Purpose
What We Do
Blackbox provides clients with decision science solutions, offering consumer, business, and community-wide perspectives on contemporary problems and challenges. We monitor emerging trends both regionally and globally with the main aim of signalling potential changes of significance before they occur.
For over 20 years we have gathered data, constructed advanced analytical approaches, and developed a deep understanding of Asia and its diverse people. As the region transforms once again in the 2020s, Blackbox can give you a front-row seat to all you need to know and help make your decisions the right ones.
We go beyond the brief to ensure you get the data coverage and analysis you need. We articulate and crystallize the issues at hand, and align our findings fully to your needs.
We design data studies based on your objectives, expectations, and financial commitments. Each project is curated carefully to ensure you can collaborate and contribute every step of the way.
We provide data-based findings as engaging visualizations and compelling narratives. We ensure the stories we develop are customized for each audience, with sharp and convincing messaging.
Practices
Sectoral Coverage
We service a wide variety of clients including: MNCs, Government agencies, regulators, advertising agencies, management consulting firms, economic and trade bodies, and NGOs/charities.
Public Health
Education, Learning and Development
Social and Community Topics
Economy and Personal Finances
Service Delivery
Arts and Culture
Technology
Employment and Careers
Travel and Leisure
Environment and Sustainability
Food and Beverage
Asian Lifestyle Trends
Regional Capabilities
We have an international footprint, delivering data collection, analysis, and content creation services across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
City Coverage
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All
Language
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English, Malay, Chinese
Qualitative
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Local moderators
Quantitative
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CAPI, CATI, PAPI
City Coverage
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Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Kuching & Kota Kinabalu
Language
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Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, English
Qualitative
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Local moderators in Kuala Lumpur
Quantitative
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CAPI, CATI, PAPI
City Coverage
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Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 and rural cities
Language
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Tagalog, Bisaya, Ilonggo, English
Qualitative
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Local moderators in Metro Manila, Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities
Quantitative
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CAPI, CATI, PAPI (Offline)
Portfolio
Global clothing retail giant
From Advertising to Causevertising
Overview
The year 2019 marks the client’s 10th anniversary in Singapore. In commemoration of a successful decade, the client decided to engage its customers in an important conversation around sustainable living. Blackbox was selected as its data-content partner to provide new ideas surrounding advocacy for sustainable solutions. Our team worked closely in-tandem with its public relations agency for the creation of an engaging narrative.
The Challenge
As a part of their 10-year celebrations in Singapore, our client aims to reinforce its global brand credentials as a responsible 21st century retailer. Sustainability is a crucial message for the brand and it needs a vehicle to inform its Singapore customers of its commitments to the environment. This will also serve as an opportunity for meaningful engagements with its customers and generate positive brand image for the client.
The Approach
Even prior to research, Blackbox advanced the concept of “Causevertising” and challenged the client’s team to try and deconstruct the ideas of ‘sustainability’, a trending topic amongst Singapore’s younger consumers. In the process of our research, we went beyond just clothing and tested a number of big ideas, each having a strong conversation value, and derived a LIFE Index (acronym for Life, Image, Feelings and Expression) to profile Singaporeans.
Client Impact
Our findings offered the client a rich bank of contents to drive their marketing efforts. Major social trends underlined our key insights, which included multiple original findings of Singapore society, such as growing alienation amongst younger Singaporeans, despite new modes of connectivity and the rise of non-material wellness as a key indicator of a fruitful life. The client invited Blackbox to be a key partner in their media launch and we helped them address media questions about the index, showing high levels of trust and satisfaction.
Operator of the world’s most awarded airport
Designing Best-In-Class Airport Experience
Overview
Blackbox was selected to be the long-term research partner of this client to monitor and curate insights on service standards and airport quality with the use of innovative measurement tools. As we head into the second year of our partnership, we conduct more than 16,000 passenger surveys every year. With the data, we generate insights across a breadth of indicators key to enhancing user experience and vital to safeguarding the client’s reputation as a leading airport operator at the international level.
The Challenge
When you are the best airport in the world, how do you get even better? This is the question facing the client every day as it strives to not just meet but exceed passengers’ expectations and deliver unrivalled airport experience to all passengers passing through its gates every day.
The Approach
When Blackbox took on the Air Passenger Survey in 2017, our team carried out a major overhaul of the whole approach and streamlined the questionnaire to minimize data dump and improve its capacity to deliver crystal clear insights. Straight liners or strings of high scores respondents typically give when faced with comprehensive surveys offer limited inputs to the client. To overcome this, we implemented an innovative method of choice trade-offs to steer the conversation in a new direction. It proved highly successful and the client is now in the process of replicating the change within its ecosystem.
Client Impact
With the use of data and analytics, we help the client to tackle emerging challenges and transform airport pain points into pay points. Our team combines data and analysis to deliver insights on core airport operations and uncover new opportunities for growth. Blackbox also identifies trends and steers operational improvements through the employment of Design Thinking and other innovative solutions. Our findings indicate shifting passenger expectations towards retail and leisure experiences, as well as rising preferences for a seamless visitor journey. As such, a new business model is emerging in key areas such as airport retail.
Government agency overseeing the health of Singaporeans
Creating a Healthier Singapore for All
Overview
Blackbox is the chosen long-term primary research partner of the client’s marketing team, with the primary goal of evaluating its marketing efforts. We have conducted more than 50 campaign evaluations and 10,000+ interviews across various health topics for the client in 2019 alone.
The Challenge
To promote healthy lifestyle against the backdrop of Singapore’s workaholic culture and ageing society
The Approach
Blackbox introduced a full communications framework revamp when we began our partnership with the client in 2016. We pushed beyond the usual campaign evaluation metrics and built more contextual measurements to survey Singaporeans’ diverse health and wellness perceptions. We segmented community attitudes and behaviours to enable enhanced measurements of its campaigns by aggregating and comparing disparate insights.
Client Impact
Our findings uncovered various consumer habits related to choosing healthier food options or engaging in physical activities. We measured public perceptions of the client’s programmes, such the national screening programme, Screen for Life. We also assessed Singaporeans’ habits and attitudes towards self-monitoring their health level, such as using diabetes risk assessment tools and found that the top factor inhibiting people from eating healthier is the concern over diminished flavour. We recommended experiential activations, such as food tasting, over information-only campaigns which typically fall short of shifting behaviour.
Government agency overseeing our physical environment
Towards Data Driven Campaign Planning
Overview
Blackbox is the chosen long-term research partner for the client and its strategy team. Our key role is to incorporate evidence-based decision making into its public communications and campaign strategy development process.
The Challenge
In a data-intensive world, the challenge lies in not just collecting data, but converting it into relevant information for multiple stakeholders in the decision-making process. Blackbox delivers accurate data and expert analysis that drive sound decision-making, crucial to safeguarding the public’s confidence in the client.
The Approach
Blackbox took on the immense task of integrating and standardizing past campaign data, dating back decades ago. We applied advanced predictive analysis techniques, including Market Mix Modelling and devised inputs for more efficient campaign planning in the future.
Client Impact
With outstanding efforts and results, Blackbox is now a key partner for the client with regards to campaign planning strategies and we provide valued contributions to vital communications decisions.
New entrant to the insurance sector in Asia
Blitzscaling Insuretech Business
Overview
As a progressive Insuretech business, our client has established its presence in 8 Southeast Asian markets covering over a million customers in just 6 years. Blackbox has been its AOR insights partner across Asia since 2017. We monitor the client’s regional brand presence and provide insights to its C-Suite and board members. Our work gives the client confidence to make key strategic decisions critical to their prolific business expansions in SEA.
The Challenge
Penetrating an industry dominated by incumbents for more than 200 years is a challenge not meant for the faint of heart. Our client marks its entrance into the competitive market of insurance provision with a series of game-changing ideas. However, in a world of ever-shifting consumer needs and accelerating industry disruptions, the client seeks to lead the market by using data to drive innovation and insightful business decisions. With ongoing marketing investments in 8 countries, it is key that the client has a clear and consolidated view of opportunities in every single market.
The Approach
Blackbox took over as the client’s Brand and Communications insights partner in 2016, using our expertise in data analytics to steer it away from data clutter towards data optimisation. In line with the agile nature of the business, Blackbox departed from traditional quarterly reporting in favour of a nimble, fortnightly assessment, culminating in a comprehensive monthly evaluation. Marketing investments need to be maximised in a consistent manner in such a hyper-competitive industry. We adjusted our internal setup to complement the client’s team, so as to deliver actionable information on a regular basis to their stakeholders who need data-driven insights in their everyday processes.
Client Impact
With the support of evidence, Blackbox helped the client’s C-Suite maintain an edge over competitors by making guided decisions on the most effective marketing channels, creative output, and optimised media spending, making them jump at least 10 ranks in each market.
Professional bodies servicing the legal sector in Singapore
Building a Global Commercial Legal Centre
Overview
A 3-year collaboration with the top hierarchy of the Singapore judicial system to advance key objectives in transforming the Singapore legal system.
The Challenge
The Singapore Government has targeted law as part of a wider initiative to drive professional services innovation and to position the country as a regional and global legal hub. The ultimate goal is to establish Singapore law as the preferred governing law for international commercial disputes. How can the Singapore judicial system achieve its aim both externally through reputational recognition and locally through crucial cultural shifts and advancements within the sector?
The Approach
Blackbox rose to meet the challenges of this project by staying nimble and responsive to emerging needs, especially as the scale of this exercise grew exponentially. We began by conducting the largest-ever global study of commercial lawyers to better understand their perspectives on international commercial law. This was then followed up with in-depth laboratory work to determine how to kickstart innovation in the local legal sector.
Client Impact
Our work with the legal sector led to the co-design of FLIP – The Future Law Innovation Programme, an industry-wide initiative to encourage the adoption and invention of new technology. We completed the circle by highlighting the growing problem of under-investment in legal technology, paving the way for the Chief Justice of Singapore to call attention to the issue in his 2019 Law Year speech.
