, but running a challenging business in the Singapore context. And those are issues, I guess, that friends in the local scene can offer a lot more than being part of another worldwide group,” he said.

IAN was announced at an event in Singapore tonight, with a speech by Ian Batey, who created the Singapore Girl for Singapore Airlines during his time at Batey Ads.

In a press release, he said: “Local brands have never been in a better position to take on the world. They can acquire a competitive advantage by harnessing the creative prowess of IAN – something that was never available.”

IAN will be competing for member agencies with owner-run agency network Worldwide Partners, which recently recruited Singapore’s Mandate as its latest Asian member.

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