Ogilvy APAC’s Post

Want to skip straight past that awkward “So what did you do with your summer?” question with your friends at Ogilvy Denmark?   Now that we’re all back to our desks and back to work, here’s a summary of what we’ve been up to for the last few weeks in just under 20 seconds:

🌟 Doing the Wrong Thing Can Make You Famous 🌟 Hear me out - it'll take a bit of reading. When I was working with Saatchi & Saatchi London, I kept hearing this story about how the young agency (at the time) won possibly the biggest client - British Airways. ✍ A pitch was happening. Saatchi was the underdog, full of talent and energy but, let’s be honest, not exactly up to British Airways' prestige. The British Airways team arrived for the pitch, waited in reception for 30 minutes. Still nothing. Another 15 minutes passed, finally a junior representative came to guide them. After a bit of confusion and searching, they found a cramped, messy room full of trash. The BA execs were less than impressed but decided to give it a shot. After about 30 minutes, they were ready to leave. Just at that moment, one of the Saatchi brothers appeared and brought them to a pristine, well-decorated meeting room. 💪 His words? “You’ve just experienced what an average British Airways passenger goes through daily. Now, let us show you how to fix it.” The rest is history - Saatchi & Saatchi (We Are Saatchi) won the account and delivered some of the most iconic British Airways campaigns ever. Takeaway? If you're the underdog, do something unforgettable. Sometimes breaking the norms gets you noticed. Reality Check: I’ve never confirmed if this story is true, but maybe it’s better that way. Anyone have the inside scoop? I'm thinking about it since 20 years. #BritishAirways #Saatchi #Advertising #UnderDog

I never thanked Ogilvy, the agency that gave me the most, properly on a public platform after I quit, so here it is. How does one quit a feeling? (Pray. Do tell.) It’s true when people say this place is built special. From how creativity is nurtured at every desk, processes are put in place to enable the same, where every kind of talent is respected and the best clients in the country are your everyday partners. It was an amazing ride to say the least where I learnt a lot from the people around me. Seniors, juniors, everyone. And hopefully been able to pass on a few lessons too. I’m parting ways with mahesh parab (only professionally) after 16 crazy years and I’m going to miss our daily banter the most (also the guaranteed pay slip at the end of the month). Mahesh and I have created some of the best work of our career here and we can't thank Harshad Rajadhyaksha and Kainaz Karmakar enough for giving us the opportunity, freedom and support to do so. Also, how different people from different departments of Ogilvy worked as a unit to make us look good will always stay with me. It's why I don’t think it's ever possible to quit Ogilvy. Well, how does one quit a feeling? And it is for all of the above reasons, that work at Ogilvy never felt like just that. It was always an experience that went beyond. Every single day. And for that, I’ll be forever grateful. #Ogilvy #TheBest #Advertising #Farewell #WorkCulture

We talk to co-founder Fernando Musa about how the network is evolving with age, plus how he balances his unusual dual roles as chairman at David and CEO at Ogilvy Brasil

Connect fore!

I am thrilled to share that as I celebrate 12 incredible years at Mindshare SG, my journey continues with a new chapter as I step into the role of Business Director. Over the years, I've had the privilege of working alongside some of the most talented people in the industry, dedicated to delivering stellar work that they truly believe in; and having their contributions recognised by their clients and peers, alike. As I reflect on the past 12 years, I am grateful for the many opportunities to grow, and challenges that have strengthened my perspectives. And of course, the unwavering support of our Content+ team. This new chapter is not just a personal achievement for me, but a testament of the collaborative spirit and culture for innovation, here at Mindshare. Inspired by the many bosses I have encountered, over the years. To my ex-bosses, you might not have known this, but your impact is still felt: - Chen Sands - I came in bright-eyed and all keen to pioneer social media back then in 2012, and you welcomed me warmly into the team. - Christopher Smith - still one of my main go-to creative inspirations, where I recall the team always saying "do as Chris does". Your belief in me back then to helm SilkAir's pitch, gave me the courage to lead. - Jakeena Malli - one of the most brilliant innovators, I learnt to think and act quick on my feet; and of course that awesomely hectic HK disneyland work Trip together. #workisfun - Roxanne Vure - your wit and sardonic humour always made serious client situations, a little less intense. And those ramen/ dim sum meals...unforgettable - Laura D'Ambrosio - a sharp-shooting lead who practises agility in real-time, you have led the team by example- fleeting through projects and managing workloads. Here's a snapshot of our team Xin Hua Kon, Grace and You Sian, and to the next 12 years and beyond- let's stay awesome! #NewBeginnings #MindshareJourney #ContentMarketing #SocialMediaMarketing #Leadership #WomenInBusiness

🎉 Celebrating 2 Years at dentsu! 🎉 Today marks two years since I joined dentsu, and what a journey it’s been! Reflecting on the growth, challenges, and wins along the way, I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunities that have come my way. ✨ Key Lessons: Collaboration is Power: Working across teams and disciplines has shown me the true value of collaborative thinking. The best ideas often come from diverse perspectives. Adaptability is Key: The marketing world is dynamic, and dentsu has taught me the importance of staying flexible and ready to pivot. Client-Centric Approach: Every campaign begins and ends with understanding the client’s needs. It’s a skill that I’ll continue to build and carry forward. 🚀 Wins Along the Way: From executing high-impact campaigns to seeing my strategies drive measurable results, each project has been a step forward. Whether it's been bringing unique concepts to life or fostering strong client relationships, I’m proud of what I’ve achieved with the dentsu team. 🌟 Overcoming Challenges: Navigating tight deadlines and adapting to an ever-evolving industry has kept me on my toes. But each challenge has pushed me to think creatively and strategically—traits that dentsu embodies and encourages every day. Thank you to everyone at dentsu who’s been part of this journey. Here’s to more growth, innovation, and success in the years to come! 🚀 #WorkAnniversary #Growth #Marketing #dentsu

In the age of digi empires, there's something so lovely about getting a letter or a card through the post. Or, as a Millennial, am I just 'too old school'? I still buy birthday, thinking of you, get well, baby, wedding, condolence, thank you and I love you cards (my favourite) and send them to those who may appreciate them and maybe even to those who may not.... I can't help myself 🙃. There is something about the power of the written word, seeing the handwriting and of course, the design of the card that I love. For me it's a ritual. Picking the card. Thinking of the person. Drafting the message. Sending them my well wishes. And hoping that it makes them smile. Because surely that's what this world needs? More shiny, happy, people, holding hands... And of course, more love. What are your thoughts on writing of letters and cards? The below campaign by the Australian Post is just gorgeous. Do you like it? And do you still write letters, cards or even postcards from your holiday gateway with the message 'Wish you were here'? Would love to know. #famouscampaigns #goodwriting #connection

This week I read the article in AdExchanger about Why Publicis is Winning. https://lnkd.in/ef8qpFi7 In it, the author lists: 1. Bold technology strategy (Publicis bought Epsilon for $4.4bn in 2019) 2. Progressive Leadership 3. Smart deal making as the 3 key ingredients he believes are the root of our new business success. I'd have to agree, to two out of the three, at least. When I came on board in 2021 to help clients and prospective clients realise the power of Epsilon and how an ID and data-led approach would be key to their growth, in new business pitches, I had the leadership of the exceptional Nagmeh Taheri to guide me and help me to drive that collaboration within our businesses. Naggy's Progressive Leadership put into practice what enabled us to be the best. As Terence Kawaja says in his article: " The Power of One centralised platform federates data to all Publicis agencies. This strategy creates a great narrative in pitches for global marketing contracts which helps explain Publicis' extraordinary win rate". Today, she is off to sprinkle her magic elsewhere. IPG Mediabrands are so lucky to have her. Thanks for everything Naggy; you are living proof that nice guys (or girls) do not come last. Best of luck in your new chapter.

I have a love-hate relationship with advertising and marketing. That feeling about Commercial Creativity is never closer to the surface than at this time of the year, when Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity comes around again. By Commercial Creativity I mean the loosely defined name given to a group of activities from the marketing function in a business, to those who help those marketers do what they need to do, the advertising, media and branding agencies and everything in between. I was for a long time of this world: Chief Strategy Officer of EMEA, Global EXCO, Global Creative Council for the then named Y&R - VMLY&R (and now VML!) and then Chief Marketing Officer for the United Nations World Food Programme. I did lots of things in those roles, some of those are still part of my life, but they are no longer all of my life. This is an exploration of the good, bad and ugly of the industry, the importance of metas and what you might do if you want to try something different. (A shorter version of this was first published by my friends and colleagues at BeenThereDoneThat - thank you. David Alberts, Nikki Crumpton and Marielle Kouroushi-Phillips). Saïd Business School, University of Oxford #marketing #branding #advertising #careers #personaldevelopment #growth