I just leafed through Media Magazine's June 12, 2008 issue and was stunned by the fact that in their traditional list of Asia's Top 100 Creatives, the first Filipino weighs in at number 57. Everyone else who precedes Joel Limchoc, ECD of BBDO Philippines is either Singaporean, Thai, Malaysian or Chinese. If it's any consolation, the Pinoy (note, the Pinoy meaning only 1) weighs in ahead of Indians and Japanese. Still, he's outnumbered.
As usual, just like Philippine basketball where we enjoy the participation of imports and the Philippine Olympic Team which openly embraces Fil-Ams, the Philippines chalks up an additional name through Simon Welsh, Executive Copywriter for BBDO Philippines.
Does this actually mean that we are less creative than our regional neighbors?
I don't think so. I've worked with the best of them creatives. You know who you are (you're on Multiply too!). Thing is I've seen our best ideas often shot down by clients who are too scared to toe the line when it comes to revolutionary ideas.
No, we don't have a creative drought. We only have clients who are.....
...o sige nga,...creatives, you supply the words :-)
totoo yan!!!! ayaw nila i-produce mga cutting edge works. Ilagay nalang natin sila as... "traditional" . *hay malungkot ang buhay.
ReplyDeletewe have clients that are conservative? people pleaser? don't want to rock the boat? afraid to take risk in marketing? afraid to challenge the norm?
ReplyDeletei have been working in singapore two years now and i must say the best creatives and strat and media and clients i have ever worked with are still in manila. half the time thought, we pinoys don't believe enough in our own ideas - we're too hard on ourselves. in contrast, the singaporeans and the putis take so little to believe in themselves. as in, minsan, gusto ko sabihin, YAN? YAN ANG IDEA MO? pero sige, ngiti ka na lang at ride hehe. another thing, as it costs a lot to enter these awards chuvas. i remember in my agency there (and you know what that is), sobrang screened ang entries to keep costs down. whereas bbdo guerrero would enter one material many times. so there...sigh.
ReplyDeletenow that you mentioned the costs of entering material to the awards, kelangan talaga may war chest ang ahensya for this purpose.
ReplyDeletehmmmm.. thought provoking entry.
ReplyDeletebtw, forgive me for posting. i'm a long time lurker in your site. we have common friends.
hope you don't mind. :-)
you're welcome to browse.
ReplyDeletere: long time lurker, hope the retirement strategy section has helped (or provoked) you to map out one for yourself. cheers!
i also checked that media magazine's article and scanned for familiar filipino names. kakalungkot but i still believe we have the best people kahit dito pa ako sa malayong lugar nakatira. tama rin si gershwingoddess... mahal ang entry fee.. super.. pero ika nga, the more entries, the more chances of winning.
ReplyDeletesuma total pala, hindi tayo lack of creativity. lack of entry fee pala :-)
ReplyDeletecheers roche!