The Media Shop

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.

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

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

• Media planning services
• Media buying agency
• Integrated marketing campaigns
• Programmatic advertising
• Digital media solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core 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

Named customers17 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Local PlanetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2019Local 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@playminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2019antics@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.
• TheNetworkOnecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019TheNetworkOne 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/themediashopgp
• Facebookfacebook.com/themediashop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/media-shop-group-pte-ltd-
• Instagraminstagram.com/themediashop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Media Shop