When 99designs, the world’s largest graphic design marketplace decided to expand in Asia, they were not joking.
With the launch of a new site for the Singapore market, an extensive tour of designer communities in Indonesia and the Philippines, and the hiring of regional design consultants, someone is obviously very serious about Asia.
“Word-of-mouth adoption of 99designs’ design contest model in Asia has been amazing since we launched 99designs five years ago, and we are now ready to more formally invest in accelerating our growth there,” said Patrick Llewellyn, president and CEO of 99designs.
“Our customer bases in regional start-up hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong have grown at a remarkable pace, and some of our largest and most successful design communities are in Indonesia and the Philippines.”
What is the deal with the launch of 99designs.com.sg?
Jason Sew Hoy, Chief Operating Officer and Asia-Pacific General Manager of 99designs, was recently in Singapore to pop a few bottles to the launch of 99designs.com.sg with local customers and designers. Somebody scream party!
What is so special about the new site? Simple. Singapore customers can now purchase design work on 99designs using local currency and access support through a local phone number. I guess that means adios to quite a number of hassles.
Why Singapore, you ask? Well, Singapore is one of 99designs’ top markets, with one of its highest sales per capita. 99designs.com.sg becomes 99designs’ second country site in Asia; having launched a successful local-currency site for the Hong Kong market at 99designs.hk last year.
What about 99designs’ design community tour?
99designs Community Director Jason Aiken and a team of designer community liaisons have run a two-week tour of Indonesia and the Philippines, where they will host numerous design events reaching thousands of designers, including a full-day National Conference for Indonesian designers in Yogyakarta that was held on June 7.
Indonesia and the Philippines are among 99designs’ top designer markets, with thousands of designers in those regions earning a living by winning design contests on 99designs and carrying out follow-on work for clients they meet on the site.
99designs has paid out more than $10 million USD to graphic designers in Indonesia and the Philippines alone since its launch in 2008 – more than any other design marketplace has paid out to their entire global design community.
In total, 99designs has paid out $54 million USD to its designer community of more than 225,000 designers from 192 countries. Wow! Now I wish I had a drop of designer talent in me!
Why is 99designs hiring regional staff?
It is basically to help support its rapid growth in the region. 99designs has hired a staff of three design consultants based in The Philippines.
These support staff will help ensure 24/7 customer support for the Asia-Pacific markets and will be available to help customers write design briefs and facilitate their contests.
