Boutique PR agencies are small to medium-sized agencies specialising in public relations, helping your business with media outreach, communications, planning and giving your brand a public voice.
So why should businesses consider working with boutiques over large agencies? Here are several reasons:
Top 3 Reasons to Choose Boutiques over Large Agencies
1. Agility
Large firms may have huge resources backing them up but that often comes at the cost of ponderous processes and strict contracts to protect themselves from mistakes.
Whereas smaller public relations agencies are more concerned with providing results with few restrictions tying them down. Thus, they are more flexible and adaptable to fast-changing trends which are key to delivering the results you want.
Furthermore, smaller agencies are able to take advantage of digital media with greater ease, given their adaptability which allows them to pick up on the newest platforms and technologies.
2. Specialised Local Networks
If you are a large global business, larger agencies will definitely be able to assist you with their wide-reaching networks and media connections.
However, you are a Small Medium Enterprise (SME), a boutique firm specialising in your niche and entrenched in the local market will have far more relevant media contacts and networks to help you boost your outreach to the right audiences in your market.
After all, launching your outreach efforts on the wrong media platforms even those with larger audiences is completely futile if they have no interest in your area.
3. Value for Money
That brings us to the value for money that smaller PR agencies can provide versus bigger firms.
You might be thinking, shouldn't bigger firms be able to provide more value given their depth of expertise and economies of scale lowering their costs?
Unfortunately, you would be way off the mark!
Bigger agencies often have to deal with a lot of overhead costs with larger offices, additional staff perks, larger senior management teams, which you wouldn’t receive much value out of as a small client...
The reality is big agencies only deploy their top tier talents on large clients, you can expect junior level staff to be the ones actually serving the smaller accounts.
Compare this to boutique agencies where it’s all hands on deck for every client, this ensures you get far better value from experts in the team while paying less due to their lower overheads.
Boutique PR Agency Singapore: 5 Top Firms to Consider
Here’s a list of our shortlisted PR boutiques (not in any order of merit) in Singapore for your consideration.
1. COCO PR & Communications
COCO is a young PR firm based in Singapore with an analytical approach, specialising in communications, new media and event solutions across travel, fashion and art niches.
They believe strongly in long-lasting partnerships, dedicating personal attention and tailored strategies to clients to effectively increase exposure and build brand awareness.
2. Elliot & Co (Previously Prospr)
Elliot & Co are young innovators in the industry, actively partnering SMEs and start-ups at competitive prices. They are a team of over 20 people across South-East Asia, focusing on Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Their priority is to breathe life into their clients’ untold stories with their unique toolset developing targeted campaigns for any scale on a competitive budget.
3. Affluence Public Relations
Affluence PR is a KPI-driven agency focusing on the premium retail industry which includes luxury boutiques, brand name stores, flagship outlets, themed restaurants, mid to fine dining places, bistros, and bars.
They hope to help brands share their stories, to connect with more people and to impact the world in a good way through good public relations efforts.
4. Brand Inc.
One of the top consumer lifestyle PR firms in Singapore, Brand Inc. has led many iconic brands and campaigns such as Sofitel SO, Bang & Olufsen, Kate Spade, Tsumori Chisato, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Whisky Live Singapore, Wacoal and Karl Lagerfeld.
Their specialities include travel and hospitality (hotels, restaurants and bars), medical and healthcare PR and digital PR.
5. PRecious Communications
Founded in 2012, PRecious Communications is considered one of the top 5 Tech PR firms in the APAC region, having received numerous nominations and honourable mentions for its B2C, B2B and Startup practices.
A final piece of advice
While it may be tempting to go for the most reputable or largest PR agency, you should remember that relevancy is king in any form of marketing!
Hence, we strongly suggest you find a local boutique public relations agency with the most experience dealing in your particular niche and your brand’s stage of growth in order to maximise your PR impact.
