Funan reappoints 8traordinary for social media duties

Shopping mall Funan, which is managed by CapitaLand and owned by CapitaLand Mall Trust, has reappointed 8traordinary as its social media agency for another year. This marks the second consecutive year of the partnership, with the agency first appointed in 2019.

The agency will continue to provide social media strategy and management, content planning, event coverage, and creative services to Funan. Over the past year, 8traordinary has been responsible for managing Funan's social media channels (Facebook and Instagram), as well as working with its tenants to cover events and drive traffic. 

Jeffrey Lim, founder and managing director of 8traordinary, said there is no better time than now for retailers to review their social media playbook. "Year on year, the state of retail, particularly brick and mortar stores, has been disrupted with shifts in consumer expectations and technological advances. Social media when used strategically, is a powerful tool that can build and make a brand," he added. 

Launched in 2019, 8traordinary is a brand consultancy founded by Lim. The former general manager and principal consultant of Carbon Interactive Singapore said 8traordinary aims to focus on combining design thinking, branding, creatives and digital expertise to help brands be "extraordinary". The agency was most recently appointed as content partner for TikTok, where it will provide brands and app developers with short-form branded content and access to native advertising campaigns, including TikTok influencers on the platform. It also worked with bands such as Toshiba and Ark Sports Management.

Funan made its return in June 2019 after a three-year revamp, with more than 180 brands clustered round six themes – Tech, Craft, Play, Fit, Chic, and Taste. Of these, some are new-to-market brands, new concept stores or flagships. Last year, Lazada Group partnered with Korean beauty company Amorepacific to launch its first-ever "new retail" concept store at Funan. The new AMORE Store x Lazada aims to blend online-to-offline (O2O) shopping elements, delivering customer experience from browsing and sampling products to purchasing and fulfillment.

Last month, CapitaLand made foray into eCommerce and online food ordering with the launch of eCapitaMall and Capita3Eats respectively. Both platforms aim to drive sales for retailers during the first phase safe reopening and beyond. According to CapitaLand, eCapitaMall is a curated digital mall featuring the merchandise of retailers, the majority of whom also operate in CapitaLand Singapore’s malls. It looks to offer shoppers the flexibility to browse online before purchasing in-store or browse in-store before purchasing online. For online purchases, shoppers can opt for home delivery or in-store collection.

Separately, Capita3Eats is Singapore’s first mall-operated food ordering platform that offers consumers three ways to fulfil their food orders – delivery, takeaway or dine-in. Both platforms will be accessible by the public via CapitaLand’s CapitaStar app and mall websites from 1 June 2020. From the third quarter 2020 onwards, these platforms will also include the added flexibility to pay online using eCapitaVoucher.

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