The Media Shop
The Media Shop is an independent boutique media agency headquartered in Singapore, founded in 2009 by Gary Tang and Jessica Toh, providing integrated media planning and buying across digital and traditional channels. It serves enterprise and government clients across Asia from four offices in Singapore, Taipei, Sydney, and Shanghai.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSingapore, Singapore
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Media Shop does
The Media Shop is an independent, founder-owned boutique media agency founded in Singapore in 2009 by Gary Tang and Jessica Toh, operating as The Media Shop Group Pte Ltd. The firm specializes in integrated media planning and buying across digital (social, search, display, mobile, programmatic) and traditional (out-of-home, print, radio, TV) channels, with an in-house programmatic trading desk and a self-service programmatic platform module. The agency's stated service portfolio is organized around four core product offerings: Media Planning and Buying, Digital Media, Integrated Media Solutions, and Programmatic Advertising, delivered to enterprise clients through agency-of-record appointments, competitive pitches, and retainer or project-based engagements with quote-based pricing. It is a sales-led GTM motion emphasizing boutique, personalized service and Asian market expertise as alternatives to global network agencies.
Geographically, The Media Shop operates four wholly-owned regional offices — Singapore (HQ at ALICE@MEDIAPOLIS), Taipei (opened 2013), Sydney (2014) and Shanghai (2015) — and serves clients across hospitality, FMCG, technology, financial services, healthcare, insurance, education, tourism/government, and e-commerce. Named clients include Starbucks Singapore, Shopee, Yeo's, Thomson Medical, RHB, AMD, CIMB Bank, Singapore Exchange, Liberty Insurance, Tourism Authority of Thailand, One Faber Group, Jollibee, NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Richard Mille. The Media Shop joined Local Planet (the world's largest independent agency network) as APAC lead agency in 2019 and is the first Asian member of TheNetworkOne's essay collection, supporting cross-border client execution without scaling fixed headcount proportionally.
The Media Shop firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Media Shop
- Legal name
- The Media Shop Group Pte Ltd
- Website
- https://themediashop.asia
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Media Shop is an independent boutique media agency headquartered in Singapore, founded in 2009 by Gary Tang and Jessica Toh, providing integrated media planning and buying across digital and traditional channels. It serves enterprise and government clients across Asia from four offices in Singapore, Taipei, Sydney, and Shanghai.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Media Shop industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Media Planning and Buying Services
- NAICS
- Media Buying Agencies (541830), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Service Media Planning & Buying (MPAAABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Media Planning, Buying & Optimization (BPAFAAAC), Digital & Programmatic Media Buying (Display, Video, CTV, Audio) (BPAFABAB)
Keywords
Where The Media Shop is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Singapore
- HQ country
- Singapore
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices4 records
Markets served
The Media Shop business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Media Planning and Buying Services: The agency generates revenue through professional services fees for media planning and buying across all media platforms including digital, traditional, and integrated campaigns. Services are typically project-based or retainer arrangements with clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Customized media planning and buying services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
The Media Shop product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Media Shop is an independent boutique media agency providing media planning and buying services across digital and traditional channels including Digital, Out-Of-Home, Print, Radio, and TV. They deliver integrated omnichannel media campaigns with in-house programmatic trading desk capabilities for enterprise brands across Asia Pacific markets. Services span strategic media planning, campaign execution, and optimization, typically delivered through project-based engagements or retainer arrangements.
Product overview
The Media Shop is an independent boutique media agency offering a unified suite of media planning and buying services. Their core offering centers on Integrated Media Solutions that combine Digital Media Services (social, search, display, programmatic) with traditional channels (out-of-home, print, radio, TV). The agency operates with an in-house programmatic self-service platform and trading desk, providing clients with end-to-end media campaign management across all advertising platforms in Asia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Media Planning and Buying Services Comprehensive media planning and buying services across all media platforms in Asia, including strategic planning, negotiations, and campaign execution across digital and traditional channels for enterprise clients.
- Integrated Media Solutions Omnichannel media strategies combining digital, out-of-home, print, radio, and TV advertising to deliver comprehensive marketing campaigns for clients across multiple touchpoints.
- Programmatic Advertising Services Self-service programmatic platform capabilities with in-house trading desk enabling agencies to control media planning, buying, and optimization processes for digital campaign execution and better campaign performance.
- Digital Media Services Digital marketing and advertising solutions including social media, search, display advertising, mobile, and programmatic capabilities executed through an in-house trading desk for enterprise clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- Secured Local Hero Media Agency of the Year award for 8 consecutive years (2015-2022)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Media Shop
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The Media Shop technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Media Shop partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Local PlanetcoreLocal Planet is the world's largest independent agency network. The Media Shop was appointed as lead agency and tasked to set up the APAC hub in Singapore. The partnership helps shape the company's direction and provides better value to clients with regional needs. Established in 2016, Local Planet operates with 117 offices in 67 markets worldwide.
- antics@playminorantics@play provided digital branding, ad creative and PR support for Tourism Authority of Thailand's #UnboxThailand campaign while The Media Shop focused on media solutions and campaign strategy.
- TheNetworkOnecoreTheNetworkOne publishes collections of essays from agencies worldwide featuring independent media agencies. The Media Shop is the first and only media agency in Asia to be featured in TheNetworkOne's essay collection.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Media Shop competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wavemaker: GroupM media agency focused on growth and integrated media planning/buying across APAC, with a comparable boutique-style proposition inside a larger network — overlapping directly with TMS on regional AOR pitches.
- Reprise Digital: IPG-owned boutique digital media and integrated marketing agency with strong APAC presence; competes with TMS on data-driven digital planning, programmatic and integrated campaigns.
- PHD Media Asia Pacific: Omnicom-owned media planning and buying network with deep Asia Pacific operations; competes head-to-head with TMS on integrated omnichannel planning and programmatic, including in Singapore.
- Initiative Media Asia Pacific: IPG media network with significant APAC operations offering full-service media planning, buying and analytics — directly overlaps with TMS in enterprise client RFPs across the region.
- DWA Media: Asia-focused boutique media agency where co-founder Gary Tang was previously Media Director; offers similar integrated planning/buying services to enterprise clients in the region.
Broad incumbents
- Mindshare Asia Pacific: WPP/GroupM flagship media agency with deep regional capabilities across all Asian markets; competes with TMS for the largest enterprise AORs but offers scale TMS cannot match.
- GroupM Asia Pacific: WPP's media investment arm operating Mindshare, Wavemaker, EssenceMediaCom and m/SIX; the dominant media-buying conglomerate in Asia that TMS's boutique proposition is positioned against.
- Dentsu International (Dentsu Media): Japanese-headquartered global media and advertising network with significant Singapore and North Asia operations; competes with TMS on large integrated briefs across the region.
- Omnicom Media Group Asia Pacific: Parent of PHD, OMD, Hearts & Science and Fletcher; competing holding-company media portfolio with full Asia Pacific coverage that competes directly with TMS on enterprise pitches.
- Havas Media Asia Pacific: Global media network with meaningful APAC presence offering integrated planning and buying; competes with TMS on enterprise accounts and overlaps on leadership pedigrees (Media Director Elaine Tan previously worked at Havas).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Media Shop social profiles
Digital presenceThe Media Shop financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Media Shop leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
The Media Shop subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
The Media Shop funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Media Shop 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 The Media Shop
What does The Media Shop do?
The Media Shop is an independent boutique media agency providing media planning and buying services across digital and traditional channels including Digital, Out-Of-Home, Print, Radio, and TV. They deliver integrated omnichannel media campaigns with in-house programmatic trading desk capabilities for enterprise brands across Asia Pacific markets. Services span strategic media planning, campaign execution, and optimization, typically delivered through project-based engagements or retainer arrangements.
Is The Media Shop a public or private company?
The Media Shop is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Media Shop founded?
The Media Shop was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Media Shop based?
The Media Shop is headquartered in Singapore, Singapore, in the Asia region.
How does The Media Shop make money?
One revenue line is on record: media Planning and Buying Services.
Who are The Media Shop's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wavemaker, Reprise Digital, PHD Media Asia Pacific, Initiative Media Asia Pacific and DWA Media. Broad incumbents are Mindshare Asia Pacific, GroupM Asia Pacific, Dentsu International (Dentsu Media), Omnicom Media Group Asia Pacific and Havas Media Asia Pacific.
Does The Media Shop have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Media Shop.
What industry is The Media Shop in?
The Media Shop's product category is Media Planning and Buying Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAABAA, Full-Service Media Planning & Buying, with a secondary code of BPAFAAAC, Media Planning, Buying & Optimization. Its NAICS code is 541830 and its SIC code is 7311.