Huiwen Tow

I RECENTLY REDISCOVERED THIS MANIFESTO. It comes from the first international ad agency job I had. In 1999, I moved to Singapore to work for what was considered the hottest creative agency in the Asia region at the time - Batey Ads. It was founded and led by the charismatic but firm Ian Batey. His successes included the creation of iconic campaigns for Singapore Airlines, which for a long time was the #1 airline in the world. He started his agency at the same time the airline started and they grew together. It was a challenging agency to work at, the bar was set high when it came to the thinking and the work. No excuses were accepted. I produced some ads that to this day are still some of my favourites. Ian wrote an agency manifesto that, by today’s standards, may not pass the HR filter, but there are still some points in there that would benefit agencies today. Here it is in its entirety. Our Staff ·  We believe in sharing our financial rewards solely with the most deserving, our staff. ·  We believe in open-door management, delegating responsibility and making everyone responsible for their actions. ·  We believe every single person on staff, from office boy upwards, should think creatively, eat creatively and sleep creatively. ·  We believe that hard work makes Jack a bright lad. Our Craft ·  We believe in advertising that tickles the toes as well as the head. ·  We believe in creating ideas that endure rather than one-off ads that win awards. ·  We believe in never sacrificing the art for the profit. ·  We believe raw concept testing of advertising ideas was invented by a frustrated Tasmanian transvestite. ·  We believe that the most important rule to follow in developing an idea is not to have any rules. Our Business Attitude ·  We believe the best clients are the ones we have; it’s more important to develop existing business than to continuously chase new business. ·  We believe we must seek to know as much about our client’s business as the clients know themselves. ·  We believe there’s no such thing as a bad client, just bad judgment or salesmanship on our part. ·  We believe that the most effective way to build a strong client relationship is when the clients see us not only as an advertising/marketing partner but also as a business partner. ·  We believe forward planning is next to godliness. ·  We believe in treating the bottom line like grandma: with reverence. Our Personality ·  We believe we’re lucky to be in such an exciting industry and it shows in the energy and passion we apply to every task. ·  We are more like barrow boys than suave admen. ·  We believe in being fair to the point of being irreverent; cheerful, always cheerful – to a point. ·  We believe that a little madness helps keep us sane. As I said, some parts would not pass the HR litmus test today. But there are other parts that are worthy reminders of what could or should be done. #advertising #bateyads #creativeadvertising

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👊👊 Thank you LBBonline - Little Black Book for the feature and giving me a platform to share my thoughts on creativity. #thoughtleadership TBWA\Group Singapore 🇸🇬 🏴‍☠️ TLDR Creativity: Being a creative is a lifestyle. Stay inspired, be a sponge and embrace all kinds of fandom. Collaboration: The Creative Lead protects the idea and steers the ship but having good partners will ensure the core of the idea is executed to the best of its potential. Making everybody feel like they are part of the journey helps build ownership. Young Creatives: With any career, it’s a marathon and not a sprint. Don’t expect overnight success. Luck is when preparation meets an opportunity.

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TikTok has fundamentally changed how you are using social media without you ever having an account. ✅ Personally posting on LinkedIn? Absolutely. ✅ The LinkedIn company page has regular content? Yup. 🙄 Facebook Business page? Once in a while. 🚫 Instagram? You’re kidding, right? 🛑 YouTube. Just stop. “Our customers aren’t on those platforms...” That’s an accurate statement for 2019. The algorithms powering your social media feed used to be based on your connections. It was called the social graph. ➡ TikTok changed that. ⬅ TikTok’s algorithm is based on what you’re interested in. What you’ve watched and what you’ve engaged with. It’s resulted in the average app viewing time to crush every other platform. It’s called the interest graph. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and every other social media platform is catching up. Believe it or not, YouTube is leading the pack. That means it’s time to rethink your content distribution. It’s time to dust off your dormant X (Twitter) account and seriously pay attention to all the platforms. 🛑 STOP! 🛑 Before you start copy/pasting your LinkedIn content to all your other channels, put together an actual strategy. Adjust your content and creatives to be a good fit for the platform. It’s not time for spray and pray, but for thoughtful planning and execution. More info on the interest graph vs. the social graph: https://lnkd.in/ghTiKBCZ https://lnkd.in/g6yKhJwF #socialmedia #b2bmarketing #manufactruring

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🚀 Take the first step to our very special new #Health podcast ! 🚀 I was so delighted to be invited to the first episode of our new Health Podcast journey, initiated by our T&A Ogilvy wonderful team. Thanks Tra Linh Nguyen for driving this initiative. In this conversation, I am sharing my thoughts about the evolution of #healthmarketing, and envision forward-looking models we need to build a more sustainable healthcare system in ASIA - from applying the power of #AI 🤖 to the role of health influencers and social media 📱 in communicating health information responsibly - it's time to accelerate Healthcare transformation. And some burning question are: In the era of technology, where do we place human values throughout this journey? 🌍 How is Vietnam pioneering in bringing healthcare closer to the community? And what can each of us do to create a healthier future? 🎧 More teaser will be coming and open up great insights into healthcare #TAOgilvy #Healthpodcast cc Mario Muredda Soames Hines Janet Tsai

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I shared a terrific conversation with Steve Walls, former CSO at Publicis Groupe Singapore and Executive Planning Director at Saatchi&Saatchi. Steve has over 25 years of experience leading strategic thinking for brands such as Johnnie Walker, Ford, Unilever, BMW Singapore, and CNBC Asia. He's currently Strategy Director at Moon Rabbit, ''an independent creative agency created by a rare breed of people who aren't satisfied with being conventional'' If you are a #strategist, #planner, #creative, #marketer, or even a dad/mom feeling vulnerable and curious about any of these topics, you will really enjoy the first episode of #TheCrudaSpace, my new podcast: 1:12 The importance of curiosity in childhood 02:39 Fear of being old and irrelevant 06:06 How the role of planning was born 07:27 Planners: behavioral vs creative 08:37 Don't go with the obvious 10:22 How to judge a planner 12:31 Why Strategy is Underrated 14:03 When a founder loses direction 16:21 Why strategists don't have the answers 19:21 Living in the UK's worst neighborhood 22:58 We don't employ people like you 24:49 Are Gen Z becoming soft? 26:15 Working with prisoners 27:45 More luck than resilience 28:46 Rising stong kids 33:20 Alan Faena's influence on identity 37:09 Strategy has a branding problem 40:05 Ad folks are dull in Dubai & Singapore 42:46 Are you a creator or just a talker? 44:29 Advertising is terrible art 46:18 Why Shot on iPhone is Not Clever 47:56 We forgot about beauty 50:31 Brand building for small biz 52:52 Space in their heads instead of screens 57:22 How to talk to customers 59:10 Madness and Measure 01:04:58 Driving down the cost of creative 01:06:30 AI will lower the ceiling 01:09:34 Why Carpool Karaoke Succeeded 01:11:38 Why Advertising Hates Formats 01:16:02 Elon's impact on Tesla as a brand 01:20:50 Richard Brandson and Virgin 01.23:16 Advice for business owners and marketers 01:25:27 Look at their motivations, not their behavior 01:26:33 Resonance over relevance Link in the comments!

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With each passing year, Pride celebrations become increasingly significant, reflecting Asia's shifting cultural landscape towards greater inclusivity and diversity. And yet, each year, the realm of marketing—an area preciously close to my heart—seems to maintain a cautious approach to the occasion. What’s stopping us from fully embracing the festivities? Three critical barriers. In my article for Campaign Asia-Pacific, I’ve identified how we, as marketers, can overcome these barriers to foster greater inclusivity for our agencies, our clients, and our communities.

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Change the Angle is changing VML to the TOP.

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Something of a swan song. My article in Campaign Asia-Pacific argues about the importance of AI as a tool that frees up headspace, drives productivity and can get marketers back to what we do best - marketing, making the reality far more nuanced. It will not be the scary future so many predict but an exciting new paradigm of creative opportunity and business growth. https://bit.ly/3ZvaiNX There will always be apocryphal Ned Ludd's. Don't be Ned. And no, AI did not write this article. #pulseofUMAPAC #AI #marketing #creativity #digitalmarketing #powerof UM Worldwide IPG Mediabrands IPG Mediabrands APAC Interpublic Group (IPG) Kasper Aakerlund Sharon Soh Ben Hui Roy C. Abby Camo Albany Woo

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🚀 Another thing I did with #AI! 🚀 Thrilled beyond measure to have been representing KVUR, as a part of The Drum's APAC Trends Briefing held at the Media.Monks office in Singapore, on the panel discussion: A New AI Era: How Generative AI Is Shaking Up Marketing. 🌟 A massive shoutout of gratitude to The Drum and the incredible team behind the scenes, Lynn Lester and Beatrice Povia, for extending invitation for me to contribute to this intellectually stimulating discourse, one that promises to shape and shakeup the future of marketing as we know it. 🙌 Special appreciation goes out to Amit Bapna for skillfully steering the ship of our dialogue, and to my awesome panelists, Triveni Rajagopal and Mus Zainal, for your invaluable insights and camaraderie throughout. Enjoyed the conversations. Reflecting on the visionary words of #SamAltman, the godfather of generative AI and the illustrious leader of OpenAI, who boldly declared that 85% of advertising jobs could be transformed by AI. It's not about taking over human jobs and roles in advertising. I always think that AI has a way of removing advertising altogether out of the equation - does AI really need ads to sell products and services? And "if we didn't make ads to sell, how else would we sell?", is what I keep asking myself and the students I teach in ad school, when I am not playing ECD. David Ogilvy, my hero in advertising, is famous for his mantra, "Sell or else." Those words have resonated with me since the beginning of my journey in advertising. He didn't say, "Advertise or else." 💥 So what is the equivalent of "sell or else" if advertising was excluded from the equation altogether in this age of AI? While you think on that, beyond the enriching discussions, I had the pleasure of connecting with remarkable individuals such as Jaslyin Qiyu, Ngai Yuen Low and Aseem Puri who passionately shared some amazing insights and marketing knowledge. Looking forward to more mind-blowing insights on the age of Ai and marketing and simply networking with humans - but I love robots a little more - just so you know. If you are interested in doing amazing work on brand, AI avatar creation or have a marketing problem you think should be solved simply and creatively; or just want a good conversation on the three body problem, physics or haptics over coffee or drinks - I never say no to whisky and gin (you're buying, I promise to make you laugh in exchange!! ;), hit me up. 🌐✨ #AIinMarketing #Innovation #AIEmpowerment #TheDrum #KVUR

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Ever wondered about the critical drivers behind B2B business decisions? Ever wondered about what makes B2B Buying journeys more robust? Ever wondered about what leads to greater commercial impact in B2B? Stop wondering and start asking for the Superpowers Index from #DentsuB2B. You will find answers to all this and more in a unique survey spanning over 1,200 B2B buyers in APAC (over 3,500 globally) and over 6,500 Brand Experiences. #B2BMarketing #Dentsu #dentsuAPAC #SuperpowersIndex #BrandStrategy #MarketLeadership #dentsuB2Bapac

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What’s Happening Now and Why It’ll Matter Tomorrow 🔮 Trends come and go, but the ones we’re seeing across APAC right now are shaping audience behaviour in ways that will have a lasting impact. From epic video game fandoms to Instagram Stories revealing generational quirks, these aren’t just flash-in-the-pan moments—they’re signals of where attention, loyalty, and influence are heading in the mid to long-term. Here’s what I’m seeing and why these shifts will be game-changers for brands willing to tap into them. 1️⃣ Black Myth: Wukong – More than just a game! It’s inspiring cosplay, content creation, and even a tourism surge in Shanxi, China. When a video game can drive real-world outcomes, there’s no reason your brand can’t tap into the magic of fandoms. 2️⃣ Instagram Story Posting Styles – Ever noticed how different generations post on Instagram? Gen Z loves unfiltered chaos, while millennials are all about curation. Brands are jumping on this trend across industries—fitness, travel, F&B. If you're not tailoring your content to these unique styles, you might be missing out. 3️⃣ Labubu & Local Produce Bag Charms—In response to the ongoing trends of bag charms and Labubu, people are now hanging giant toys and even local produce like onions and bananas as bag charms! It’s quirky, bold, and totally viral-worthy. This is a reminder that standing out in unexpected ways is key to staying top-of-mind. 4️⃣ Duo.nuna from Pemalang – Cross-generational K-Pop love from a small Indonesian town! It’s proof that fandoms can bridge generations and geographies, opening new opportunities for brands to create deeper connections with audiences. The digital landscape is moving fast. Brands that listen and respond to what audiences are talking about will be the ones to win on relevance, mental availability, and trust. Let’s make sure we’re part of that conversation. 🚀 #DigitalMarketing #Trends #APAC #ContentMarketing #BrandStrategy #Trust #Relevance #ActiveSocial

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It’s been three months since I left all my pals at Dentsu Creative and took a giant leap to join FreeAgent as Head of Creative Design. It was a scary jump, especially since I’d been with my previous company, off and on, since 2005. Crazy to think that things like YouTube and Slack hadn’t even been invented then. I mean, we had phones on our desks and used to call people when we had a question. How did we even share funny videos and gifs back then? God only knows! Anyway… three months in, and it has been great. There are so many lovely and incredibly smart people here, and so many interesting challenges for me to sink my teeth into. I’ve also spent a lot of time getting to know our customers, which was one of the things I was most excited about when joining FreeAgent. I wanted to really understand them. So here are three interesting things I’ve discovered about them over these past three months. 01 - Accountant are wild! 🐯 Honestly, I didn’t know much about accountants before I joined, but apparently, despite the stereotype that they’re a bit bland, they are, in fact, hardcore "work hard, play hard" types - off the scale, party animals. It just goes to show that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Or should I say, you shouldn’t judge a ledger by its cover (accountancy joke alert!). Accountants are just normal people, and so we need to communicate with them like well, er... normal people. They like a laugh. They get upset. They worry. They care. They like dogs. They like cats. They binge-watch TV. They are not robots. Well not all of them are robots. 02 - There is so much anxiety when it comes to finance 😱 I’ve really enjoyed getting to know what makes accountants tick, and one thing that strikes me is how much they care that every number is correct. It seems obvious - that’s their job, so of course, they should care. But with that comes a lot of anxiety. Imagine being in a job where one single number could screw everything up. One little typo. One silly human error. And that’s it. Kaboom! This is why it’s so important that we always have their back at FreeAgent. 03 - Small business owners are built different 🏋‍♂️ Holy smokes, small business owners - you sure have had your Weetabix! It's worth pointing out that there are over 5 million small business owners across the UK, so they’re all different, but there’s a definite trait of ‘taking action.’ Anyone who decides to go into business on their own must have a pretty good level of bravery. So, when we’re creating anything at FreeAgent, we need to make sure it’s super useful and allows these ‘crazy ones’ to take action. Do not—I repeat, do not—mollycoddle them. They do not like that one bit. Anyway, I’m excited to learn more and more about these fascinating folks, so stay tuned.

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VaynerMedia APAC turns 5 years old today 🎉 🎈 In that time we've grown from two young whippersnappers Avery Akkineni and VJ ANAND :) to a team of over 300, in 12 countries across the region. 5 things we've learned in those 5 years... ❤️ Patience is powerful 😳 Change is scary. Empathy for our clients is as important as the work itself 🦾 Trust the process 🚀 A single TikTok can be more impactful than an entire campaign 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 People are everything 5 things I want you to fall in love with, even if you don't work with us... ⚙️ Understanding audience cohorts unlocks everything 💛 Thriving organic social media is the best foundation you can have 🧠 Platform and culture understanding is modern executional craft 📈 Underpriced attention is not as hard to find as you might think 💡 Your biggest campaign insights come from existing social media creative 5 thank yous... - Every team member, past and present, across the Asia Pacific region - Our wonderful (and brave) client partners - Gary Vaynerchuk, who also became a 6X NYT bestselling author today 👏 - Every partner, from influencers to the teams that built our offices - Our global leadership, for unwavering support and late night calls We're not a toddler anymore... we're 5, and we just got a whole lot more inquisitive and a fresh bout of energy. We're coming for you :) Claude Silver Hanna Park Nick Miaritis Kaylen McNamara Rob Lenois wanda pogue John Terrana Jon Morgenstern J.C. Bonilla, PhD Mimia Johnson Hayley Grant Linda Hillebrand Christina Blankenship Harriet Flory Alan Harker Marc Yudkin Marcus Krzastek Daisy Domenghini Lisa Eleanor Buckley Shrey Khetarpal Marc Langenfeld woei hern chan Melanie Cook Jonathan Gerard Louise Chan Michelle Tsui Violy Guevarra Dawn Wong Dina Castelino Amy Bradshaw Monchaya Koolawong Kota Murakami

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In this episode of 7 questions to a marketer, I had a great opportunity to interview the creative powerhouse from Singapore, Guan Hin Tay, creative chairman of #BBDOSingapore and the author of the best selling book #COLLIDE. Check this out for some powerful insights,centered around brands and marketing. #brandguff #letstalkbrands

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As media professionals, we often face the tough task of balancing short-term performance with long-term brand building. It's a constant struggle: do we focus on quick sales or invest in growing the brand for the future? We frequently hear from our clients, "We'd love to focus on brand building, but we need the sales." However, it's not about choosing one over the other — they are most effective when they work in tandem. Achieving long-term ROI and full-funnel impact requires a cross-media mindset, we need to break out of our usual ways and think broadly. This means spending money where it matters and measuring the total impact of our marketing efforts. #MarketingStrategy #BrandBuilding #MediaChallenges #LongTermSuccess #BalancedApproach #SalesAndBrand #CrossMedia #MarketingROI

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I've never felt more ashamed in my 20 years of making content, than working on Brand Studio Mediacorp's newly launched campaign for Agency for Integrated Care (Singapore). The Break the Silver Ceiling campaign seemed innocuous enough - show how ageing is being redefined by inspiring seniors. Until I met one of them, Aunty C, hoisting her 78 year old frame up to finish her record of 7 unassisted chin-ups. I stayed well away from the pull-up bar lest I get challenged to demonstrate how I wanted her framed in the shot. I also got acquainted with 78 year old Mr Kadir, who's penning his 13th book, even as the first paragraph of the first chapter of my_magnum_opus.doc (all of 3kb in size) sits lazily, for 20 years now, in my to-do folder. Then there's Danny, 75, actor/pickle ball hero/gardener who's still jamming with his band while mine have put down our picks and settled for reminiscing over kopi and edible, deep fried, drumsticks. Shame. Shame. Shame. When it came for the team (Krristy Lam, Alvin Leow, Aik Sing Neo, Cecil Hamilton) to fulfil the brief of inspiring with profiles, the stories wrote themselves. What these seniors do in a single day, are what we procrastinate in doing for years. More than just pushing their age-group peers to lead their best lives in retirement, I believe our campaign will inspire anyone, of any age, who has been putting off a dream because we're "too old/tired/[insert excuse]" for dreams. Shame, after all, is a great motivator. Time to get my guitar out. #brandedcontent #contentmarketing

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Chu Hai 出海 = China brands going global I had a fun podcast session with the Wavemaker team. We delved into the fascinating world of "chu'hai," discussing key trends, insights, methodologies, and successful stories related to Chinese brands expanding globally. Stay tuned for the final edit of the podcast episode in May! #chuhai #chinabrands Milton Liao Scotty Ho NikkiSong Landor Wavemaker

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The time is NOW to future-proof your search and content strategies! Partner with Greenpark to stay ahead of the curve and unlock new opportunities. #SearchStrategy #ContentStrategy #Greenpark

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