Yellow Octopus
Yellow Octopus is a Singapore-based, founder-led creative agency founded in 1997 that delivers brand strategy, identity design, campaigns, and video production to enterprise, government-linked, and non-profit clients across Southeast Asia on a project-fee basis.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersSingapore, Singapore
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Yellow Octopus does
Yellow Octopus Pte. Ltd. is a Singapore-based, founder-led creative agency founded in 1997 that delivers end-to-end brand strategy, brand identity, campaign planning, video and animation production, environmental design, print, digital, and social media management. Its core offering is organized around four disciplines — Research, Branding, Campaign, and Design — delivered by an integrated team of approximately twelve strategists, art directors, designers, copywriters, and producers under founder Kevin Thio and CEO Edna Low. The firm serves a mix of enterprise clients (CapitaLand, FairPrice Group, Ho Bee Land, Janice Wong), government-linked organizations and foundations (Temasek Foundation, Yayasan MENDAKI, St Luke's ElderCare, Halogen), and select SMB and social-enterprise engagements (One Two Eat), with project fees publicly disclosed across four tiers ranging from SGD 25K-50K for small projects to SGD 250K-500K+ for enterprise work on multi-year contracts.
The business operates a direct, sales-led go-to-market model with no intermediary distribution: clients engage via the firm's website contact form, phone, or email, supported by an EDG (Enterprise Development Grant) approved-agency status that channels Singapore companies seeking government co-funding toward the firm. Revenue is professional-services fee income, project-based rather than recurring SaaS. The agency also operates a side sub-brand, Just My Type, an AI-assisted personality assessment built around eight creative archetypes, which functions as a passion project and brand-building tool rather than a commercial product line. Geographic reach is primarily Singapore with cross-border campaign execution for clients with regional footprints (Ho Bee Land across Singapore, Australia, China, UK, Europe; Isles of Eden in the Maldives).
Underlying technology is minimal in the traditional software sense: workflows are production-led (Adobe-class design, video, and motion tooling implied by the portfolio), with generative AI used only at the margins to build the Just My Type tool. There is no proprietary platform, SDK, API, or recurring software revenue. The company's competitive assets are its 25-plus-year brand reputation, a HOW International Design Awards Best of Show (2012), sustained enterprise relationships, and EDG-approved status within Singapore's grant ecosystem.
Yellow Octopus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Yellow Octopus
- Legal name
- Yellow Octopus Pte. Ltd.
- Website
- https://yellowoctopus.com.sg
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Yellow Octopus is a Singapore-based, founder-led creative agency founded in 1997 that delivers brand strategy, identity design, campaigns, and video production to enterprise, government-linked, and non-profit clients across Southeast Asia on a project-fee basis.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Yellow Octopus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Singapore
- HQ country
- Singapore
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Yellow Octopus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Creative Agency Services: Fee-based professional services including brand strategy, brand identity design, campaign planning and execution, video production, animation, environmental design, print design, digital design, and social media management. Projects range from branding exercises to full-scale campaign development.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Small projects |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Medium projects |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Large projects |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise projects |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Yellow Octopus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Yellow Octopus is a Singapore-based creative agency that delivers end-to-end brand strategy, brand identity design, campaign development, video and animation production, environmental and print design, and social media management services. Their offerings are organized into four integrated disciplines—Research, Branding, Campaign, and Design—and serve enterprise, government, and non-profit clients across Singapore. They also operate Just My Type, an AI-assisted workplace personality assessment sub-brand.
Product overview
Yellow Octopus is a full-service creative agency offering end-to-end brand strategy and design services, organized into four main disciplines: Research (qualitative and quantitative methodologies), Branding (positioning, architecture, naming, and identity creation), Campaign (content planning, social media, videography, animation), and Design (print, digital, website, and environmental). The agency also operates Just My Type, a standalone personality assessment tool and passion project that provides workplace collaboration insights through 8 archetypes, distinct from their core agency service offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Just My Type: A personality quiz for the workplace, client meetings, and every project with people in it. Designed based on 8 creative cornerstones of how the agency serves clients and partners through collaborative work. Built with assistance from AI (Claude.ai).
Products and services
- Branding Services End-to-end brand strategy and identity creation including brand positioning, brand architecture, naming, and visual identity design for enterprise, government, and non-profit clients.
- Campaign Services Content planning, social media management, videography, and animation services for integrated marketing campaigns, including KOL collaboration and digital activation.
- Research Services Qualitative and quantitative research methodologies including focus groups and street surveys that inform brand and campaign strategy for clients.
- Design Services Print, digital, website, and environmental design services supporting brand expression across physical and digital touchpoints.
- Just My Type A personality assessment and quiz tool designed to help individuals understand their work style, communication preferences, and collaboration patterns through 8 archetypes based on Yellow Octopus's 8 core creative principles. The tool provides full reports including personality insights, relationship dynamics, and workplace guidance.
Quantifiable outcome
- Temasek Foundation's evidence-based tips and core findings have been adapted into over 130 Instagram posts and 78 editorial stories, with a combined reach of over 200,000
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Yellow Octopus
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Yellow Octopus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Yellow Octopus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Ying Tong TanminorIndependent type and graphic designer who designed the 'Graye' typeface for the Just My Type project. Specializes in Latin and Chinese type design and typography with teaching and conference engagement.
- Darius OuminorGraphic designer who designed the 'Labyrinth' typeface for the Just My Type project. Focuses on experimental typography and graphic lore, recipient of Art Directors Club New York's Young Guns 21 award.
- Mark De WinneminorType designer who designed 'Majulah' and 'Visuelle' typefaces for the Just My Type project. First Singaporean graduate of Type & Media program at The Hague, releases typefaces through Typofonderie and Darden Studio.
- Death of TypographyminorSingapore-based type collective that designed 'Getai Grotesk' and 'Robusta' typefaces for the Just My Type project. Mission to make type design education more accessible and reshape typography perception in Singapore.
- Lee Qiu WenminorGraphic and type designer who designed 'Octopia Neue' and 'Straits Sans' for the Just My Type project. Founding member of Death of Typography collective, teaches typography at LASALLE College of the Arts and NTU.
- APixels, Jayl Chen, WhooshProminorCreative partners involved in the FairPrice Group brand development project, contributing to photography, media library creation, and collateral production.
- Supermint, WeTheFlyers, Mischief Makers, Two Left HandsminorCreative production partners for CapitaLand Group project including drone building, 360 camera work, and content creation for the CapitaSpring campaign.
- Mekkitso, Kairos Media Co.minorMedia partners for Temasek Foundation's 2023 annual report project, supporting content development and video production.
- Prudential SingaporeminorExternal partner for ParentWise content distribution, sharing parenting tips and content on Prudential Singapore's own platforms as part of the bigger village supporting parents initiative.
- SEED InstitutecoreResearch partner for ParentWise project, providing evidence-based tips and core findings on parenting that Yellow Octopus adapted for public consumption through digital and social media channels.
- Interior Designer and ContractorsminorPartners for One Two Eat food court brand implementation, ensuring consistent execution of brand elements in interior design features including counter tiling, dining chairs, suspended lights, and table laminate.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Yellow Octopus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore: Singapore office of the global Saatchi & Saatchi creative network. Competes for enterprise branding and campaign work with larger scale and broader capabilities, including digital and shopper marketing.
- Publicis Singapore: Singapore office of the global Publicis communications group. Competes for enterprise branding, campaign, and digital mandates at scale, with broader data, technology, and media capabilities than Yellow Octopus.
- Havas Singapore: Singapore office of the global Havas advertising and communications group. Offers enterprise branding and creative services overlapping with Yellow Octopus's portfolio, with broader media and healthcare capabilities.
- Dentsu Singapore: Singapore office of the Japan-based Dentsu creative and media network. Competes for enterprise creative and branding contracts in the Singapore market with significantly broader geographic and service coverage.
- DDB Singapore: Singapore office of the global DDB advertising agency network. Competes for enterprise branding and creative mandates in Singapore and the region, with established relationships across consumer and government clients.
- Hakuhodo Singapore: Singapore office of the Japan-based Hakuhodo advertising group. Targets enterprise branding and creative mandates in the Singapore and regional markets, often competing for similar multinational and government clients.
- BBDO Singapore: Singapore office of the global BBDO creative agency network. Targets enterprise creative and brand-building mandates in the Singapore market with broader geographic reach and deeper production infrastructure than Yellow Octopus.
- Ogilvy Singapore: Singapore office of the global Ogilvy advertising and creative network. Competes for the same enterprise branding, campaign, and digital mandates as Yellow Octopus, but with a much larger team and broader service portfolio spanning advertising, PR, consulting, and experience.
Direct peers
- Superunion (formerly The Brand Union): Branding-focused agency under WPP with a strong Singapore presence. Most directly comparable to Yellow Octopus in offering brand strategy, identity, and creative services to enterprise and government clients, though with greater access to WPP network resources.
- Iris Worldwide Singapore: Global creative agency with Singapore operations. Offers integrated creative services including branding, campaigns, and digital work for enterprise clients, directly comparable to Yellow Octopus's service portfolio and target segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Yellow Octopus social profiles
Digital presenceYellow Octopus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Yellow Octopus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Yellow Octopus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Yellow Octopus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Yellow Octopus
What does Yellow Octopus do?
Yellow Octopus is a Singapore-based creative agency that delivers end-to-end brand strategy, brand identity design, campaign development, video and animation production, environmental and print design, and social media management services. Their offerings are organized into four integrated disciplines—Research, Branding, Campaign, and Design—and serve enterprise, government, and non-profit clients across Singapore. They also operate Just My Type, an AI-assisted workplace personality assessment sub-brand.
Is Yellow Octopus a public or private company?
Yellow Octopus is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Yellow Octopus founded?
Yellow Octopus was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Yellow Octopus based?
Yellow Octopus is headquartered in Singapore, Singapore, in the Asia region.
How does Yellow Octopus make money?
One revenue line is on record: creative Agency Services.
Who are Yellow Octopus's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore, Publicis Singapore, Havas Singapore, Dentsu Singapore, DDB Singapore, Hakuhodo Singapore, BBDO Singapore and Ogilvy Singapore. Direct peers are Superunion (formerly The Brand Union) and Iris Worldwide Singapore.
Does Yellow Octopus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Yellow Octopus.