Finding an advertising agency in Singapore isn’t difficult. Finding one that matches your business problem, budget and expectations is where things get complicated.
One agency proposes a national brand campaign built around video, outdoor advertising and social media. Another recommends Google Search and Meta Ads, with a monthly target for qualified enquiries. A third wants to manage your media spending across television, digital platforms, programmatic inventory and retail networks.
All three are advertising agencies. Yet they’re not selling the same service.
That distinction matters when you’re comparing proposals worth thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of dollars.
A business that needs more booked consultations probably shouldn’t select an agency solely because it has won creative awards. An established consumer brand launching across Southeast Asia may need capabilities that a search advertising specialist doesn’t provide.
And a company investing heavily in advertising should be asking more than whether an agency can improve click-through rates.
It should understand where the money goes, who makes the decisions, what evidence supports the strategy, and which results the agency can reasonably be held accountable for.
For this guide, we reviewed 12 advertising agencies serving Singapore, covering established creative networks, media planning specialists and performance marketing firms.
We examined their published services, named campaigns, independent award records, pricing transparency and suitability for different advertising requirements.
We also explain how advertising agency fees work in Singapore, what a properly prepared proposal should include, and how to choose a partner without confusing impressive creative work with measurable commercial results.
Best Advertising Agencies in Singapore at a Glance
The right advertising agency depends on whether your main objective is brand building, media distribution, customer acquisition or a combination of those activities.
| Agency | Best Suited For | Core Advertising Strength | Evidence Worth Reviewing | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MediaOne | SMEs and established businesses seeking qualified leads and integrated digital advertising | Google Ads, paid social, conversion measurement and campaign optimisation | Majestic Immigration and published SEM work | Paid ads advertised from $180/month on homepage; full scope requires quotation |
| Ogilvy Singapore | Established brands seeking distinctive creative campaigns | Brand advertising, PR, influence and integrated creative | Vaseline Verified, 2026 effectiveness and creative recognition | Custom quotation |
| TBWA\Singapore | Brands requiring integrated, culturally relevant campaigns | Brand strategy, creative, social, experiential and production | Health Promotion Board and Singapore Airlines work | Custom quotation |
| Dentsu Singapore | Regional enterprises requiring media, creative and data coordination | Media planning, buying, performance, programmatic and customer experience | Standard Chartered campaigns and 2025 agency awards | Custom quotation |
| Starcom Singapore | Brands buying media across digital, outdoor and other channels | Media strategy, planning, buying and measurement | Health Promotion Board, Cathay Pacific and Sentosa campaigns | Custom quotation |
| VML Singapore | Organisations connecting advertising with brand and customer experience | Creative strategy, commerce, CRM and technology | LUX campaigns and published Singapore work | Custom quotation |
| Havas Media Singapore | Brands requiring integrated media planning and buying | Media strategy, programmatic, performance and out-of-home | Published client portfolio and campaign award credits | Custom quotation |
| OMD Singapore | Large advertisers seeking media strategy and campaign integration | Media planning, investment, analytics and cross-channel activation | Singtel and McDonald’s campaigns | Custom quotation |
| M+C Saatchi Performance | Apps, ecommerce, mobility and regional growth brands | Performance media, programmatic, app marketing and measurement | GrabFood Internet Hawker Centre campaign | Custom quotation |
| KPI Media | B2B, education and lead-generation advertisers | LinkedIn, Meta, Google and performance media | NUS Business School campaign | Custom quotation |
| First Page Digital | Businesses investing in search advertising and customer acquisition | Google Ads, paid social, landing pages and conversion optimisation | Total Health Chiropractic campaign | Custom quotation |
| OOm | Singapore businesses combining paid ads with broader digital marketing | Google Ads, shopping, social advertising and ecommerce | Harvey Norman Bridge to Cart campaign | Custom quotation |
Pricing reviewed in November 2026. These agencies do not publish directly comparable full-service retainer prices. MediaOne’s homepage uses “$” for its advertised entry fee without separately specifying the currency there; this should not be treated as a complete managed advertising quotation. Advertising spend, production and other charges may be additional.
Which Advertising Agency Should You Choose?
A shortlist is most useful when it reflects the kind of advertising you actually need.
| Your Business Requirement | Agencies to Compare | Main Buying Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| High-impact brand campaign | Ogilvy, TBWA, VML | Original creative, strategy and production quality |
| National or regional media campaign | Dentsu, Starcom, OMD, Havas Media | Media planning, buying, measurement and coordination |
| Programmatic and outdoor advertising | Dentsu, Starcom, Havas Media | Inventory quality, transparency and measurement |
| Google Ads and search-led enquiries | MediaOne, First Page Digital, OOm | Conversion tracking and qualified acquisition |
| B2B LinkedIn and paid social | KPI Media, MediaOne | Lead quality and sales pipeline |
| Mobile app and digital platform growth | M+C Saatchi Performance | Acquisition, activation and repeat usage |
| Ecommerce advertising | First Page Digital, OOm, M+C Saatchi Performance | Profitability, product feeds and purchase measurement |
| Advertising linked to customer experience | VML, Dentsu | CRM, technology and post-click journeys |
These are editorial suitability recommendations based on documented capabilities, not proof that a particular agency will produce the highest return for your campaign.
1. MediaOne — Integrated Paid Advertising and Customer Acquisition
Best for: Singapore SMEs and established businesses seeking Google Ads, paid social, campaign optimisation and measurable lead generation.
Pricing: The MediaOne homepage advertises paid ads from $180/month. Its managed campaigns require a quotation reflecting scope and advertising requirements.
Website: MediaOne Search Engine Marketing Services
MediaOne provides paid advertising alongside SEO, social media marketing, content, branding and website development.
Its advertising services concentrate on connecting campaign activity with business outcomes, particularly enquiries and customer acquisition.
This matters because a successful advertising campaign isn’t simply one that generates clicks at a low price.
For a law firm, clinic or professional service provider, the real objective may be a qualified consultation. For an ecommerce company, the relevant outcome may be a profitable purchase after product costs and advertising expenses.
An agency managing the advertisement without considering what happens after the click may only be solving part of the problem.
Advertising services
MediaOne’s SEM service page describes keyword research, campaign management, negative keyword optimisation, split testing, conversion tracking, remarketing and related advertising activities.
Its broader service offering can also support landing pages and other parts of the customer journey.
The practical advantage is being able to coordinate targeting, creative messages, landing pages and reporting within a wider acquisition programme.
However, businesses should establish exactly which activities are included in their proposed engagement.
Published campaign evidence
MediaOne’s official SEM page includes work involving Majestic Immigration.
The agency reports that the campaign initially generated many irrelevant enquiries, including job and work-pass questions unrelated to its intended service.
Its response involved refining keywords and targeting while introducing qualification steps in the WhatsApp enquiry process.
The published case describes an improvement in lead quality, but it does not provide a complete independently verified before-and-after table of qualified enquiries or acquisition costs.
That distinction is important.
The case offers evidence of the optimisation approach, not a verified numerical ROI comparison.
MediaOne also lists advertising-related client relationships involving brands such as Canon, SingHealth, Dior and TeamViewer. Buyers should confirm the exact service and period relevant to each relationship.
Strengths and considerations
MediaOne is particularly relevant when paid media needs to work alongside website improvements, analytics and lead qualification.
However, its advertised entry-level price shouldn’t be confused with the cost of a multi-channel campaign involving creative production, conversion optimisation and ongoing advertising spend.
What to ask before hiring: How will the agency define a qualified enquiry, what conversion events will be measured, and which landing-page or CRM improvements are included in the contract?
Contact: MediaOne
1 Neil Road, #03-02, Singapore 088804
+65 6965 7008
2. Ogilvy Singapore — Brand Advertising and Creative Campaigns
Best for: Established consumer brands, organisations with complex communications requirements and regional advertisers seeking integrated creative work.
Pricing: Custom quotation.
Website: Ogilvy Singapore
Ogilvy Singapore operates across advertising, public relations, customer experience, health communications and consulting.
Its work is particularly relevant to organisations seeking more than campaign delivery.
For those businesses, the challenge may be positioning a brand, communicating a difficult idea or developing creative work that earns attention across multiple channels.
Advertising services
The Singapore operation combines brand strategy, advertising development, creative production, PR and experience-related services.
Its public client portfolio includes businesses and organisations across consumer goods, technology, financial services and the public sector.
That breadth can be valuable when a campaign needs different messages for several audiences or markets.
Published campaign evidence: Vaseline Verified
One of Ogilvy Singapore’s most prominent campaigns is Vaseline Verified, developed for Unilever’s Vaseline brand.
The campaign built on online discussions about unconventional uses for Vaseline, using creator-led ideas and brand participation.
Ogilvy reported that the work received 18 Clio Awards in 2026, including three Grand Clios.
It also received Gold recognition at the 2026 APAC Effie Awards in Social Media Marketing.
These are documented creative and effectiveness award results.
However, awards do not establish a standard return on advertising spend that another client can expect.
Strengths and considerations
Ogilvy is a relevant choice when creative differentiation, brand strategy and communications integration are central to the brief.
If your business simply needs someone to optimise an existing Google Ads account, you may not require that breadth.
What to ask before hiring: Who develops the strategic platform, which team produces the creative work, who buys the media, and what evidence will establish that the campaign affected the intended business outcome?
Contact: Ogilvy Singapore
71 Robinson Road, #07-01, Singapore 068895
+65 6213 7899
3. TBWA\Singapore — Integrated Brand Campaigns and Creative Disruption
Best for: Brands seeking an integrated campaign built around a distinctive idea rather than a collection of disconnected advertisements.
Pricing: Custom quotation.
Website: TBWA\Singapore
TBWA describes itself as the Disruption Company, using a strategic approach intended to challenge conventions within product categories.
Its Singapore work spans brand advertising, content, design, retail, social, experiential and production.
This is relevant when a business has a brand positioning problem rather than simply a media-delivery problem.
For example, increasing an advertising budget may not help if customers cannot distinguish the product from several similar alternatives.
Published campaign evidence
TBWA’s Singapore portfolio includes work for Singapore Airlines, the National Arts Council, SG Enable and other organisations.
A more recent example involves the Health Promotion Board’s Don’t Toy With Your Life campaign.
The campaign, credited alongside Starcom in several categories, received recognition at the 2026 Marketing Excellence Awards, including Gold for Excellence in Out-of-Home Advertising and Excellence in CSR/Cause Marketing.
It also received Gold for Best Multi-Platform Campaign at Hashtag Asia 2026, with TBWA Singapore credited.
These awards demonstrate recognised campaign execution across creative and media disciplines.
They do not, by themselves, provide the complete audience behaviour or commercial outcome data.
Strengths and considerations
TBWA may suit organisations seeking a long-term creative idea capable of working across advertising formats and customer interactions.
Buyers should clarify which parts of the campaign are created internally and which require external production or media partners.
What to ask before hiring: What is the strategic idea, how will it work across channels, and what evidence would demonstrate that the campaign changed customer awareness or behaviour?
Contact: TBWA\Singapore
991C Alexandra Road, #01-12, Singapore 119971
4. Dentsu Singapore — Integrated Media, Data and Performance Advertising
Best for: Large businesses, regional organisations and advertisers coordinating media investment with analytics and customer experience.
Pricing: Custom quotation.
Website: Dentsu Singapore
Dentsu operates through several specialist capabilities spanning media, creative and customer experience management.
Its network includes agency brands such as Carat, dentsu X and iProspect.
For advertisers, this structure can be relevant when campaigns involve several platforms, countries and business units.
The important distinction is whether these capabilities are actually coordinated within the proposed engagement.
Published recognition and campaign evidence
Dentsu Singapore was named Overall Agency of the Year at the 2025 Marketing-Interactive Agency of the Year Awards.
Its recognition included Gold awards in media, performance marketing, search and programmatic categories.
In 2026, the independent Marketing Excellence Awards credited Dentsu Singapore on several Standard Chartered campaigns.
Among them was a Standard Chartered and Quantcast campaign recognised for a reported 5.9-times increase in conversions.
Another programme involving Dentsu and MiQ was recognised in programmatic marketing, with the award entry reporting changes in demand and value.
These results belong to specific campaigns under specific conditions.
They should not be treated as an expected uplift for every Dentsu client.
Strengths and considerations
Dentsu is worth investigating when campaign planning, media buying, measurement and customer experience need to operate together across a substantial programme.
For a small business managing a limited search budget, such a broad engagement may be unnecessary.
What to ask before hiring: Which specialist teams will work on the account, how will media fees and technology charges be disclosed, and how will the agency measure business outcomes beyond platform-attributed conversions?
Contact: Dentsu Singapore
Singapore APAC office: 1 Wallich Street, #21-01, Singapore 078881
5. Starcom Singapore — Media Strategy, Buying and Cross-Channel Activation
Best for: Organisations requiring coordinated media planning across digital, out-of-home, partnerships and other advertising channels.
Pricing: Custom quotation.
Website: Starcom
Starcom is a media agency within Publicis Media.
Its services include communications planning, audience research, analytics, media buying, commerce and content partnerships.
Unlike a creative agency whose primary deliverable may be a campaign concept, a media agency focuses heavily on deciding where advertising investment should go and how to use media channels effectively.
That’s a valuable distinction for advertisers managing several placements and audience segments.
Published campaign evidence
At the 2026 Marketing Excellence Awards, Starcom was credited on several named Singapore campaigns.
Cathay Pacific’s Hong Kong: Most Fun per KM², with Leo Singapore, received Gold for Excellence in Advertising.
Starcom also worked with TBWA on Health Promotion Board campaigns, including Don’t Toy With Your Life and Language of Support.
Other recognised work included Sentosa’s campaign concerning automation and island revenue.
These independent award records substantiate campaign involvement, but don’t provide a standardised return on investment across clients.
Strengths and considerations
Starcom is a relevant candidate for advertisers buying across several channels or working with substantial media budgets.
Businesses should establish whether the proposal includes creative production, or whether the agency will coordinate with a separate creative partner.
What to ask before hiring: How will the media plan allocate spending across channels, what is the buying and technology fee structure, and how will campaign effectiveness be evaluated?
Contact: Starcom
Singapore listing: 128 Beach Road, #26-01, Guoco Midtown, Singapore 189773
6. VML Singapore — Advertising, Commerce and Customer Experience
Best for: Businesses linking advertising with brand experience, customer relationships, digital products or commerce.
Pricing: Custom quotation.
Website: VML Singapore
VML is a global creative company formed through the combination of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson.
Its Singapore operation describes capabilities covering brand experience, customer experience, commerce, CRM, analytics and technology.
That broader remit matters when advertising is only one part of a customer problem.
A campaign may persuade customers to visit a website, but the experience, checkout and follow-up communications determine what happens next.
Published campaign evidence
VML’s Singapore portfolio includes work for Unilever’s LUX brand.
Its Born This Way campaign addressed social prejudice affecting athlete Caster Semenya.
The Singapore office’s published work also includes LUX The End, a campaign examining depictions of sexism in Bollywood content.
These examples demonstrate campaign strategy and storytelling work.
VML Singapore also publishes digital and customer-experience projects, including HealthHub-related work.
However, a digital experience project should not automatically be presented as evidence of paid advertising performance.
Strengths and considerations
VML is worth considering when the brief includes advertising alongside digital experience, data, content or customer engagement.
For a straightforward campaign-management requirement, businesses should establish whether this broader service model adds sufficient value.
What to ask before hiring: How will the agency connect advertising to the customer experience, what responsibilities sit with creative versus technology teams, and what assets will our business own after the project?
Contact: VML Singapore
1 George Street, #09-01, Singapore 049145
7. Havas Media Singapore — Media Planning, Programmatic and Out-of-Home
Best for: Organisations requiring a media-buying partner with capabilities spanning traditional and digital placements.
Pricing: Custom quotation.
Website: Havas Media Singapore
Havas Media Singapore provides media strategy and buying alongside programmatic advertising, performance marketing, audience data and measurement.
Its service offering also covers out-of-home, mobile and location-based advertising.
For a business running national campaigns, this can be useful because media decisions are not limited to Google and Meta.
An advertiser may need to coordinate outdoor exposure, online video, search activity and social advertising across the same campaign period.
Published evidence
Havas Media’s Singapore website lists clients including Mediacorp, M1, Yum, Cycle & Carriage and SMU.
The 2026 MARKies awards also credited Havas Media Singapore with Stellar Ace for the Burger King Chicken Fries Are Back campaign in the out-of-home category.
That establishes involvement in a named campaign recognised for its use of outdoor media.
However, the public material reviewed does not provide a complete, directly comparable conversion or sales dataset for that campaign.
Strengths and considerations
Havas Media deserves consideration when media placement, audience strategy and integrated distribution are important.
Buyers should ask whether the agency receives media rebates, how third-party technology charges are handled and which buying arrangements are disclosed.
What to ask before hiring: Can you provide an itemised media plan showing inventory, agency fees, technology charges, third-party costs and the measurement method for each channel?
Contact: Havas Media Singapore
80 Robinson Road, Level 20, Singapore 068898
+65 6317 6600
8. OMD Singapore — Media Planning and Marketing Transformation
Best for: Established advertisers needing strategic media planning, cross-channel coordination and performance analysis.
Pricing: Custom quotation.
Website: OMD Singapore
OMD is a global media agency with a Singapore operation.
Its work includes media strategy, buying, data and audience planning across different advertising environments.
For a large brand, one challenge is ensuring that individual campaigns reinforce a consistent business objective.
That requires decisions about channel roles, creative delivery, media investment and measurement.
Published campaign evidence
At the 2026 Marketing Excellence Awards, OMD Singapore was credited on the Shaking Things Up with Grimace campaign for McDonald’s Singapore alongside Leo Burnett.
The campaign received Silver recognition for Excellence in Launch Marketing.
OMD was also credited for Winning the First Choice, Rather Than the First Page for Singtel, which received Silver in Marketing Transformation.
These examples demonstrate involvement in recognised brand and media work.
They do not establish that all related outcomes were produced solely by OMD, particularly where creative and media responsibilities were shared.
Strengths and considerations
OMD may suit large brands and organisations managing several media investments with significant internal stakeholders.
The main buying questions concern team structure, reporting access and whether the agency can document how media spending supports agreed commercial objectives.
What to ask before hiring: How will you separate campaign reach from incremental business impact, and what will our team be able to inspect directly in the media-buying and reporting systems?
Contact: OMD Singapore
29 Media Circle, North Lobby, #11-01, Singapore 138565
9. M+C Saatchi Performance — App Growth and Regional Performance Advertising
Best for: Digital platforms, mobile applications, ecommerce businesses and regional companies seeking measurable advertising performance.
Pricing: Custom quotation.
Website: M+C Saatchi Performance Singapore
M+C Saatchi Performance specialises in digital growth and performance advertising.
Its services include paid search, paid social, programmatic advertising, app marketing, creative development and measurement.
The agency is particularly relevant when acquisition and customer behaviour can be tracked through digital products or transactions.
Published campaign evidence: GrabFood
M+C Saatchi Performance’s GrabFood Internet Hawker Centre case study describes a campaign combining video, programmatic digital out-of-home advertising, social media and retargeting.
The campaign sought to bring Singapore hawker businesses into the GrabFood ecosystem and increase demand.
The agency reports that 50 hawker centres were onboarded and that participating food stall owners increased sales by 65%.
It also reports digital out-of-home exposure figures and online reach of approximately 2.9 million.
These are agency-published campaign outcomes. The public summary doesn’t independently isolate the precise causal contribution of each advertising channel to the sales increase.
The case is particularly useful because it shows how offline and digital advertising can work together toward a defined commercial objective.
Strengths and considerations
M+C Saatchi Performance is worth considering for businesses whose outcomes depend on digital acquisition, app activity, transactions or repeat usage.
However, app-install volume alone may not establish long-term customer value.
What to ask before hiring: How will you measure customers who activate, purchase or return after acquisition, and how will results be separated from platform attribution or promotional effects?
Contact: M+C Saatchi Performance
59 Mohamed Sultan Road, #02-08, Sultan Link, Singapore 238999
10. KPI Media — Paid Advertising and B2B Lead Generation
Best for: B2B businesses, education providers and advertisers seeking performance-led campaigns across LinkedIn, Meta and Google.
Pricing: Custom quotation.
Website: KPI Media
KPI Media focuses on paid media and performance marketing.
Its campaigns cover search, paid social and other advertising channels, with an emphasis on measurable results.
This makes the agency relevant when the objective is not primarily cultural visibility or national brand awareness but a defined customer action.
Published campaign evidence: NUS Business School
KPI Media publishes a case study involving NUS Business School.
The campaign supported the Executive MSc in Management programme over a three-month period.
The agency reports:
| Metric | Agency-Reported Change |
|---|---|
| Meta cost per lead | Decreased 54.26% |
| LinkedIn cost per lead | Decreased 78.09% |
| Meta lead volume | Increased 113.63% |
| LinkedIn lead volume | Increased 128.12% |
The campaign used Meta and LinkedIn alongside Google advertising.
The results are channel-specific figures published by the agency, not an independent audit of final enrolments.
A prospective education advertiser should therefore ask how many leads became qualified applicants and actual enrolled students.
Strengths and considerations
KPI Media is worth comparing for lead-generation campaigns where conversion quality matters.
The agency also advertises performance-linked commercial terms, which buyers should evaluate using the actual contract rather than general website language.
What to ask before hiring: How are KPIs defined, what happens when lead volume rises but sales quality does not, and how are any performance-related fee adjustments calculated?
Contact: KPI Media
68 Circular Road, #02-01, Singapore 049422
11. First Page Digital — Google Ads and Conversion-Focused Advertising
Best for: Businesses seeking paid search campaigns, landing page improvements and regional digital acquisition.
Pricing: Custom quotation.
Website: First Page Digital
First Page Digital provides paid advertising alongside SEO, paid social, ecommerce marketing and conversion optimisation.
Its relevance to this shortlist lies in the connection between advertising traffic and what happens after the click.
For service businesses in competitive categories, an advertising campaign can generate traffic while failing to convert enough visitors into suitable enquiries.
Published campaign evidence: Total Health Chiropractic
First Page’s Total Health Chiropractic case study describes a campaign designed to reduce cost per lead while increasing enquiry volume.
The agency used Google Search, Performance Max and two conversion-focused landing pages.
The published case is titled around a 40% reduction in cost per lead.
That is an agency-reported result and should be examined alongside the lead definition, campaign period, media spend and final patient acquisition figures.
The case does, however, provide concrete evidence of how paid advertising and landing-page work were coordinated.
Strengths and considerations
First Page Digital is a relevant option for businesses operating in competitive search markets or considering regional campaign expansion.
A business should clarify which team manages each advertising platform and whether landing page development is included or charged separately.
What to ask before hiring: Can you show how your campaign improved qualified enquiries or completed purchases rather than simply reducing the cost of a form submission?
Contact: First Page Digital
120 Robinson Road, #05-01, Singapore 068913
+65 6270 2193
12. OOm — Search, Paid Social and Ecommerce Advertising
Best for: Singapore businesses wanting paid advertising coordinated with ecommerce, search and wider digital marketing.
Pricing: Custom quotation for a comparable integrated advertising programme.
Website: OOm
OOm provides Google Ads, shopping campaigns, paid social, search marketing and other digital services.
Its broad offering may appeal to businesses that prefer one provider to manage different aspects of digital acquisition.
It can also be relevant to retail and ecommerce businesses where campaign performance depends on product data, landing pages and conversion tracking.
Published campaign evidence: Harvey Norman
At the 2026 Marketing Excellence Awards, the Harvey Norman Bridge to Cart campaign received Silver for Excellence in Ecommerce Marketing, with OOm credited.
OOm’s 2026 awards commentary describes the challenge of reconnecting with shoppers who researched different product categories before leaving without buying.
The campaign focused on making subsequent advertising more relevant to customers’ product interests.
This is useful evidence of a named ecommerce advertising engagement.
However, the award recognition alone shouldn’t be converted into a claimed sales uplift without a documented methodology.
Strengths and considerations
OOm is a relevant comparison for businesses coordinating Google, ecommerce and social advertising.
Its wider SEO and digital capabilities can also help when advertising work depends on changes to the website.
But buyers should avoid assuming every service is included within one retainer.
What to ask before hiring: Which advertising accounts and channels are covered, how are shopping feeds and conversions maintained, and what does the agency charge separately?
Contact: OOm
1 Grange Road, Orchard Building, Level 7, Singapore 239693
+65 6391 0930
What We Learned Comparing Singapore Advertising Agencies
The most important finding is that advertising agencies should not be compared as though they sell an identical product.
Several meaningful differences emerge from the published evidence.
Creative recognition and business performance are different kinds of proof
Ogilvy and TBWA publish work that has received major creative and marketing recognition.
Dentsu, Starcom and OMD also appear in independently documented campaign awards involving media strategy and execution.
These awards provide evidence of recognised professional work, but they don’t guarantee that an agency will improve another advertiser’s sales by a particular percentage.
By contrast, KPI Media and First Page Digital publish campaign case studies with acquisition-related metrics.
Those figures are easier to connect to lead-generation objectives, although they’re still agency-published results that require scrutiny.
Neither evidence type is inherently more important.
The useful evidence is the evidence that matches your campaign objective.
Some agencies develop the campaign. Others buy the media.
A creative agency may specialise in campaign concepts, scripts, artwork, video production and messaging.
A media agency may specialise in audience analysis, channel planning, placements, buying and measurement.
A performance agency may specialise in acquiring customers through paid digital channels.
Large groups may provide several of these services, but buyers should understand who is responsible for each part of the work.
Client logos don’t establish service scope
An agency listing a major client is not proof that it delivered every advertised service to that organisation.
A relationship could involve one creative project, an ongoing media account, a limited campaign or a regional assignment.
Ask which team completed the work, when it ran, and whether the example is relevant to your business.
Advertising pricing remains difficult to compare
Most agencies in this shortlist require a custom quotation.
That isn’t necessarily a problem. Advertising scope varies considerably.
But it does mean businesses should compare itemised proposals rather than rely on unspecific starting prices or agency reputation.
How Much Do Advertising Agencies Cost in Singapore?
There is no single price for hiring an advertising agency in Singapore.
A business buying Google Ads management is purchasing a different service from a company commissioning a television commercial and a national outdoor campaign.
The total budget may include strategy, creative development, production, media inventory, campaign management, reporting and third-party technology.
Common advertising agency fee structures
| Pricing Model | How It Works | What Buyers Should Check |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed monthly retainer | Recurring fee for an agreed scope | Deliverables, service limits and excluded work |
| Percentage of media spend | Management fee calculated from advertising spend | Fee basis, minimum charges and incentives |
| Fixed campaign fee | One price for a defined project or campaign | Revision limits, production and media exclusions |
| Hourly or day-rate billing | Charges for team time | Staffing, seniority, estimates and overruns |
| Production-based fees | Separate creative, filming, editing and asset charges | Ownership, licensing and reuse rights |
| Hybrid arrangement | Combination of retainer, production and other charges | Duplicated responsibilities or costs |
| Performance-linked component | Fees partially tied to agreed KPIs | Measurement method, controllable outcomes and caps |
None of these pricing structures is automatically best.
For example, a percentage-of-spend arrangement can be simple, but buyers should understand whether the agency’s fee increases whenever the advertising budget increases.
A fixed retainer can provide predictable costs but may require separate charges when the work expands.
Illustrative advertising budget
Imagine a Singapore company planning a three-month digital advertising programme.
Its proposed monthly budget looks like this:
| Expense | Illustrative Monthly Amount |
|---|---|
| Agency campaign management | S$3,000 |
| Advertising media spend | S$8,000 |
| Creative production and adaptation | S$1,500 |
| Tracking and landing page work | S$500 |
| Total | S$13,000 |
Across three months, that would amount to S$39,000 before any additional charges or GST.
These are hypothetical planning figures, not verified market-average prices or a quotation from any agency in this guide.
The example shows why asking for the “monthly advertising fee” can be misleading.
The management fee represents only part of the total programme.
Hidden costs worth identifying
For digital and traditional advertising, ask whether the proposal includes platform charges, video production, talent, photography, music licensing, creator compensation, media technology, verification, reporting, ad-serving fees and market-specific taxes.
For programmatic advertising, ask about demand-side platform fees, data costs, inventory quality, technology partners and the extent to which spending is visible.
For outdoor campaigns, separate the purchase of advertising space from printing, installation, production, creative adaptation and digital-screen requirements.
For television or streaming, establish whether the quoted figure covers production, media placement or both.
A transparent advertising agency should be able to explain where every major portion of the budget goes.
Creative Agency vs Media Agency vs Performance Agency: What’s the Difference?
Understanding these categories is one of the easiest ways to avoid buying the wrong service.
| Type of Agency | Primary Responsibility | Typical Deliverables | Best Buying Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creative advertising agency | Develop ideas and messages | Campaign concepts, scripts, visual assets, brand platforms | Will this idea influence the intended audience? |
| Media planning and buying agency | Allocate advertising investment | Media plans, placements, buying, monitoring | Are we reaching the right people efficiently? |
| Performance advertising agency | Drive measurable customer actions | Search and paid social campaigns, testing, acquisition reporting | Are we acquiring profitable customers? |
| Integrated advertising agency | Coordinate several disciplines | Strategy, creative, media and reporting | Who is accountable across the entire campaign? |
| Specialist agency | Solve a specific advertising problem | Programmatic, outdoor, app growth or other focused work | Does its expertise match our constraint? |
A business may need one category or several.
An in-house brand team might already have strong creative capabilities but need a media-buying partner.
A new consumer brand might need help developing its positioning before making major advertising investments.
A professional services business may have a clear offer and simply need better acquisition campaigns.
Choosing an agency should begin with that distinction.
How to Evaluate an Advertising Agency Before Signing
We recommend using the same written brief for every shortlisted agency.
That makes it easier to compare the actual approaches rather than the quality of the sales presentations.
1. Define the business outcome
Start with one primary objective.
For a retailer, that might be profitable new-customer purchases.
For a B2B company, it could be sales-qualified opportunities.
For a public campaign, it might be awareness or a measurable change in knowledge or behaviour.
Different objectives require different advertising methods and evidence.
2. Establish the campaign baseline
Document current spending, outcomes, measurement methods and relevant customer information.
If the business has no reliable baseline, the initial engagement may need to focus on measurement before ambitious improvement targets are sensible.
3. Check the actual delivery team
Ask who will develop the strategy, produce the advertisements, buy the media, manage the account and review results.
An agency’s global network may contain hundreds of specialists, but that doesn’t mean all of them will work on your campaign.
Request the proposed team structure.
4. Examine comparable campaigns
Look for examples matching your industry, objectives and relevant channels.
Ask for dates, budgets where shareable, results, limitations and the role each agency performed.
A campaign that reached millions of people is not necessarily evidence of successful lead generation.
5. Ask for an itemised commercial proposal
The contract should distinguish strategy, production, media spend, management fees, technology and other third-party charges.
Compare the same scope across agencies.
A cheaper proposal may exclude expensive work that another agency has included.
6. Confirm account and asset ownership
Your company should retain appropriate control over its advertising accounts, data and digital assets.
The contract should also define ownership and licensing of campaign creative, production files, imagery, audio and other intellectual property.
Don’t assume paying for a campaign provides unrestricted rights to reuse every component indefinitely.
7. Agree on reporting and accountability
Ask which data sources the agency will use, how often reporting occurs and who can inspect the underlying information.
Clarify which results the agency can reasonably control and which depend on business operations, product pricing or sales follow-up.
Then define what happens when performance is weaker than expected.
Advertising Agency Selection Scorecard
Use this framework to compare shortlisted firms.
| Criterion | Suggested Weight | Evidence to Request |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic fit | 25% | An approach that addresses the actual business problem |
| Relevant campaign evidence | 20% | Comparable named work with documented outcomes |
| Delivery team and expertise | 15% | People, roles and relevant professional experience |
| Measurement and accountability | 15% | KPIs, data access, reporting and review process |
| Pricing transparency | 10% | Itemised fees and contract commitments |
| Account and intellectual property control | 10% | Clear ownership, licensing and handover terms |
| Communication and governance | 5% | Approval workflow and escalation arrangements |
Score each criterion from 1 to 5 only when supporting evidence is available.
If a provider has not demonstrated a capability, record not evaluated rather than inventing a score.
These weights are a suggested purchasing framework, not a published industry standard or a completed independent agency ranking.
For major campaigns, buyers may want to weight procurement, brand safety or regulatory experience more heavily.
What Should an Advertising Agency Deliver in the First 90 Days?
The first three months should establish whether the agency understands the problem, delivers the agreed work and provides useful reporting.
It may be too early to judge the full commercial effect of a long-term brand campaign, but it isn’t too early to evaluate operational quality.
Days 1–30: Discovery, measurement and planning
The agency should establish the campaign brief, intended audiences, key messages, channel strategy and measurement approach.
Deliverables may include the creative brief, media plan, initial budget, responsibilities and approvals.
For performance advertising, conversion tracking should be checked before material spending changes.
Days 31–60: Campaign production and launch
The agency should produce creative materials, secure the required approvals, prepare media placements and launch or refine campaigns according to the agreed schedule.
For a large creative project, production or approval timelines may extend beyond sixty days.
The point is to compare actual progress with the contracted milestones.
Days 61–90: Reporting and optimisation
The team should be able to explain what has been spent, what work was delivered, what the available data shows and which decisions follow.
For performance campaigns, early conversion information may guide changes.
For brand campaigns, awareness or recall research may require longer periods and an appropriate methodology.
A three-month review should assess the quality of the partnership and evidence, not promise that every campaign will have produced a final revenue result.
How to Measure Advertising Agency Performance
The right measurement depends on the intended outcome.
| Advertising Objective | Useful Measures | Important Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Brand awareness | Relevant reach, aided or unaided awareness, recall | Impressions don’t automatically establish awareness gains |
| Video campaign | Qualified views, completion rates, brand-lift evidence | Views alone don’t prove purchase intent |
| Search lead generation | Qualified leads, acquisition cost, appointments | Form submissions may include unqualified enquiries |
| Ecommerce | Orders, acquisition cost, contribution margin | Platform-reported ROAS may not be incremental |
| App growth | Activated users, purchases, retention, customer value | Installs alone don’t show long-term value |
| Outdoor advertising | Audience estimates, location exposure, appropriate lift studies | Exposure estimates aren’t equivalent to sales |
| Integrated advertising | Business outcomes across channels | Attribution methods may double-count credited conversions |
An agency may reasonably report both advertising-platform metrics and independent business records.
What matters is understanding the difference.
If Google Ads reports a conversion and Meta also claims credit for the same purchase, the business shouldn’t simply add the figures together.
For complex campaigns, additional measurement such as experiments, brand-lift research or media mix modelling may help.
But these methods require suitable data, resources and careful interpretation.
Singapore Advertising Regulations and Compliance
Advertising agencies operating in Singapore must account for relevant laws and advertising standards.
The Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore publishes the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice.
The Code emphasises advertising that is legal, decent, honest and truthful.
Additional requirements may apply depending on the product, industry, audience or promotional claims.
For example, advertising involving financial products, healthcare services, children or regulated goods may require additional review.
Influencer partnerships also need clear treatment of commercial relationships and disclosures.
Businesses handling leads or customer information should consider applicable requirements under Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act.
Before launching a campaign, the agency and client should establish who is responsible for checking claims, securing permissions, protecting customer information and approving final creative.
A platform allowing an advertisement to be published doesn’t automatically mean the advertisement complies with every applicable requirement.
Can Singapore Businesses Use the EDGE Grant for Advertising?
The EDGE Grant launched on 30 September 2026 and replaced the earlier EDG, PSG and MRA schemes for new applications.
Enterprise Singapore describes EDGE as support for specified business transformation, capability-building and internationalisation activities.
General funding support may reach up to 50% for SMEs and 30% for non-SMEs. Higher rates may apply to particular eligible internationalisation or sustainability activities.
However, those funding percentages are not a general subsidy for ordinary advertising expenditure.
A company should not assume that paying an advertising agency or purchasing media inventory qualifies for grant support.
Eligibility depends on the specific approved activity and programme conditions.
Enterprise Singapore also states that EDGE uses an annual combined grant cap of S$100,000, with further restrictions on certain activity types.
Check the official EDGE Grant page and the applicable activity before signing an agreement based on expected funding.
Our Research Methodology
This guide draws on official agency service pages, published campaign case studies, independent award records and relevant Singapore regulatory information reviewed in November 2026.
We selected agencies to represent the different services businesses may be seeking under the term advertising agency.
The shortlist includes creative, media-buying, integrated and performance-focused providers.
We evaluated five areas:
Services: Whether the agency publicly documents relevant advertising capabilities.
Business fit: Which types of briefs and advertisers the available evidence suggests it may suit.
Campaign evidence: Named work, campaign methods and reported outcomes.
Pricing transparency: Whether commercial terms or meaningful starting prices are publicly available.
Limitations: Information that cannot be established from the reviewed sources.
We did not run identical advertising campaigns through these twelve agencies, review their private advertising accounts or independently audit every customer result.
The comparison therefore does not claim that one agency provides the highest ROI.
Awards, case studies and client relationships are attributed to the organisations publishing that evidence.
For an agency buyer, the most useful next step is still to request a comparable proposal and references relevant to the specific service being purchased.
Final Verdict: Choose the Agency That Solves the Right Advertising Problem
Singapore has advertising agencies with very different strengths.
Some are built to develop campaigns that influence how people think about brands.
Others specialise in deciding where advertising money should be spent.
Performance agencies concentrate more directly on measurable customer acquisition, although their results still depend on the business and the quality of its measurement.
The right partner depends on what the business actually needs.
For an established brand planning a major creative campaign, a firm such as Ogilvy, TBWA or VML may offer relevant capabilities.
For substantial cross-channel media investments, Dentsu, Starcom, Havas Media and OMD are worth evaluating.
For app growth and acquisition-driven digital campaigns, M+C Saatchi Performance, KPI Media, First Page Digital and OOm offer different specialist approaches.
And for Singapore businesses seeking to connect paid search, social advertising, analytics and website performance, MediaOne is another candidate to evaluate against the same brief and evidence requirements.
Before choosing, ask each agency to explain the problem it intends to solve, the services it will deliver, the people accountable and how the proposed budget will be spent.
Then examine whether its previous work and measurement approach support those commitments.
The best advertising agency in Singapore isn’t necessarily the one with the biggest client list or most impressive awards. It’s the one whose capabilities, commercial terms and accountability fit the result your business needs.
Discuss Your Advertising Requirements With MediaOne
If your business is reviewing advertising spend, campaign performance or customer acquisition, MediaOne can help assess whether the current challenge lies in targeting, creative, conversion tracking or the customer journey.
The starting point should be the business outcome, not an assumption that spending more will solve the problem.
Explore MediaOne’s Search Engine Marketing Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Which are the best advertising agencies in Singapore?
The answer depends on the type of advertising required. Ogilvy and TBWA are relevant to creative campaigns, while Dentsu, Starcom, Havas Media and OMD offer media planning and buying capabilities. MediaOne, KPI Media, First Page Digital and OOm are worth comparing for performance-focused digital advertising. VML and M+C Saatchi Performance address other integrated and growth requirements.
What is the difference between an advertising agency and a digital marketing agency?
An advertising agency may develop creative campaigns, buy media across digital and traditional channels, and manage advertising strategy. A digital marketing agency may also offer SEO, content, website development, email marketing and other services that are not necessarily paid advertising.
The categories overlap, so the actual proposal matters more than the label.
How much does it cost to hire an advertising agency in Singapore?
Fees depend on whether you’re purchasing campaign strategy, creative production, media buying, performance management or an integrated engagement. Many agencies use custom quotations. Compare the management fee, media spend, production costs and all additional charges separately.
Which advertising agencies are suitable for SMEs?
MediaOne, First Page Digital, KPI Media and OOm are worth comparing for defined digital advertising requirements. However, an SME should choose based on the precise services and budget involved rather than agency size alone.
Which agencies offer television and outdoor advertising?
Large media agencies such as Dentsu, Starcom, Havas Media and OMD are relevant to broader media planning and buying requirements. The actual availability of production and placement services should be confirmed in the proposal.
Which advertising agencies specialise in creative campaigns?
Ogilvy, TBWA and VML have documented creative advertising capabilities. Businesses should compare campaigns and the assigned teams rather than relying solely on awards.
Can an advertising agency guarantee sales?
No agency can reasonably guarantee business results under every condition. Campaign performance depends on factors including the offer, product, competition, customer experience, economic conditions and sales follow-up. Examine the precise conditions of any guarantee before signing.
Should I hire a separate creative and media-buying agency?
Sometimes. A business with strong internal creative resources may only need media-buying expertise. A complex campaign may benefit from separate specialist partners, provided responsibilities and coordination are clear.
Who should own the advertising account?
The advertiser should ordinarily retain appropriate control and administrative access to its advertising accounts and data. Partner access allows agencies to manage campaigns without unnecessarily restricting the client’s control.
How do I verify advertising agency results?
Ask for a dated case study, the campaign objective, original baseline, spend where shareable, relevant business outcomes and the measurement method. Request a client reference when the purchase warrants one.
Does a creative award mean an agency produces higher ROI?
Not automatically. Awards may recognise creative quality, strategy, effectiveness or particular campaign innovations. Check the award category and evidence before treating recognition as proof of commercial performance.
Can EDGE fund an advertising agency retainer?
A standard advertising retainer is not automatically eligible. EDGE supports specified activities under current Enterprise Singapore rules. Confirm whether the exact proposed project qualifies before relying on grant support.
