THE RUBBER BAND [video]

Credits & Description:

Type of entry: Use of Direct Marketing
Category: Dimensional Mailing
Advertiser: SINGAPORE RAFFLES MUSIC COLLEGE
Product/Service: RAFFLES MUSIC EDUCATION
Agency: DDB GROUP SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
Advertiser SINGAPORE RAFFLES MUSIC COLLEGE
Product RAFFLES MUSIC EDUCATION
Entrant DDB GROUP SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
Type of Entry: Use of Direct Marketing
Category: Dimensional Mailing
Title: THE RUBBER BAND
Advertiser/Client: SINGAPORE RAFFLES MUSIC COLLEGE
Product/Service: RAFFLES MUSIC EDUCATION
Entrant Company: DDB GROUP SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
DM/Advertising Agency: DDB GROUP SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
Account Supervisor: Rowena Bhagchandani (DDB Group Singapore)
Sound Design: Fuse Adventures In Audio (Fuse Adventures In Audio)
Producer: Samantha See (DDB Group Singapore)
Producer: Kimie Ong (DDB Group Singapore)
Director: Jason Kay (Momentum)
Post Production: Momentum (Momentum)
Chief Creative Officer: Neil Johnson (DDB Group Singapore)
Group Executive Creative Director: Joji Jacob (DDB Group Singapore)
Creative Director: Thomas Yang (DDB Group Singapore)
Copywriter: Adrian Yeap (DDB Group Singapore)
Art Director: Khoo Meng Hau (DDB Group Singapore)
Describe the brief from the client
Singapore Raffles Music College (a partner of the London College of Music, University of West London) offers world-class music education by working with distinguished musicians. People of all ages and skill levels can enrol in a breadth of courses from beginner lessons to professional music degrees. However, the problem was that people deemed the college to be 'elitist' and 'highbrow'. Therefore the task was to communicate that Raffles made learning music fun and easy.

Creative Execution

Music schools sending CDs that display the musical talents of its students and alumni are common practise and expected. So instead, we let the audience display his own musical talent by turning the typical CD case into a clever, customisable musical instrument. Thus, by directly engaging the audience in a simple yet fun music-making process, we clearly demonstrated how music is at their fingertips, both literally and figuratively.


Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

We wanted to show that with the right tools and help, it’s easy for anyone to make music. So we created a direct mailer that puts the world’s most recognisable tunes at people’s fingertips by turning the common CD case into an uncommon musical instrument. With that, Raffles Music College demonstrated how, through The Rubber Band, the ability to make music can be surprisingly easy and fun.


Describe the results in as much detail as possible.

Within 5 days, its beginner music course was oversubscribed. The Rubber Band garnered a 43% response rate and raised enrolment enquiries of its courses 6-fold. In the end, the most successful direct mail in the college’s history not only turned heads but also changed how people saw Raffles Music College.